Summary
Kawagoe in Saitama Prefecture sits about 30 minutes by train from central Tokyo, making it one of the most popular day trips from the city. Often called "Little Edo" (Koedo), the town has kept its old warehouse streetscape and traditional atmosphere remarkably well since the Edo period.
We spent a full day walking through the historic streets, eating sweet potato snacks, trying local eel, visiting a shrine known for matchmaking blessings, and wrapping up with sake tasting. This itinerary covers everything we did, with times, prices, and tips that should help you plan your own Kawagoe trip.
*Please note that information and prices listed are subject to change.
How to Get to Kawagoe from Tokyo
There are two main train lines from Tokyo to Kawagoe:
- Seibu Shinjuku Line: From Seibu-Shinjuku Station (next to JR Shinjuku) to Hon-Kawagoe Station, about 45 minutes by express. The Seibu Kawagoe Access Ticket is a useful discount pass.
- Tobu Tojo Line: From Ikebukuro Station to Kawagoe Station, about 30 minutes by express.
Both stations are within walking distance of the main sightseeing area, though Hon-Kawagoe Station is slightly closer to the warehouse district.
Travel Itinerary
10:30am Honkawagoe Station（本川越駅）
Let's start the trip from Honkawagoe Station.
We are so excited!
Honkawagoe Station is on the Seibu Railway Shinjuku Line in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture. The station's official sub-name is "Toki no Kane and Kura no Machi" (Bell Tower and Warehouse Town), which gives you a good sense of what to expect. Many visitors use this station as their starting point for exploring Kawagoe.
11:00am Ogakiku（小川菊）
First, we came to eat eel (Unagi) to fill our stomach! Ogakiku, a long-established restaurant established in 1804, is a three-story wooden building that has been designated as an Important Cultural Property by the city.
Eels, a specialty of Saitama, served at a long-established restaurant
The customers were lined up!
Interior
A wonderful restaurant with over 200 years of history. Our expectation and excitement are growing more and more!
After a 40-minute wait, we finally entered the restaurant.
Tatami room on the second floor has a relaxed atmosphere. Despite its traditional tatami setting, there are also chairs, allowing you to comfortably relax while awaiting your food.
Eel rice bowl (Unagi Donburi/Unadon)
The smell alone is enticing enough to make us crave the rice. They say it is a secret sauce that has been passed down from the establishment to the present seventh generation.
We had never eaten such a fluffy eel before.
Ogakiku, located in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, is a restaurant specializing in eel. It is a long-established restaurant with a history of more than 200 years since its establishment, and its kabayaki (glaze-grilled) with secret sauce is very popular. Kabutoyaki, in which the head of the eel is steamed tender and made into kabayaki, is also amazing. The store is a three-story wooden structure and is designated as an Important Cultural Property by the city. It is highly regarded among eel restaurants in Kawagoe and is characterized by its tender and gentle flavor. It goes well with beer and is a good spot for lunch or dinner.
1:00pm Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine（川越氷川神社）
Next, we came to the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, which also has a long history and was built about 1,500 years ago.
Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, the perfect spot for people in love or looking for love
God of marriage and family happiness
Since the deities enshrined at the shrine are a family and two married couples, the shrine is believed to be the god of marriage and family happiness.
Place the money into the offering box, then commence the prayer.
Bow twice, clap twice, and bow once.
Red snapper omikuji (fortune slips)
After visiting the shrine, try this very cute omikuji. Use a fishing rod and catch your fish-shaped omikuji!
We got it!
Ema Tunnel
It is a sacred space where the wishes of many people gather.
Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine is located in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture. The shrine is famous for its blessings for good marriage, and is visited by many people, including young couples and families. The 15-meter-tall Otorii gate on the east approach is one of the largest wooden structures in Japan. In summer, the shrine holds a popular wind chimes festival called "Enmusubi Furin," with hundreds of colorful glass wind chimes creating a photogenic display.
1:30pm Kashiya Yokocho（菓子屋横丁）
Our next stop is Kashiya Yokocho. An alley with about 20 penny candy shops lining the cobblestone streets; at its peak, there were an impressive 70 shops!
Kashiya Yokocho in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, is candy shops lining the cobblestone streets, selling old-fashioned candy and Kawagoe's specialties. Handmade candy shops offer Japanese nostalgic memories. Look out for the oversized futo-maki candy sticks, which are a signature of this alley.
1:30pm Candy Edoya Kawagoe Main Store（駄菓子 江戸屋 川越本店）
We visited Edoya in Kashiya Yokocho.
Found nostalgic candy at Edoya
Lots of nostalgic sweets here!
It was a space that reignited the childhood excitement in us as adults.
So much fun!
Specialty of Edoya: selling sweets by weight
The colorful array of candy bars all look so cute and delicious!
300 yen for 100g
Candy Edoya Kawagoe Main Store is a penny candy store located in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture. The store is full of old-fashioned candy and toys, and candy is sold by weight.
2:25pm Kurazukuri no Machinami / Warehouse District（蔵造りゾーン）
The warehouse district along Ichibangai Street is the heart of Kawagoe's "Little Edo" atmosphere. The black-walled kura storehouses here date back over a century and give the street a look that feels completely different from modern Tokyo.
Toki no Kane (Bell Tower) - The Symbol of Kawagoe
Toki no Kane, the wooden bell tower, has stood in this area since the early Edo period. It still rings four times a day at 6:00, 12:00, 15:00, and 18:00. If you time your walk right, you can hear the bell chime over the old rooftops.
Sweet potatoes are a specialty of Kawagoe.
It has been actively cultivated since the Edo period (1603-1868), and even today, sweet potato-based sweets can be enjoyed at various stores. You will find sweet potato chips, soft serve ice cream, pudding, senbei, and more as you walk through the area.
Kurazukuri no Machinami is located in Saiwaicho, Kawagoe City. Ichibangai Street is lined with old merchant warehouses with black plaster walls. Along with Toki no Kane and the surrounding sweet potato shops, this area is the main draw for most visitors.
2:30pm Koedo Osatsuan（小江戸おさつ庵）
We got the basic Osatsu chips (sweet potato chips) at Koedo Osatsuan.
Osatsu chip: 500 yen
Choose from 10 different sauces; we opted for the shop staff's recommendation, the salted butter. It delivered a delightful combination of sweetness and saltiness, truly tasty!
Koedo Osatsuan is a take-away specialty store in Kawagoe City. The "Osatsu chip," a Kawagoe specialty, is especially popular, with long lines of customers waiting to get their choice of more than 10 different dips. The portion is generous for 500 yen. Expect a wait on weekends, so try to arrive early if possible.
2:50pm Kasho Umon Toki no Kaneten（菓匠右門 時の鐘店）
Next, we came to Kasho Umon Toki no Kaneten for manju "Imo Koi". They were freshly steamed and hot.
Hot
Just the right amount of gentle sweetness is delightful.
It was a very generous portion with a lot of red bean paste.
Kasho Umon Toki no Kaneten is a Japanese sweets shop located in Saiwai-cho, Kawagoe City. You can enjoy sweets and manju made from sweet potatoes. "Imo Koi" is especially popular. Many people stop by on their way home from Hatsumode (New Year's visit to a shrine), and the sweets also make great gifts.
3:10pm Kawagoe Patate（川越パターテ）
The last stop for sweets was gelato shop Kawagoe Patate, where we got a sweet potato and Kawagoe matcha gelato.
Six types of gelato
Sweet Potato and Kawagoe Matcha: 500 yen
The rich sweet potato flavor and a matcha flavor can be enjoyed!
Kawagoe Patate is a gelato shop in Kawagoe City. The twin gelato of sweet potato and Kawagoe matcha is very popular. Seasonal gelato and Kawagoe souvenirs are also available.
3:30pm Kawagoe Tsubaki no Kura（川越 椿の蔵）
Kawagoe has some wonderful general goods stores as well. We visited Kawagoe Tsubaki no Kura nearby.
Retro Souvenirs at Japanese General Goods Stores
Furoshiki (Japanese wrapping cloth)
Glass
Japanese goods
The colorful array of Japanese sundries is a sight to behold.
Food and beverage souvenirs, including coffee and rice dishes.
Takikomi Gohan (Japanese Mixed Rice)
Bonsai that can be easily grown by yourself
What a unique Japanese goods find!
Kawagoe Tsubaki no Kura is a store where you can enjoy Japanese goods and footbaths in Kawagoe City. Based on the concept of truly good products that reflect Japanese tradition and culture, Tsubaki no Kura offers a wide variety of Japanese goods and original products collected from all over Japan. The footbath is a popular way to rest your feet after walking around the old town all day, and you can soak while enjoying a drink or light meal.
4:00pm Shimano Coffee Taishokan（シマノコーヒー大正館）
Let's take a break at this cafe. Shimano Coffee Taishokan is a cafe located on Taisho Roman Yume Dori (Taisho Roman Dream Street), and as the name suggests, it is themed around the Taisho period.
A retro coffee shop with Taisho era atmosphere.
Taisho Roman Yume Dori is a side street that runs parallel to the main warehouse district. It has a slightly different retro feel from Ichibangai, with Western-influenced architecture from the 1910s-1920s Taisho period. Worth a short walk even if you skip the coffee.
Interior
Retro atmosphere
It was like stepping back in time to the Taisho era.
Jelly Punch: 700 yen, Melon Soda Float: 700 yen
Very cute coupled with the atmosphere of the cafe!
Melon Soda Float is always delicious!
The cool ice cream and melon soda are a perfect match.
Jelly punch
Colorful jellies in sweet syrup offer a delightful combination of sweetness and texture.
Counter Seat
At the counter, the master was making coffee and a very nice aroma spread throughout the cafe. We were very satisfied with this relaxing time.
Shimano Coffee Taishokan is a coffee shop themed on the Taisho period located in Kawagoe City. You can enjoy home-roasted coffee and a coffee menu, and spend a relaxing time in the retro cafe. The toast is fluffy and delicious. It has also been introduced on TV and is popular among locals.
5:00pm Showa Gura（ききざけ処 昭和蔵）
At the end of our trip, we tried sake tasting at Showa Gura, which is located inside a tourist facility called Koedo Kurari. This former sake brewery complex has been converted into a tourist spot with food, souvenirs, and the tasting room.
Let's try some sake tasting!
Interior
More than 40 types
You can try more than 40 kinds of sake, including some that are only available for a limited time. There are too many to choose from.
Ask the shop staff for a drink recommendation.
Put the token via vending machine, press a button, and sake is poured. It can even be warmed sake!
The snack is Miso Dengaku.
Cheers!
It's a bit hard to put the differences of the taste into words, but...
They were all delicious!
Showa Gura is a sake boutique in Kawagoe City, located inside Koedo Kurari. If you enjoy craft beer as well, look for COEDO beer around town - it is brewed locally in Kawagoe and makes a good alternative to sake.
6:00pm Honkawagoe Station（本川越駅）
We finished the drink and arrived at Honkawagoe station.
It was a fun day to enjoy various Kawagoe specialties!
Other Things to Do in Kawagoe
If you have extra time or want to adjust the itinerary above, here are a few more spots worth visiting in Kawagoe:
Kita-in Temple（喜多院）
One of the most important historical sites in Kawagoe, Kita-in Temple dates back over 1,200 years and contains buildings that were actually relocated from Edo Castle in the 1600s. The temple is home to the Gohyaku Rakan - over 500 stone statues of Buddhist disciples, each with a different facial expression. It is said that no two faces are alike, and spotting one that resembles yourself or a friend is part of the fun.
- Hours: 9:00 to 16:30 (March to November), 9:00 to 16:00 (December to February). Closes 20 minutes later on Sundays and holidays.
- Admission: 400 yen (adults), 200 yen (children)
Kawagoe Castle Honmaru Goten（川越城本丸御殿）
The only remaining structure of Kawagoe Castle, Honmaru Goten is one of the few original castle palace buildings left in Japan. The tatami rooms and corridors give a sense of what feudal-era castle life looked like.
- Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30)
- Closed: Mondays (or the next day if Monday is a holiday) and the 4th Friday of each month
- Admission: 100 yen (adults), 50 yen (students)
Tips for Visiting Kawagoe
- Go early: The main streets get crowded from late morning, especially on weekends. Arriving before 11:00 gives you a much better experience.
- Wear comfortable shoes: The main sights are all walkable, but you will cover a lot of ground over the day.
- Many shops close early: Unlike central Tokyo, shops and attractions in the historic area tend to close by 17:00 or 18:00.
- Weekday mornings are best for photos: If you want pictures of the warehouse streets without crowds, a weekday visit makes a big difference.
- Spring cherry blossoms: Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine and the Shingashi River area are popular cherry blossom viewing spots in late March and early April.
Related Articles and Experiences
If you are planning a trip to the Kawagoe and Saitama area, check out these related pages:
