From Ikebukuro, Tokyo's huge transportation hub, Kawagoe can be reached in 26 minutes by Tobu Railway train. With "KAWAGOE DISCOUNT PASS Premium", for only 970 yen, you can travel to and from Kawagoe, a town that retains the style of an old street from the samurai era hundreds of years ago.
From Tokyo, it is easy to get back and forth on the same day, and the number of foreign tourists visiting Kawagoe is increasing dramatically. If you search for "#kawagoe" on Instagram, you can enjoy the beautiful photos of Kawagoe posted by people around the world. The following will introduce you to the charm of Kawagoe from four aspects: history, food, experience, and street scene.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > Kawagoe Old Street where you can fully feel the atmosphere of Edo</h1>
At a time when Tokyo was also known as "Edo", Kawagoe was already a bustling circulation base for merchants to trade in agricultural products and textiles.
About 150 years ago, Edo changed its name to Tokyo, and the whole of Japan quickly entered a period of modernization, but Kawagoe chose to preserve the old streets full of Edo culture as much as possible.
When you come to Kawagoe, you must first go to the "Old Tibetan Street (Warehouse Block)" that has the most Edo style. In those days, merchants who were doing business in Kawagoe built rows of large warehouses, and even now they still retain exactly the same style as they were then. Standing in the middle of this landscape, you may even feel that the air around you is full of the smell of the Edo period.
Stroll through the "Old Tibetan Street (Warehouse Block)" and occasionally hear the bells of "Bang-". This is the symbol of Kawagoe's city, the loud sound of the "Clock of Time" built on a 16-meter-high watchtower.
Born in the 17th century, the bell tower was built by Sakai Tadatsukatsu, the warlord who ruled Kawagoe at the time, and has been telling the news for more than 300 years. Although the bell tower was destroyed by fire many times, it was rebuilt each time in the heart of the merchants of Kawagoe. The existing bell tower was also quickly rebuilt after it was destroyed by fire in 1893.
It is said that the merchants of Kawagoe first rebuilt the bell tower after the disaster, and then their own shops. Even today, the bells that Kawagoe people cherish still ring at 6: 12, 15, and 18 in the morning, and have never changed.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > kimono experience service is also provided here, so that visitors can more fully feel the old street style</h1>
Walking the streets of Kawagoe, you will find many people wearing kimonos. In Kawagoe, in order to let visitors enjoy the historical atmosphere of the old town, we also offer a kimono rental service.
"Mimi-an" is one of the shops that offer kimono rental services, which start from 20 minutes and 2,000 yen, and everyone can change into japanese and foreign clothes. Wearing a kimono and strolling through the old streets full of historical style, you are simply a town girl of the Edo period. As a souvenir of your visit to Japan, you can also take the most beautiful photos and upload them to SNS
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > sweet potatoes, beer, and countless local delicacies you can enjoy in Kawagoe</h1>
Wander freely through the historic old streets and unconsciously find yourself empty in the stomach... At such times, it is highly recommended that you visit the "Koedo Misagan" next door to the "Clock of Time". Since the samurai era, Kawagoe has been famous throughout the country for growing sweet potatoes.
The shop is very popular for its famous Kawagoe product, sweet potato slices and then frying. In addition to giving people a different visual impact from the appearance, the extra-large sweet potato chips can only use salt for simple seasoning to set off the most original and simple sweetness of sweet potatoes.
And the best thing to taste with this sweet potato chip is Kawagoe's local beer. Kawagoe produces a craft beer called "COEDO Beer" that can be purchased at hotels or cafes.
This beer uses sweet potatoes, a specialty of Kawagoe, as a raw material. Its smooth and refreshing taste has made it a critical acclaimed, and it has also won gold awards at the "Euro Beer Star 2010" and other awards. This beer comes in cute vials and is perfect for a relaxing break while strolling down the street.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > Kawagoe Glacier Shrine, which has attracted much attention for love divination and Instagram, and recommends that visitors visit at 8 a.m</h1>
In Kawagoe, there is a shrine that has a history of more than 1,500 years, the Kawagoe Glacier Shrine. Every autumn, the "Kawagoe Matsuri" is held here, and you can see many huge colorful floats on parade, which are popular with locals and tourists alike.
However, there is another reason why Kawagoe Glacier Shrine attracts so many people to worship. Since this shrine is dedicated to a deity couple, it is considered a treasure place that is "conducive to the formation of good relations".
Inside the shrine, visitors can try to "catch" the "god sign" that divines future fortunes. The small fish-shaped god sign is very cute and can also divine the love fortune for you.
In addition, every summer there is an event called "Wind Chimes", which is also popular on Instagram.
Under the glass bell hangs a long strip of paper, and whenever the piece of paper is shaken by the wind, the bell will make a cool and crisp sound, so it will get the reputation of "wind chime". This is the wisdom of life created by the Japanese to forget the summer heat.
Every summer, a wind chime cloister decorated with 2,000 wind chimes is built to give visitors a cool healing sound.
Not only that, but the "Painted Horse (Wishing Plaque)", which was written down and then dedicated to the gods, was also built into a tunnel to welcome visitors. These "painted horses" contain love wishes from all over the world.
It is highly recommended that you get up early to visit Kawagoe Glacier Shrine. Starting at 8:00 a.m., the Divine Society distributed a limited edition of 20 "Knot Jade". Generally speaking, bringing back stones or trees from shrines in Japan is a taboo behavior.
However, the Kawagoe Glacier Shrine has a legend that "bringing home the white sand and stone in the courtyard will bring you a good relationship" so the shrine staff distributes the white sand stone in front of the main hall as a "knot jade" to visitors who come to worship.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > taste Japanese food at the restaurant of Tobu Department Store</h1>
Even if you are exhausted from walking all day on the quaint old streets of Kawagoe, you can return to Ikebukuro immediately by taking the Tobu Railway train. At the transportation hub of Ikebukuro, there are also various types of hotels available for accommodation. It is also very convenient to travel to various parts of Tokyo such as Shibuya or Akihabara.
Back in Ikebukuro, you'll find a variety of Japanese delicacies to choose from. Located at the west exit of Ikebukuro Station, the Restaurant Floor of Tobu Department Store is home to more than 40 restaurants.
There are a wide range of food, including the famous tempura restaurant "HAGE Tengura", the sukiyaki & shabu-shabu long-established "Humanoid Town Imahan", the "Minoyoshi" in KyoKaishi, and other popular Japanese dishes such as ramen, rotary sushi, and tonkatsu. Visitors can immerse themselves in the memories of their trip to Kawagoe while indulging in the influence of Japanese culture with their senses of taste.
Kawagoe day trip from Ikebukuro. The Kawagoe Discount Coupon, a one-day unlimited ride to Kawagoe, and the Kawagoe SelectEd Discount Coupon, which is paired with a bus pass, are sold on the Tobu Railway. Visiting Kawagoe, which is dotted with Edo cultural relics, is sure to give you a deeper understanding of Japan.