Kurazukuri (traditional warehouse) townscape

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 Kawagoe Kurazukuri Museum was built by Koyama Bunzō, a tobacco wholesaler, right after the great fire in 1893 with reference to the few houses of Kurazukuri and Tokyo’s Nihonbashi Merchant that were not exposed to the fire. The design, structure, and the inside of the Kurazukuri House of Kawagoe can be toured, and a breath of Meiji’s atmosphere can be felt to this day.

The two genuine Dashis (festival cars) that has been pulled at the Kawagoe Festival is on display along with materials related to the Kawagoe Festival. The powerful atmosphere of the Kawagoe Festival can be physically felt all year round. In addition, there is a demonstration of musical accompaniment (about 20 minutes) on a regular basis at the exhibition hall.

Situated near the Nakacho intersection, the entrance to the Kurazukuri district, this information center takes the shape of a traditional storehouse and is packed with useful information! You can also use their baggage storage service (for a fee) and connect to their free Wi-Fi!

The only sake brewery at Kura-no-machi, Kawagoe. Even though the sake brewery cannot be toured, the adjoining Matsumoto Shōyu, established 200 years ago, can be toured free of charge. Please stop by for a visit! The sake brewery is only 1 minute by foot from the Toki no Kane, the center of Kawagoe’s tourist destination.