Things to do and see around Kawagoe city, Saitama

Looking for a new travel destination that is not so far from Tokyo?

How about visiting Kawagoe in Saitama to forget the hustle and bustle of Tokyo and to enjoy its retro vibes?

Kawagoe is perhaps one of the hottest tourist towns near Tokyo, and the town is getting more popular among both local and foreign travelers.

The city is famous for its retro district Koedo (means Little Edo in Japanese), which features historical buildings, shrines, and local shops selling Kawagoe’s local treats and crafts.

Today we’ve listed up some of the best things to do and see around Koedo, so let’s take an incredible day trip from Tokyo to Kawagoe!

Visit Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine

Start your day by visiting Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine (川越氷川神社), a shrine in Kawagoe that was founded about 1,500 years ago.

Located just around a 15-minute bus ride from Kawagoe Station, many people visit the shrine to pray for good luck and marriage tie.

The shrine is famous for its cute red snapper omikuji (fortune-telling paper), which costs 300 yen per piece.

In summer, the shrine is colored with numerous colorful Japanese traditional wind bells called fūrin (風鈴).

Visit The Bell Tower (Toki no Kane)

The bell tower, which is a landmark of Kawagoe, is located just off the main street of Koedo. Also called as Toki no Kane, it towers over the row of low-rise structures with its 16m (52ft) heights. The bell tower chimes for four times a day at 6.a.m., 12.p.m., 3.p.m., and 6.p.m., remain unchanged since centuries ago.

If you pass beneath the tower, you’ll see Yakushi Shrine, a small but lovely shrine that brings good luck in health and recovery.

Try the local treats

One of the most important things to do when visiting Kawagoe is to try its local treats!

Koedo is famous for its mouthwatering local treats, and one of our favorite sweet treats is the grilled dango a.k.a. yaki dango (焼き団子).

Another local treats you have to try is Kawagoe’s una-jyū (うな重)! Una-jyū is a dish where grilled unagi (freshwater eel) served on a bed of rice in a lacquer box called jyūbako (重箱).

The una-jyū is a little bit expensive, but worth the price as it tastes delicious!

Stroll around the warehouse district (Tsubaki No Kura)

Another must-visit spot in Kawagoe is Tsubaki no Kura, the warehouse district in Koedo.
The district is filled with numerous old warehouses, which turned into retail shops selling local treats, souvenirs, textiles, prayer objects, and other Japanese traditional knick-knacks.

Visit Kashiya Yokocho

The last spot you need to visit before returning to Tokyo is Kashiya Yokocho, an alley filled with old-fashioned shops selling traditional candies, Japanese snacks, and authentic gifts.

The shops in this alley are open from 10.a.m. to 5.p.m., and most are closed on Mondays and Wednesday.