If Chichibu has a signature dish, it is waraji katsudon, a pair of large, flat pork cutlets laid across a bowl of rice and glazed in a sweet soy sauce, named for the straw sandals, waraji, that they resemble in shape. It is a big meal, enough for any hungry rider after a morning in the mountains, and restaurants in the town centre serve it with miso soup and pickles. The portion is generous, and a small amount of sauce and a lot of appetite are all you need.
The town offers more besides. Chichibu soba, made from buckwheat grown in the mountains, is served cold on a bamboo tray with a dipping sauce and grated radish, and in winter in a hot broth. A local snack, miso potato, is a boiled potato skewered, grilled and brushed with sweet miso, sold at roadside stalls and from small shops. Shops sell cured meats, pickles and sake from the valley breweries, and the local water, which runs clear from the surrounding hills, is considered good for brewing.
Chichibu has about fifty-eight thousand people and sits in a bowl of mountains, so that every street seems to end in a ridge. The old streets around the station are a good place for a walk, and the nearby Chichibu Shrine, with its carved wooden panels of dragons and tigers, is a surprise in the middle of town. On Hitsujiyama hill, a slope near the town is planted with moss phlox, which flower in pink, white and purple carpets in April and May, drawing large crowds.
Fuel and groceries are easy to find, and the roads out of town lead in many directions: north to Nagatoro and the Arakawa gorge, west to the mountain passes, and south toward the high peaks. For a late lunch, aim to be at a restaurant before two, since many close for a break in the afternoon, and they may stop serving before the stated closing time when the day's rice runs out. Parking for motorbikes is usually free, but ask before leaving your helmet and gear. In winter, the valley is cold, and a hot meal is welcome, so plan to enjoy the experience at leisure.