Kawagoe
Kawagoe was originally a castle town of the Kawagoe clan. Many buildings still stand after many centuries surviving the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and bombings in 1945.
The 1923 earthquake pretty much flattened Tokyo where 105,000 died in the magnitude 7.9 - 8.4 quake that lasted over 4 minutes. Pics of flattened Tokyo at Wikipedia.
Then Tokyo was re-flattened again in the B29 bombings where another 100,000 people were killed - pics of re-flattened Tokyo at Tokyo Uni.
Before we start to trek around for the day, we grab lunch after the drive from Tokyo.
Brought up on potatoes in the UK, I just love fried potatoes.
And here is the rest of lunch, Crab Korokke set - 1,000 yen.
Then its time to walk around town. This is the area around Ichiban Gai and is lined with surviving buildings. The oldest building on the street dates back to 1792.
Would have been lovely if they pedestrianized the area.
More traditional buildings.
Rickshaws have been and still is a popular method of getting around - but only for the tourists.
Kawagoe has many modern buildings too and it was interesting to see the old rubbing against the new.
Many shops selling Japanese craft stuffs.
I remember picking up one of these when I first visited Japan - its a bell that tinkles in the breeze - you will kinda feel like you are in Japan if you get one and stick it by your window to let the breeze hit it.
More pics of Kawagoe at Kirainet.
Some sweets in the shape of sushi.
More sweets in the shape of bento boxes - cute.
Many shrines are to be found in the area too.
Bring a big bag with you if you like traditional Japanese snacks as they have just about all of them.
Sweeties.
Pikachu and Doraemon get the intellectual property theft treatment.
Dried squid and other snacks.
Another stall does the pikachu and Hello Kitty cloning thingy.
Yes you can also buy a pickled cucumber on a stick.
Many young nice girlies selling food stuffs too - damn me for not having my macro lens.
As I was walking around I was thinking to myself "tis so peaceful."
And then the Akiba thing happens a week later.
Traditional and modern meet again.
Getting some ramen.
Girls n drums look great together.
More shrinery.
The 500 Statues of Rakan at the Kita-in shrine.
Kita-in shrine.
The wash-your-hands thing before praying to the gods.
Some folks relaxing on a sunny afternoon doing some sketching.
To folks who visited Japan - what do you generally do? Is it mostly shopping and spending time walking around the cities or do you try to get more traditional Japan too?
Same question for folks who are planning to come over - what is on your to-do list?
And as for the poll - I hear that many blokes come over to Japan for hanky panky...
One the way back to Tokyo. Kawagoe is pretty much in the sticks so you can see rice paddys everywhere.
Stopping by a river to take in the evening breeze.
I got a ton of articles up about places to visit which are hard to find at the moment but will be categorizing them soon and adding google map coordinates.
