Summary
Chichibu and Nagatoro sit in the mountains of western Saitama, roughly an hour from Ikebukuro by limited express train. The area changes character with the seasons — moss phlox carpets in spring, river activities in summer, fiery autumn foliage, and icicle formations in winter — but the combination of easy access from Tokyo, traditional food, and natural scenery makes it a solid day trip any time of year.
We visited during autumn and put together this itinerary covering Chichibu's shrines and food scene plus Nagatoro's river scenery. Use it as a starting point and adjust based on the season you're visiting.
*Please note that information and prices listed are subject to change.
How to Get There from Tokyo
The most direct route is the Seibu Railway Limited Express "Laview" from Ikebukuro Station to Seibu-Chichibu Station. The ride takes about 80 minutes and costs around 1,500 yen (limited express surcharge included). Trains run roughly every hour throughout the day.
A few tips for international visitors:
- SEIBU 1Day Pass + Nagatoro: Priced at 1,500 yen, this pass covers the Seibu line plus Chichibu Railway between Seibu-Chichibu and Nagatoro. It can save you money if you plan to visit both areas. The limited express surcharge is separate.
- Chichibu Manyu Ticket: Available at Seibu-Chichibu Station, this ticket bundles transport with discounts on local hot springs and attractions.
- IC cards: Suica and PASMO work on both Seibu Railway and Chichibu Railway lines.
If you're coming by car from central Tokyo, it takes about 90 minutes via the Kan-Etsu Expressway (Hanazono IC) and Route 140.
Travel Itinerary
08:30am Ikebukuro station
Takes 'Express Laview' at Ikebukuro station, and we'll be taking a one-hour ride on it.
Yellow seats are rare on trains
When we sat down, we were unintentionally impressed by the sofa-like comfort. The bathrooms are big and clean, which is a nice feature of the newer trains!
Ikebukuro Station is a terminal station located in Minami Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, and is served by JR East, Tobu Railway, Seibu Railway and Tokyo Subway (Tokyo Metro). The Laview has large panoramic windows that make the transition from urban Tokyo to the Chichibu mountains feel gradual and scenic — you'll notice the landscape shifting from residential neighborhoods to river valleys and forested hillsides as you ride.
10:00am Seibu-Chichibu Station
From here, we move on foot! The next spot is about 12 minutes away~!
Seibu-Chichibu Station is located in Nosakamachi, Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture. There is also a sightseeing information board for Chichibu near the station's ticket gates, where you can consult with friends and decide on the best places to visit. Right next to the station is Matsuri no Yu, a day-use hot spring facility — handy to remember for the return trip if you want a soak before heading back to Tokyo.
10:30am Chichibu Shrine
Arrive at one of the three major Chichibu shrines and power spots. It is less than a 15-minute walk from Seibu-Chichibu Station, but only a 3-minute walk from Chichibu Station! It is located on a busy street with lots of cars, so I didn't get lost.
Main Shrine (Honden)
When you enter the precincts and proceed to the back, you will find the main shrine with magnificent carvings! This shrine seems to have been designated as a tangible cultural property of Saitama Prefecture. The solemn atmosphere of the precincts was very powerful!
Shrine visit
Here, they say, there is a god of politics, learning and good fortune! I hope my academic performance will improve too.
Fortune-telling by water
Chichibu Shrine also had a 'water fortune-telling'.
Dip your fortune in the stream in the precincts of the temple
The words emerge! My friend got 'great fortune'!
The fortune is...
You can either take it home in the plastic bag provided or tie it in the precinct! We tied ours and left.
Autumn leaf season
There was a beautiful red maple tree at the entrance.
Chichibu Shrine is located in Banba-machi, Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture. It is one of the three major shrines in Chichibu and is known as a power spot. As the god of learning, it is said to help many students pass their exams. The shrine is also the center of the Chichibu Night Festival (Chichibu Yomatsuri), held every year on December 2-3, which is registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Site. The festival features massive floats, fireworks, and traditional Kabuki performances — if you can time your visit for early December, it's an experience unlike anything else in the Tokyo day-trip range.
11:30am Teuchi-Soba Musashiya
Go for an early lunch. Large shop with an old-fashioned atmosphere.
Shop interior
The high ceilings, pillars, and other timber features make the restaurant very relaxing... There is a tatami room, table seating and reserved seating.
Menu
The menu included not only soba noodles, but also appetizers and sweet dishes. Desserts using buckwheat are unique to a buckwheat noodle restaurant!
Menu 2
Seiro Soba (825 yen)
I had seiro soba (825 yen)! The noodles were delicious, with a very nice buckwheat noodle smell and smooth texture! The noodles were also very firm!
Kake-Soba (buckwheat noodles in hot broth)
My friend got Kake-Soba
Tempura of maitake mushrooms
I also ordered maitake mushroom tempura, which is said to be popular!
Cafe and shop in next door
There is a coffee shop and shop next to the restaurant, and a gallery with works by Chichibu artists in the coffee shop! There was also a nice service for those who had lunch on weekdays, where you could have a cup of coffee for 150 yen.
Teuchi-Soba Musashiya is located in Bamba-machi, Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture, and serves handmade soba made from its own ground flour. It is close to Chichibu Shrine and has a parking lot for easy access. The shop is modelled on an old private house in Nagano Prefecture, with high ceilings, thick pillars and beams, and other features of wood. It also has a coffee shop and souvenir shop, as well as a pottery shop selling Arita Ware Genemon Kiln, where visitors can enjoy a cup of coffee while admiring the works of Chichibu artists.
1:00pm Chichibu Station
Walked for 3 min and arrived at Chichibu station! Now, we take the train to the next spot.
Chichibu Station is located in Miyakawa-cho, Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture. It can be reached on foot from Seibu-Chichibu Station, and along the way there are gibier restaurants on Dangozaka and a retro cafe street on Banba Street. Chichibu Station has many different souvenirs from Seibu-Chichibu Station. You can also enjoy delicious drinks in the commercial centre directly connected to Chichibu Station.
1:20pm Nagatoro Station
After a 20-minute train ride, arrive at Nagatoro Station! Let's explore Nagatoro! The station building has a lovely retro atmosphere
Nagatoro Station in Nagatoro-machi, Chichibu-gun, Saitama Prefecture, has a lovely retro atmosphere. It is known as a Chichibu Railway station and has been selected as one of the 100 best stations in the Kanto region. The station building itself is popular with tourists as it is also very photogenic. There are also cobblestone pavements around the station, which can be explored.
1:30pm Nagatoro-machi Iwadatami Dori Shopping Street
The road from Nagatoro Station to Iwadatami (nature attraction where you can see extensive rock formation) is a shopping street lined with souvenir shops and restaurants! All the shops look like they have been here for a long time and the shopping street is tasteful and nice -- buy some food here to relax in Iwadatami!
Shopping street be like
Retro atmosphere
Nagatoro-machi Iwadatami Dori Shopping Street is a street lined with souvenir shops and restaurants between Nagatoro Station and Nagatoro Iwadatami, a famous sightseeing spot. It is popular among tourists for eating out and buying local specialities. Keep an eye out for miso potato (fried potato chunks coated in sweet miso sauce) — it's one of Chichibu's signature street snacks.
2:00pm marubutsu
We stopped at a rice cracker shop called Marubutsu! It was located just outside Nagatoro Station!
Exterior
They bake the rice crackers in front of you!
I'm glad I get to eat it freshly made! It's fun to look at and you can also enjoy the smell of the savory soy sauce.
Cute heart-shaped rice crackers
You can choose between round and heart-shaped rice crackers, but this time we decided on the cute heart-shaped rice crackers! Surprised at how big they were.
Marubutsu is a cracker shop in Nagatoro-machi, Chichibu-gun, Saitama Prefecture. It sells hand-baked rice crackers, which are baked one by one by craftsmen, with a total of 80 varieties. It is a popular shop that is easy to eat and walk around.
2:30pm Nagatoro Iwadatami
After passing through the shopping street, you will come to the banks of the Arakawa River! Here, there is a 500-metre stretch of rock pavement where large rocks are flattened! It's a great view and very impressive.
During the autumn season
The beautiful red and yellow autumn leaves could also be enjoyed at the same time!
Nagatoro Line Kudari (River Boat Ride)
One of the top things to do in Nagatoro is the Line Kudari — a traditional wooden boat ride down the Arakawa River. A boatman steers you through the gorge while pointing out the rock formations along the way. Each course covers about 3 km and takes roughly 20 minutes.
The boats run from early March through early December (typically March 10 to December 4). During regular season, tickets are 2,000 yen for adults and 1,000 yen for children. Peak season rates go up to 2,200 yen for adults and 1,100 yen for children. You buy tickets at the boarding point on the day — no reservation needed for individuals. Boats depart every 10 to 40 minutes depending on demand.
In winter (roughly January through February), Chichibu Railway operates special "kotatsu boats" where you sit under a heated blanket table while floating down the river — a unique cold-weather experience.
Relax and enjoy the scenery
Nagatoro Iwadatami is a designated natural monument in Nagatoro-machi, Chichibu-gun, Saitama Prefecture. The layers of rock along the riverbank were formed over hundreds of millions of years and are part of what makes this area a recognized geopark. Beyond the river boat ride, you can also walk along the rocks themselves and take in the gorge from different angles.
3:00pm Tsuki no Ishi Momiji Park
This is one of the best places to see autumn leaves! It is located in an area adjacent to the Iwadatami, so you can go there while strolling from the Iwadatami.
The autumn leaves are amazing
200 trees have been planted with autumn leaves! Beautiful autumn leaves were spread all over the park. We were healed by the colourful gradation of autumn leaves.
Scenic point
The Arakawa River flows next to the park, which is also a spectacular contrast to the autumn leaf colors
You can get such a close look
Can't stop pressing the shutter
Take lots of photos of the beautiful autumn leaves!
Stone monument from which the park got its name
In the park, there was a stone monument inscribed with a poem by haiku poet Kyoshi Takahama, from whom the park takes its name.
Tsuki no Ishi Momiji Park is located in Nagatoro-machi, Chichibu-gun, Saitama Prefecture. It is famous for its autumn foliage, and as it is adjacent to Iwadatami, you can go there while taking a walk from Iwadatami. At night, the autumn leaves are lit up and there are photo spots, giving the park a different charm from daytime. Peak foliage typically falls in mid to late November.
4:00pm Asami Reizo Kanasaki main store
After being healed by the autumn leaves, head to Nagatoro's very famous natural shaved ice shop for a Chichibu speciality! It's run by a long-established ice maker with a 130-year history.
The shop is surrounded by trees and is very quaint
Happy to see autumn leaves!
This time we went to the new building
The shop has a new building and a main building, with different menus and atmosphere, so it's hard to decide which to go for!
The new building has menu for adult and a slightly higher price tag. We decided to go for the new building this time!
Main building
The main building is said to have a modern Japanese-style atmosphere with a basic menu.
Shop interior
The shop is a special space with a tatami room and only five groups are allowed.
Menu (new building ver.)
In the new building, you can enjoy shaved ice made from whole fruits and alcohol. The shaved ice is very exclusive and exciting.
Shaved ice with Four Seasons fresh fruit juice & brown sugar yokan shiratama (1,600 yen)
I had shaved ice with fresh fruit juice of Japanese persimmon & brown sugar yokan(sweet beans jelly) shiratama (dumplings made from rice flour). I was surprised by the appearance of the shaved ice, which was heaped up high!
Kyo hojicha shaved ice with shiratama condensed milk (1,500 yen)
Friend got Kyo hojicha (roasted green tea) shaved ice with shiratama condensed milk (1,500 yen)!
Delicious
Original Asami Reizo products were also sold
Asami Reizo Kanasaki Main Store is a natural ice shaved ice shop run by a long-established ice maker with a 130-year history in Minano-machi, Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture. The shaved ice made from natural ice is delicate and elegant, and is served in a stylish space that has been renovated from an old private house and a warehouse. However, it is advisable to visit with plenty of time to spare, as there can be a wait of an hour or more during busy times.
5:00pm Kami-Nagatoro Station
After eating shaved ice, walk to the station, which is a three-minute walk away.
Kami-Nagatoro Station is located in Nagatoro-machi, Chichibu-gun, Saitama Prefecture. There is a railway bridge of the Chichibu Railway along the Arakawa River, and the SL Paleo Express sometimes passes through the station. However, the date and time of the passage must be confirmed.
5:20pm Chichibu Station
After 15 min, We get back to Chichibu station!
5:30pm Marusuke Main Store
Chichibu is actually famous for horumon (grilled offal) as well! That's why we came to this shop, which has a modern appearance.
Shop interior
The ground floor has tables and counter seating, while the second floor has tatami rooms and private rooms.
Showa era vibes!
Beer cases are used as chairs, there are Showa-era posters, and the interior has Showa-vibes but clean and cosy..!
A selection of Chichibu liquor was also available!
Cheers
Toast with beer and Ichiro's Malt! After all, drinks are a must at the end of a trip, aren't they?
raw motsu (480 yen) / kashira (440 yen)
Order the most popular raw motsu(tripe) and the second most popular kashira (cheek/temple)! Fresh domestic offal!
Let's grill
It's a little bit difficult to grill horumon(offal) at the right time
Delicious
The plump raw motsu (tripe) with a good texture and the kashira (temple/cheek) with its sauce were both very tasty.
The Marusuke Main Store is a restaurant in Miyakawa-cho, Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture, where you can casually enjoy yakiniku (grilled meat) and horumon-yaki (grilled offal). The restaurant has a large branch network, mainly in Saitama Prefecture. Its speciality is Chichibu Horumon-yaki. Chichibu has a surprisingly deep drinking culture — local craft beer, sake from area breweries, and even Ichiro's Malt whisky, which has gained international recognition.
If you want to explore Chichibu's bar and izakaya scene with a local guide, there's a guided night tour available:
6:30pm Seibu-Chichibu Station
Just like on the way there, We're going back by the express Laview.
Before boarding, the Matsuri no Yu hot spring next to the station is worth a quick visit if you have time. Soaking tired legs after a full day of walking feels pretty great. The facility has both indoor and outdoor baths, and you can buy towels on-site if you didn't bring any.
More to Explore in the Area
Our itinerary above covers what you can fit into a single day, but Chichibu and Nagatoro have more to offer if you have extra time or are planning a return visit.
Hodosan Shrine & Ropeway (Nagatoro)
Hodosan Shrine sits at the base of Mount Hodo, about a 15-minute walk from Nagatoro Station. The shrine grounds are atmospheric and much quieter than Chichibu Shrine. From there, the Hodosan Ropeway carries you to the summit in about 5 minutes (700 yen one-way, 1,200 yen round-trip for adults). At the top, you get panoramic views over the Chichibu valley, and in January-February the mountainside is covered in wintersweet (roubai) blossoms — their sweet fragrance fills the air. A small zoo and garden are also at the summit.
Hitsujiyama Park (Chichibu) — Spring Only
If you're visiting between mid-April and early May, Hitsujiyama Park is the main event. The Shibazakura Hill covers the hillside with over 400,000 moss phlox plants in pink, white, and purple — one of the most photographed spring flower displays in the Kanto region. The park is a 20-minute walk from Seibu-Chichibu Station. During the festival period (typically early April to early May), admission is 500 yen for adults. Children under junior high school enter free.
Mitsumine Shrine (Deep Chichibu)
Perched at 1,100 meters in the mountains west of Chichibu, Mitsumine Shrine has an atmosphere completely different from the town-level shrines. It takes about 75 minutes by bus from Seibu-Chichibu Station (1,100 yen one-way as of March 2026), so it's better as a separate half-day trip rather than something you squeeze into the itinerary above. The shrine is known for its wolf guardian statues and thick mountain forest setting. If you visit in winter, be prepared for snow and ice on the approach roads.
Capture Chichibu on Camera
Want to take home professional-quality photos from your Chichibu trip? A private photoshoot session with a local photographer is a fun way to remember the trip:
Best Seasons to Visit
Spring (late March - May): Cherry blossoms along the Arakawa River in late March to early April, followed by the shibazakura at Hitsujiyama Park from mid-April. The weather is comfortable for walking.
Summer (June - August): River activities are at their peak — Line Kudari boat rides, rafting, and kayaking on the Arakawa. Nagatoro's gorge stays cooler than central Tokyo. The Chichibu Kawase Festival takes place July 19-20 each year.
Autumn (October - November): This is when we visited. The foliage around Nagatoro Iwadatami and Tsuki no Ishi Momiji Park peaks in mid to late November. Autumn evenings are cool enough to make hot soba and grilled offal taste even better.
Winter (December - February): The Chichibu Night Festival on December 2-3 is the big draw. In January and February, the Ashigakubo Icicles are a popular side trip (about 15 minutes from Seibu-Chichibu Station by train). Nagatoro's winter kotatsu boats run during this period too. Wintersweet blooms on Mount Hodo from January.
