Uncover Hubs of Spirituality and Historic Streetscapes

The building was built in 1930 and was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property in 2001. At the Chichibu Meisen museum, you can learn about the history of Chichibu Meisen, view the 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 can even see it in action.

Chichibu Festival Museum exhibits materials related to the booths and kasaboko (combined umbrella and halberd carried on floats in some festivals) of the Chichibu night festival that takes place every year on the 2nd and 3rd of December. The booths, kasaboko, curtain, sculptures made by Shōwa’s master craftsmen are arranged in a design related to the Myōken belief. At noon, the lanterns are switched on to reproduce the night festival. Within the noise of the palatial Chichibu booth music, the luxurious booth and kasaboko can be seen right before your eyes.

Marking 2100 years, Gochinza, a Sōja of Chichibu, has been revered since ancient times. In a forest of oak, there is an atmosphere with style and solemn beauty. The existing main building of the shrine is a contribution of Ieyasu Tokugawa in 1592 and was designated as Saitama Prefecture’s tangible cultural property due to the fact that it holds much of the Edo period’s early architectural style.

Chichibu Shrine has long been an important presence in the town and remains a popular spot for Chichibu residents. Many structures dating from the early 1900s line Banba Street, the cobblestone road that leads to the shrine, providing a nostalgic atmosphere that recalls times gone by. Many shops still operate in buildings designated Registered Tangible Cultural Properties by the national government, allowing visitors to travel back in time to an earlier Japan.