Heading out to Little Edo.
There are many places to explore out of Tokyo which you should visit if you have the time. Nikko, Kamakura and Hakone are the ones that come to mind, all of which are about an hour to two hours from Tokyo city centre.
With time not on my side as I needed to be back in the city by early afternoon for an appointment, I settled on Kawagoe.
How to get to Kawagoe
There are two ways, you can either take the Tobu-Tojo line from Ikebukuro station to Kawagoe Station or the Seibu Shinjuku line from Shinjuku station to Honkawagoe Station. Staying in Ueno, it made sense to head via Ikebukuro. In fact, from most places in Tokyo, the transfer at Ikebukuro makes a lot of sense as compared to Shinjuku.
Important note: For the Tobu-Tojo line from Ikebukuro, when you enter the station, do find the correct platform for the Express or Semi-Express train, which is at Platform 1&2 when I travelled. Do not take the local train as it would take half an hour longer. Similar advice for those travelling via the Seibu Shinjuku line.
About half an hour later from Ikebukuro, you’ll reach Kawagoe Station. The Little Edo area is a 25- minute walk from the station. If it is too long, there are direct buses that bring you there in just under 10 minutes. Look for the bus 川越０１ which will bring you direct to Little Edo.
Sightseeing in Little Edo
#1 – Head to the Bell Tower, Toki no Kane (時の鐘)
This is the most famous sight in Kawagoe. Originally built in the 1600s, the current tower was rebuilt in 1894 after a fire burned down the tower.
Reaching there at 9am in the morning would enable you to get the whole street to yourself, but if there’s no urgency for you to head back to Tokyo, you may want to arrive a bit later as the bell will be rung 4 times a day at 6am, 12noon, 3pm and 6pm.
Right next to the bell tower is an entrance to Yakushi Shrine, where it is believed that praying that would aid in the recovery from an illness.
#2 – Head to Starbucks
You must be thinking that this is a joke, but this is something that you can do in Kawagoe.
The Starbucks is just a few shops down from the bell tower, and the reason why you should head to this Starbucks is to appreciate how Starbucks have integrated the feel of the area in designing this outlet.
Plus, there is an outdoor area to enjoy the coffee right next to a zen garden.
It costs ¥410 for a tall Americano, which is not too expensive for a short break to enjoy the weather and the view.
#3 – Head to Kashiya Yokocho for local sweets and pastries
A short 5-minute walk from the bell tower is Kashiya Yokocho, which is famous for Japanese sweets, snacks and pastries. While the route there is unassuming, you know you are heading in the correct direction as the smell of freshly baked pastries waft through once you turn into the street.
You’ll find a multitude of traditional snacks on this street, including Fugashi (麩菓子) which is probably the longest snack in Japan made of dried wheat gluten and sugar. There is also a soft serve ice cream and a lemonade stand, if traditional snacks is not your cup of tea.
#4 – Head eastwards to Kawagoe Castle Ruins, Miyoshino Shrine and Kawagoe City Museum (only if you have time)
If you have a more time on your hands, you may want to head eastwards from the Bell Tower to these sights, which is about a 10 minutes’ walk away. Personally, I feel that you won’t be missing out much if you skip these.
In the feudal era before the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Kawagoe Castle was well positioned to protect Tokyo from any attacks coming from the north. However, most of the castle has been removed except the Lord’s Hall. While I did not enter the place as there are more impressive places, entry fee is only ¥100 if you would like to enter.
Right next to Kawagoe Castle is Miyoshino Shrine, which is the local shrine within the former castle’s grounds. Since you’re in the area, could be a good idea to drop by as well.
What to eat in Kawagoe
If you aren’t full after the snacks from Kashiya Yokocho, you may want to explore two restaurants in Kawagoe.
#1 – Yakiniku Happy
As the name suggests, Yakiniku Happy is a chain of Yakiniku restaurants with an outlet in Kawagoe. Other outlets are in the northern suburbs of Tokyo, although there is one in Kami-Itabashi (near Ikebukuro) and one in Nihonbashi.
They have set meals if you go during lunch with the options below. The standard lunch set is the Happy Yakiniku Lunch for ¥979 (top left) and that comes with kalbi and sangen pork. If you order the Extra Large Yakiniku Lunch for ¥1,419 (top right), it comes with additional chicken and pork ribs. Miso soup and rice is self-service.
Ordered the Happy Yakiniku Lunch, plus added on 3 pieces of beef tongue (bottom left) for an additional ¥319. When the meal arrived, it was exactly what one would expect from a chain Yakiniku restaurant, no-frills and value for money. The cuts were tender, although I felt that the beef tongue had a bit too much seasoning, although this is more of a personal preference.
If you are heading there for dinner, the offerings on the menu can be found here, translated version (to the best of Google Translates’s ability) here.
#2 – Coedo Ohana – Specialising in egg dishes
Coedo Ohana specialises in egg dishes, including Oyako-don and Tamagoyaki. Full menu here.
While I did not manage to check this place out, this is a place you could try given the crowd queueing outside the restaurant. After all, queueing is a national pastime of Singapore. Location is near Taisho Roman (halfway between the train station and Little Edo), found here.
Google reviews rate this restaurant at 4.0 stars. Rating of the food seems to be good if you prefer eggs on the sweeter side, however, long waiting times, cost and customer service issues seems to be some complaints that customers have raised. Might try next time.
Hope you have a good time in Kawagoe!
Sims Avenue 