Just northeast of Narita City, a small historic town lies with its ancient face. Sawara is known to retain a classic Edo atmosphere, with old streets, traditional wooden townhouses and shops, which line along an old wooden-fenced Sawara Canal and crossed by several bridges. Visiting on a clear day would take you back to the relaxed atmosphere of old Japan, but after the rain would be a thousand times better.
I was on my hour long trip to the northern area of Chiba Prefecture when the rain started pouring, and my mood began to drop. With not many options to take, I resumed my plan and went on to Sawara. Fortunately, the rainfall slowed down as I stepped out of the station. I walked towards the canal, against the chilly wind and through the puddles, only to discover that my decision to explore “Little Edo” after rain is worth the effort.
