A beautiful natural hot spring in Chichibu, Seine no Yu is a private natural hot spring that is popular among tourists and locals alike. Hot spring in Chichibu On a recent trip to Ogano, which is just next door to the Yoshida area, we decided last minute we wanted toRead More →
Setsubun Saitama- Setsubun is a religious ceremony practiced every year on February 3rd. Historically setsubun, which literally means seasonal division, was a four day period marking the changing of the seasons. Risshun is, with rare exceptions, on February 4th. Risshun is the first day of spring and historically the startRead More →
Hatago Coedoya is a relatively new hotel in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, just 30 minutes from Tokyo. But more than a hotel, it offers trendy dining in the Enmusubi Yokocho, or Enyoko for short. There is also a craft cafe in Enyoko, where you can currently make a Christmas GelRead More →
The International Fureai Fair is held around the east exit area of Urawa Station. It was cancelled in 2021 and in 2020 they just had an online event. For the real deal, there are lots of stalls in the area for the festival. Fureai has a meaning similar to ‘exchange’Read More →
A highlight of October in Saitama Prefecture are the famous Konosu fireworks display. Early in 2020, the organizers of the Konosu Fireworks announced that they were postponing the infamous Konosu Fireworks. However, there were no further updates until June 23rd 2021. At that time, they said that the fireworks wereRead More →
Once an off the beaten path spot for Spider lilies (aka Lycoris, Cluster Amaryllis, Equinox flower etc) in Yoshimi Town in the Hiki District of Saitama Prefecture. Where they have not just one, but two separate spider lily flower displays. One of which blooms earlier than everywhere else. In 2021Read More →
Kawagoe has dozens of equinox flower, aka red spider lily, spots. Several of them quite hidden from the mass public. Equinox flowers is the literal translation of “higanbana”, a flower most commonly called red spider lily in English. I generally use “Red Spider lily” myself, but for this post IRead More →
SURPRISE! It certainly was a surprise when Saitama city launched their “surprise” fireworks a week earlier than what was posted on the Saitama City tourism webpage. There are a few different firework displays annually in Saitama City. For example, in July there is normally a fireworks display in Owada ParkRead More →
News just in – Ogano Town in Chichicu District will have a fireworks festival on Tuesday August 16th! It will be the first ever fireworks festival in the town, not the first time to have fireworks! Indeed, Ogano town has long had a fireworks display on August 16th annually. However,Read More →
Both the spring and autumn versions of the bi-annual Keyaki Hiroba Beer Festival were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. However, in spring 2022 the event came back with a vengeance, much to the delight of all and sundry. Because this is one of the most popularRead More →