Natural Outdoor Ice Rink, Tokigawa. At one point it looked like Tokigawa town wouldn’t be opening the Kasa Skate rink in the winter of 2022. But then around the middle of December, they tweeted to say that they would open after all. And they started the rink preparation then. OnRead More →
In the last week, several places around Saitama Prefecture have reported that their wintersweet have started to bloom, a little earlier than the average year. By the first week of January, we should be able to see and smell wintersweet, but they will probably come into their prime around midRead More →
Seasonal information for the Plum Blossoms at Shinrin Park. Shinrin Park posted on their website on January 4th 2022 that ten of their early blooming plum blossoms have started to bloom already. On Tuesday the 19th of January 2021 various TV stations announced that the plum blossoms had opened inRead More →
Valley of Light is Saitama Prefecture’s brand new illumination display. Every year when I’m writing up the “ten places to see illumination” in Saitama, I’ve always thought one thing Chichibu is missing is a large scale illumination display. They do have icicle light up in January and February, but onlyRead More →
Nosaka-ji (Nosaka Temple) the 12th stop on the Chichibu 34 temple pilgrimage, 秩父札所十二番 野坂寺. Nosaka-ji A few years ago while at Hitsujiyama Park for the moss phlox, my family and I went for a hike in the area. We found this stunning temple on our way. Furthermore, it had beautifulRead More →
Every year on January 3rd, Kitain temple in Kawagoe have a Daruma market as part of their New Year celebrations. January 3rd marks the final day (of three) of the official New Year period at Kitain. Thousands of people visit over those three days for the first prayers of theRead More →
Onouchi Hyakkei Icicles are one of three icicle winter spectacles of Chichibu. The icicles are located in Ogano Town, deep in the Okuchichibu mountain range. “Hyakkei” means hundred and the Saitama Prefectural Tourism website translates the icicles name as Onouchi Hundred Icicles. However, the icicles are most commonly referred toRead More →
Everyday UFO Catcher Amusement, a crane game center in Gyoda City Saitama Prefecture, claims to hold the world record for the most crane games in one store. Tripadvisor says that it is a Guinness World Record, but the official website does not claim it as a “Guinness Record”. Moreover, theRead More →
Information for the Kotatsu Boat Nagatoro in 2022, one of several winter only activities in Nagatoro in the Chichibu district of Saitama Prefecture. Its all happening in Nagatoro and Chichibu in January! Icicles, strawberry picking, wintersweet festival and a truly only in Japan activity of Kotatsu boat riding! From JanuaryRead More →
The Fukuda area of Kawagoe is the main home of the Kawagoe Satoyama Initiative. As part of the initiative they have several seasonal events in the area. Most of which are free. I wrote about the Strawberry Candle and Lotus grass before, but I didn’t get around to writing (inRead More →