Starbucks Coffee Kawagoe Bell Street Store | Review by 一個漸漸喜歡上慢旅的人

Ogakiku is a popular restaurant in Kawagoe that often has a line. If, like me, you don't enjoy waiting in crowds, I recommend avoiding peak dining hours. Get a numbered ticket when you arrive, then leisurely explore the nearby historic streets before coming back around your scheduled time to enjoy the food.

This time, besides trying the signature classic charcoal-grilled eel rice—with lightly crisp skin, a well-balanced sweet and savory sauce, and eel that melted in my mouth—I also unexpectedly ordered the chicken rice, which turned out to be excellent. It was topped with something similar to crispy egg flakes, giving it layers of flavor and a very distinctive texture. For eel rice lovers, this is definitely a delicious option not to be missed in Kawagoe. It's especially enjoyable in the cold winter, when you can duck inside and have a bowl of eel rice filled with smoky charcoal aroma.

Walking over from the train station, you naturally come to the uniquely atmospheric Taisho Romantic Dream Street. Compared with the lively Ichibangai Street, it feels especially quiet and elegant. The short street is paved with rustic stone slabs and lined with many Western-style buildings from the Taisho and early Showa eras. Occasionally, you can even see a rickshaw passing slowly by, as if the air itself were filled with a nostalgic, old-fashioned charm.

Instead of the noise of excessive commercialization, there are cozy little specialty shops, stationery and lifestyle boutiques, and Showa-style cafés. It's a great place to slow down, take your time walking around, and fully appreciate its timeless sense of romance and tranquility.

On my first visit to Kawagoe Kumano Shrine, I experienced the very special money-washing ritual. You actually put bills into a bamboo basket and wash them with sacred water. You definitely have to try this unique way of praying for financial prosperity in person.

Even more fortunately, my visit happened to coincide with the season when the shrine’s ginkgo trees had turned golden. The golden carpet of fallen leaves against the historic shrine buildings created a breathtaking sight. Although the shrine grounds aren’t large, they’re full of surprises and a variety of activities for good fortune. You can also sincerely pray for blessings from Yatagarasu, the sacred bird symbolizing guidance and victory. This is a small shrine filled with energy, and I highly recommend taking some time to experience its unique Japanese way of praying for good fortune.