Chichibu Shrine

Chichibu Shrine has stood in this basin town west of Tokyo for around 2,000 years, and the elaborate carved panels covering its main hall, painted in red, green, and gold, show a sophistication uncommon in a city this size. The shrine anchors the 34-temple Chichibu Pilgrimage, which draws walkers across the surrounding mountains. Each December, the Chichibu Night Festival takes over the town with massive decorated floats pulled through lantern-lit streets and fireworks over the mountains, one of the most dramatic winter festivals in the Kanto region.