🕓 2026/3/6
#Sightseeing
Table of Contents
- Mitsumine Shrine | A Mystical Power Spot
- Kawagoe Ichibangai Shopping Street | Edo-Period Charm
- Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine | A Historic Shrine for Matchmaking
Top 3 Must-Visit Sightseeing Spots in Saitama Prefecture
– What is Saitama Prefecture? –
Saitama Prefecture is characterized by the harmonious balance between its beautiful natural environment and vibrant urban life. Despite being easily accessible from central Tokyo, it offers magnificent natural landscapes, which is one of the region’s greatest charms.
Kawagoe City, known as a historical setting, still retains its old-world atmosphere and is called “Koedo” (Little Edo), offering visitors the chance to experience its history and traditions. Regular festivals and events also provide opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of the local culture. For nature lovers, the Okuchichibu and Chichibu areas are hidden treasures. By exploring the Chichibu 34 Kannon Pilgrimage or hiking trails adorned with beautiful flowers, you can fully enjoy the rich natural environment.
Mitsumine Shrine | A Mystical Power Spot
● Highlights of Mitsumine Shrine
Mitsumine Shrine is located in the mountains of Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture, at an elevation of approximately 1,100 meters, and is renowned as one of the Kanto region’s foremost power spots. One of its most distinctive features is that it enshrines wolves as divine messengers. This tradition originates from a legend in which wolves guided Yamato Takeru no Mikoto when he visited the area. For this reason, the guardian statues at the shrine take the form of wolves, and wolves are depicted on the shrine’s amulets and seal stamps.
Within the shrine grounds, you can find the nationally rare Mitsu-torii (triple gateway) and the majestic Zuishinmon gate, both of which captivate visitors. In front of the worship hall, there is a stone on which a dragon pattern appears when water is poured over it, making it a popular mystical power spot.
From the Okumiya Yohaisho (distant worship hall), depending on the weather, you can view a magnificent sea of clouds, whose ethereal scenery enchants all who visit. The on-site cafe “Shokyoin” also offers a limited 20 special coffee jellies per day, perfect for a post-worship break.
● History of Mitsumine Shrine
Mitsumine Shrine is a historic shrine nestled in the mountains of Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture, at an elevation of approximately 1,100 meters. Its origins date back approximately 1,900 years, when Yamato Takeru no Mikoto, during his eastern campaign, was so moved by the beauty of the mountains and rivers that he enshrined Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto, the deities of creation.
During the Heian period, it became a sacred site for Shugendo (mountain asceticism). It temporarily declined during the Sengoku period due to the Ashikaga clan’s invasion but was revived in the 16th century through the efforts of mountain ascetics.
During the Edo period, the “Oinu-sama” (wolf worship) faith spread widely, and the culture of revering wolves as divine messengers took root. Believers from across the Kanto region flocked to the shrine. Today, it remains known for its mystical atmosphere and powerful spiritual energy, attracting many worshippers as one of the Kanto region’s premier power spots.
● Access to Mitsumine Shrine
- Official Website: Mitsumine Shrine Official Website
- Address: 298-1 Oaza Mitsumine, Yokoze-machi, Chichibu-gun, Saitama 369-1902
- By bus from Seibu-Chichibu Station (Seibu Chichibu Line): Approx. 80 min (950 yen for adults)
- By bus from Mitsumineguchi Station (Chichibu Railway): Approx. 55 min (690 yen for adults)
- By car: Approx. 2 hours via National Route 140 (from Tokyo area), approx. 2.5 hours (from Yamanashi area). Paid parking available at Mitsumine Shrine.
- Google Maps: Mitsumine Shrine
● Highlights of Kawagoe Ichibangai Shopping Street
Kawagoe Ichibangai Shopping Street is located in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, and is a historic shopping district that strongly retains the atmosphere of the Edo period, earning the nickname “Koedo” (Little Edo). Along its approximately 450-meter stretch, kurazukuri (warehouse-style) buildings with distinctive black walls and tiles line the street, evoking the charm of old Japan. From long-established shops dating back to the Edo period to modern stores, a diverse array of establishments line the street, allowing visitors to enjoy shopping and dining while strolling.
The “Toki no Kane” (Bell of Time), a symbol of the shopping street, is a wooden bell tower approximately 16 meters tall, said to have been originally built about 400 years ago. Even today, the bell rings four times daily, adding charm to the Kawagoe streetscape. Furthermore, there are many kimono rental shops near the shopping street, allowing visitors to enjoy strolling in traditional Japanese attire.
Kawagoe Ichibangai Shopping Street is a place where historic architecture and diverse shops merge, allowing visitors to simultaneously enjoy both the ambiance of the Edo period and modern charm.
● History of Kawagoe Ichibangai Shopping Street
Kawagoe Ichibangai Shopping Street is located in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, and is a historic shopping district lined with kurazukuri (warehouse-style) buildings from the Edo to Meiji periods. Its origins trace back to the townscape formed during the Edo period through the town planning of the Kawagoe domain lord, Matsudaira Nobutsuna. Following repeated major fires, the shogunate encouraged fire-resistant tile roofing, which led to the construction of kurazukuri merchant houses.
In the Great Fire of Kawagoe in 1893, one-third of the town’s buildings were destroyed. Afterward, fire-resistant kurazukuri buildings were reconstructed, laying the foundation for the current streetscape. In 1951, approximately 70 stores along 430 meters formed a cooperative association and established “Kawagoe Ichibangai Shopping Street.”
In 1987, store renovations, new street lighting, stone-paved sidewalks, and underground utility lines were implemented. These efforts led to its selection as an “Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings” in 1999, and it also received the Good Design Award that same year.
● Access to Kawagoe Ichibangai Shopping Street
- Official Website: Kawagoe City Official Website
- Address: 1-chome Saiwai-cho, Kawagoe City, Saitama 350-0053
- Google Maps: Kawagoe Streetscape
- Access: Accessible on foot or by bus from JR Kawagoe Station or Tobu Tojo Line Kawagoeshi Station. About 1 hour from Tokyo, making it ideal for a day trip.
Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine | A Historic Shrine for Matchmaking
● Highlights of Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine
Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine is located in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, and is said to have been founded approximately 1,500 years ago. The shrine enshrines five deities: the married couple Susanoo no Mikoto and Kushinadahime no Mikoto, their parents Ashinazuchi no Mikoto and Tenazuchi no Mikoto, and their child Okuninushi no Mikoto. Because these deities form a family, Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine is known for its blessings of “family harmony,” “marital harmony,” and “matchmaking,” attracting many worshippers.
Within the grounds, you can find unique charms and fortune slips, such as the “Enmusubi-dama” (matchmaking stones) distributed in a limited quantity of 20 per day, and the “Tai-mikuji” (sea bream fortune slip), where you use a fishing rod to catch a sea bream-shaped fortune. The “Ema Tunnel,” where approximately 30,000 ema (votive tablets) are dedicated, is a mystical space that captivates visitors.
Furthermore, during summer, a wind chime festival called “Enmusubi Furin” is held, with the refreshing sounds of wind chimes decorating the shrine grounds creating a cool and enchanting atmosphere.
● History of Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine
Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine is located in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, and its founding dates back approximately 1,500 years to the Kofun period (Tumulus period). It is said that something glowed every night in the Iruma River, which was interpreted as the divine light of the Hikawa deity, leading to the establishment of Hikawa Shrine at this location. This shrine is an ancient shrine enshrining the same deities as Omiya Hikawa Shrine, the Ichinomiya (highest-ranking shrine) of Musashi Province.
During the Muromachi period, when the father and son Ota Dokan and Ota Doshin built Kawagoe Castle, the shrine was deeply revered as the guardian deity of the castle town and the chief shrine of the domain. During the Edo period, successive lords of the Kawagoe domain continued to bestow special patronage, and the shrine buildings were constructed under their auspices. The current main hall was completed in 1849 through the donation of Matsudaira Naritsune, and features exquisite Edo-style carvings. Within the grounds, there is a 15-meter wooden torii gate, and the shrine name plaque was inscribed by Katsu Kaishu.
In 1948, a ritual stone sword was excavated from the shrine grounds, revealing that a settlement had been formed at this site during the Kofun period centered around the 5th century, and rituals were being performed. This historical background shows that Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine has served as a center of regional faith and culture to the present day.
● Access to Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine
- Address: 2-11-3 Miyashita-cho, Kawagoe City
- Official Website: www.kawagoehikawa.jp
- Nearest Stations
JR / Tobu Tojo Line “Kawagoe Station”
Seibu Shinjuku Line “Hon-Kawagoe Station”
* Taking a bus from the nearest station is recommended.
- Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/mueCc7ZqRfQpn6Y57
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