Which old streets, exhibitions or riverside stops will you choose?
Choose Kawagoe for historic buildings and streets. In Omiya, see real rolling stock at the Railway Museum or explore bonsai and manga displays. For shrines and festival floats, combine Chichibu Shrine with Matsuri Kaikan. For riverside and mountaintop scenery, plan around Nagatoro’s weather and Hodosan Ropeway operation.
Attraction fees, hours and access
Kawagoe Toki no Kane
Toki no Kane時の鐘
Use the Kurazukuri Street bell tower as a landmark for old-street walks. Pass nearby at noon or 15:00 to hear the bell. No interior tower climb is offered.
- Bell timesThe bell rings four times daily: 06:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 18:00. Nearby shops have separate hours.
- Getting thereAbout 15 minutes on foot from Hon-Kawagoe. From Kawagoe, take a bus via Kura-no-Machi to Ichibangai (一番街), then walk about two minutes. Hon-Kawagoe · 本川越
- Planning tipCheck Kitain’s admission deadline first, then place bell-tower walks before or after it. Avoid restaurant queues overlapping the bell time you want.
Tourism association guideKawagoe City transport guide
Kitain
Kitain Temple喜多院
Explore buildings relocated from Edo Castle and 500 rakan stone figures with differing expressions at Kitain. Paid-area admission ends early; arrive in Kawagoe early to visit Kitain before the old streets.
- AdmissionAdult admission costs JPY 400; primary and junior high school pupils pay JPY 200.
- Hours1 March–23 November: weekdays 09:00–16:30; Sundays and public holidays until 16:50. 24 November–end February: weekdays until 16:00; Sundays and public holidays until 16:20. Admission ends 30 minutes earlier.
- Visiting suspensionsCheck suspensions on 25 December–8 January, afternoon 2 February through 3 February, 2–4 April and further event dates. Confirm the official operating category for Saturdays.
- Getting thereAbout 15 minutes from Hon-Kawagoe or 20 minutes from Kawagoe on foot.
- Gate repairsA notice updated June 2026 schedules repairs until around September the following year, with gate passage restrictions and on-site routes. Follow local diversions during works.
Kitain visiting guidanceOfficial English guideTemple gate construction noticeKitain’s historic buildings and 500 rakan figures
The Railway Museum
鉄道博物館
Explore actual vehicles from early locomotives to Shinkansen to follow changes in Japanese railways. Make this the main visit for ample vehicle-display time. Driving and other activities can have separate reservations and extra fees from ordinary admission.
- AdmissionAdults pay JPY 1,600 on the day or JPY 1,500 when buying by the previous day. Primary through senior high school pupils pay JPY 600 on the day or JPY 500 in advance.
- Hours10:00–17:00, admission until 16:30. Tuesdays and the year-end and New Year period are normally closed; check official calendar exceptions.
- Getting thereTake the New Shuttle from Omiya to Tetsudo-Hakubutsukan, then walk about one minute. Tetsudo-Hakubutsukan · 鉄道博物館
- Planning tipCheck activity fees, booking methods and remaining places separately from admission tickets.
Museum admission feesJune 2026 museum and transport guideRailway Museum rolling stock displays
Kawagoe Castle Honmaru Goten
Kawagoe Castle Honmaru Palace川越城本丸御殿
Explore Honmaru Goten’s entrance and relocated and restored senior retainers’ waiting room at Kawagoe Castle. Add surviving castle buildings to old-street walks; this is not a keep climb.
- AdmissionIndividual admission costs JPY 100 at the ordinary rate or JPY 50 for senior high school and university students. Visitors of junior-high school age and younger enter free.
- Hours and closures09:00–17:00, admission until 16:30. Closed Mondays, next day for public holidays; fourth Fridays except holidays; 29 December–3 January. Open 22 October 2026, closed 23 October.
- Getting thereFrom Kawagoe or Hon-Kawagoe, take a Tobu bus via Kura-no-Machi to Satsunotsuji (札の辻), then walk about ten minutes. Eagle Bus Hakubutsukan Bijutsukan-mae (博物館・美術館前) and Tobu bus or shuttle Hakubutsukan-mae (博物館前) are about one minute away. Itineraries below walk; buses cost extra.
Kawagoe Castle Honmaru Goten visitor guide2026 opening calendar for the museum and Honmaru Goten
Kawagoe City Museum
川越市立博物館
Explore Kawagoe history and kurazukuri architecture in permanent displays. The museum is near Honmaru Goten for same-day visits; check exhibitions and closures separately.
- AdmissionAdmission costs JPY 200 at the ordinary rate or JPY 100 for senior high school and university students. Visitors of junior-high school age and younger enter free. Separate Honmaru Goten and museum tickets total JPY 300 per adult. The city’s two-facility combination pairs the museum and art museum.
- Hours and closures09:00–17:00, admission until 16:30. Closed Mondays, next day for public holidays; fourth Fridays except holidays; 29 December–3 January and fumigation. Open 22 October 2026, closed 23 October.
- Getting thereFrom Kawagoe or Hon-Kawagoe, take a Tobu bus via Kura-no-Machi to Satsunotsuji (札ノ辻), then walk about ten minutes. Eagle Bus Hakubutsukan Bijutsukan-mae or Tobu bus or shuttle Hakubutsukan-mae is about one minute away.
- Visit coverageThis route visits permanent displays. The 24 October–8 November 2026 sword exhibition and separate activities are excluded.
Kawagoe City Museum admission and closuresKawagoe Castle Honmaru Goten visitor guideFacilities covered by Kawagoe City combined admission tickets2026 opening calendar for the museum and Honmaru GotenGetting to Kawagoe City MuseumCity museum exhibition scheduleTourism association’s English name for Kawagoe City Museum
The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum, Saitama
さいたま市大宮盆栽美術館
Explore potted pine and maple trunks and branches in indoor displays and the garden. The full bonsai collection is not always displayed; check your date’s display guidance.
- AdmissionOrdinary adult admission costs JPY 310. Separate rates are JPY 200 for groups of 20+ and JPY 150 for visitors aged 65+.
- HoursMarch–October: 09:00–16:30, admission until 16:00. November–February: 09:00–16:00, admission until 15:30. Closed Thursdays except public holidays and New Year, with temporary closures possible. For Manga Hall too, choose a day both open.
- Getting thereThe official walk from Omiya via Hikawa Shrine, park and Bonsai Village is about 45 minutes. By train, walk five minutes from Toro east side or ten from Omiya-koen. This itinerary walks without extra train travel.
- Planning tipVisit the indoor seasonal collection and garden for 2–28 October 2026. The photography special exhibition starting 24 October and bonsai activities are excluded. Check travel-date displays for other dates.
Bonsai museum fees, seasonal hours and Thursday public holiday exceptionBonsai museum collectionSeasonal bonsai display for October 2026Bonsai museum fees, seasonal hours and closures2026 bonsai museum guide and 45-minute walk from Omiya
Saitama Municipal Manga Hall
Saitama Municipal Cartoon Art Museumさいたま市立漫画会館
Explore materials about manga artist Kitazawa Rakuten’s works and exchanges.
- AdmissionAdmission is free, including the 2026 Rakuten Collection II special exhibition.
- Hours09:00–16:30. Closed Mondays, weekdays after public holidays and New Year; public-holiday Mondays open. Combine with bonsai only on a day both facilities open.
- Getting thereFive minutes from Omiya-koen or 15 minutes from Toro east side on foot. From Omiya, continue through the park and Bonsai Village to Manga Hall on Kaede-dori.
- Planning tipRakuten Collection II runs 25 July–3 November 2026, displaying pictures by artists and cartoonists who corresponded with Rakuten alongside letters and magazine materials. Check talk and activity dates separately.
Manga Hall visits, access and closuresFree Rakuten Collection II exhibition for 20262026 bonsai museum guide and 45-minute walk from Omiya
Omiya Park
大宮公園
After bonsai and manga, return to the station through Omiya Park’s Japanese garden and scenery.
- AdmissionJapanese garden admission is free. Boats, rides and sports facilities operate separately and are excluded from this walk.
- HoursThe park opens daily; the Japanese garden opens 08:30–17:30 without closure days. Visit briefly on the walk back to the station after bonsai and manga.
- Getting thereThe official walk from Omiya east side to the park is about 20 minutes. Follow the layout map past southern Japanese Garden and Swan Pond, central open square and northern boating pond.
- Planning tipCheck temporary closures and changes for the small zoo separately. This itinerary includes only Japanese garden and park walks, excluding animal viewing.
Omiya Park Japanese Garden: hours and free admissionOmiya Park opens dailyGetting to Omiya Park from the stationsOfficial park plan: Japanese Garden and pondsNotice that the small zoo website is no longer being updatedSmall zoo temporary closure due to a water supply interruption
Chichibu Shrine
秩父神社
Explore Chichibu Shrine’s buildings and carvings, then nearby festival displays. Ordinary worship differs from requested prayer services and charms.
- Shrine gate openingTourism guidance lists gate opening as 05:00–20:00, starting at 06:00 in winter. Events and local passage restrictions are separate.
- From Chichibu StationAbout three minutes from Chichibu Railway’s Chichibu Station, distinct from Seibu-Chichibu.
Saitama tourism body’s Chichibu Shrine gate opening hoursChichibu Shrine official access guide
Chichibu Matsuri Hall
Chichibu Festival Hall秩父まつり会館
Explore Chichibu festival culture through floats, materials and re-creation films. Displays differ from actual festival days; check live-programme guidance for your date.
- Ordinary admissionOrdinary adult admission costs JPY 500.
- Hours and closuresApril–November: 09:00–17:00; December–March: 10:00–17:00; admission until 16:30. Closed fourth and fifth Tuesdays March–November, Tuesdays December–February and 29 December–1 January, with public holiday and festival exceptions.
- Near the shrineVisit this hall alongside nearby Chichibu Shrine. Address: Banbamachi 2-8, Chichibu.
Chichibu Matsuri Kaikan: hours, closures and adult admissionSaitama tourism body’s Chichibu Shrine gate opening hours
Nagatoro Iwadatami
Iwadatami岩畳
Walk among riverside rocks and river views at Iwadatami. The route is a shore walk, excluding boat and rafting reservations.
- From the stationAbout five minutes on foot from Nagatoro Station.
- Luggage storageThe tourist desk opens 09:00–17:00 and offers storage from JPY 100 per item. Storage is unavailable 29–31 December and during bad-weather temporary closures; confirm actual size, fee and acceptance.
Nagatoro tourism association’s Iwadatami access guideNagatoro Tourist Information Centre: opening and luggage storage
Hodosan Ropeway
宝登山ロープウェイ
Ascend by ropeway for views around Nagatoro. Seasonal flowers, visibility and shuttle operation vary by date.
- Ordinary adult fareVisitors aged 12+ pay JPY 700 one way or JPY 1,200 return.
- Basic timetable and suspensionBasic operation starts 09:40, with last service 17:00, varying by season and crowds. Suspended for regular inspection 7–26 December 2026.
- To the lower stationAbout 20 minutes on foot from Nagatoro Station. Check separate free-shuttle operating-date notices.
Hodosan Ropeway fares and basic timetableHodosan inspection suspension in December 2026Walking to Hodosan Ropeway from Nagatoro Station
Frequently asked questions
Do the bonsai museum and Manga Hall close on the same days?
No. The bonsai museum closes on Thursdays but opens when Thursday is a public holiday. Manga Hall closes on Mondays and the weekday after a public holiday, among other dates, but opens on public holiday Mondays. Check both facilities’ closure calendars and temporary changes before visiting them together.
Bonsai museum fees, seasonal hours and closuresManga Hall official visitor guide
Official sources and confirmation dates
- Kitain visiting guidance ·
- Temple gate construction notice ·
- June 2026 museum and transport guide ·
- Museum admission fees ·
- Tourism association guide ·
- Kawagoe City transport guide ·
- Official English guide ·
- Kawagoe Castle Honmaru Goten visitor guide ·
- Kawagoe City Museum admission and closures ·
- Getting to Kawagoe City Museum ·
- 2026 opening calendar for the museum and Honmaru Goten ·
- Facilities covered by Kawagoe City combined admission tickets ·
- Tourism association’s English name for Kawagoe City Museum ·
- City museum exhibition schedule ·
- 2026 bonsai museum guide and 45-minute walk from Omiya ·
- Seasonal bonsai display for October 2026 ·
- Manga Hall visits, access and closures ·
- Free Rakuten Collection II exhibition for 2026 ·
- Omiya Park Japanese Garden: hours and free admission ·
- Getting to Omiya Park from the stations ·
- Notice that the small zoo website is no longer being updated ·
- Small zoo temporary closure due to a water supply interruption ·
- Official park plan: Japanese Garden and ponds ·
- Bonsai museum fees, seasonal hours and Thursday public holiday exception ·
- Omiya Park opens daily ·
- Nagatoro Tourist Information Centre: opening and luggage storage ·
- Chichibu Shrine official access guide ·
- Saitama tourism body’s Chichibu Shrine gate opening hours ·
- Chichibu Matsuri Kaikan: hours, closures and adult admission ·
- Hodosan Ropeway fares and basic timetable ·
- Walking to Hodosan Ropeway from Nagatoro Station ·
- Nagatoro tourism association’s Iwadatami access guide ·
- Hodosan inspection suspension in December 2026 ·
- Bonsai museum fees, seasonal hours and closures ·
- Manga Hall official visitor guide ·
- Kitain’s historic buildings and 500 rakan figures ·
- Railway Museum rolling stock displays ·
- Bonsai museum collection ·