Kawagoe — "Little Edo" — preserves a working merchant streetscape of clay-walled kura warehouses along Ichibangai, most rebuilt after the May 1893 fire using traditional kura construction. The Toki no Kane bell tower rings four times daily — 6 a.m., noon, 3 p.m., and 6 p.m. Kashiya Yokocho (Confectionery Row) keeps roughly a dozen old-fashioned candy shops turning out hard candies and senbei, most priced under 50 yen. Kitain Temple holds rooms transferred from Edo Castle after the 1638 Kitain fire, when Tokugawa Iemitsu had part of the castle relocated here. About 30 minutes from Ikebukuro on the Tobu Tojo line — the easiest day trip out of Tokyo for travelers who want a different century without the Kyoto airfare.
What Kawagoe is known for
Top-rated in Kawagoe
Kitain Temple
4.2temple
Kawagoe temple with 500 unique stone Rakan statues, each with different expressions believed to bring specific luck.
Kashiya Yokocho
3.9restaurant
Narrow century-old candy alley with 20 sweet shops selling dagashi and sweet potato treats.
Koedo Kawagoe
3.9historic_site
Little Edo preserved district near Tokyo with authentic Edo-period merchant architecture and traditional streetscapes.