Finally getting around to talking about my jaunt in Japan several months ago and I’m pretty sure as I go through these hundreds of photos and videos I took for the duration of my trip, I’d be feeling all itchy about going back there very soon. Revisiting Japan will probably be perpetually on my mental bucket list, as there are still so many things to see and explore. Oh where’s a gold mine when you need it?
For my first posts, I’d be talking about that hot, sweltering, day we spent walking around the city of Kawagoe.
I was actually surprised when I found out later that Kawagoe is a city, albeit a small one. That’s because it is a castle town that harks back to the Edo period, somewhere between the 1600s and the middle of the 1800s. Granted, we only saw the part of Kawagoe that is frequented by tourists, so maybe the whole city vibe of the place just flew right over me.
Kawagoe literally translates to “river” (kawa) and “cross” (goe), since back in the day, it was said that one has to cross rivers in order to enter the town. From Tokyo, however, it takes a train ride (or two, depending on what line you take) to get there.
In the past, Kawagoe was a town known to supply various commodities to Edo, now Tokyo. Considering the proximity, that came as no surprise. This is partly the reason why another name for Kawagoe is Koedo, which translates to “Little (ko) Edo (old name of Tokyo)”.
While it is true that the Kawagoe you see today is reminiscent of the Edo period, the history of the town goes way back to the Old Stone Age. Incredible, huh?
My friend Rog and I met up with my long-time Arashian friend Jane (who is based in Tokyo) in Shinjuku and, from there, we took the train rides to Kawagoe. It took less than an hour, by the way, which makes Kawagoe perfect for a day trip from Tokyo.
Getting Around Kawagoe
Kawagoe is a favorite among domestic and foreign tourists, which means it is essentially tourist-friendly. Case in point: there are loop buses that you can hop on and off of.
In our case, we made that short walk from the subway station to the bus stop and decided to take the Koedo Loop Bus.
There are two options: the retro-style CO-EDO Loop Bus, which goes around 16 spots in the City, and the cheaper Koedo Famous Attractions Loop Bus. We decided to go for the latter as (1) it is cheaper and (2) it’s not like we’d go EVERYWHERE anyway. There’s just no enough time for that, so we’d just stick to some places.
For 300 yen (Php150 or less than USD3.00) you get a day pass, meaning you can hop on and off any of the Koedo Loop Buses, just by showing the pass to the driver.
If you wanna see the route of the Koedo Bus Loop, you can check out the map.
Kita-in Temple
Our first stop was the Kita-in Temple, which is considered to be one of the main attractions of Kawagoe. We got off the bus stop close to the entrance where the statue of the High Priest Tenkai proudly stood.
Apparently, Tenkai was the highest of the high priests, and was so influential (he had close relationships with the first three shogun of the Edo period) that he was able to make Kita-in as the main or head temple of the Tendai Sect in the region.
It was summer when we went there, so it was so hot we were literally sweating buckets underneath our clothes, and we’re barely an hour into our Kawagoe “expedition”!
This temple is also popular during spring, specifically the sakura season, as there are many cherry blossom trees that made for perfect sakura viewing.
Kita-in is basically a complex and, initially, when it was first built in 830, it had three temples. Of course, it came as no surprise when, in 1638, a fire destroyed most of the temple complex. (Look up histories of most temples across Japan and neigboring countries, you will find how they succumbed to fires. Or earthquakes.).
Rebuilding took place, and Tokugawa shogun Iemitsu even had several Edo Castle buildings moved to Kita-in to aid in the rebuilding. That’s why Kita-in is also known to be one of the few places that has some of the remaining Edo Castle structures surviving to this day.
This is the Main Hall of Kita-in Temple.
The Main Hall is also referred to as the reception hall of the Kita-in Temple complex, and was constructed originally as part of Edo Castle, belatedly moved to the complex. It was later named as one of Japan’s National Important Culture Properties.
Another claim to fame of this reception hall is that it is supposedly where Tokugawa Iemitsu was born.
Tahoto Tower
A tahoto is not technically a tower, but really a pagoda. Personally, it’s not lofty enough to be called a tower, but that’s how it was referred to on the maps, so…
The heat was crazy that time, and we just wanted to get under some sort of a shade. And we were also looking forward to having some unagi for lunch later. The scorching heat was certainly not for walking around; otherwise, we’d probably have been able to check out the Gohyaku Rakan (500 Disciples of Buddha) area.
Walking out of the Kita-in Temple complex, we strolled through narrow roads lined with shops with quaint and charming storefronts. Even the residential houses had fences and front yards with… character, is probably the best way to describe it.
Naritasan Betsuin
Just several blocks away from Kita-in Temple is the Naritasan Kawagoe Betsuin Hongyoin Temple, or the Naritasan Betsuin. It is yet another one of the most noteworthy temples in Kawagoe. The fact that it is a stone’s throw away from Kita-in makes it ideal for a quick side visit.
In Narita City in Chiba Prefecture, there is the Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, a temple dedicated to Acala or, in Japan, “Fudo”. With respect, they refer to this place as “Ofudo-sama”. A devout priest, Ishikawa Tomegoro, toured the country and established the “Ofudo” temple in Kawagoe, in what used to be the ruined Hongyoin Temple.
So basically, what people visit today is the ruined Hongyoin temple, restored to become a branch of the Naritasan Shinshoji Temple. This main building was completed in 1873. (Incidentally, this Kawagoe branch is the first of several other Naritasan branches all over the country.)
On the right side of the Main Hall of Naritasan Betsuin is this small pond where there are a lot of turtles lazing around. Apparently, this is a favorite spot among small children, fueled by their fascination for these reptiles.
Normally, I won’t find them adorable or cute. Fascinating, yes, but I won’t go out of my way to fuss over them. But seeing them feeling a bit cooled by the water, I felt a twinge of envy. I’m sweating buckets here~!
There was a small alcove at the end of the small pond, where offerings and petitions have clearly been made. What drew my eyes more, though, were the tiny stone statues of baby Buddhas lined up on the sides. I forgot what they were specifically supposed to be, apologies.
A tortoise is seen to symbolize longevity, or long life, as it is said to have a life span that can reach up to 10,000 years. Traditional Japanese beliefs point to tortoises and turtles as symbols for longevity, good luck, and support or protection.
Generally, however, Japanese believe that turtles (or kame) symbolizes not only longevity, luck and protection, but also wisdom.
I saw several places in my country with many turtles, and I have to say these ones at the Naritasan Betsuin are much better cared for. Proof that they truly cherish and even revere these creatures.
Next post will be our visit to the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. See ya then!
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