A Quiet and Relaxing Kawagoe visit

Toki no Kane, the time bell of Kawagoe City

For day trips, I gravitate to Kanto region places that have old-fashioned atmosphere and historic spots. My own town, Noda City, has some charming heritage from the Edo to Taisho eras represented by kura shophouses, manors, gardens, and temples. The density of these spots is low but each one charms visitors. But there are towns that have well-preserved Koedo, often castle or market towns that have streets that take you back in time.

This past summer, I went for a stroll in Tochigi City and was impressed by the timewarp quality of the river promenade, the city’s streets, temples, shrines, and history. It’s not heavily promoted to inbound visitors, but deserves a look. When I was there on a sweltering August weekday, there were few visitors.

I was hesitant to go to popular Kawagoe City because my impression was that it would be crowded with visitors from abroad. However, I found that many spots that drew me in were quiet. At Kawagoe Hachimangu, there was a handful of people and me, the only non-Japanese visitor.

My next stop was Nakain, the temple that was the center of Buddhist activity in the castle town before Kitain became the big draw. The garden while there rivals the beauty of Kyoto’s famous temple precincts. The only other visitor there said hello and let me know that there was a winter-blooming sakura tree near the belfry. I got to linger and relax there before I continued my walk.

My next stop was Kitain to get an omamori for a friend. There was much more bustle there but it was hardly crowded. I continued north towards Kawagoe Goten, the old palace. That’s when I encountered a crowd - the entire student body of an elementary school hurrying home around 3 p.m.

The castle itself is sparsely decorated with a few suits of armor and some displays that describe the castle's history and restoration efforts. What surprised me was the garden with raked stones and green islands of plantings and stones. It’s tranquil and far from traffic so you can soak up the atmosphere.

On my way back to the station, I walked along the Kurazukuri no Machinami, the warehouse district that draws the most visitors. It wasn’t so busy and I had a relaxing time windowshopping and people-watching.

Which Koedo town do you recommend? When’s a good time to go?