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Touring Chichibu ・ From Ikebukuro to Saitama by Train

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An easy day trip from Tokyo, check out the sacred temples, buckwheat fields, and relaxing hot springs of Chichibu!

From Tokyo to Chichibu



Whether you're a seasoned traveler who's been to all the big spots in Japan and is looking for something a little off the beaten path, or you're just a newbie searching for a great day trip from Tokyo, there are plenty of little towns outside of the big city of Tokyo, just waiting to be discovered. So, way back in 2015, the Japankuru team set out from Ikebukuro Station, hopping on a Seibu Railway line bound for the city of Chichibu! A small city in the prefecture of Saitama, north of Tokyo, Chichibu is a unique destination for shrines, temples, festivals, soba noodles, and more! And better yet, it's less than an hour and a half from the big city, making it a perfect place to spend the day before returning back to your home base in Tokyo.

Seibu Ikebukuro Station ➡ Seibu Chichibu Station
Duration: 1 hour 18 minutes (Express Train)
Tickets: one-way 790~1,500 yen/Chichibu 2-Day Pass 2,350 yen
Official Website (en)

▶ Basic one-way tickets cost 790 yen for regular trains, or 1,500 yen for a limited express ticket straight from Ikebukuro to Chichibu. The Chichibu 2-Day Pass includes one regular round-trip ticket, and you can pay the extra 710 yen to make it express if you prefer. It also gives you unlimited local rides around Chichibu, making it a convenient and pretty cost-effective choice!

1. Chichibu Shrine



In early December each year, Chichibu celebrates their "Chichibu Night Festival," a tradition carried on for 300 years! During the celebrations, these heavily decorated and lantern-lit floats are carried through the city during lively festival parades. At the Chichibu Festival Museum (also called the Chichibu Matsuri Kaikan), visitors can catch a glimpse of the festivities no matter what time of year they arrive, and pick up a little information on the festival's history and traditions as well.

Chichibu Festival Museum (秩父まつり会館)
2-8 Banbamachi, Chichibu, Saitama
Official Website (en)



Talk about soba (AKA buckwheat) in Japan, and you're likely to hear all about the famous soba grown in Nagano or Fukushima, but it turns out there's a buckwheat hotspot a little closer to Tokyo! Fields of soba flourish in Chichibu, and not only are the noodles made with the soba delicious, but the flowering plants make for gorgeous scenery when the season's right!

4. The 34 Kannon Pilgrimage



Officially known as the Chichibu 34 Kannon Temple Circuit (秩父札所三十四巡り), this ancient pilgrimage route connects 34 temples scattered across the mountains and small communities that make up the Chichibu area, and the traditional path takes pilgrims all the way from Shimabuji Temple to Suisenji Temple. People have been hiking along dirt roads and mountain paths to complete the temple circuit since the 13th century, and to this day, you can join in (and even wear a straw hat and white robe if you want), visiting any number of the 34 different temples and taking in some breathtaking views of the landscape as you go!

5. Nagatoro



Use your Chichibu 2-Day Pass to head over to Nagatoro, and you'll find that the most popular activity for visiting travelers is Nagatoro river rafting! There are a few different options when it comes to gliding down the Arakawa Riverーyou can choose to use modern boats, rafts, and gear, or you can go the traditional route, and let an experienced punter guide you through the water on a traditional wooden boat!



There's one more must-see in the Nagatoro area! Hodosan Shrine is another of Chichibu's famous shrines, and it's known for a reason. This shrine was rebuilt in the Meiji era, which leaves us with the beautifully colorful, carved shrine buildings we see today, but it's said that Hodosan Shrine was first established in the year 110, making it close to 2,000 years old! The history of the shrine is intertwined with Japanese myths of legendary emperors and princes, and visiting the shrine, you can walk in those legendary footsteps.

Hodosan Shrine (寳登山神社)
1828 Nagatoro, Chichibu District, Saitama
Official Website (en)

6. Onsen in Chichibu



All tired out after a long day of sightseeing in Chichibu? Whether you've decided to stay the night, or you just want to relax a little before heading back to Tokyo, Chichibu onsen are just the thing! We visited a little ryokan with just six guestrooms called Oyado Taketori for our hot springs bath, but travelers just visiting Chichibu for the day should check out Matsuri no Yu, which is an onsen facility neighboring the train station. Feel the day's fatigue melt away from your body in a steaming hot onsen bath, before hopping back on the train to Tokyo!

From ancient shrines to modern river rafting, pilgrimage-style hikes through the forest to long soaks in hot onsen water, there's plenty to do and see in this little part of Saitama Prefecture. So next time you're ready to get away from Tokyo for a day and see a little bit of what else Japan has to offer, hop on the Seibu Railway and head to Chichibu!

Bonus: Did you know that Chichibu was the setting for an anime called "Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day" (あの日見た花の名前を僕たちはまだ知らない)? The anime is a tear-jerking story of six childhood friends, and it features a number of spots around Chichibu in the background! It's a short anime, but back before our photoshoot in 2015, the Japankuru team ended up watching all 11 episodes in just one night! (And yes, sobbing.) Check out our video to see lots more of Chichibu (and watch us pretend we're living in an anime)!

For more info and updates from Japan, check Japankuru for new articles, and don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!

Details

NAME:Chichibu, Saitama (埼玉県秩父市)

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ACCESS:Seibu Chichibu Station

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    • Tokyo (東京) is Japan's busy capital, and the most populous metropolitan area in the world. While the city as a whole is quite modern, crowded with skyscrapers and bustling crowds, Tokyo also holds onto its traditional side in places like the Imperial Palace and Asakusa neighborhood. It's one of the world's top cities when it comes to culture, the arts, fashion, games, high-tech industries, transportation, and more.

    • The Chubu Region (中部地方) is located right in the center of Japan's main island, and consists of 9 prefectures: Aichi, Fukui, Gifu, Ishikawa, Nagano, Niigata, Shizuoka, Toyama, and Yamanashi. It's primarily famous for its mountains, as the region contains both Mt. Fuji and the Japanese Alps. The ski resorts in Niigata and Nagano also draw visitors from around the world, making it a popular winter destination.

    • Nagano Prefecture's popularity starts with a wealth of historic treasures, like Matsumoto Castle, Zenkoji Temple, and Togakushi Shrine, but the highlight might just be the prefecture's natural vistas surrounded by the "Japanese Alps." Nagano's fruit is famous, and there are plenty of places to pick it fresh, and the area is full of hot springs, including Jigokudani Monkey Park―where monkeys take baths as well! Thanks to the construction of the Hokuriku shinkansen line, Nagano is easily reachable from the Tokyo area, adding it to plenty of travel itineraries. And after the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, ski resorts like Hakuba and Shiga Kogen are known around the world.

    • Aichi Prefecture sits in the center of the Japanese islands, and its capital city, Nagoya, is a center of politics, commerce, and culture. While Aichi is home to major industry, and is even the birthplace of Toyota cars, it's proximity to the sea and the mountains means it's also a place with beautiful natural scenery, like Saku Island, Koijigahama Beach, Mt. Horaiji. Often used a stage for major battles in Japanese history, Sengoku era commanders like Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu left their own footprints on Aichi, and historic buildings like Nagoya Castle, Inuyama Castle, and those in Meiji Mura are still around to tell the tale.

    • NIIGATA

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      Niigata is a prefecture on Japan's main island of Honshu, situated right on the coast of the Sea of Japan, and abundant with the gifts of nature. It's known for popular ski resorts such as Echigo-Yuzawa, Japanese national parks, and natural hot spring baths, plus local products like fresh seafood, rice, and sake. Visitors often spend time in the prefectural capital, Niigata City, or venture across the water to Sado Island.

    • SHIZUOKA

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      Shizuoka Prefecture is sandwiched between eastern and western Japan, giving the prefecture easy access to both Tokyo and Osaka. Not only is it known for beautiful natural attractions, with everything from Mount Fuji to Suruga Bay, Lake Hamanako, and Sumata Pass―Shizuoka's Izu Peninsula is known as a go-to spot for hot springs lovers, with famous onsen like Atami, Ito, Shimoda, Shuzenji, and Dogashima. Shizuoka attracts all kinds of travelers thanks to historic connections with the Tokugawa clan, the Oigawa Railway, fresh eel cuisine, Hamamatsu gyoza, and famously high-quality green tea.

    • Kansai (関西) is a region that includes Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, and Shiga Prefectures. Kansai contained Japan's ancient capital for hundreds of years, and it's making a comeback as one of the most popular parts of Japan. Kyoto's temples and shrines, Osaka Castle, and the deer of Nara are all considered must-sees. Plus, the people of Kansai are especially friendly, making it a fun place to hang out.

    • Kyoto flourished as the capital of Japan between the years 794 and 1100, becoming a center for poilitics and culture, and to this day it's a great place for close encounters with Japanese history. The cobbled streets of Gion, the atmospheric road to Kiyomizudera Temple, Kinkakuji's golden walls and countless historic attractions, even Arashiyama's Togetsukyo Bridge―Kyoto is a place of many attractions. With new charms to experience throughout the seasons, travelers can't stop themselves from returning again and again.

    • Nara Prefecture's important history reaches back to 710, a time now called the Nara era, when it was once capital of Japan. Called "Heijo-kyo" during its time as a capital, it's said that nara was once the end of the silk road, leading it to flourish as a uniquely international region and produce important cultural properties of all kinds. To make the most of each season, travelers head to Nara Park, where the Nara deer who wander freely, or climb Mount Yoshino, a famous cherry blossom spot.

    • Osaka is known for friendly (and funny) people, but its history is nothing to laugh at, playing a major part in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's 16th century unification of Japan. Thanks to long years of economic activity, it's one of Japan's biggest cities, and Osaka's popular food culture earned it the nickname "The Kitchen of the Nation." To this day Osaka is the model of western Japan, and alongside historic structures like Osaka Castle, it also has major shopping malls like Umeda's Grand Front Osaka and Tennoji's Abeno Harukas. Osaka is a place to eat, eat, eat, with local specialties like takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and kushi-katsu, and for extra fun, it's home to Universal Studios Japan.

    • CHUGOKU

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      The Chugoku Region (中国地方) consists of five prefectures: Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori, and Yamaguchi. In Chugoku you’ll find the sand dunes of Tottori, and Hiroshima’s atomic bomb site, plus centers of ancient history like Grand Shrine of Izumo.

    • HIROSHIMA

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      Hiroshima Prefecture has everything, from world heritage sites to beautiful nature and delicious local cuisine, and it's either an hour and a half from Tokyo by plane, or four hours by train. Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island and the Atomic Bomb Dome, two Hiroshima UNESCO sites, are famous around the world, but in Japan it's also famous for food. Seafood from the Seto Inland Sea, especially oysters, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, and Setouchi lemons are all popular, and the natural scenery alone is worth seeing.

    • SHIKOKU

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      On the other side of the Seto Inland Sea opposite Japan’s main island, Shikoku (四国) is a region made up of four prefectures: Ehime, Kagawa, Kochi, and Tokushima. The area is famous for its udon (in Kagawa), and the beautiful Dogo Onsen hot springs (in Ehime).

    • Kagawa Prefecture is on the northern part of the island of Shikoku, facing Japan's main island and the Seto Inland Sea. It's known for being the smallest prefecture in Japan, by area, but at the same time Kagawa is called the "Udon Prefecture" thanks to its famous sanuki udon. Aside from Kotohiragu Shrine and Ritsurin Garden, the prefecture's small islands are popular, and Kagawa is full of unique destinations, like Angel Road. They say that if you lay eyes on Zenigata Sunae, a huge Kagawa sand painting, you'll never have money troubles ever again.

    • Located in the most southwestern part of Japan, Kyushu (九州) is an island of 7 prefectures: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima. The island's unique culture has been influenced by Chinese and Dutch trade, along with missionaries coming in through Nagasaki's port. Modern-day travelers love the lush natural scenery and fresh food, plus the natural hot springs found all throughout the area (thanks to volcanic activity)!

    • FUKUOKA

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      Fukuoka Prefecture has the highest population on the southern island of Kyushu, with two major cities: Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. Thanks to growing transportation networks, Fukuoka is more accessible than ever, and so are the many local attractions. On top of historical spots like Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, travelers shouldn't miss Fukuoka's food scene, with motsu nabe (offal hotpot), mentaiko (spicy cod roe), and famous Hakata ramen―best eaten from a food stall in the Nakasu area of Hakata. Plus, it's full of all sorts of destinations for travelers, like trendy shopping centers, and the beautiful nature of Itoshima and Yanagawa.

    • KAGOSHIMA

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      Kagoshima Prefecture played a major role in Japan's modernization as a backdrop for famous historical figures like samurais Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, who pushed Japan out of the Edo era and into the Meiji. Because of that, Sengan-en Garden is just one of many historical destinations, and when it comes to attractions Kagoshima has plenty: the active volcano of Sakurajima, popular hot springs Ibusuki Onsen and Kirishima Onsen, World Heritage Site Yakushima Island, even what Japan calls the "island closest to heaven," Amami Oshima. Kagoshima might be found on the very southernmost tip of the southern island of Kyushu, but there's plenty to see.

    • OKINAWA

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      The island chain of Okinawa (沖縄) makes up the southernmost tip of Japan, which is why it's also the most tropical area in the country. Thanks to a history of independence and totally distinct political and cultural events, Okinawa has a unique culture, and remnants of the Ryukyu Kingdom are still visible all over the islands. Food, language, traditional dress, it's all a little different! It's also said to be the birthplace of karate.

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