The Sweet Potato Expo is annual food event in February at Saitama Shintoshin in Saitama City. It is the largest sweet potato fair in all of Japan. Furthermore, it is one of few food events that was not cancelled due to the pandemic. Moreover, in 2022, they have a summerRead More →
In praise of Culture Cafe Grandir and 5½ other reasons to visit “Little America”, Johnson Town, in Saitama Prefecture. Johnson Town Johnson town, at the site of the former American military Johnson Air base, is a collection of stores, cafes & restaurants and private residences in Iruma City, Saitama Prefecture.Read More →
In Japan everywhere has to be famous for something right? About 90 years ago, Kitamoto decided tomatoes were up for grabs and duly picked that as their something to be famous for. And what better way to celebrate your city’s famed product that a festival. Cue Kitamoto’s annual tomato festival.Read More →
A new gelateria “Japan Gelateria Asanoha”opened in Kawajima town on Friday July 30th. The gelateria is just one of four businesses in what they have called “Ebisu 1st Place”, an initiative by the Soh Corporation. The other three are a barbecue service, a fish restaurant “Jiro Charcoal Grill” and aRead More →
‘Tapioca and Tart’ at Layer cafe, located along the Arakawa riverbed on the grounds of a Karinto factory in Fukaya. Layer Cafe Layer cafe opened on the grounds of Asahi Karinto’s Hanazono factory in April 2020. Karinto is a type of sweet deep fried traditional Japanese snack food. The frontRead More →
Yano Fishing Park is located in a valley in Kamikawa Town in the Northern (Kodama) area of Saitama Prefecture, right on the border of Gunma Prefecture. Kamikawa Town doesn’t get a lot of publicity. With the result it is one of the most unspoiled areas of Saitama Prefecture. However, KamikawaRead More →
Washi no Sato is a roadside station in Saitama’s last and only village, Higashichichibu. Moreover, it is one of the most famous places for traditional washi paper making, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. You can try your hand at the 1300 year old tradition at this quaint rest area inRead More →
Hasunoka Cafe is right across the road from the main entrance to Kitain Temple. As such, it is also close to Naritasan Temple. If you are looking for somewhere “safe”(from Covid) for a sit down coffee and / or a light meal near either of these temples, this is oneRead More →
Daily life brought me to Kawagoe today, right by the Shingashi River. As I turned the corner to the street that runs along the river by Hikawa Shrine, I could see straight away that the cherry blossoms have opened. There are a few trees that are quite far along, butRead More →
Al fresco dining, outdoor seating, in Saitama Prefecture, at Adomani Cafe in Konosu With the Coronavirus still in our midst, I’ve never been so interested in “al fresco dining”. Amazingly, it is not as popular in Japan as you would expect. Therefore, it is quite hard to find a goodRead More →