Tourist information

Toki no kane (Time Bell Tower)

Recommeded points

It is said that Toki no Kane (Time Bell Tower) was constructed in Tagamachi (present-day Saiwaichou) during the Edo period on the orders of Sakai Tadakatsu, the lord of Kawagoe Domain. In the 26th year of Meiji (1893), Toki no Kane was destroyed in the Great Fire of Kawagoe. However, being an important symbol of Kawagoe, it was reconstructed a year later.

At present, Toki no Kane rings four times a day: at 6 am, noon, 3 pm, and 6 pm. In the 8th year of Heisei (1996), Toki no Kane was selected as one of “100 Soundscapes of Japan: Preserving Our Heritage” by the then-Environmental Agency.

Address Saiwaicho, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture 15-7

Kurazukuri Old Town

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This is the most popular shopping area and sightseeing spot in Kawagoe. Visitors can enjoy the old town atmosphere of Edo which can no longer be found in Tokyo. Its traditional buildings use a fire-resistant style of architecture from the Edo period called Kurazukuri. There are souvenir shops, gourmet restaurants, and cafés. You can also see the city symbol, Time Bell Tower. Penny Candy Alley is located nearby.

Address Saiwaicho, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture

Kita-in Temple

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Kita-in Temple is a Tendai sect temple established in 830. In the early Edo period, its chief priest Tenkai won the trust of the first shogun general, Tokugawa Ieyasu. This temple is the site of many cultural assets, including buildings that were transferred from Edo Castle in the mid-1600s and were related to the third shogun Iemitsu and Kasuga-no-tsubone or Lady Kasuga. Gohyaku Rakan is a very unique site that is also located here. With over 500 stone statues to view, visitors are sure to be impressed!

Address 350-0036-1, Kosenbamachi, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture 20-1

Telephone number 049-222-0859

Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine

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As the Grand Guardian God of Kawagoe and a shrine of marriage, Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine forges connections between people. The main shrine was built in 1850 and features unique and elaborate Kanto-style carvings called Edo-bori. It is breathtaking!

Address 350-0052-2 Miyashitamachi, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture 11-3

Telephone number 049-224-0589

Honmaru Goten of Kawagoe Castle

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Kawagoe Castle was built by Ohta Doshin and his son Ohta Dokan, who also built Edo Castle in 1457. It is a flatland-mountain style castle without a keep. There are only two Honmaru Palaces with castle halls in Japan: one at Kawagoe Castle and the other at Kochi Castle. They are both classified as Important Cultural Properties.

Address 350-0053-2 Kuruwamachi, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture 13-1

Telephone number 049-222-5399

Kawagoe City Museum

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The exhibits provide visitors with a comprehensive overview of Kawagoe’s history, focusing on prosperous periods for the city during the Edo period (1603-1868) and the Meiji Era (1868-1912).
Impressive, must-see exhibits include a diorama showing the entire castle town, a detailed scale model of Kurazukuri Old Town, and a full-scale reproduction of a Kurazukuri building. Visiting the museum will help you enjoy your time in Kawagoe even more!

Address 350-0052-2 Kuruwamachi, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture 30-1

Telephone number 049-222-5399

Kawagoe Festival Hall

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This facility displays materials related to the Kawagoe Festival, designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property and boasting a tradition of approximately 370 years. There are two real floats on display inside the museum, and actual footage from the day of the festival is shown on a large screen. Ohayashi performances, musical accompaniment played by five musicians, are also held on Sundays and holidays.

Address 350-0062-2 Motomachi, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture 1-10

Telephone number 049-225-2727

Penny Candy Alley (Kashiya Yokocho)

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Penny Candy Alley (Kashiya Yokocho) is home to about 30 traditional sweet shops. A stroll through the cobblestone streets inlaid with multicolor glass is a trip through time as the sweet aroma of candies and soy sauce slathered on freshly grilled rice crackers wafts from the many stores that keep alive the art of making handmade sweets, promising a taste from the past. So alluring is the nostalgia of those aromas, that in the 13th year of Heisei (2001), Penny Candy Alley (Kashiya Yokocho) was selected as one of the Ministry of the Environment’s “100 Scentscapes”.

Address 350-0062-2 Motomachi, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture