Kawagoe Ichibangai Kurazukuri Street, Kawagoe, Saitama

About this place

Live Historic Stream | Kawagoe Ichibangai Kurazukuri Old Town, Saitama, Japan. Universally celebrated as 'Koedo' (Little Edo), Kawagoe Ichibangai is one of Japan's most preserved merchant avenues lined with black-clay Kurazukuri fireproof warehouse buildings dating back to the late 19th century. Walking along the cobblestone shopping street, visitors step into the prosperous merchant culture of old Tokyo, with historic tiled roofs, heavy sliding timber doors, and traditional lanterns transporting travelers back in time.

Kawagoe is world-famous for its culinary devotion to sweet potatoes (Satsuma-imo). Stop by Koedo Osatsu-an to queue for their viral Osatsu Chips—paper-thin, crispy fried ribbons of whole sweet potato served with sweet salted butter dip. Next, visit century-old eel institution Ogagiku (小川菊) to dine on melt-in-the-mouth charcoal-grilled unagi kabayaki eel over steamed rice, or drop by Kameya for traditional Kame-monaka tortoise-shaped wafers filled with sweet adzuki beans and purple sweet potato soft cream.

✦ Must-Visit Highlights:

▸ Historic Kurazukuri Clay Warehouse Architecture: Stroll among grand black-plaster merchant warehouses preserved since the Meiji period.

▸ Koedo Osatsu-an Viral Sweet Potato Chips: Munch on massive, crispy curly sweet potato ribbons paired with salted whipped butter dip.

▸ Legendary Ogagiku 200-Year Charcoal Eel: Feast on tender, caramelized grilled unagi eel glazed with a secret two-century-old tare sauce.