Here is a model itinerary for exploring Kawagoe — a charming old castle town near Tokyo often called “Little Edo” — in half a day with your camera in hand.
For this trip, I shot everything with just a FUJIFILM camera (APS-C) and the XF35mm F1.4R lens. Carrying lots of lenses gets heavy, so I hope this also helps you decide which lens to bring!
Let’s dive right into the schedule.
11:30 Meet at Kawagoe Station
Since this plan includes cafe stops, we met up after having brunch.
If you are coming to Kawagoe Station from Ikebukuro or another station on the Tobu Tojo Line, the Koedo Kawagoe Coupon — a discount ticket that bundles unlimited rides on Kawagoe’s local buses — is a great deal. You can buy it at Tojo Line stations.
12:00 Bus to Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine
From the bus terminal at Kawagoe Station, we took a bus to Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine.
Be careful not to accidentally ride past the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine bus stop — you would end up outside the unlimited-ride zone of the bus pass.
Colorful wind chimes line the path from the entrance all the way into the shrine grounds, and their gentle ringing was lovely too.
Alongside the classic red sea bream fortune slips (tai mikuji), there were also cool, pale-blue ones perfect for summer.
I love the thoughtful touches that draw people in: you “catch” your tai mikuji with a little fishing rod, and there are adorable goshuin stamps and wind chimes (which you can also purchase).
Across the street from the shrine, you will find a lovely display of pinwheels. It is visible from the bus stop, so it is easy to spot!
But then, a problem: there is absolutely nothing to shield you from the sun where you photograph the pinwheels. After just two or three minutes I could not stop sweating, and the harsh sunlight blew out the highlights in my photos, so I decided to save the pinwheel shots for the evening.
Having an unlimited day pass for the bus makes it easy to think, “I’ll just come back later!”
13:30 Shaved Ice at Rokkatei Kawagoe
A six-minute walk from Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, we had kakigori (Japanese shaved ice) at Rokkatei Kawagoe. It is a popular shop and there was a line, but since it was lunchtime, the wait was short enough to sit on chairs in the shade.
14:30 Strolling Around the Toki no Kane Bell Tower
We took the bus from Kitamachi to Ichibangai and wandered through Kawagoe’s iconic old streetscape. Snacking on imo kenpi (candied sweet potato sticks) as you walk is a nice touch, too.
The footbath cafe Tsubakiya, famous for its beautiful Japanese umbrellas (in summer the footbath is filled with cool water instead of hot — refreshingly so!), was reservation-priority and we could not get in, so we booked a 16:00 slot and decided to come back.
If you are near the Toki no Kane bell tower at 15:00, you can hear the bell ring — automatically!
15:30 Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine
From the Ichibangai bus stop, we rode to Wakitamachi and walked six minutes to reach Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.
The hanachozu — a water basin filled with flowers in cool, summery colors — was gorgeous.
16:00 Footbath Cafe Tsubakiya
We made our way back to Ichibangai on foot and by bus, and enjoyed a soda at Tsubakiya, the footbath cafe where you can relax with your feet in the water (don’t worry — in summer it is cool water!) while admiring the beautiful Japanese umbrellas.
16:45 Strolling Around Ichibangai
With the air finally cooling down a little, we browsed for souvenirs and wandered around the Ichibangai area.
18:30 Back to Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine
When we took the bus back to Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, it was just in time for sunset.
The temperature was pleasant and the light was beautiful — I think it was the perfect time to photograph the pinwheels! From August onward the sun sets a little earlier each day, so you may want to go slightly earlier in the evening.
Since we were there anyway, I photographed the wind chimes one more time. Lit up in the evening, they had a charm quite different from the daytime.
19:30 Kawagoe Station
We took the bus back to Kawagoe Station. I came home with so many lovely photos — a thoroughly satisfying photo walk.
Next time, in a cooler season, I would love to stroll around Kawagoe wearing a yukata or kimono.
Gear Used in This Article
Every photo in this article was taken on a FUJIFILM APS-C body with this single lens. A photo walk with one prime lens keeps things light — highly recommended!
