Let’s have a stroll through Sawara! Introducing recommended courses! 【Sawara Special 2】
Sawara is popular for its townscape which preserved the traces of the Edo Period, the time when there were Samurai in Japan. This article is the second in a series of 4 articles in which the charms of Sawara are introduced in detail.
This time, we would like to introduce a very suitable walking route which you can follow when taking a stroll through Sawara. Enjoy some relaxing time walking though the atmospheric townscape and the riverside scenery and take a boat tour on the way. The view during the boat tour going up and down the Ono River is certainly worth seeing.
①Sawara Station
When coming from Tokyo by train, you first get off at Sawara Station. The station building has a large “Noren (drapes)” with “Sawara Station” written on it hanging from the top, making you feel the charm of Japan. Such an elegant station building is hard to find all over Japan. Well, let’s start our walk through Little Edo/Sawara from here!
②町並み観光中央案内所(Machinami-KankoChuo-Annai-sho)
When getting out of Sawara Station, first head towards the Machinami-Kanko- Chuo-Annai-sho (Central Tourist Information Center). Here you can have a sweet potato ice, a special sweet of Sawara, which you can eat during the tour through the city. This ice cream with its rich sweet taste is made with lots of the Beni Azuma variety of sweet potato, harvested here in SAWARA.
Address:498, I, Sawara, Katori City, Chiba Prefecture
Business hours:9:00-16:30
Closed:Mon.
Price: Sweet Potato Ice Cream ¥200
③Ono River Area
Enjoy the sweet potato ice cream you bought during a leisurely stroll, looking at the historic buildings lined up along the Ono River. You’ll be transported into another era as you immerse yourself in the atmosphere of this KOEDO landscape.
④Boating on Ono River
After enjoying the stroll for a while, let’s look at the townscape from the river. Take off your shoes, have seat on the mat and enjoy sightseeing. Have a leisurely boat ride guided by the boatman and if you look up to the townscape through the weeping willow trees, you can experience a different charm from when you were walking through the town.
Water runs down Toyo Bridge every 30 minutes between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Address:1730-3, I, Sawara, Katori City, Chiba Prefecture
Business hours:10:00-15:00 or 16:30 Note: Differs according to the season
Closed:None scheduled Note: May close depending on weather conditions
Price:Boating experience (Adult) ¥1,300 (Duration of about 30 min.)
⑤River Way Shoujyou
After the boat tour, let’s look for souvenirs. “River Way Shoujyou” used to be the main part of a historic building which flourished as a soy sauce storehouse. At present, glasswork is sold there, of which the cute glass beads make a perfect souvenir.
You can try making glass beads!
Address:3406, I, Sawara, Katori City, Chiba Prefecture
Business hours:10:00-16:00 (Class ends at 15:00)
Closed:None scheduled
Price: Glass bead-making class starts from ¥1,000 (Reservations required) (Must be accompanied by a Japanese-speaking person) *As of December 2015
Credit cards accepted:American Express / Diners / MasterCard / JCB / Visa / UnionPay
Travelers will be glad to hear that the area around Sawara Station is dotted with Wi-Fi spots. As of end of December 2015, there are 15 spots with plans for further expansion. Cards containing passwords are distributed at the Suigo Sawara Tourist Association’s Station-Front Tourist Information Center and at the Sawara Visitor’s Center, so it might be a good idea to first go there and get one once you’ve arrived.
【Suigo Sawara Tourist Association’s Station-Front Tourist Information Center】
Address:74-31, I, Sawara, Katori City, Chiba
【Sawara Visitor’s Center】
Address:1903-1, I, Sawara, Katori City, Chiba
Let’s enjoy the scenery of Little Edo on a leisurely stroll!