From Kawagoe, one of Saitama’s famous tourist destinations that still retains the atmosphere of the Edo period, we ride along the Irumagawa (Iruma River) Cycling Road to Iruma, which still retains an American atmosphere. We will introduce a 24km summer cycling trip where you can enjoy a variety of scenery.

Kawagoe, which evokes the Edo period

Start cycling from Kawagoe Station on Tobu Tojo Line and JR Kawagoe Line. Take Prefectural Route 229 north to “Koedo Kawagoe.”

The city of Kawagoe is known as one of Japan’s famous “Koedo” towns, where the streets are still lined with traditional warehouses and merchant houses that remind one of the Edo period.


Ride through the emotional streets to “Kashiya Yokocho” (Confectionery Alley). A cold matcha latte at “Matcha Arata.”


First, taste Japan with a cold latte of matcha green tea.

Kawagoe Park like Europe

Kawagoe Park is 3.5km from Kashiya Yokocho on Suijo Koen Dori. Known as Kawagoe Suijo Park, the park is popular for its swimming pool in summer, and Shukei Pond in the park is a beautiful sight surrounded by lush green trees.


Shukei Pond in the park is surrounded by lush green trees, giving it a somewhat European atmosphere.
The grassy lawn looks like a carpet of green and makes you want to lie down on it.

The park is lined with cherry blossom trees. In spring, the scenery is beautiful, but the cherry blossoms with their dazzling green color are also beautiful in summer.

Leaving Kawagoe Park, we will ride along Iruma River.

Iruma River Cycling Road

From Kawagoe Park, cross Yase Bridge and enter the cycling road along Iruma River.


Iruma River Cycling Road, officially named “Prefectural Road Kawagoe-Sayama Bicycle Route,” is a 22.6km long bicycle and pedestrian road that runs along Iruma River from Toyomizu Bridge in Sayama City to Iruma Ohashi Bridge in Kawagoe City.

Aina Shinsui Park, a short distance to the left of the cycling road, is filled with yellow flowers. These flowers are Harushagiku, and the park is said to have a variety of flowers depending on the season.


If you go to the end of the park, you will reach a dead end, so you can continue on by returning to the course farthest from the river.

The Western-style school building on the left side of the bike path is Bunri University of Hospitality. Here, too, the scenery is reminiscent of Europe.

Then there is the Irumagawa Nikoniko Terrace (Riverside Central Park), lined with seemingly eccentric benches. These benches are labeled as “Reclining Benches,” and unlike the benches in the city where you are not allowed to lie down, you can lie down and relax as much as you like.

Just a few steps away from the hot paved road, you can feel the pleasant air.
After about 7km on the cycling road, you will head toward Iruma City Station from Hirose Bridge.

Iruma Johnson Town like America

From the entrance of Iruma City Station, ride about 1km up the hill on Keyaki Street to Johnson Town.



Johnson Town is a residential area rich in nature, with old American-style houses and modern low-rise new houses scattered among the trees. It has the atmosphere of an American suburb and is dotted with a variety of stores, including restaurants.

First, it is lunch time at “THE PORK SHOP.”
A hearty melted double cheeseburger (melted cheese & patty x 2 & onion fries) and a drink will cool you down from the hot cycling and replenish your stamina.

After lunch, we took a stroll through the streets of the town, where you can feel a sense of America.




From here, we will head to Iruma City Station to finish our summer cycling.

Course Introduction

Distance: 24km Elevation Gain (Up): 143m

Summary

We intended to cycle from the old Japanese landscape to the American landscape, but we found European-like scenery in Kawagoe Park and Iruma River Cycling Road.
Kawagoe Park, which was surrounded by greenery, offers this kind of scenery in autumn.

Kawagoe City and Iruma City are only 30 minutes by train from central Tokyo. Not only could we encounter different country-like scenery in different places, but we also felt the attraction of wanting to visit again in a different season.

Text: Yasushi Hanada