8:00 a.m.
Ikebukuro Station9:45 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Tourist Information Center Buratto ♪ GyōdaSTAMPGIFT EXCHANGE
Japanese: 観光物産館ぶらっと♪ぎょうだ
This is a stamp rally location. Check the campaign page for details on the stamp rally.
Transfer from Information Center Buratto ♪ Gyōda to Oshi Castle
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Make "Hanachozu" at Oshi Castle
Experience making "Hanachozu," flowers that float in a water bowl. These are found in the basin where people purify their hands and mouths before visiting a shrine.
You can choose between two sessions (10:00 and 13:30), and the experience lasts one to two hours. An English-speaking guide will be with you to assist you through the process.
You can make your own "Hanachozu" with flowers of your choice, and you can even have a commemorative photo taken with yourself and your creation.
Alternative Option
Kimono Experience
Gyoda, the town of tabi storehouses, continues to support Japanese clothing culture. They invite you to stroll around in a kimono.
At Fujiya Kimono Store, you can choose from a wide variety of kimonos and yukatas. The employees will help to dress you. They also offer luggage storage, so you can stroll freely in town.
Walk from Tourist Information Center Buratto ♪ Gyōda to Gyōda Hachiman Shrine[Approx. 6 min.]
12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Gyoda Hanachozu Week (Gyoda Hachiman Shrine)
Gyoda Hanachozu Week is held in Gyoda from the 1st to 14th of each month (15th to last day of November and January).
This initiative is not limited to Gyoda Hachiman Shrine, Oshi Castle, and Sakitama Shrine. The entire community is invited to show their hospitality by decorating the eaves of stores and private homes with "Hanachozu".
An illumination event called "Light of Hope" is held once or twice a month, so if your schedule allows, you can enjoy the fantastic lights as well.Visit Website
Walk from Gyoda Hachiman Shrine to the Lunch Restaurant
12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Lunch - Gyoda's Soul Food Jelly Fry & Fry
For lunch, try Gyoda's famous "jelly fry" and "fry".
Just hearing their names, you may wonder what they are. "Fry" is a dish made by dissolving flour in water on a griddle and baking it thinly, then putting green onions, eggs, meat, etc. on top, and dipping it in soy sauce. It tastes like okonomiyaki, a popular Japanese dish, and its texture is similar to that of a crepe. "Jelly fry" is made of deep-fried mashed potatoes and vegetables and contains "okara" (bean curd), which is full of fiber and very healthy.
There are about 50 stores in town that offer this dish, so be sure to try this soul food.
2:10 p.m. - 3:10 p.m.
Tsukinoishi Momiji Park
Nagatoro is the best spot for viewing autumn foliage. Every year in November, when the autumn foliage is at its best, the area attracts many tourists. In 2023, the Tsuki no Ishi Momiji Koen Illumination takes place from November 10 (Fri.) to 23 (Thu., holiday).
[Lighting time: 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Admission: 300 yen (junior high school students and older)]
Alternative Option
Hodosan Shrine
If you come to Chichibu, you should also visit the Hodosan Shrine, one of the Chichibu Three Shrines together with Chichibu Shrine and Mitsumine Shrine. Founded in 110 AD, this shrine has a history of over 1,900 years. It is about a 10-minute walk from Nagatoro Station.
In November, the shrine is illuminated at night when the autumn leaves are at their best.
A ropeway takes you to Okuin (inner sanctuary) at the top of the mountain, from where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Chichibu urban area. There is also a zoo and other facilities at the top of the mountain.
Alternative Option
Nagatoro Iwadatami
This is one of the most famous sightseeing spots in Chichibu. The scenery looks as if it were covered with rock tatami mats. A slightly retro shopping street stretches between Nagatoro Station and Iwadatami, lined with souvenir shops, cafes, and restaurants.
Nagatoro's popular activity, "line rafting," allows visitors to experience the view of Iwadatami and the magnificent Arakawa River while a boatman provides explanations.
4:10 p.m. - 4:25 p.m.
CHICHIBU Tourism Information CenterSTAMPGIFT EXCHANGE
Japanese: 秩父観光情報館
This is a stamp rally location. Check the campaign page for details on the stamp rally.
Walk from CHICHIBU Tourism Information Center Banba Street[Approx. 10 min.]
4:35 p.m.
Banba Street
Take a stroll along Banba Street, the approach to Chichibu Shrine.
You can taste gourmet delicacies such as taiyaki, which are fish-shaped sweets filled with red bean paste, and imonburan, a hand-pressed sweet made out of sweet potatoes.
There are also some 10 buildings from the early Showa and Taisho periods, making it a spot with diverse activities and sights to visit. Visit Website
Alternative Option
Chichibu Festival Exhibition Hall
The Chichibu Night Festival is one of the three major Hikiyama festivals in Japan along with the Kyoto Gion Festival and the Hida Takayama Festival. It is held annually on December 2 and 3, and can be viewed at any time in this facility. Displays feature kasaboko floats and yatai (food stalls), as well as materials related to this festival with a history of over 300 years.
Enjoy the projection mapping and a 3D-theater for a virtual experience of the festival.
Walk from Banba Street to Dinner Restaurant
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Dinner in Chichibu
For an evening meal, how about trying a Chichibu specialty?
Try the "waraji katsu-don," a bowl of rice topped with a large-sized cutlet that looks like a "waraji," a type of old-fashioned footwear, protruding from the bowl. Or sample the "pork miso-don," grilled pork marinated in miso. Or try "Chichibu horumon," pork innards seasoned with a spicy sauce and grilled on a charcoal grill.
With Chichibu's growing popularity as a whisky town, bar hopping is another fun nightlife activity to add to the evening. Related article: Let’s enjoy fermentation experience in Chichibu!
Walk from Dinner Restaurant to Seibu Chichibu Station Front Hot Spring Matsuri-no-yu
7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Seibu Chichibu Station Front Hot Spring Matsuri-no-yu
Finally, refresh yourself in the hot spring area of Seibu Chichibu Station Front Hot Spring Matsuri-no-yu.
You can enjoy a wide variety of baths, including indoor and outdoor baths, saunas, highly concentrated artificial carbonic acid baths, and silk baths.
You can also end your trip with a visit to the Chichibu Souvenir Market in the store and the food court area named "Drinking and Eating Place, Festival Banquet". Here you can look for souvenirs and sample food you may not have tried yet.
9:50 p.m.
Ikebukuro Station