KAWAGOE TRIP
Come on! Coedo Kawagoe
Just 30 minutes from central Tokyo, Coedo Kawagoe, where the atmosphere of Edo still remains strong,
is a town where you can experience the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa periods.
It's full of photogenic areas with historical buildings, shrines and temples, delicious food, and cute cafes!
You'll experience an extraordinary experience that makes you feel as if you've traveled back in time.
Historic Site ＆History 史跡・歴史
Honmaru Goten 本丸御殿
Built in 1848, it is the only remaining structure of Kawagoe Castle, which is impressive for its calm, samurai-style construction. The picture board door with a picture of a pine tree still remains in the hall, and the dolls of the retainers are still in existence in the retainers' office.
Kura no Machi 蔵の街
Kura no Machi, a streetscape lined with quaint warehouse-style buildings that make you feel as if you have stepped back in time.
It has a tasteful and stately construction, and the oldest building is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
Former National 85th Bank Head Office
旧国立八十五銀行本店
Built in 1918 as the former head office of the National Hachijugo Bank, it is designated as a registered tangible cultural property of Japan.
While based on the Renaissance style, it is designed in the Saracen style with zebra-patterned attached columns and arches.
Toki no Kane 時の鐘
Toki no Kane (Bell of Time), a symbol of Kawagoe, stands tall amidst the townscape of traditional warehouses. It is a bell tower that has been telling the time in the castle town since the early Edo period and has been familiar to the common people.
The bell still rings the time in the warehouses of the town as it did in the past.
Kashiya Yokocho 菓子屋横丁
Kashiya Yokocho is a “confectioner's alley” where about 20 confectioners and other shops are crammed together. Lined with confectionery stores that bring back the simple and nostalgic tastes of the past, everyone who steps into one of them feels as if they are a child again.
Taisho Roman Street 大正浪漫通り
Taisho Roman Street is full of atmosphere, reminiscent of the good old Taisho period. It is a unique streetscape with a mix of storehouses, traditional townhouses, Western-style architecture, and wooden buildings built in the Taisho period, making it a popular photo spot.
Shrines & Temples 神社・仏閣
Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine 川越氷川神社
The 15m-tall giant torii gate is one of the largest wooden gates in Japan.
As it enshrines the deities of couples and families, it is also worshipped as the "god of matchmaking," and on auspicious days you can see brides dressed in white wedding kimonos.
The beautiful sound of the summer "Enmusubi Wind Chimes" will make you feel cool.
Kumano Shrine 熊野神社
At the side of the cobblestone street, you can see Kawagoe Kumano Shrine, a mysterious approach to the shrine with pebbles paved on both sides. One of the shrine's famous attractions, the Kawagoe Tori-no-ichi Festival (Ootori Shrine), is crowded with people looking for lucky charms such as large rakes.
Kawagoe Hachimangu 川越八幡宮
Kawagoe Hachiman Shrine is worshipped as the "god of victory," and many students and athletes come here to pray for victory. In addition, the shrine grounds are home to the sacred "matchmaking ginkgo tree," as well as the Sumo Inari Shrine, which is said to grant good health for the legs and hips, and is visited by many tourists.
Miyosino Shrine 三芳野神社
Miyoshino Shrine was built about 1,200 years ago, at the beginning of the Heian period (794-1185), and is said to be the birthplace of the children's song "TORYANSE".
When there was still a castle in Kawagoe, Miyoshino Shrine was built inside the castle as the guardian of the Kawagoe Castle.
Kitain 喜多院
The temple has deep ties to the Tokugawa Shogunate and its buildings related to Edo Castle have been designated as Important Cultural Properties. The 500 Arhats are a group of stone Buddha statues with various expressions that accurately capture the human emotions of joy, anger, sorrow and happiness, and are popular with tourists.
Renkei Temple 蓮馨寺
The shrine enshrines the monk Donryu, who saved people and children in trouble and granted their wishes, and is famous for granting wishes. The Obinzuru Buddha enshrined at the front is very popular as a Buddha that heals any area you touch.
