TRAVEL GUIDE ― KANTO

Saitama

SAITAMA

Edo-era streets and the mountains of Chichibu, easy to reach from Tokyo.
The storehouses of Little Edo Kawagoe and Chichibu’s nature and festivals.
A guide to two areas I actually visited.

30minIkebukuro → Kawagoe

Little EdoKawagoe’s old streets

LargestCity by area: Chichibu

2Areas covered on Tabi log

01What is Saitama like?ABOUT

Saitama borders Tokyo to the north, with sights easily reached by train. Kawagoe, a former castle town of the Kawagoe domain called “Little Edo,” keeps its Edo-era atmosphere with storehouse-style buildings on Ichibangai and the Toki no Kane bell tower.

Chichibu in the southwest is the largest city in Saitama by area. Chichibu Shrine, Hitsujiyama Park’s moss phlox and the ginkgo avenue of Chichibu Muse Park offer nature and history, and the city is also known as an anime pilgrimage site.

02Area GuideAREA GUIDE

“Little Edo” with an old-town atmosphere

Kawagoe

About 30 minutes from Ikebukuro on the Tobu Tojo Line. Kawagoe preserves its Edo-era atmosphere with storehouse buildings on Ichibangai, the Toki no Kane bell tower said to date from 1634, and the rare Honmaru Goten palace of Kawagoe Castle.

Toki no KaneStorehouse streetsKawagoe Castle Honmaru Goten

Mountains, festivals and anime

Chichibu

In southwestern Saitama, Chichibu is the prefecture’s largest city by area. Chichibu Shrine, Hitsujiyama Park’s spring moss phlox and Chichibu Muse Park’s ginkgo trees in early November are highlights, and the Old Chichibu Bridge is known as an anime pilgrimage site.

Chichibu ShrineHitsujiyama ParkChichibu Muse Park

Articles for this area are coming soon.