Top 5 Free Things to do in Chichibu, Kanto

January 12, 2022 Marianna Hollaway

Discover the best top things to do in Chichibu, Japan including Mitsumine Shrine, Chichibu Shrine, Michi-no-Eki - Chichibu, Michi-no-Eki Arakawa, Seibu Chichibu Nakamise Street.
Restaurants in Chichibu

1. Mitsumine Shrine

298-1 Mitsumine, Chichibu 369-1902 Saitama Prefecture +81 494-55-0241 http://www.mitsuminejinja.or.jp/
Excellent
60%
Good
36%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 421 reviews

Mitsumine Shrine

Reviewed By Retron - Leysdown-on-Sea, United Kingdom

I visited Mitsumine at the end of 2016 with a friend and we both thoroughly enjoyed our time there. This year we were back in Tokyo and we both wanted to go back - not least because we missed part of the shrine (the old part of it) and the shops and museum were closed in December. In the intervening months it seems that Mitsumine has been featured on a TV programme in Japan, as a "power spot". As a result, visitor numbers have gone up - which means you have to be quick off the mark if you're taking the rickety old bus to the shrine. As with last year, we went from Ikebukuro to Chichibu on the Seibu-Chichibu line. The tourist office has closed at Ikebukuro (they helped last year with filling in the train ticket forms), but luckily said forms are now in English as well as Japanese. The bus still leaves from the Chichibu train station, but this time there was a long queue awaiting us - unlike last time where we were the only ones heading for the shrine as we got off the train. Luckily, we were able to get seats on the bus (it's a 75-minute ride), but there were several people who had to stand throughout. More people got on as the bus stopped en route to the shrine. This time upon arrival at the shrine we both went straight past everything and headed west - for beyond the hotel, there's a path leading to the original old shrine. Unlike the new shrine (which is very fancy, colourful and dedicated to the founders of Japan), the old shrine is much more modest - and is the shrine which is dedicated to the wolf said to have guided the prince through the forest nearly 2000 years ago. The old shrine has plenty of wolf statues around it (and plenty more inside), along with offerings of sake and such placed there by worshippers. It was well worth the visit! The new shrine itself was just as before - splendid in every way and clearly fondly looked after. The guardian wolf statues had new bibs and there were different votive tablets (ema) for sale at the shrine shop. This time I picked up some of the new year ceremonial arrows, as well as some ema, another ofuda and some little wooden wolf charms (with bells). Unlike last time, the museum and main wolf gift shop was open. The museum is fascinating. It contains several pelts of wolves (including a Honshu wolf from Chichibu), as well as all sorts of things from the shrine in years gone by. There's also a story board explaining how the shrine was founded. It's all in Japanese, with pretty much no English whatsoever, but it's still well worth a visit. The only downside is that photography isn't allowed, so you'll have to make do with the museum's pamphlet. The wolf shop was well worth visiting. It's the only place in Japan that stocks so much wolf merchandise, as far as I'm aware, and aside from some rather overpriced soft toy wolves the rest of it was unique. I've been to wolf centres across the States, Canada, France, Spain and the UK - and most of the items on sale at Mitsumine were unique. They had laser-etched crystal replicas of the shrine (and wolf guardians), little glass wolves and pawprints, lots of types of sake - and glasses - a Japanese-style pen set, enamel badges and lots more besides. I spent a small fortune there, something not lost on the lady who served me - she disappeared for a bit, then came back with a carrier bag full of small square bits of paper. "Origami, tanabata", she said. She gave the bag to me, as a gift, meaning I've now got enough bits of paper to make a whole mass of origami wolves! Having seen how busy the bus was on the way out, we decided to get to the bus queue 25 minutes early for the way back. There was already quite a queue and we were lucky to get seats. It seems that Mitsumine has become more popular than before, so if you plan to visit there are a few things to bear in mind: * The museum and wolf shop are closed for the winter period - December to March. * They're also closed every Tuesday. * The shrine is more popular than ever, so be prepared to get to the bus stop at least 20 minutes before the bus is due to arrive. This is much harder to do on the way out if you're coming from Tokyo! * Weekdays are quieter than weekends, but there are fewer buses running. * Avoid the 1st of the month unless you really like queueing - special talismans/charms are given away and the queues are astronomical these days! 3km or more of queues aren't unheard of, meaning it'll take you hours and hours just to get to the shrine.

2. Chichibu Shrine

1-3 Banbamachi, Chichibu 368-0041 Saitama Prefecture +81 494-22-0262 http://www.chichibu-jinja.or.jp/
Excellent
26%
Good
53%
Satisfactory
19%
Poor
0%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 262 reviews

Chichibu Shrine

3. Michi-no-Eki - Chichibu

4625 Omiya, Chichibu 368-0023 Saitama Prefecture +81 494-21-2266 http://www.michinoeki-network.jp/chichibu/
Excellent
5%
Good
41%
Satisfactory
49%
Poor
5%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

3.5 based on 102 reviews

Michi-no-Eki - Chichibu

4. Michi-no-Eki Arakawa

538-1 Arakawa Hino, Chichibu 369-1803 Saitama Prefecture +81 494-54-0022 http://www.michinoeki-network.jp/arakawa/
Excellent
15%
Good
46%
Satisfactory
36%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

3.5 based on 61 reviews

Michi-no-Eki Arakawa

5. Seibu Chichibu Nakamise Street

Nosakamachi, Chichibu 368-0033 Saitama Prefecture +81 494-22-7111 http://www.seiburailway.jp/guide/sightseeing/chichibu/equipment/nakamise/index.html
Excellent
7%
Good
46%
Satisfactory
42%
Poor
2%
Terrible
3%
Overall Ratings

3.5 based on 121 reviews

Seibu Chichibu Nakamise Street

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