Chichibu's sacred mountain, Mount Bukozan, has been the location for the Shinto Shrine for more than 2, 000 years.

NPR: Public Works Endanger Japan's Environment

In Chichibu, a small town an hour outside of Tokyo, the spirit of Shintoism and Japan's drive to industrialize comes together in stark contrast.

NPR: Public Works Endanger Japan's Environment

The Seibu Saison group of companies, of which Seiyu is the nucleus, owned track running from the Chichibu mountains west of Tokyo to Ikebukuro and Shinjuku in the city centre although the railway and the retailer parted company in the 1970s.

ECONOMIST: Japanese retailing