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Pink moss phlox at Hitsujiyama Park with Mt. Buko behind, SaitamaPhoto: Koda6029 / CC0

Anohana in Chichibu: 1-Day Trip from Ikebukuro

  • 1 day
  • Ikebukuro Station round trip

At a glance

Fares & tickets (adult)
About ¥3,300
The SEIBU 1Day Pass (about ¥1,500) and the Laview seat both ways (about ¥900 each). Without the pass, the regular fare is about ¥800 each way. Every Anohana spot is free.
Best time to go
Autumn 2026 for the 15th-anniversary events (October–November). Spring and autumn are the best months to walk.
Closing days
The Tourist Information Center is closed on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month; Hotspot Chichibukan closes on Wednesdays.
Walking (our estimate)
Heavy on foot: roughly 8–10 km. A rental bicycle from the information center cuts it down.

First time in Japan? Read our first-timer's guide

Chichibu City in Saitama is the model for the town in Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, and the city still runs Anohana events more than a decade after the 2011 TV series; 2026 is its 15th anniversary. The same team's films Anthem of the Heart (2015, known to fans as Kokosake) and Her Blue Sky (2019) are set here too. The town center is an about 80-minute limited express ride from Ikebukuro, and the main spots can be walked in a day: the information center's Anohana corner, Chichibu Shrine, Jorinji temple and the Old Chichibu Bridge over the Arakawa River.

Your booking checklist

Four things to book before you go.

Partner links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we choose

The route

  1. 1Chichibu Tourist Information Center (Anohana corner) · Chichibu, Saitama
  2. 2Chichibu Shrine · Chichibu, Saitama
  3. 3Jorinji Temple (Temple 17) · Chichibu, Saitama
  4. 4Old Chichibu Bridge (Kyu-Chichibu-bashi) · Chichibu, Saitama

Day by day

Times, fares and opening hours are approximate. Check the official pages under Sources before you go (last checked September 18, 2026).

Day 1

Ikebukuro → Chichibu → Ikebukuro

Laview to Chichibu, a walk north through town to the Old Chichibu Bridge, and back by evening.

  1. Morning

    Ikebukuro → Seibu-Chichibu by Laview

    Seibu's Limited Express Chichibu (the Laview train) runs Ikebukuro → Seibu-Chichibu in about 80 min with no change. All seats are reserved, so buy the limited express ticket before boarding (about ¥900; about ¥200 more if bought on board). At the time of writing the 8:30 from Ikebukuro reached Seibu-Chichibu at 9:51, on weekdays and weekends.

  2. Morning

    Chichibu Tourist Information Center

    Right outside Seibu-Chichibu Station. Pick up the Anohana pilgrimage map at the Anohana corner, and rent a bicycle here if you want to save your legs for the bridge. Open 9:00–17:00; closed the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month.

    Spot guide: Chichibu Tourist Information Center (Anohana corner)

  3. Late morning

    Chichibu Shrine

    About 15 min on foot from Seibu-Chichibu Station. It is an active shrine: bow at the gate and keep to the paths. In front of the shrine, Myoken no Mori Park has the city's Anohana illumination, reinstalled with partly new artwork in September 2026.

    Spot guide: Chichibu Shrine

  4. Midday

    Banba-dori and lunch

    Banba-dori, the old street running up to the shrine, is on the city's Anohana course. Nearby, Hotspot Chichibukan, a restored Meiji-era inn with a free rest area, is also on the course (closed Wednesdays). Have lunch in town; the Chichibu Station area has the most choice.

  5. Early afternoon

    Jorinji (Temple 17)

    About 15 min on foot north of Chichibu Shrine. Temple 17 of the Chichibu 34 Kannon pilgrimage and a stop on the city's Anohana course. Pilgrims come here to pray, so keep your voice down.

    Spot guide: Jorinji Temple (Temple 17)

  6. Afternoon

    Old Chichibu Bridge

    About 20–25 min on foot further north, or a short ride by rental bicycle. The 1931 three-arch bridge is now a pedestrian park, next to the newer road bridge. Walk across for the view of the Arakawa River. Two piers and two posts of the first bridge, built in 1885, are also preserved.

    Spot guide: Old Chichibu Bridge (Kyu-Chichibu-bashi)

  7. Late afternoon

    Back to Seibu-Chichibu

    Walk back through town (about 40–45 min to Seibu-Chichibu Station) or return the bicycle at the information center before 17:00. The station has a hot spring facility if you have time before the train.

  8. Evening

    Seibu-Chichibu → Ikebukuro

    Limited express trains back leave about once an hour. At the time of writing, weekend trains left Seibu-Chichibu at 24 minutes past the hour (for example 17:24, arriving in Ikebukuro at 18:46), the last at 21:24. Check the current timetable and book the return seat in the morning.

Arriving? Japan eSIM

Where to stay

Chichibu Shrine, Chichibu, Saitama

Stay in

Chichibu

Stay the night to see the Anohana illumination in the evening or to add Nagatoro the next day.

Prices change by season. Compare live rates.

See hotels in Chichibu
Sunshine 60 tower in Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo

Stay in

Ikebukuro

The Laview leaves from Ikebukuro, so an early start is easy from here.

Prices change by season. Compare live rates.

See hotels in Ikebukuro

Getting around

SEIBU 1Day Pass

About ¥1,500 (adult); about ¥2,000 with Nagatoro

Unlimited rides on all Seibu lines (except the Tamagawa Line) for one day, which covers the regular fare to Chichibu and back. The limited express ticket for the Laview is extra. For non-Japanese passport holders; buy at Ikebukuro or Seibu-Shinjuku stations or online. A version with the Chichibu Railway (Nogami/Nagatoro to Mitsumineguchi) also exists.

Check pass prices Official info

Laview limited express ticket

About ¥900 each way (adult, Ikebukuro-Seibu-Chichibu)

Needed on top of the pass or the regular fare. All seats are reserved; tickets go on sale one month before the travel date. Without the pass, the regular fare Ikebukuro-Seibu-Chichibu is about ¥800 each way.

Official info

Rental bicycle

Available at the Chichibu Tourist Information Center in front of Seibu-Chichibu Station. The Old Chichibu Bridge is the farthest point of the route, so a bicycle saves the walk back.

Official info

Visiting with respect

  • Chichibu Shrine and Jorinji are places of worship. Bow at the gate, keep to the paths, and don't block the steps for photos.
  • The streets between the spots are where people live. Chichibu City asks visitors not to disturb residents and not to enter private land near the spots.
  • The Old Chichibu Bridge is a pedestrian park; the road bridge next to it carries traffic. Photograph from the old bridge or the riverbank paths, not from the roadway.
  • Take your trash home. Local fans and the city clean up around the Old Chichibu Bridge every year.

FAQ

Is Chichibu really the town in Anohana?

Chichibu City says the town was the model for the setting, and it lists the Old Chichibu Bridge, Chichibu Shrine and Jorinji among the Anohana places. The characters and story are fictional.

Can I visit the secret base?

This route doesn't include it. Places in the hills that fans connect to the secret base are not official public sites, and some are on private land.

Are there Anohana events in 2026?

Yes, for the 15th anniversary. Chichibu City lists the Anohana rocket at the Ryusei Festival on October 11 (Muku Shrine, Shimoyoshida), a Yukiatsu cosplay parade on October 17 and a Chichibu Railway SL special on November 7. Check the city's anime page for updates.

What about Anthem of the Heart and Her Blue Sky?

Both films are by the same team and also set in Chichibu. The city's anime page covers all three, and Temple 10 Daijiji in neighboring Yokoze has been used for Anthem of the Heart events.

Is the Ryusei Kaikan worth the trip?

It is on the city's Anohana course, but it is in Yoshida, about 40 min by bus from Seibu-Chichibu. It needs half a day on its own.

Can I do this with a Japan Rail Pass?

No. The Laview and the Seibu lines are not JR. Use the SEIBU 1Day Pass or regular tickets.

Combine with nearby routes

Have more days? These routes start or end close to this one.

Your booking checklist

Everything to book for this route, in the order most people book it.

Partner links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we choose

Sources11 official pages, checked September 18, 2026

Photo credits