Kawagoe: The Little Edo.

I went to Kawagoe myself during my most recent trip to Japan and had a very nice day, here is some more about the place also called ‘Koedo’ or ‘Little Edo’ (Edo is the old name for Tokyo). Located in Saitama Prefecture just north of Tokyo, Kawagoe is part of the so-called Greater Tokyo Area and serves as the governmental, commercial and business center of the southwestern part of the Prefecture. Most cities in Saitama, including Kawagoe, are suburbs of Tokyo, with many residents daily commuting to Tokyo. Kawagoe is conveniently connected to Tokyo by three different train lines, the Tobu Tojo Line, JR Kawagoe Line, and the Seibu Shinjuku Line. Based upon personal experience, the latter is very easy to get from Shinjuku (one of Tokyo’s major centers) to Kawagoe, as it takes a simple forty minute ride from one end of the line (Seibu Shinjuku Station) to the other end of the line (Hon-Kawagoe Station).

Exiting the Kawagoe station, it is a ten minute walk to the main attraction of the city: the historic main street in Japanese called ‘kurazukuri’ (traditional architecture). The street is flanked on both sides by old buildings made of clay and originally build as warehouses, reminding visitors how a town in the Edo Period (1603 – 1868) must have looked. The buildings are all different and from different time periods, the oldest one being from 1792. The historic main street is also home to the old and famous Toki-no-kane tower bell (see photo), which rings three times a day and serves as the symbol for ‘Koedo’. It is precisely for this reason, being one of the few places to have preserved such old buildings, Kawagoe has become known as Little Edo.

Another interesting place is the Honmaru Goten, the primary hall of the former Kawagoe Castle that has withstood the test of time. In 1870 the castle was largely dismantled, but some buildings stayed in Kawagoe while others were moved to nearby cities. The Honmaru Goten is one of the few parts of the former castle that has remained at the place it was originally built hundreds of years ago. In earlier times, Kawagoe Castle was an important strategic position as it was the first line of defense after Edo Castle, the castle of the shogun (military ruler) in the capital Edo. Kawagoe was also an important supplier of commodities to Edo and thus important to the capital’s economy. For these reasons and in recognizing the importance of the castle and its city, the Tokugawa shogun’s installed loyal, trusted and high ranking men in Kawagoe Castle as castle lords.

Gohyaku Rakan

The Gohyaku Rakan or 500 Statues of Rakan, is a collection of 540 small stone statues representing Buddha's disciples. These statues tucked into a small 20 meter by 20 meter square fenced in area, were carved between 1782 and 1825. While the rest of Kitain Temple is free to enter, visitors must pay about 300 Yen or so to wander among the Rakan statues. They can also be viewed for free from the gate inside the temple complex. According to legend, if you wander among the statues at night, touching each one, you will find one that is warm. In the light, you will see that this statue resembles you.

Kitakain Temple

Kitain (Kita-In) Temple is thought to have been founded in 830 AD. It burned in 1205 AD and rebuilt in 1296. In 1300, this great temple became head of the Tendai Buddhist temples in east Japan. The grounds house not only the main Kitain Temple, but also a shrine dedicated to the Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa, and original buildings from Edo Castle in Tokyo. Because of the destruction to Tokyo in the 1923 Earthquake and World War II, the buildings at Kitain are the only remnants of the original castle. The Temple's most famous site is the 540 statues of Rakan, disciples of Buddha. The statues, carved between 1782 and 1825, are all unique.

Kurazukuri Warehouse

Kawagoe's Kurazukuri area is the most famous area of the town. Kurazukuri Street stretches about 200 meters and is lined with Edo-Period warehouses that are now mostly restaurants and shops. The warehouses are identified by their thick clay walls, a significant change from the wooden houses that were found throughout most of Japan. These warehouses were constructed by businessmen so wealthy they could afford to build these expensive fireproof structures. The businessmen were exceptionally wealthy due to their close economic ties to Edo (now Tokyo). The oldest house in this area was built in 1792, and is called the Osawa House. The Kurazukuri Museum is a historic Tobacco shop that is now open to the public.

Choki-in Temple: Skinny Buddha

In the historic area of Kawagoe, there is a small alley with a temple gate at the far end. Though the alley is quiet, it is inviting. The long, narrow, stone-lined path takes you past a few vacant storefronts and into the temple grounds. The shrine is eerily deserted except for a man in obvious mental distress, who greets you strangely but kindly with an odd military-style salute. Then he disappears into the cold afternoon. Looking around the old temple, your eyes are suddenly drawn to a shocking image--a statue of a man so skinny, he could be a survivor of a Nazi concentration camp. As you approach, you can make out every rib on the statue, and even the veins in his chest.

Somehow the imprint of his spine is almost visible through the barely existent stomach. Even more odd, the statue has five-days of whisker stubble on his chin and cheeks, his eyes are sunken into his skull, and his loose clothes are falling off of his body. This is the most unusual statue of Buddha you will ever see. The statue stands in front of the Choki-in Temple in Kawagoe. The statue is a replica of an ancient Third Century statue of Buddha that is supposed to represent penance. It is said that this statue depicts the time Buddha learned that he could not obtain enlightenment by torturing his body with starvation, after having barely eaten over the course of six years. The original statue is in Pakistan at the Lahore Museum of Art.

Confectionery Lane (or Penny Candy Alley)

Next to the northern end of the old Kurazukurai section of Kawagoe is a narrow, but crowded alley that often has more children than adults. This area is called Kashiya Yokocho in Japanese, or Penny Candy Alley in English. This street has been home to candy makers since the 1870s or earlier. Following the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, this area become the center of the Tokyo candy industry, with some 70 candy manufacturers. Today, about 22 candy stores survive, and they sell a variety of traditional and modern candies, along with toys. I wandered around this alley for about 45 minutes, stopping in numerous stores. Had some traditional steamed mochi filled with sweet potato and we bought some modern hard candy. I also noticed dozens, if not hundreds of Japanese carrying meter-long sticks of "fu," which resembles a loaf of bread, and is made of wheat and sugar.

Time Bell Tower, Old Kawagoe

The Time Bell Tower, or Toki no Kane in Japanese, was first constructed 400 years ago in central Kawagoe by Sakai Tadakatsu, a Kawagoe feudal lord. Though it has been burned and rebuilt about three times, most recently by the Kawagoe Great Fire, the present 16 meter structure dates back to 1893. While the tower stands in front of a temple, the tower had no religious purpose, instead it was used to tell time. Today the wooden bell tower stands as the symbol of Kawagoe. The bell still rings each day at 6am, noon, 3pm and 6pm.

The relationship between Kawagoe and Edo eventually led to close ties and Kawagoe inheriting many aspects of Edo’s culture and architecture. An interesting example is provided by the festivals floats used for the annual Kawagoe Festival, which is held for two days on the third Saturday and Sunday of October. In the Edo Period the hight of festival floats in Edo was limited as they had to enter through the gates of Edo Castle. Although Kawagoe Castle did not feature such a gate which limited the hight of the floats, the city eventually started to make festival floats in Edo style which meant that these floats could lower their tower by way of an ingenious device inside.

In other words, Kawagoe not only gives you an impression of how Edo looked in former times, but also feels somewhat ‘warmer’ and open than Tokyo. If you are in Japan, have some time and wish to escape from Tokyo, Kawagoe is certainly a nice place to visit!