Tourists Love Koedo Kawagoe — and The City Doesn’t Know Why
Koedo Kawagoe’s Edo-era charm is attracting more tourists than ever better — but the city is at a loss to explain its sudden popularity.
A location outside of Tokyo that lets tourists soak up a piece of Edo-era Japan is even more popular than ever. That’s a surprise to the city, which can’t tell you why it’s become such a hotspot.
A piece of Edo Japan?
If you’re an Unseen Japan regular reader, it’s no surprise to you that tourism to Japan is booming. Tourists are spending more here than ever — and more are visiting than since even the pre-health crisis heyday of 2019. Sadly, that also means many popular tourist spots are dealing with congestion and bad manners.
As tourists flock in, many are looking for “authentic” Japan experiences that give them a taste of the country’s history and culture. So it’s little surprise that many find their way to one of Japan’s Old Edo, or “Little Edo” (小江戸; koedo) towns. These towns usually are one or more streets within a city that retain an Edo Era (1603–1868) feel in their architecture and shop facades.
