Kawagoe's old castle town flourished as the castle town of the Kawagoe Domain during the Edo Period, and was known as "Little Edo" due to its deep connection to Edo. In particular, "Ichibangai Storehouse Street" is lined with stately storehouse buildings, and the landscape has been designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings by the country. The symbolic "Toki no Kane" (Clock of Time Bell) still chimes the time four times a day (6am, noon, 3pm, and 6pm), and its sound has been selected as one of the "100 Soundscapes of Japan to be Preserved" by the Ministry of the Environment. If you rent a kimono and stroll around the town, you will feel as if you have traveled back in time.

As you walk through the streets, you can enjoy a variety of gourmet foods, including sweets made with Kawagoe's specialty sweet potato and long-established eel restaurants. In particular, "Kashiya Yokocho" (Candy Alley) is lined with old-fashioned candy and handmade sweets, and you can enjoy eating your way around in a nostalgic atmosphere. There are also many other historical sights, such as Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine (free admission), Kita-in Temple (admission fee: 400 yen for adults, 200 yen for elementary and junior high school students), and Kawagoe Castle Honmaru Palace (admission fee: 100 yen for adults, 50 yen for high school and university students, free for junior high school students and younger), so you can spend the whole day there without getting bored.

[Trivia]
Kawagoe once played an important role in supplying goods to Edo and was also called "Edo's Kitchen." In addition, storehouse buildings were developed as a fire prevention measure in the Edo period and are highly fire-resistant.

[Hidden Spot Information]
A little off the beaten path of storehouses, "Taisho Romantic Dream Street" is lined with Western-style buildings built in the Taisho period, and you can enjoy a retro atmosphere. There are relatively few tourists, so it is recommended for those who want to take a leisurely stroll. In addition, at the "Footstep Health Road" in the grounds of Kawagoe Kumano Shrine, you can experience a unique health experience by walking barefoot on stone protrusions.