October cherry blossoms at Hatoyama Agriculture Park Hatoyama is a town in the Hiki district of Western Saitama. It is a town that has always baffled me. Wealthy to a T, or maybe that should be a tee for all the luxurious golf courses it boasts, but yet the townRead More →
October is a great month to get out and about in Saitama, and all of Japan. The night time temperatures have cooled right down and by mid October the day time temperatures are cool and comfortable. The occurrence of typhoons also decreases, but do bear in mind that there haveRead More →
Jomine Park in the unassuming Kamikawa Town in the North of Saitama is one of Japan’s most famous winter cherry blossoms spots. Moreover, it is one of only a handful of places in Japan where you can see red maple leaves and cherry blossoms at the same time. Normally, theRead More →
Photogenic Cherry blossom spot in Hatoyama Town: Oshamoji Yama Park Oshamoji Yama Park Oshamoji Yama Park is not the type of place you would go out of your way to visit. It is located in a very small park centered around a look out tower. It has no car parkRead More →
Botanen Park in Higashimatsuyama is the largest peony garden in all of Japan. However, more than just a peony garden, it is also a small park with several things to offer. In recent years, the winter peony have drawn more visitors. Information for the 2023 winter peony in Botanen isRead More →
Jomine Park (or Jyomine Park) on Mt Jomine, by Lake Kanna and the haunted Shimokubo dam in Kamikawa, Saitama on the border of Fujioka City, Gunma. Famed for its winter cherry blossoms that bloom at the same time as the autumn leaves… Jomine Park It was a dream come trueRead More →
We’ve been hanging out in Shiroyama park quite a lot recently. Thanks to the Family Walker magazine featuring the new piece of playground equipment (the red and white pirate ship pictured below) and suggesting it as a hanami location. We had visited a few times in the past, but it didn’t make that much ofRead More →
A selection of 10 flowers that bloom in Japan in January. I say it often, because it is true, but my favorite month in Japan is January. There is so much to do in Japan in January. And as it is one of the driest months of the year, itRead More →
Saitama’s first certified Forest therapy base and therapy road at Kitamoto Nature Observation Park, also home to the Saitama Nature Study Center. When my kids were small we spent quite a lot of time at this park in Kitamoto. Or to be more precise; combining a visit here with theRead More →
The Wako Citizens’ Festival is an autumn festival, held annually in November. The main festival is normally on for two days around the middle of November, with smaller events in the lead up to it, but in 2022 there will be just one main day. There will, however, be smallerRead More →