Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, is less than an hour's train ride from central Tokyo. But in this city full of history, one would feel a sense of nostalgia in the streets thanks to a number of traditional Japanese kura warehouse buildings from the Edo Period (1603-1868).
A 15-minute walk to the north from JR Kawagoe Station will take visitors to the city's main street lined with kura warehouses, which feature giant tiled roofs and black plastered walls. These warehouses have been turned into shops and restaurants catering to a steady stream of visitors.
In the middle of the main street, the 16-meter tall Toki no Kane (Bell of Time) wooden tower stands out among other structures. The landmark of Kawagoe, the tower's bell rings four times a day (at 6 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.), helping the local residents keep time for as long as 390 years.