Ed's Travels in Japan: Kawagoe

We've made two trips to Kawagoe. Once in July 2011 and again in October 2012. Kawgoe is famous for preserving parts of the city to look very much like they did during the Edo period.

This is an old fireproof store from around 1720

The first time we went, it was raining. We didn't get a rickshaw ride. In fact the rickshaw drivers were pretty keen for business.

We did buy some nice umbrellas though!

The street was very scenic with lots of people out browsing and shopping.

Kawagoe is very famous for its bell tower 'tokino kane'. It was originally built in 1624, however it had to be rebuilt in 1894 after the Great Fire of Kawagoe. It is the most famous bell in Japan and rings to tell the time.

We visited the 'Honmaru Goten', which is the middle building of Kawagoe Castle and is the only surviving part.

The lord of the castle lived in this beautiful 545 sq. metre house. There were peaceful gardens inside and it was a lovely peaceful place.

Even the boys had their zen moment

We thought we'd love to build a house like this.

When we got back to the town, we found a street festival on. The kids got to paint lanterns and play a 'knocking the cushions out' game.

We met Tokino Kane Man who proved to be awesome!

There was then a parade of soldiers in historical costumes carrying muskets. They stopped to fire them every hundred metres or so.

The next time we came back to Kawagoe was for the famous Matsuri. This festival is held once a year in October and is a musical battle between fantastically decorated floats that are pulled around the city centre. The spectacular floats have 'telescopic' levels that progressively lift until a mascot statue rises from the very top.