Coedo Kawagoe Ichibangai Shopping Street: Kurazukuri Streetscape
📍 Address: Saiwaicho, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, 350-0063 Japan
The main street for Kawagoe sightseeing, ‘Coedo Kawagoe Ichibangai Shopping Street’ vividly preserves the atmosphere of an Edo period castle town. Following the Great Kawagoe Fire of 1893 (Meiji 26), numerous fire-resistant, black-plastered ‘kurazukuri’ (storehouse-style) buildings were constructed in a competitive spirit, and their beautiful streetscape remains intact today. In 1999, it was designated as a National Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.
The street is lined with traditional Japanese confectionery shops, retro cafes, and general stores, offering a wide array of street food like ‘purple sweet potato soft serve’ and ‘Kawagoe Pudding.’ Especially on weekends, it bustles with tourists, allowing you to experience the vibrant ‘Kawagoe-ness.’ However, this is not a pedestrian zone, and regular route buses and cars pass through, so please be mindful of your surroundings when taking photos or eating on the go.
The recommended time to visit is at dusk, when the daytime crowds begin to thin out. The black-plastered buildings bathed in the setting sun and the retro streetscape with scattered lights create an excellent photo opportunity, allowing you to immerse yourself in a nostalgic atmosphere as if you’ve traveled back in time to a historical drama set.
Toki no Kane (Bell of Time)
📍 Address: 15-7 Saiwaicho, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, 350-0063 Japan
Standing majestically a short walk down a side street from the Kurazukuri district is Kawagoe’s symbol, the ‘Toki no Kane’ (Bell of Time). The current bell tower is the fourth generation, rebuilt during the Meiji era, and its wooden warmth and dignified appearance perfectly blend into the historic landscape.
You cannot enter the building or climb to the top, so your stay here, including photo opportunities, will be around 5 to 10 minutes. However, it’s an excellent spot to stop by as a landmark on your street food tour or stroll.
For a more profound experience, we recommend timing your visit with the ringing of the bell. It chimes mechanically four times a day: at ‘6 AM, 12 PM, 3 PM, and 6 PM’. Listening to the solemn and atmospheric sound of the bell echoing through the bustling tourist area will surely deepen your memories of Kawagoe.
Kashiya Yokocho (Candy Alley)
📍 Address: 2-11-3 Motomachi, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, 350-0062 Japan
Starting in the early Meiji era, confectionery production flourished here, and ‘Kashiya Yokocho’ (Candy Alley) once boasted over 20 shops. Having remarkably recovered from a tragic fire several years ago, it now thrives as a unique spot blending old-fashioned charm with new vibrancy.
The narrow alley is packed with shops selling famous long ‘twice-dipped fugashi’ (wheat gluten snacks), ‘imo-kenpi’ (candied sweet potato sticks), ‘imo-chips’ (sweet potato chips), and nostalgic ‘dagashi’ (penny candies), making you feel like a child again just by walking through. Sampling pickles at a pickle shop while choosing souvenirs is also a delight.
Additionally, character shops featuring popular figures like ‘Chiikawa,’ ‘Miffy,’ and ‘Snoopy’ have recently opened, significantly increasing the number of youth-oriented stores. This must-visit area symbolizes contemporary Kawagoe, where the nostalgic scent of old Showa meets the latest pop culture.
Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine
📍 Address: 2-11-3 Miyashitamachi, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, 350-0052 Japan
The main guardian shrine of Kawagoe, believed to have been founded around 1,500 years ago during the Kofun period. As it enshrines five family deities, it attracts immense popularity nationwide as a power spot for ‘matchmaking,’ ‘marital harmony,’ and ‘family prosperity.’ The impressive 15-meter-tall wooden torii gate towering at the shrine entrance features a plaque bearing the calligraphy of Katsu Kaishu.
A must-try experience at this shrine is the playful ‘omikuji’ (fortunes). The ‘Tai Omikuji’ (sea bream fortunes), where you ‘fish’ for your fortune using a small dedicated fishing rod (‘Ichinen Antai Omikuji’ for a peaceful year, ‘Ai Tai Omikuji’ for love), and the ‘Kawagoe Imo Omikuji’ (Kawagoe sweet potato fortune), where you dig up a sweet potato papier-mâché with a hoe and basket, are incredibly charming and sure to be a hit.
The shrine grounds are meticulously maintained, offering endless sights and photo opportunities, such as the ‘Ema Corridor’ where countless votive tablets (ema) form a tunnel, seasonal wind chimes, and the ‘Meoto Keyaki’ (Married Zelkova Trees), sacred trees over 600 years old quietly standing behind the main hall. As it’s always bustling with many worshippers, an early morning visit is recommended if you wish to leisurely soak in the divine atmosphere.
Coedo Kurari
📍 Address: 1-10-1 Shintomicho, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, 350-0043 Japan
This is a multi-purpose tourist facility created by renovating the former Kagiyamashuzo sake brewery, founded in 1875 (Meiji 8), while preserving its original character. While there’s ‘Meiji-gura’ for souvenirs and ‘Taisho-gura’ for dining, the main attraction for adult travelers is ‘Kikizake-dokoro Showa-gura,’ where you can enjoy a sake tasting experience.
In fact, Saitama Prefecture is a hidden sake producing region, ranking 4th nationwide in sake production. At Showa-gura, you’ll find sake from all 35 breweries in the prefecture gathered in one place. The system where you purchase a medal for 500 yen, insert it into one of the many paid ‘automatic tasting machines,’ and pour your own sake is truly an adult theme park for sake lovers!
Beyond sake, snacks like ‘yaki-aji’ (grilled horse mackerel) and ‘kaihimo’ (shellfish adductor muscle) can also be purchased with medals. There’s also a section for ‘o-kan’ (warming sake) and a fermentation bar corner where you can order special sakes (such as the ‘Fly Me to the Saitama’ collaboration sake, famous for the Saitama Pose). It’s a supremely deep local experience spot where you can casually enjoy standing alone or with company.
Tips for Enjoying Kawagoe Tourism to the Fullest
Kawagoe’s main tourist spots are a bit of a distance from Kawagoe Station (JR, Tobu Tojo Line) and Hon-Kawagoe Station (Seibu Shinjuku Line). While it’s possible to walk, a smart choice for travelers is to wisely utilize local buses like the ‘Coedo Loop Bus’ for at least one leg of your journey to conserve energy.
Furthermore, famous unagi (eel) restaurants and popular cafes around the Kurazukuri district are bound to have long queues during weekend lunch hours. To avoid crowds, the trick is to start an early lunch or street food tour from around 10 AM, or to significantly shift your dining time. Activities like sake tasting at Coedo Kurari are best scheduled towards the end of your stroll to wrap up your day pleasantly.
Kawagoe is a city where historic buildings and new culture intertwine. Prepare comfortable shoes and some small change (for street food and medal purchases), and enjoy the atmosphere of ‘Little Edo’ to your heart’s content!
