Kawagoe (川越市) is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. It is known also as little Edo because it still has some streets and houses preserved from that period.



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Toki no kane is a bell tower originally built by the order of Sakai Tadakatsu between 1624 and 1644. The present structure goes back to 1894, a year after the Great Fire of Kawagoe. It is a three-story tower measuring 16 meters in height. The tower has been telling time to the city’s residents for 350 years and has been deemed as a symbol of the city.


Toshogu Shrine, also on the Kitain temple grounds, was built in 1633 to honor the late Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa who had aided the development of Kitain. However, a fire in 1638 destroyed most of Kitain as well as the Shrine.



Kitain has several gardens both inside and outside the museum area. Planted with plum, cherry, and maple trees, plus a variety of flowers, particularly hydrangeas and azaleas.
Gohyaku Rakan statues, 540 stone statues of the disciples of Buddha, each with its own facial expression are in a small area near the temple. Carved between 1782 and 1825, they portray the disciples in a great variety of positions, all different. You are supposed to find your statue from your birth year. Put money on it for luck
(Sheep (hitsuji) – People born in the year of the Sheep are elegant, highly accomplished in the arts, passionate about nature. At first glance, they seem to be better off than the people born in other years. They are deeply religious and passionate in whatever they do and believe in. :-))
Thanks to Wikipedia for background
Thanks to Wikipedia for background