Kawagoe is a picturesque town in Saitama Prefecture, only a short 32 km train ride from downtown Tokyo. It has old storehouses and candy shops lining streets that look like they are unchanged since the Edo Period, giving the town its nickname, “Koedo” or “Little Edo.”
Kurazukuri Street 蔵造りの町並み
The best preserved of these storehouses and shops can be found on Kurazukuri street 蔵造りの町並み, a historic street lined with massive kura buildings which were fire and earthquake resistant store houses for the city’s Edo era merchants and samurai.
Kawagoe rickshaw
If you plan your visit during one of the festivals, usually the beautiful main street is closed to vehicle traffic and you are free to wander around and enjoy the atmosphere of Little Edo.
Kawagoe Festival
In late March the Kawagoe Spring Festival 川越春祭り starts which runs until the first week of May. There are numerous events held during the festival but one of the most colourful oriented for children and families is the koinobori coloring event which one street is devoted to for the day it is held.
Kawagoe koinobori
Children can colour their own personal koinobori, a traditional paper carp hung up across the street.
Visit museums, temples, and shrines, eat delicious traditional Japanese meals, or rent a kimono for a stroll through town. There are plenty of local bars and cafes that make the name Koedo ring true living up to the reputation of being the culinary heart of Edo.
Cherry blossoms of Shingash River by Hikawa Shrine in Kawagoe
Most bars and restaurants serve beer from one of the best local breweries in Japan, the Coedo Beer company who named their beers after the five classic Japanese hues, Kyara, Ruri, Shiro, Shikkoku and Beniaka, all a taste treat!
大宮 氷川神社 Hikawa Shrine, Saitama Prefecture
Most of the sights in Kawagoe are easy to reach on foot, but there are two retro bus loops which run frequently, providing a nostalgic alternative to see everything. Many of the sites have combined admission tickets for greater savings.
There are several alternatives for getting to Kawagoe from Tokyo, the fastest being the Tobu Tojo line train from Ikebukuro Station, which completes the trip in just over 30 minutes. Those with a JR Pass might consider the JR Kawagoe train from Shinjuku Station, which takes about 1 hour. There is also a bus which runs directly to Narita Airport.
For more information: http://www.koedo.or.jp/foreign/english/
