JapanLiveNowLIVE
EN

After Kawagoe, choose railway displays or bonsai and manga

Visit Kitain and the old streets, then spend the next day at the Railway Museum; or follow Kawagoe’s history displays with bonsai and manga. Both courses stay one night in Kawagoe, visit Omiya the next day and return to Shinjuku.

Show moreShow less

Choose a 2 days / 1 night itinerary

2 days / 1 night A

One night in Kawagoe, then the Railway Museum and Shinjuku

Choose this for Kitain and old streets followed by a day at the Railway Museum. Stay one night in Kawagoe and return to Shinjuku after Omiya.

One night in Kawagoe, then the Railway Museum and Shinjuku →2 days / 1 night B

Kawagoe history, then bonsai and manga

Visit Kawagoe Castle and City Museum first, then Omiya’s bonsai and manga museums together the next day. Stay one night in Kawagoe. This course focuses on history and art displays, omitting paid temple interiors and the Railway Museum.

Kawagoe history, then bonsai and manga →
2 days / 1 night A

One night in Kawagoe, then the Railway Museum and Shinjuku

Choose this for Kitain and old streets followed by a day at the Railway Museum. Stay one night in Kawagoe and return to Shinjuku after Omiya.

Day 1: Kitain and old streets

Visit the temple first, then continue to old streets for meals and walks.

  1. Shinjuku Station → JR Kawagoe Station

    From Shinjuku, take a Kawagoe-bound JR Saikyo/Kawagoe Line train. Alight at Kawagoe and use the east exit. An ordinary paper single costs 810 yen. Hon-Kawagoe and Kawagoeshi are different stations.

    JR East official station timetable searchJR 2026 fare tableSaitama railway operating distances: basis for JR fare calculations

  2. Kawagoe Station → Kitain

    Visit Kitain first for temple buildings and the Five Hundred Rakan statues. It is about 20 minutes on foot from Kawagoe Station, with adult admission of 400 yen. March 1–November 23 weekday hours are 09:00–16:30, reception until 16:00. Winter closing is earlier. Follow on-site diversions during temple-gate repairs.

    Official English guideKitain visitor informationTemple gate restoration notice

  3. Kitain → Kurazukuri Street and Toki no Kane

    After visiting, go to the old streets for a meal and a look at storehouse-style buildings and shops. Toki no Kane rings at 06:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 18:00. This is not a climb inside the bell tower; shop hours vary. After walking and eating, return to your booked Kawagoe accommodation using its actual address.

    Tourism association guidance

Check day-one facility closures and reception deadlines before choosing your old-street walking order.

Railway Museum day

Allow plenty of time for railway vehicles and displays before returning to Shinjuku. For large luggage, use Omiya Station lockers; shorten visits if none are available.

  1. JR Kawagoe Station → Omiya Station

    Check out of your Kawagoe accommodation and go to JR Kawagoe Station. Take a train towards Omiya on the JR Kawagoe/Saikyo Line route. A paper single costs 350 yen. This course returns to Shinjuku after visiting Omiya.

    JR East official station timetable searchJR 2026 fare tableSaitama railway operating distances: basis for JR fare calculationsJR Omiya Station coin-locker locations

  2. New Shuttle Omiya Station → Tetsudo-Hakubutsukan Station

    For railway vehicle displays, take a New Shuttle towards Uchijuku and alight at the first stop, Tetsudo-Hakubutsukan. A paper single costs 190 yen; the museum is about one minute on foot from the station.

    New Shuttle faresJune 2026 museum and transport guide

  3. Railway Museum entrance → Explore the displays

    See the Railway Museum’s vehicles, science and history displays, with time for meals and breaks. Open 10:00–17:00, last admission 16:30. Adult same-day admission is 1,600 yen, or 1,500 yen when bought by the previous day. Driving and other experiences have separate reservation rules and extra fees.

    Museum admission pricesMuseum 2026 opening calendar

  4. Tetsudo-Hakubutsukan Station → Omiya Station

    After visiting, return on an Omiya-bound New Shuttle. A paper single costs 190 yen.

    New Shuttle faresOmiya-bound timetable at Tetsudo-Hakubutsukan Station

  5. Omiya Station → Shinjuku Station

    From Omiya, take a JR train such as the Saikyo Line stopping at Shinjuku. Collect stored luggage before boarding. An ordinary paper single costs 530 yen. For onward airport or city travel, allow extra time to alight and transfer at Shinjuku.

    JR East official station timetable searchJR 2026 fare tableSaitama railway operating distances: basis for JR fare calculationsJR Omiya Station coin-locker locations

The museum normally closes Tuesdays and over New Year; check exceptions in the official opening calendar. For experiences, check reservation conditions separately.

Reference transport and admission subtotal: 4,070 yen per adult

Included items: Shinjuku–Kawagoe 810 yen + Kawagoe–Omiya 350 yen + Omiya–Shinjuku 530 yen + Kitain 400 yen + New Shuttle return 380 yen + Railway Museum same-day admission 1,600 yen = 4,070 yen.

Extra costs and conditions: Accommodation, meals, travel to and beyond Shinjuku, extra facilities and paid experiences, and luggage storage such as coin lockers are separate. These subtotals use ordinary paper tickets; recalculate for different routes, seats or discounts.

Buying Railway Museum admission by the day before for 1,500 yen reduces the same-day subtotal above by 100 yen. Experience reservations and paid activities are separate.

JR 2026 fare tableSaitama railway operating distances: basis for JR fare calculationsKitain visitor informationMuseum admission pricesNew Shuttle fares

2 days / 1 night B

Kawagoe history, then bonsai and manga

Visit Kawagoe Castle and City Museum first, then Omiya’s bonsai and manga museums together the next day. Stay one night in Kawagoe. This course focuses on history and art displays, omitting paid temple interiors and the Railway Museum.

Day 1: castle, city museum and old streets

See the castle building and history displays, then continue to the old streets.

  1. Shinjuku Station → JR Kawagoe Station

    From Shinjuku, take a Kawagoe-bound JR Saikyo/Kawagoe Line train. Alight at Kawagoe and use the east exit. An ordinary paper single costs 810 yen. Hon-Kawagoe and Kawagoeshi are different stations.

    JR East official station timetable searchJR 2026 fare tableSaitama railway operating distances: basis for JR fare calculations

  2. JR Kawagoe Station → Kawagoe Castle Honmaru Goten

    Choose Kawagoe Castle Honmaru Goten to see a surviving castle building. From JR Kawagoe east exit, follow Chuo-dori and Kurazukuri Street to Fudanotsuji, then go east towards City Hall. Official guidance gives about ten minutes on foot from Fudanotsuji to Honmaru Goten. Adult admission is 100 yen. Open 09:00–17:00, last admission 16:30. Avoid Monday, fourth-Friday and other closures. You visit the surviving palace building here; there is no castle tower to climb.

    Kawagoe Castle Honmaru Goten visitor guideCity Museum and Honmaru Goten 2026 opening calendarWalking map showing the hotel

  3. Honmaru Goten → Kawagoe City Museum

    Visit nearby Kawagoe City Museum for local history and storehouse-style architecture. Adult permanent-display admission is 200 yen. Open 09:00–17:00, last admission 16:30. Separate Honmaru Goten and museum tickets total 300 yen; this differs from the museum/art-museum combined ticket.

    Kawagoe City Museum fees and closuresKawagoe City combined-ticket coverage

  4. Kawagoe City Museum → Kurazukuri Street and Toki no Kane

    After visiting, go to the old streets for a meal and a look at storehouse-style buildings and shops. Toki no Kane rings at 06:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 18:00. This is not a climb inside the bell tower; shop hours vary. After walking and eating, return to your booked Kawagoe accommodation using its actual address.

    Tourism association guidance

Check day-one facility closures and reception deadlines before choosing your old-street walking order.

Bonsai, manga and park on one day

See the bonsai and manga museums together, with a park stop on return if time remains. Return from Omiya to Shinjuku afterwards. For large luggage, use Omiya Station lockers; shorten visits if none are available.

  1. JR Kawagoe Station → Omiya Station

    Check out of your Kawagoe accommodation and go to JR Kawagoe Station. Take a train towards Omiya on the JR Kawagoe/Saikyo Line route. A paper single costs 350 yen. This course returns to Shinjuku after visiting Omiya.

    JR East official station timetable searchJR 2026 fare tableSaitama railway operating distances: basis for JR fare calculationsJR Omiya Station coin-locker locations

  2. Omiya Station east exit → Omiya Bonsai Art Museum

    For bonsai and art, walk via Hikawa Shrine, Omiya Park and Bonsai Village to the museum. The official recommended route takes about 45 minutes; allow extra time for visits and breaks.

    2026 Bonsai Art Museum guide and 45-minute walk from Omiya

  3. Bonsai art museum → Manga museum

    See indoor displays and the garden at the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum, Saitama. Adults pay 310 yen. March–October hours are 09:00–16:30, last admission 16:00; November–February 09:00–16:00, last admission 15:30. Afterwards, use the official map to find the manga museum on Kaede-dori and walk there.

    Bonsai Art Museum admission, seasonal hours and public-holiday exceptions on Thursdays2026 Bonsai Art Museum guide and 45-minute walk from Omiya

  4. Manga museum → Manga displays

    At Saitama’s manga museum, see Kitazawa Rakuten materials and temporary exhibitions open on your date. Admission is free; the museum opens 09:00–16:30. Talks and workshops have separate schedules.

    Manga Museum visits, access and closures2026 Rakuten Collection II free exhibition

  5. Bonsai Village → Omiya Station

    After visiting, eat nearby and return to Omiya Station via the park and Hikawa Shrine route. The free Japanese garden opens 08:30–17:30; stop briefly if time allows.

    2026 Bonsai Art Museum guide and 45-minute walk from OmiyaOmiya Park Japanese garden: hours and free admission

  6. Omiya Station → Shinjuku Station

    From Omiya, take a JR train such as the Saikyo Line stopping at Shinjuku. Collect stored luggage before boarding. An ordinary paper single costs 530 yen. For onward airport or city travel, allow extra time to alight and transfer at Shinjuku.

    JR East official station timetable searchJR 2026 fare tableSaitama railway operating distances: basis for JR fare calculationsJR Omiya Station coin-locker locations

The bonsai museum normally closes Thursdays; the manga museum closes Mondays and the next weekday after public holidays, among other dates. Choose a day when both are open.

Reference transport and admission subtotal: 2,300 yen per adult

Included items: Shinjuku–Kawagoe 810 yen + Kawagoe–Omiya 350 yen + Omiya–Shinjuku 530 yen + Honmaru Goten 100 yen + City Museum 200 yen + Bonsai Art Museum 310 yen = 2,300 yen.

Extra costs and conditions: Accommodation, meals, travel to and beyond Shinjuku, extra facilities and paid experiences, and luggage storage such as coin lockers are separate. These subtotals use ordinary paper tickets; recalculate for different routes, seats or discounts.

JR 2026 fare tableSaitama railway operating distances: basis for JR fare calculationsKawagoe Castle Honmaru Goten visitor guideKawagoe City Museum fees and closuresBonsai Art Museum admission, seasonal hours and public-holiday exceptions on Thursdays

Frequently asked questions

Does Railway Museum admission include every activity?

Admission is separate from activity reservations and additional fees. Adult tickets cost 1,600 yen on the day or 1,500 yen when bought by the previous day. Check official booking methods and remaining spaces for your chosen activities.

Railway Museum admission and activities

Official sources and check dates