3 Best Sights in Beyond Central Tokyo, Tokyo

The most famous of Kawagoe’s old streetscapes, Ichibangai (First Street) is lined with historic, black-and-white-plastered warehouses and dark wooden merchant residences with all sorts of places to shop or stop for a snack. Souvenir options include incense, jewelry, glass beads, and fashion accessories, and street snack choices range from sweet potato brûlée and honey-infused drinks to wagashi (traditional sweets meant to be enjoyed with green tea). The street can be crowded, and the shops don't stay open late, but the atmosphere is convivial.

Another of Kawagoe’s historic enclaves, this cobblestone side street, which translates as “candy store alley,” had upwards of 70 different confectioners during the Showa era (1912–26). Although the number of shops has dwindled to about 20, it's still a great place to find colorful hard candies and honeycomb toffee, as well as dango (rice dumplings), karintou (fried, sugar-covered cookies), senbei (savory rice crackers), and other traditional treats.

This retro shopping street between Shibamata Station and Taishakuten Temple has retained an old-Tokyo vibe, its wooden buildings having avoided both the heavy bombing that flattened much of Tokyo at the end of World War II and the subsequent redevelopment. Although the street developed as the approach to Taishakuten, Shibamata's renowned Buddhist temple, its connection to the eponymous site takes a back seat the items on sale here.

Taishakuten Sando is lined with small, family-run stores selling traditional snacks, such as savory senbei (rice crackers), dorayaki (sweet pancakes), and the Shibamata classic kusa-dango (sticky rice dumplings on skewers colored dark green because they include kudzu, or mugwort, in the mix). For the latter, stop by Monzen Toraya, a rice-dumpling specialist that has been around since 1887. Note that stores and restaurants here generally close sometime between 4 pm and 6 pm.