Banba-dori and Chichibu Shrine
Banba-dori (番場通り) is the approach to Chichibu Shrine (秩父神社). Stop for a snack if the shops are open, then look for the carved panels on the shrine hall.
DAY TRIP FROM TOKYO
Anohana in Chichibu.
Take a direct train from Ikebukuro to the Saitama city that inspired Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day. Walk past the old shops and shrine, then decide whether to take a local bus to the bridge over the Arakawa River.
Get to Seibu-Chichibu
At Ikebukuro, follow the signs for Seibu Railway and look for the Chichibu-go limited express to Seibu-Chichibu (西武秩父). The fastest services take about 77 minutes. Every seat on the Laview is reserved. Seibu lists a ¥900 adult limited express ticket each way on top of the regular fare.
If the limited express is full, look up a regular Seibu service via Hannō. For the bus and train times below, use the operator’s timetable for the day you travel, especially on a holiday or festival day.
The town walk
For a shorter visit, walk from Seibu-Chichibu Station through Banba-dori to Chichibu Shrine, then go to Jorinji Temple if you have time. Each stop appears on Saitama Prefecture’s official route for Anohana. The city has a free anime map at the tourist information center by Seibu-Chichibu Station and at other locations. Save the map links before leaving Tokyo in case the counter is closed.
Jorinji Temple
Continue on foot to Jorinji (定林寺), temple No. 17 on Chichibu’s Kannon pilgrimage circuit. It is in a residential neighborhood. Keep voices low, give worshippers room and follow posted rules for photography.
Add Old Chichibu Bridge by bus
Near Jorinji, use the Fudasho 17-ban Iriguchi stop (札所十七番入口). Look for Seibu Kankō Bus G1 toward Ogano-shako (小鹿野車庫) or G2 toward Kurio (栗尾) and get off at Chichibubashi (秩父橋). The operator’s stop timetable separates weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays and public holidays. Check the outbound and return buses together before setting off.
Walk to Old Chichibu Bridge (旧秩父橋), the historic bridge the city uses as a public park. Take photos from the old bridge’s public walkway and keep the path clear. The bus stop is named after the crossing and the nearby road bridge carries traffic.
For a longer day, add Ryusei Hall
Ryusei Hall (龍勢会館) is a museum about Yoshida’s handmade festival rockets and another stop on the prefecture’s Anohana route. From Chichibubashi, look for D1 or D2 and verify that the bus stops at Ryusei Kaikan. Check opening hours and the return bus before adding this stop. The museum normally closes Tuesdays, or the following day if Tuesday is a public holiday.
Get back to Ikebukuro
From the bridge or museum, look for a bus marked Seibu-Chichibu Station (西武秩父駅). Chichibu Station (秩父駅) is a different stop on a different railway. Allow a buffer between the bus and your reserved train. If bus times do not fit, keep to the town walk and return to Seibu-Chichibu on foot.
Buses from the bridge toward Seibu-Chichibu (Japanese)
Current bus service notices (Japanese)
Seibu’s return timetable
Seibu-Chichibu → Ikebukuro on Google Maps
Official route and transport information checked . The prefecture’s route identifies places associated with the anime. For scene details, consult the city’s visitor map and follow local signs at each stop.