The Kawagoe castle was built in the middle of the fifteenth century when Tokugawa Igasu had set up his new government in Edo.The location of the castle catapulted it to strategic importance thus making it an important defense point to the north of the capital. This importance of the castle was compounded by the fact that nearly twenty one lords from different clans resided in this castle and there were also chief retainers of the regime who were appointed by the castle from time to time.
As with the case with other castles in Japan this castle also has undergone years of turmoil and destruction and the buildings that remain today have been built in the middle of the nineteenth century, only a couple of decades before the end of the feudal age.The buildings which have stood the test of time are the entrance hall, main hall and the chief retainer's residence.The main attractions of the castle include the picturesque gardens, tatami rooms and toilets. How to reach there The castle is situated in Kawagoe which is well connected with central Tokyo, regular trains ply from Central Tokyo to Kawagoe and is served by three major rail companies. Trains operate at regular intervals. Once you reach Kawagoe, traveling with in the city is not a problem as there is an excellent network of city buses. Places of interest around Kawagoe Kurazukuri Street consists of buildings which are fireproof and has been used over the years by wealthy traders to store the commodities which they used to trade. The town of Kawagoe was an important trade center that catered to the neighboring town of Edo (Tokyo). The town of Kurazukuri was infested with such buildings with a handful of them remaining today. These buildings are easily accessible and have been converted to stores and restaurants where tourists indulge in some money splurging activities. The Kitain temple is another attraction which one can check out while being in Kawagoe, the temple built way back in the first century is an important functional center of the Tenadai sect of Buddhism and was headed by a dynamic personality called Tenkai in the turn from the sixteenth to seventeenth century. Unfortunately the temple was destroyed in a fire in sixteenth century but was later rebuilt with the help Shogun Lemitsu who transferred some of the structures from the Edo castle. For people who are interested in the history of Kawagoe they can check out the city museum which gives a proper introduction of the town. The highlight of this museum is a model of the fireproof Kurazukuri building and goes on to explain the style which goes onto make the buildings fireproof. Places to stay The Kawagoe prince hotel is perhaps the best option to stay in the city of Kawagoe and is centrally located. The hotel provides all the amenities of modern life along with easy access to the places of historical and tourist importance.
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