Kawagoe 'Little Edo'

Background

Kawagoe was a castle town and merchant city in the Edo period; after the great Kawagoe fire of 1893 merchants rebuilt with fireproof earthen 'kura' storehouses, creating today's streetscape of black walls and lattice windows; known as 'Edo's kitchen', its sweet-potato (Kawagoe imo) sweets and eel have century-old flavours.

Local customs

• Most kura-style buildings on the old street are homes and shops still in business
• when taking photos don't lean on lattice doors or peer into shops
• strolling in kimono is encouraged, but don't linger in geta in shop doorways and block the way.

Religion & beliefs

• Kita-in is a Tendai temple (with deep ties to Tokugawa Ieyasu), and Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine is famous for 'en-musubi' (bringing people together) (Shinto). At the shrine, walk at the sides of the approach and pray with 'two bows, two claps, one bow'
• the sea-bream omikuji fortunes for love are a speciality.

Travel tips

• Good all year, best in spring and autumn
• access: walkable from 'Hon-Kawagoe' station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line or 'Kawagoe' station on the Tōbu Tōjō Line
• the Bell of Time (Toki no Kane) rings at set hours such as noon each day
• renting a kimono for 2–3 hours (about JPY 3,000–5,000) is recommended
• Kashiya Yokochō (Candy Alley) is good for souvenirs.