Name: Day trip from Tokyo to Kawagoe | japan-guide.com
Uploaded: 2020-06-08T06:30:56.000Z
Duration: 5 min 57 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

Streets lined with centuries-old buildings

vendors selling traditional street food and crafts

Traveling in Japan today, charming historical districts have become somewhat rare gems to

amongst the concrete urban expanses of the country's modern cities.

But, the city of Kawagoe is one such place.

Located just half an hour north of Tokyo via the Tobu Railway

Kawagoe was a booming trade hub during Japan's Edo Period.

Merchants built the town's wealth serving nearby Edo (now called Tokyo)

and showed off their success through architecture

creating an impressive and still well-preserved merchant district.

Combined with the town's other fascinating historical sites

as well as some fun food and shopping choices

Kawagoe is a great day trip idea for those

staying in Tokyo looking for an interesting escape to the past.

I'm Joe Mignano, Web Developer and Staff Writer for japan-guide.com

and today I'm on assignment in the historical merchant town of Kawagoe.

I'll start at Ikebukuro Station in central Tokyo

and ride for about half an hour to Kawagoeshi Station.

From the station, I'll walk to the famous Kitain Temple

before heading on towards the old Merchant District.

Once there, I'll explore a little bit before ducking into a restaurant for a traditional lunch

and then head over Candy Alley to try out

Afterwards, I'll visit Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine

before finally returning to the station and back to Tokyo.

So, follow along on our day trip from Tokyo to captivating Kawagoe.

We've just arrived at Kawagoeshi Station.

We'll be on foot today, so let's make the 15 minute walk to Kitain-Temple.

During the Edo era this entire temple actually burned to the ground

but the head priest was friends with the Shogun at the time.

After the fire, the Shogun held this temple in such high regard

that he ordered buildings from his own palace in Tokyo be moved here as replacements.

which makes these buildings the only surviving buildings from Edo Castle palace.

Trade routes in this area used to move lots of goods into Tokyo

and build themself one warehouse made of stone or clay

to store their goods and protect against fire called a “kura”

But the merchants here did so well, they built their entire shops like kura.

So we just sat down for lunch and this looks amazing.

It looks like we've got some squid sashimi

and of course being Kawagoe they've given us some grilled sweet potato or “imo. E

From the restaurant, it's a short 5 minute walk to Candy Alley

After the Great Kanto Earthquake struck Tokyo in 1923

this tiny neighborhood's shops found success supplying candy to the hard-hit capital.

At its height, the alley boasted around 70 shops.

Today, the shops lining this little street still sell plenty of local sweets and snacks.

Definitely worth a stroll when you're in town.

The final stop today is at Kawagoe Hikawa Jinja

an ancient shrine dating back to the sixth century.

Today, this charming, well-maintained shrine attracts visitors

who come to pray for luck in love and also to purify their minds and hearts.

Thanks for joining me on this brief Kawagoe day trip.

and maybe offers some inspiration for your own side from Tokyo.

For more information about Kawagoe or to watch another video

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