Day Trip to Kawagoe from Tokyo: Things to Do (2025) | Alex Lau

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Kawagoe, often called “Little Edo,” is a historic town in Saitama Prefecture approximately 90 minutes northwest of Tokyo via train. Known for its well-preserved kura-style buildings, the town used to be a key commercial hub in the early 1600s, facilitating the trade of rice, soy, and other goods, along the Kawagoe Kaidō road through to Tokyo.

Check Places to Stay in Kawagoe (Expedia)

Today, the town has gained popularity as a day trip destination to those staying in Tokyo, seeking a slice of a more traditional Japan. We had a few hours here in town, and decided to highlight a few of our main stops, and provide tips on easier travel to the town.

Getting There From Tokyo

It’ll generally take over an hour to reach Kawagoe from Tokyo, but if you’re staying in Ibekekuro area, it’s only about 45 minutes. Assuming you’re taking public transport, and not using taxi services or driving.

To reach the main strip of the town requires taking the 川越０２ bus (towards 八幡団地行) and getting off at 仲町［川越市］stop, from the Kawagoe train station. From there, most destinations are walking distance from one another.

I’d recommend planning the route back home ahead of time (specifically getting back to the Kawagoe station) as the buses run fairly infrequently within the town.

Things to Do

Once you’re there, Kawagoe offers quite a few things to do along the main central street. Here are some of the highlighted places that we went to shop and sightsee!

岩座川越店

We found this souvenir shop to be the most comprehensive among all the other shops, with great prices as well. We purchased a few sets of utensils, robes, fans, and more. They offer tax-free services for purchases that meet the minimum threshold.

Kawagoe day trip near Tokyo, shot by Alex Lau

Google Maps Link to 岩座川越店

川越アルファルファ(kawagoe ALPHALPHA)

This small family-owned kitchenware store was a great little find for us. We purchased a matcha bowl from the clearance section for only 800 yen. The store is filled with great quality bowls, plates, and more, and the shopkeeper was happily ready to help us find what we wanted.

Google Maps Link to 川越アルファルファ(kawagoe ALPHALPHA)

縁側・ちゃぶ台お着物や

This used kimono store was a great find, and offered many great second-hand kimonos at low prices (I found some for just 1000 yen). Forget buying kimonos new, buy them used here! They also offer rentals.

Google Maps Link to 縁側・ちゃぶ台お着物や

Wood Works Kawagoe

We noticed quite a bit of buzz for this place from TikTok and Instagram. The store wasn’t full when we arrived, but typically it requires booking in advance. Here, you can make your own chopsticks from scratch. Choose your desired wood from the wall, and get to work afterwards shaving the wood down. Instructors are around to help, but for the most part, the process is well explained in the guide at the table.

Overall, I wouldn’t really recommend this given the cost of the chopsticks is wildly overpriced (~3600 yen for my pair), and the resulting experience isn’t altogether very memorable. My wife did enjoy it, though, so to each their own.

Google Maps Link to Wood Works Kawagoe

Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine

The Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine is a beautiful shinto shrine located just 10 minutes walk away from the main tourist street. If you come during the wind chime (fuurin) festival (approximately July – September every year), you’ll be greeted with a beautiful display of wood wind chimes lining the shrine.

Google Maps Link to Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine

See (and hear) the Toki no Kane (Bell of Time)

The Bell of Time is a grand symbol of the town’s heritage, and was originally built 400 years ago. The one that stands now is a reconstruction from the 1890s, so it’s still a great little architectural marvel to see.

The bell still operates as it did originally, and chimes 4 times a day. This was meant to regulate the townspeople’s daily routines:

6 AM – Signaling the start of the day for merchants and workers.
12 PM – Midday break or lunchtime.
3 PM – Afternoon check-in, possibly a reminder for merchants and businesses.
6 PM – Signaling the transition from day to evening, marking the end of business hours.

Google Maps Link to Bell of Time

Places to Eat

Kawagoe has a large number of snack shops, especially on or near the main tourist street. While we didn’t get dinner here (we found the prices to be far too inflated, for example ~4000 yen for an unagi bowl), but we did find a few great stops for snacks and treats instead.

Kawagoe Cheese Cake

This store offers an amazing soft serve that tastes like cheesecake. It’s as delicious as it sounds, and it’s only around 350 yen each.

Google Maps Link to Kawagoe Cheese Cake

Walk Kashiya Yokocho

Also known as ‘candy alley’, this little street offers grilled dango and sweet potato chips for relatively low prices. A must walk street during a trip to Kawagoe.

Google Maps Link to Kashiya Yokocho

Kasho Umon Ichibangai

We loved this stop for steamed sweet potato buns. They were absolutely delicious, addicting, and only 200 yen! I got a few.

Google Maps Link to Kasho Umon Ichibangai

Overview

Kawagoe was a lovely day trip from Tokyo, and definetely memorable for the snacks, and taking in the Edo-era architecture. Make sure you plan your route back home as the buses don’t operate very often (and sometimes, even not to schedule)!