Written by Jane Pipkin
Originally built in 1457, Kawagoe Castle now mostly lies in ruins. However, the Honmaru Goten inner palace — constructed in 1848 — still remains, along with some grassy moats and remnnants of turrets.
For a small fee, you can enter Honmaru Goten and see dolls of feudal lords, reenacting scenes of life inside the castle. Once a strategic command center, Kawagoe Castle was an important stronghold in the Kanto region.
How to get there
If you’re coming from Kawagoe, you’ll first need to get on the Kawagoe-02 bus going towards Hachiman. The stop you need is Fudanotsuji, which is about 8 minutes away and costs ¥210. It is then a 12-minute walk to the castle grounds.
川越城
2-13-1, Kuruwamachi, Kawagoe, Saitama
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tue-Sun; Closed on Mon
Adults: ¥102
- 1.3 km from Hon-Kawagoe Station Seibu Shinjuku Line (SS29)
- 1.7 km from Kawagoeshi Station Tōbu Tōjō Line (TJ22)
- 2.1 km from Kawagoe Station Tōbu Tōjō Line (TJ21)
