Kawagoe! Never did I imagined that I’ll be seeing this remarkable place for real. I would like to take credit to my Maruguto A2 book for letting me know this town exist, and I really made sure that this place is part on my itinerary. It has always been my dream to experience the old Japan atmosphere and Kawagoe is the perfect place to visit if you are visiting Tokyo. Located about 50 minutes by train from downtown Tokyo. Kawagoe is a City in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.
Known as the Little Edo town in the modern day Japan. The remnant of the Edo period still exist in here. Kawagoe has preserved old warehouses, temples and ruins of castles. And it’s amazing how some infrastructures are still being use, as coffee shops or museums.
If you are coming from Ueno, take the Yamanote Line train going to Ikebukuro Station (ride 8 stops, 20 minutes ) and take the local train (Tobu-tojo Line) bound for Kawagoe, ride 12 stops and 30 minutes later you’ll arrived on your destination.
Once you arrived in Kawagoe, make sure to check there tourism office, right in-font of the exit area of the station. There are maps and guides you can get from the office. The local tourism office also offers bus tours that provides access to all the main attractions of the city. If you take this tours, I suggest you take the Kawagoe Co-Edo Loop Bus. It’s a retro-style bus that looks like our Jeepney version, but this ride is way cooler that our Jeepney’s. Riding the Co-Edo Loop Bus will give you the nostalgia effect as it look like one of Edo period mode of transportation. Single trips cost 200 yen, while a day of unlimited travel costs 500 yen. The buses operate every 20-30 minutes. The other tour bus is the Tobu Koedo Loop Bus (normal bus) a one-day pass costs 300 yen. These buses make their round trips every 50 minutes on weekdays and every 15 to 30 minutes on weekends and national holidays. (Prices may change without prior notice).
But if you feel like walking like what I did, then go for it. But make sure you have local friends or guide so when you get lost its easy to find your correct destination. What I notice, while walking around this City is that it’s so quiet and I seldom see people on the streets especially around Kita-in Temple and Hikawa Shrine. And even if I had internet connection with me, I still had hard time navigating it, so I was really thankful Tosh was with me during this trip.
Our first stop is the famous Kurazukuri Zone or the Kura No Machi (Old Town) Inchibangai Street and Toki No Kane (Time Bell Tower) these two landmark are beside each other.
Kura No Machi is Japanese homes once had a strong building called “Kura” for on-property storage of household’s tools. Since these buildings were very fire-resistant, they developed into residential buildings and stores in Kawagoe. This zone is a culturally significant are where the atmosphere of a town 100 years ago can be experienced. Super amazed strolling on this street, feels like we’ve traveled back in time to ancient Edo.
Toki No Kane is the symbol of Kawagoe. Because there were no clocks in the Edo period, this tower where a bell had been rung to announce the time to the people. Up to this day, the bell is still being rung four times daily from 6:00am, 12:00nn, 3:00pm and 6:00pm and its sound has been selected as one of the “100 Soundscapes of Japan: Preserving Our Heritage” by the Ministry of Environment.
The current Toki No Kane is the fourth version after the tower was re-built immediately after the Great Fire of Kawagoe (1893). Its towering presence over the Kurazukuri (storehouse) zone has become the symbol of Little Edo, Kawagoe.
Next stop is shrine, temple and castle hopping, there are plenty of these in Kawagoe but we only visit 3 significance sites as my friend needs to be in Tokyo before 5pm because he has work at night.
Kawagoe Castle Honmaru Residence - Once upon a time, a castle once stood in Kawagoe but because of the air raid bombing during WWW II the castle was ruined and the only remaining piece of history for visitors to witness in Kawagoe Castle is the Honmaru Goten (Residence). It used to serve as the lords residence and office. The building is now a museum that features a garden and several historical artifacts.
Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine - This is probably the most popular shrine in Kawagoe, known as a shrine of relationships and matchmaking. I have no idea this kind of beliefs exist, no wonder why my Japanese friend was kinda feeling awkward when we get to this shine. Ha!ha!ha! Gomenasai! So if you’re a couple visiting Kawagoe or someone who wish to have a child or someone who is praying for their soul-mates and the one, then this shrine should be on your top must visit in Kawagoe.
Last but not the least on our Kawagoe trip is the Kita-in Temple. Kita-in Temple, or Kawagoe Daishi, is a Tendai School temple with a long history. It was established in 830 by Jikaku Daishi, En'nin (a priest) upon the order of the Emperor. The temple was destroyed by the 1638 Great Fire of Kawagoe but was reconstructed by the third shogun, Iemitsu Tokugawa.
There are many artefact’s designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan and Tangible Cultural Properties of the Prefecture on the temple grounds such as the Kakuden hall, where Iemitsu was born, and the Jikeido main hall. The gohyaku-rakan (500 status of rakan) is also one of the temple highlights. You can enjoy looking at over 500 statues of rakan and look at their facial expressions. The temple offers an experience in a Buddhist training.
The practice of reading sutra is given every month. The benefits of the temple are for general concerns, everyday safety, good business, family well-being, safe journey, and protection from evil, and many people visit the temple throughout the year, particularly for hatsu-daishi New Year ceremony in January, the setsubun spring gathering, and the daruma doll festival as per Live Japan Guide.
Indeed Kawagoe is worth the visit. It gives you a glimpse of Edo-era which you can’t see in Tokyo. A town of history retaining the culture and presence of old Japan. As it is not far from Tokyo, it is an ideal town for a day out.
BONUS:
While in Kawagoe particularly in Toki No Kane streets , few steps away you will see the coolest Starbucks establishments I have seen so far. They have a garden also inside wherein you can enjoy your coffee and relax. So keep this in mind Minasan.
Other related blog post:
- The Kanda Used Book Festival in Jimbocho
- Keisei Skyliner
- Instagrammable spot in Shibuya Tokyo
- Sensoji Temple in Asakusa at Night
- Kawagoe The Little Edo Town in the Modern day Japan
- The Travelling Hopia
- Arakurayama Sengen Park
- Nezu Shrine in Tokyo Bunkyo Ward
- The Meiji Shrine
- Mount Fuji
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