Tokyo Day Trip | Little Edo in Kawagoe

#tokyospots Lately, I’ve noticed I’ve become quite a homebody — maybe it’s the busiest season since coming to Japan 🏥. So… time to get some fresh air and head out with friends for a little mental reset 🚶🏻🚶🏻 📍Destination: Kawagoe in Saitama Prefecture, just about an hour from Tokyo by train or car 🚗🚃. Here are the main highlights of our walk: ⭐ Ichibangai (Main Street) ⭐ Toki no Kane (Time Bell Tower) ⭐ Hikawa Shrine ⭐ Kawagoe Riverside ⭐ Hachimangu Shrine ⭐ And a lovely surprise: Mitsuogi Yūji Memorial Museum 🏯 Ichibangai Street A long, old-fashioned street filled with Taisho-era vibes — charming shops and delicious snacks 🍡🍜 that made time feel like it slowed down. Toki no Kane (the Time Bell Tower) is tucked away on a side street, along with a small but popular shrine. We also stumbled upon the “Kawagoe Kōgyōjō” — a vintage building that really gave off a nostalgic fairground feel, like a 🎡 from a different world. ⛩️ Hikawa Shrine The main guardian shrine of Kawagoe for over 1,500 years, known for bringing people together in love 🎎. During summer, the Wind Chime Festival is in full swing 🎐 — the sound of the bells swaying in the breeze really is the sound of summer. We met a sacred tree over 600 years old 🌳 — quietly watching over people’s prayers through centuries. Don’t miss the cute tai omikuji (red snapper-shaped fortunes) in limited seasonal colors 💜🩵💚🩷, and even wind-chime shaped drinks for cooling off. 🛶 Kawagoe Riverside It’s said the cherry blossoms here form crimson clouds in spring 🌸. I’m already looking forward to returning next year to see that. 🖼️ Mitsuogi Yūji Memorial Museum Hidden past a small bridge along the riverside, we unexpectedly found this peaceful museum. His seasonal floral paintings 🌺🌼🌸 are so vivid, yet touched by a postwar melancholy — soft grey brushstrokes that carry deep emotion. 🏮 Hachimangu Shrine by Dusk As evening fell, the hydrangeas in the fading light were simply magical 🌌. There’s a small shrine here believed to protect eyesight 👁️ — and isn’t that something? As the fox once said, “What is essential is invisible to the eye.” ✨