Kawagoe is called “Little Edo” because its main street looks exactly like Japan did 400 years ago. Chichibu is a mountain town with one of Japan’s most dramatic shrines carved into a cliffside. Both are in Saitama Prefecture, both are easy from Tokyo, and almost no foreign tourists visit either one.
Kawagoe — Little Edo
The Warehouse District (Kurazukuri)
Kawagoe’s main attraction is a street lined with kurazukuri — traditional clay-walled warehouses from the Edo period. These are not reconstructions. They survived the fires, earthquakes, and wars that destroyed most of Japan’s historical buildings.
Walk slowly. Look up at the rooflines. Each building has unique architectural details that reflect the merchant family who built it.
Toki no Kane (Time Bell Tower) — The wooden bell tower in the center of the warehouse district has been marking the hours since the 1600s. It still rings four times daily (6 AM, noon, 3 PM, 6 PM). Hearing it while standing on the Edo-era street is genuinely moving.
Kashiya Yokocho (Candy Alley)
A narrow lane of about 20 small shops selling traditional Japanese sweets and candy. Many of these recipes have not changed in over a century.
Must-try:
- Imo-kenpi — Fried sweet potato chips with sugar glaze. Kawagoe’s signature snack
- Fusen gum — Traditional bubble gum in retro packaging
- Kintaro ame — Candy with a face that appears no matter where you cut it
Sweet Potato Everything
Kawagoe is famous for sweet potatoes (satsuma-imo). You will find sweet potato in every form: ice cream, chips, cakes, tarts, beer, and even sweet potato-flavored Kit-Kats.
Best sweet potato experience: Buy a freshly roasted yaki-imo from one of the street vendors. The Kawagoe variety (Beni-Haruka) is extraordinarily sweet and creamy.
Hikawa Shrine
This Shinto shrine is famous for romantic luck. The “tai-tsuri” (sea bream fishing) fortune involves catching a paper fish with a tiny fishing rod to receive your fortune. It is charming and uniquely Japanese.
In summer (July-September), the shrine hangs 2,000 wind chimes (furin) in a spectacular display called “Enmusubi Furin.”
Getting to Kawagoe
- Tobu Tojo Line from Ikebukuro (30 minutes, ¥480)
- Seibu Shinjuku Line from Seibu-Shinjuku (60 minutes, ¥510)
- JR Kawagoe Line from Shinjuku via Rinkai Line (50 minutes)
Chichibu — Mountains and Spirit
From Kawagoe, you can continue to Chichibu by train (about 80 minutes via Seibu Line from Hon-Kawagoe). Or you can visit Chichibu directly from Ikebukuro (80 minutes on the Seibu Chichibu Line).
Mitsumine Shrine
High in the mountains at 1,100 meters elevation, Mitsumine Shrine is one of the most atmospheric shrines in the Kanto region. The bus ride up from Seibu-Chichibu Station (75 minutes) takes you through increasingly dramatic mountain scenery.
What makes it special:
- Wolf guardians — Instead of the usual fox or lion-dog guardians, Mitsumine has wolves. The shrine is dedicated to the wolf as a divine messenger
- The ornate gate — The three-story gate is covered in intricate carvings. Mist often hangs in the cedar trees behind it
- Mountain isolation — On weekdays, you might be one of very few visitors. The silence is profound
Chichibu Night Festival (December 2-3)
If you can time your visit, the Chichibu Night Festival is one of Japan’s three great float festivals. Massive illuminated floats are pulled through the streets while fireworks explode overhead. It is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Nagatoro River
Between Kawagoe and Chichibu, the Nagatoro area offers boat rides down a scenic river gorge. The boatmen use traditional poles to navigate the rapids. In autumn, the gorge is framed by brilliant red and gold foliage.
Suggested Itinerary
Half Day — Kawagoe Only
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 9:30 | Arrive Kawagoe. Walk to warehouse district |
| 10:00 | Explore kurazukuri street and Toki no Kane |
| 11:00 | Kashiya Yokocho (candy alley) |
| 11:30 | Sweet potato tasting at local shops |
| 12:00 | Lunch — try unagi (eel), another Kawagoe specialty |
| 13:30 | Hikawa Shrine |
| 14:30 | Return to Tokyo |
Full Day — Kawagoe + Chichibu
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:30 | Arrive Kawagoe |
| 8:30-12:00 | Kawagoe as above |
| 12:30 | Train to Seibu-Chichibu (80 min) |
| 14:00 | Bus to Mitsumine Shrine |
| 15:15 | Explore Mitsumine Shrine |
| 16:30 | Bus back to Seibu-Chichibu |
| 17:30 | Return to Ikebukuro (80 min) |
Budget
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Train (Ikebukuro → Kawagoe) | ¥480 |
| Train (Kawagoe → Chichibu) | ¥790 |
| Mitsumine bus (round trip) | ¥1,900 |
| Lunch + snacks | ¥1,500-2,500 |
| Train (Chichibu → Ikebukuro) | ¥790 |
| Total | ~¥5,500-6,500 |
Why These Towns Matter
Kawagoe and Chichibu show you something about Japan that Tokyo has erased: the texture of daily life across centuries. In Kawagoe, merchants still sell from buildings their families built 200 years ago. In Chichibu, shrine rituals continue that predate written records. These are not museums. They are living communities where the past is simply part of the present.