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Core city in Kantō, Japan
Photo: Syohei Arai, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Kawagoe (川越) is an old trading outpost of the ancient capital Edo. Located in Saitama prefecture, the city is now a small suburban city of around 33,000 people, but the preserved warehouse district draws around 4 million visitors to the city each year, and has earned the city the nickname of "Little Edo" (Koedo).
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時の鐘
This bell tower (litt. "Bell of Time") is a famous landmark.
服部民族資料館
While there is, in fact, nothing relating to folklore in the folklore museum, the old Hattori family for which is warehouse is named, morphed into a medical company. So you'll find a small display of old medicines, advertisements... and sandals.
川越まつり会館
If you don't happen to be in Kawagoe during the yearly festival held in October, you can get a feel for it in this museum, which exhibits the great floats used in the procession and screens a 5 minute movie about the festival. Naturally the museum also details the history of the festival in Japanese.
川越市蔵造り資料館
Built after the great fire, in 1893, this old wholesale Tobacco warehouse of the Koyama family, gives you a chance to look inside the warehouses, and learn about the history of Kurazukuri construction.
大沢家住宅
Built it in 1792, this warehouse from where the Osawa family traded Miso and Soy, survived the inferno of the great fire, and today stands as the oldest storehouse in Kawagoe. The first floor contains a store while the second floor houses a small exhibition.
川越市立博物館
Useful after visiting the warehouse district as it contains information on how the warehouses were built. Otherwise your average local museum detailing local history with artifacts and models. Next door is a small art museum with a collection of local art.
Honmaru Goten, 本丸御殿
Kawagoe's castle dates back to the 15th century, unfortunately the castle was disassembled in the 1870s and only the "Yagura" (tower) and primary hall (Honmaru Goten) still remain. These days the main hall serves as a small museum.
川越歴史博物館
喜多院
This temple is notable for its main hall, part of the original the Edo Castle in downtown Tokyo, which was moved here by the Shogun to rebuild the temple after a fire. Also of note are the statues of 540 Rakan, disciples of the Buddha.
小さな旅川越温泉
霞ヶ関カンツリー倶楽部
A golf course.
クレアモール
The shopping strip running between Kawagoe and Hon-Kawagoe stations, offers many of the usual chains and numerous ramen shops. There is a good kaiten sushi place towards the Kawagoe end.
It was prospering as temple town of Youjyuin and one of the places which started to make dagashi (cheap sweets). In the beginning of Showa period, in its peak, there were about 70 shops. It is still mirthful and selling cheap sweets, and including those made from sweet potato, one of the well-known products of Kawagoe.
手打ちそば 百丈
Buckwheat noodle (soba).
藤店うどん川越店
居酒屋 大
Japanese-style bar.
マナ・クリッパー
Many cocktails.
イタリアン酒場 Takeya
Wine bar.
Run by a local brewery. Enjoy sweet-potato beer with Chinese and Asian ethnic dishes.
Includes restaurants and salon.
フカゼン
Traditional Japanese hanging scrolls (kakejiku).
丸広百貨店
Traditional department store.
松本醤油商店, Matsumoto Shoyu Shouten
All kinds of soy sauce, you can taste several. Free visits of the cave every weekday at 13:00.
By bus
Long-distance buses from Osaka, Nagoya, Kanazawa and Toyama, Limousine Bus Route from Haneda Airport and Narita Airport, Daytime bus service from the Fujisawa and Tokyo Disney Resort.
While it's perfectly feasible to walk around to the main sights, the city also has a network of buses.
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