The story
Welcome to Kawagoe. As you stand here in Renjaku-cho, just a few steps from the start of the famous Ichibangai street, I want you to take a moment to look at the skyline. You are not just looking at a picturesque row of shops; you are looking at a town born from ashes.
In the late 19th century, Kawagoe was a bustling commercial hub, but it was built mostly of wood. In 1893, disaster struck. A massive fire tore through these streets, consuming over 1,300 buildings in a single afternoon.
However, amidst the ruins, a few structures remained standing. These were the kura, or traditional storehouses, built with thick clay walls. The merchants of Kawagoe realized that if they wanted to protect their livelihoods, they had to build for the future by looking to the past.
They decided to rebuild the entire main district in the kurazukuri style, turning what was once a storage method into a breathtaking architectural statement. As you begin your walk down Ichibangai, notice the overwhelming presence of the buildings. These aren’t the light, airy structures you might expect from traditional Japanese architecture.
They are fortresses of commerce. Look at the walls. Many are finished in a deep, midnight black called edoguro.
This isn't just a color; it’s a labor-intensive plaster technique where lime is mixed with charcoal and polished until it shines like lacquer. Take a close look at the windows on the upper floors. Do you see those massive, heavy shutters?
Those are double-latched and made of the same thick clay as the walls. In the event of a fire, the merchants would slam them shut and seal the cracks with fresh mud to keep the heat out. The roofs are equally impressive, featuring enormous, heavy tiles and ridgepoles that seem almost too large for the buildings.
This was a display of immense wealth. In the Meiji era, building a single kurazukuri house could cost as much as twenty times the price of a standard home. As you walk, the scent of toasted sweet potatoes and soy sauce drifts from the stalls, a reminder that Kawagoe has been a center of flavor for centuries.
You’ll soon see the Toki no Kane, the Bell of Time, which has stood over this district for four hundred years, rebuilt four times, most recently right after that great fire of 1893. It still rings four times a day. Listen for it as you explore.
These black-plastered walls have stood guard over these traditions for over a century, a testament to a city that refused to burn twice.