Kinsenji Temple is located in rural Ranzan. Best known for its hydrangea that bloom in early summer, the temple also has a giant gingko tree that turns golden yellow in Autumn. In 2022, for the first time in three years, the temple are opening their hydrangea garden to the publicRead More →
Tamagawa Hot Spring, Tokigawa, or the mouthful that is their full name 昭和 レトロ な 温泉銭湯玉川温泉 ~ Showa Retro Naonsen Sento Tamagawa Hot Spring. A hot spring by the award winning hot spring management company Onsen Dojo. Hereafter Tamagawa Hot Springs for short. Occasionally with the Retro in front, justRead More →
In 2022, Ranzan’s lavender field “Sennen no Sono” will be open to the public for the first time since 2019. In 2020 and 2021, not only was the festival not on, the fields were completely closed to the public. The area actually sustained a lot of damage in the 2019Read More →
I’ve been itching to share our adventures at Moomin Valley Park. Yesterday was a precursor with information about the Umbrella Sky Project. Today, a teaser with information about just one attraction – the Kokemus Exhibition Facility. Moomin Valley Park (in Metsa) Moomin Valley Park is the part you pay intoRead More →
Annual information for the Metsa Village Umbrella Sky “Forest and Lake and Umbrella“ aka Umbrella Sky Project / Umbrella Street, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. The umbrella sky in Metsa* is one of the most famous and most popular summer events in Saitama Prefecture annually. To date, the event has gone aheadRead More →
J.S. Pancake is a trendy chain cafe. The J.S. stands for Journal Standard, the name of the clothes shop behind the cafe. Each year for Valentines and White Day they have a special seasonal pancake. In 2023, they are using Nagasaki’s famous Koi Minori strawberries for their premium menu. J.SRead More →
Cafe Pour Toi, Higashimatsuyama Social Media is a great resource for finding cafes in Saitama that aren’t easily found elsewhere online. Cafe Pour Toi is a point in case. They don’t have a dedicated website, but instead use a Facebook page. A lot of cafes are using social media accountsRead More →
The Mizonuma Kids Pool in Asaka are open in 2022. However, just like last year, there are a lot of conditions. First and foremost – the pools are only open to residents of Asaka City. Furthermore, you can only go for a half a day – either the morning ORRead More →
Moose Family Camp Resort, Nasu, Tochigi American Style campsite with pool, jacuzzi and lots for the kids First, let me tell you a little about Ervin and Rika. An American expat and native Japanese couple who recently bought the derelict campsite formerly known as Captel. They have a huge jobRead More →