What to know
Kawagoe (川越) lies about 30 minutes by train from central Tokyo, making it an ideal day trip. Its main street is lined with kurazukuri (clay-walled warehouse) buildings that preserve the atmosphere of an Edo Period (1603–1867) town, letting visitors step back in time. This earned Kawagoe the nickname "Little Edo."
During the Edo Period, Kawagoe thrived as a supplier of goods to Tokyo (then called Edo). Because of its strategic and commercial importance, the shogun appointed his most trusted retainers as lords of Kawagoe Castle. Strong ties developed between the two cities, and Kawagoe absorbed much of Edo's culture and architecture over the centuries.
Kitain Temple, one of the Greater Tokyo area's most significant temples, is Kawagoe's other major attraction. It houses the only surviving structures from the original Edo Castle.
