Introduction
Kawagoe is also known as “Little Edo,” or 'Koedo(小江戸)', and it is an area that still keeps the atmosphere of the Edo period. It is a popular place to experience traditional Japan, and it is also well known as a day trip from Tokyo.
Among the highlights, the traditional house street called ‘Kurazukuri(蔵造り)’ is a must-visit. Kurazukuri is a unique architectural style you can see in Kawagoe, originally based on warehouse-style buildings used to store rice and goods during the Edo period, when commerce was growing.
In particular, it has a structure with multiple layers of fire-resistant exterior walls to protect against fires, and it was sometimes seen as a symbol of wealth.
Another key landmark on this street is 'Toki-no-Kane(時の鐘)'. It means “Bell of Time,” and it is a bell tower located in the center of the Kurazukuri area.
Toki-no-Kane was used in the past to watch for fires and give warnings, and today it is a symbolic landmark of Kawagoe. It is also designated as a cultural property of Kawagoe City.
Even today, the bell rings four times a day (6:00, 12:00, 15:00, 18:00), so you can feel how tradition and modern life exist together. 🕰️
- Famous local foods: eel rice bowl, sweet potato manju 🍠
How to Travel to Kawagoe
There are two main rail routes to reach Kawagoe.
- Take the Tobu Tojo Line to Kawagoe Station or Kawagoeshi Station
- Take the Seibu Line to Honkawagoe Station
Kawagoe Station and Honkawagoe Station are about 1 km apart, and for the main sightseeing area, ‘Ichibangai Shopping Street,’ Honkawagoe Station is closer.
Exclusive TourCast Tips!
⏰ Visiting Kawagoe for a half day or a full day
If you are planning a half-day trip, it is best to follow the blue route marked on the tourist map below.
A recommended route is to walk slowly in this order: Crea Mall Shopping Street → Kawagoe Kumano Shrine → Ichibangai Shopping Street → Kashiya Yokocho.
For the return trip, consider your energy level and use a bus, or if you are in a group of 3–4 people, a taxi back to the station.
If you also want to visit Hikawa Shrine, it can be more efficient to go to Hikawa Shrine first by bus or taxi, then walk through the sightseeing spots while heading back toward the station.
If you are planning a full-day trip, you can explore Kawagoe’s sights at a more relaxed pace.
In that case, use the 'Koedo Famous Spots Loop(小江戸名所めぐり)' bus, which departs from Stop 3 at the East Exit of Kawagoe Station and runs counterclockwise. 🚌
With this bus, you can visit Kita-in Temple → Hikawa Shrine → Kashiya Yokocho → Ichibangai Shopping Street → Kawagoe Kumano Shrine → Crea Mall Shopping Street efficiently, then return to Kawagoe Station—an ideal route.
Complete Access Guide to Kawagoe
As explained above, there are two main ways to get to Kawagoe: using the Tobu Line or using the Seibu Line.
Let’s look at which stations you should depart from in each case.
1) Using the Tobu Tojo Line
If you use the Tobu Tojo Line, depart from Ikebukuro Station. The one-way fare is 490 yen.
If you take the 'Kawagoe Limited Express', 'Rapid Express', or 'Express', you can arrive faster, so check the timetable and confirm the train type.
(These trains operate only in the ‘toward Kawagoeshi’ or ‘toward Ikebukuro’ direction.)
2) Using the Seibu Line
If you use the Seibu Line, you can depart from these stations:
- From Seibu-Shinjuku Station: one-way 520 yen
- From Seibu-Takadanobaba Station: one-way 520 yen
- From Seibu-Ikebukuro Station: one-way 490 yen (transfer at Tokorozawa Station required)
If you take the 'Kawagoe Semi-Express' or 'Express', you can arrive faster, and these trains operate only toward Honkawagoe or Seibu-Shinjuku.
Depart from Seibu-Shinjuku Depart from Hon-KawagoeNote that trains marked as Limited Express on the Seibu timetable mean limited express services that require a reserved seat ticket.
In this case, you must buy an additional 600 yen limited express ticket. For the difference between local and limited express trains, see Guidebook - Common Part 2 - Japan Transport System.
There is also a route from JR Shinjuku Station via JR lines and Omiya Station, but it is not recommended because it is inefficient.
However, if you take a train from Shibuya Station where the Fukutoshin Line and Tobu Tojo Line run through, you can travel without transfers. If you have a Tokyo Subway Ticket, you can reach Kawagoe by paying only an additional 330 yen one-way.
Two Loop Bus Systems in Kawagoe That Are Easy to Confuse
Most major sightseeing spots in Kawagoe are close enough to explore on foot, but it is important to know that there are two different bus operators for loop buses.
If you buy a bus pass without checking this in advance, be careful—you may accidentally ride a route that is not covered.
1) Koedo Meisho(名所) Meguri Bus
小江戸名所めぐりバス
This is the route briefly introduced in “How to Travel to Kawagoe.”
It departs from Stop 3 at the East Exit of Kawagoe Station, loops around major sights counterclockwise, and returns to the starting point.
- Single-ride payment for a one-way trip is not available
- You can ride with the 'Kawagoe 1-Day Bus Ticket'
- Take a boarding ticket when you get on, and show the 1-day ticket when you get off
- On Google Maps, it is shown as '名０１'
- Stops are numbered T1 to T15
- Not operating during New Year holidays (12/31–1/3) and during the Kawagoe Festival period
- Operated by Tobu Bus West
2) Koedo Meguri(巡回) Bus - CO-EDO Loop Bus
小江戸巡回バス
This route departs from the West Exit of Kawagoe Station, and there are two courses.
- CO1 Course: Kita-in Temple → Kashiya Yokocho direction (counterclockwise)
- CO2 Course: Ichibangai Shopping Street ↔ Hikawa Shrine round trip
- One-way fare 220 yen, IC cards accepted
- 1-day unlimited ticket available (but the ‘Kawagoe 1-Day Bus Ticket’ is not accepted)
- On Google Maps, it is shown as 'Ｃ０１' and 'Ｃ０２'
- Stops are numbered E1 to E18
- In English, it is listed as CO-EDO LOOP BUS
- Operated by Eagle Bus Co., Ltd.
Both buses use the name 'Loop Bus', so it can be hard to tell them apart by name alone. 🧐
Before boarding, always check the stop location and the sign on the front of the bus, and look carefully for '名所' or '巡回'.
Also, the routes you can ride depend on your transport pass, so check the coverage of your pass first in the transport pass section below.
Transport Pass Summary
Useful passes for a Kawagoe trip fall into two main categories: bus passes for loop buses, and rail passes for the Tobu and Seibu lines.
1) 🚌 Bus Passes
-
Koedo Kawagoe 1-Day Bus Ticket (小江戸川越一日乗車券)
- Unlimited rides on the Koedo Meisho Meguri Bus
- Also valid on Tobu Bus West routes (selected sections)
- Price: 400 yen
- Not sold during non-operating periods (such as 12/31–1/3)
- Available as a paper ticket or in the Japan Transit Planner app
-
1-Day Free Ticket (1日フリー乗車券)
- Unlimited rides on the Koedo Meguri Bus (CO-EDO Loop Bus) for one day
- Price: 600 yen
- Available on board or at tourist information centers (Kawagoe Station / Honkawagoe Station)
- On the 8th, 18th, and 28th of each month, if you wear a kimono, you can buy it on board for 400 yen
- Cash only (IC cards not accepted)
2) 🚃 Tobu Tojo Line Rail Passes
-
Kawagoe Discount Pass
- Adult: 710 yen, Child: 370 yen
- Cheaper than a Tobu Tojo Line round trip Ikebukuro ↔ Kawagoe (regular fare 980 yen)
- Discounts at some shops with the pass (show it before purchase)
-
Kawagoe Discount Pass Premium
- A set of Discount Pass + Koedo 1-Day Bus Ticket
- Adult: 1,050 yen, Child: 540 yen
- A good deal if you ride the bus at least twice
3) 🚆 Seibu Line Rail Passes
-
Seibu Kawagoe Pass
- Adult: 700 yen (no child ticket)
- Seibu-Shinjuku ↔ Honkawagoe round trip: 1,040 yen → discounted
- Comes as a red physical pass or a digital pass (for good luck)
- Stamp-based use
- It does not matter if your departure and arrival stations are different
-
Seibu Kawagoe Pass + CO-EDO Loop Bus 1-Day Ticket
- Adult: 1,300 yen (no child ticket)
- Comes as a blue physical pass
- A good deal if you ride the bus 3 or more times
-
Kawagoe Access Ticket
- Adult: 1,700 yen, Child: 850 yen
- Includes a round trip with reserved seats on a limited express train
- Good for travelers who want a more comfortable ride
Exclusive TourCast Tips!
Two key highlights at Hikawa Shrine, home of the Enmusubi Wind Chime Festival
1) ⛩️ Hikawa Shrine, a symbol of connections and tradition
Hikawa Shrine is the most famous shrine in Kawagoe, with over 1,500 years of history.
It is especially known for love luck and good relationships. Every morning at 8:00, the shrine gives out '縁結び玉(Enmusubi-dama, relationship stones)' in a limited quantity of 20 per day.
These are pebbles collected from the stream inside the shrine grounds, purified by shrine maidens, and placed in a small net. You must line up early and get a numbered ticket to receive one.
The tai (sea bream) fishing omikuji is also very popular. Instead of drawing a paper fortune, you “fish” a fish-shaped omikuji.
Tai (たい) sounds like ‘medetai(めでたい, auspicious)’, so it is seen as a symbol of good luck.
The meaning changes by color: a pink tai is for love luck, and a red tai is for your yearly fortune.
The pink tai includes the phrase '良縁あい鯛(りょうえん あい たい)', which means 'good relationship' · 'love' · 'sea bream', and it is also well known as a wordplay because it sounds similar to 'あいたい(I want to see you)'.
2) 🎐 Enmusubi Wind Chimes (縁むすび風鈴)
Every summer, Hikawa Shrine holds the '縁むすび風鈴(Enmusubi Wind Chimes)' event.
During this period, more than 2,000 glass wind chimes are displayed on the shrine grounds. In the daytime, you hear refreshing sounds, and at night, lighting creates a dreamlike atmosphere.
Visitors write their wishes on a tanzaku paper strip and hang it on the wind chimes, continuing the tradition of sending wishes on the wind.
In the evening, there is also the “River of Light(光る川)” display over the stream. Visiting between 18:30 and 20:00 is especially recommended.