Kinchakuda Red Spider Lilies: a Tokyo Day Trip in September
Around five million red spider lilies (higanbana) carpet Kinchakuda in Hidaka, an hour from Ikebukuro. 2026 festival dates, access and when to go.
Category Saitama
Saitama travel guides: Kawagoe’s Edo-era streets, the Chichibu hills, river valleys, and flower fields an easy train ride from Tokyo.
Kawagoe Photo Spots: A Dawn-to-Dusk Photo Walk
A photographer's guide to Kawagoe: the best photo spots in Little Edo and exactly when to shoot each — come at dawn or blue hour and beat the crowds on the warehouse streets.
Kurazukuri Street: Kawagoe’s Warehouse District (Ichibangai)
Ichibangai, Kawagoe's Kurazukuri street: about 30 black clay-walled Edo warehouses born from the 1893 fire, the 1792 Osawa House, the bell tower and red postbox — what to see and when.
Toki no Kane: Kawagoe’s Bell Tower (Times, History & Photos)
Toki no Kane, Kawagoe's ~16 m wooden bell tower in the Little Edo warehouse district, rings 4 times a day. Its history, ringing times, how to photograph it, and what's nearby.
Kawagoe Kumano Shrine 2026: 6 Interactive Rituals You Can Actually Try
2026 Update: Kawagoe Kumano Shrine now offers QR-code multilingual guides at 16 locations throughout the grounds, available in English, Chinese, and Korean. The shrine also accepts cashless payments (PayPay) for omamori and goshuin purchases. Most visitors to Kawagoe head straight…
Kitain Temple Kawagoe 2026: Edo Castle Rooms & 538 Rakan [With Map]
![Kitain Temple Kawagoe 2026: Edo Castle Rooms & 538 Rakan [With Map]](https://hiddenjapan-gems.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC4602-768x432.webp)
Most visitors to Kawagoe head straight to the warehouse district. Start at Kitain instead — it’s quieter in the morning, and you’ll walk the same route the Tokugawa shoguns once traveled. Kitain Temple (喜多院), also known as Kawagoe Daishi, is…
Starbucks in a Kimono: A Guide to Kawagoe’s Most Beautiful Coffee Shop
In the heart of Kawagoe, a town affectionately known as “Little Edo,” lies a Starbucks unlike any other. Steps away from the iconic Toki no Kane (Bell of Time) tower, the Starbucks Coffee Kawagoe Kanetsuki-dori store masterfully blends the world’s…
Senba Toshogu: A Guide to Kawagoe’s Hidden Tokugawa Shrine
While Nikko’s Toshogu Shrine is famously known as the grand mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, a quieter, lesser-visited Toshogu shrine lies hidden in the historic city of Kawagoe. The Senba Toshogu Shrine, often counted among Japan’s three great Toshogu shrines, alongside…
Kawagoe Castle Honmaru Goten: A Glimpse into Samurai Lord Life in Little Edo
Step back in time in Kawagoe, a city affectionately known as “Little Edo,” and discover one of its most precious historical treasures: the Kawagoe Castle Honmaru Goten. As the only surviving palace building of its kind in eastern Japan, this…
Kawagoe Sightseeing Guide: A Perfect Day Trip to Little Edo
Just 30 minutes from the bustle of central Tokyo, the city of Kawagoe in Saitama Prefecture offers a journey back in time. Known affectionately as “Little Edo” (Koedo), its streets preserve the atmosphere of Japan’s feudal past, alongside architectural treasures…