Enjoy the best of Japanese tradition and nature! (Western Saitama and Chichibu Area)

A nostalgic townscape of “kurazukuri warehouses” still remains in Kawagoe. The kurazukuri warehouses were cleverly built with fireproof architecture and developed as housing for the merchants of Edo. The charming warehouses retain an image of Edo that cannot be seen in modern day Tokyo. They were chosen as national “Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings” in December of 1999 and were selected as one of “Japan’s 100 Beautiful Historical Environments” in January of 2007.

Toki no Kane is said to have been first built in the Castletown Tagachō during the Kan’ei era (1624-1644) by the lord of Kawagoe Castle, Sakai Tadakatsu. The current bell tower was rebuilt the year following Kawagoe’s great fire in 1893, and is a three-story tower with a height of about 16 meters. It is a symbol of Kawagoe and denotes that “time” is indispensable for daily life. As of today, the bell rings four times a day (6 am, noon, 3 pm, and 6 pm).

The two authentic Dashis (festival cars) pulled at the Kawagoe Festival are on display along with materials related to the Kawagoe Festival. At this exhibition hall, the powerful atmosphere of the Kawagoe Festival can be experienced all year round. There is also a regular demonstration of musical accompaniment (about 20 minutes).

Marking 2100 years since its establishment as a Sōja (shrine enshrining several gods) of Chichibu, Chichibu Shrine has been revered since ancient times. Shrouded in a forest of oak with an atmosphere of style and solemn beauty, the currently existing main building of the shrine was contributed by Ieyasu Tokugawa in 1592, and designated a tangible cultural property of Saitama Prefecture, due to the fact that it holds much of the Edo period’s early architectural style.

At the Chichibu-Meisen (silk fabric) museum, you can learn about the history of Chichibu-Meisen, view the many exhibits, and try your hand at stencil dyeing and weaving. All the equipment displayed in the museum is still in use, and if you are lucky, you may even see it in action. This historical building was built in 1930 and registered as a Tangible Cultural Property in 2001.

At the Chichibu Festival Museum there are exhibits displaying materials related to the booths and kasaboko (parade floats) of the Chichibu Night Festival, which takes place every year on the 2nd and 3rd of December. The booths, kasaboko, curtains, and sculptures made by Shōwa’s master craftsmen are arranged in a design based on Myōken beliefs. At noon, the lanterns are switched on to reproduce the night festival. While you are immersed in the luxurious booths and music of Chichibu, the kasaboko can be experienced before your very eyes.

A boat ride down the Arakawa Line in Chichibu Nagatoro is the perfect outdoor activity regardless of the season, where you will ride over the beautifully-layered stone riverbed, which is designated as a natural monument. Enjoy the cherry blossoms in spring, the cool breeze in summer, the beautiful colors of autumn, or warm up under a kotatsu (heated table) in the crisp winter! You can relax while listening to the boatman’s entertaining speech, and while there are a few thrills along the way, be rest assured the ride is perfectly safe for children and seniors as well to enjoy.

This shrine was said to be founded by Yamato Takeru, the 12th Emperor of Japan, around 2,000 years ago. The current main building of the shrine is Shinto-style architecture, where the main hall and worship hall share one roof and are connected by an intermediate passageway. The main shrine, hall of offerings, and hall of worship were rebuilt during the end of the Edo period to the early Meiji period. The shrine is said to protect from fires, theft, and pain. Not only do many worshipers come from the local area, but also from throughout Kanto region, with more than one million annual visitors.

This ropeway was installed on Mt. Hodōsan at an altitude of 497 meters, connecting the 832 meter distance from Sanroku Station to Sanchō Station in 5 minutes. The two gondolas go back and forth between Sanroku and Sanchō Stations operating under a four-line crossing system. The gondolas’ names, “The Bambi” and “The Monkey I,” both originate from the popular Japanese macaque and deer that inhabit the small zoo on Mt. Hodōsan.