Information for the State of Emergency in Saitama Prefecture, Summer 2021. On July 29th 2021 it was announced that a State of Emergency (SOE) will begin on Monday August 2nd in Saitama, Kanagawa and Chiba. In addition, the current State of Emergencies in Tokyo and Okinawa will be extended toRead More →
Have you heard about the Peacock Shrine in Saitama City? Or maybe you know it as the Quiz Shrine? It is one of those shrines that is very famous among Saitama residents and further afield among the history buffs. But it is off the tourist trail. Maybe the locals preferRead More →
The Lupine flowers have started to bloom around Saitama Prefecture. You can see small displays of them in private gardens and occasionally public places such as parks or shrines. However, there is one location in Saitama where you can see a large display of Lupine (Lupines / Lupinus); Musashi KyuryoRead More →
Chipmunks, Saitama City – a free chipmunk garden in an agricultural area in Saitama City. Chipmunks in Saitama City “Squirrel House” is the official English name of the free furry friends attraction in Saitama City. Contrary to what that conjures up, it is an outdoor attraction. Not large enough toRead More →
Daily Coronavirus updates sources of information for Saitama Prefecture in 2021 Saitama Coronavirus 2021 After 7 months of doing a daily report on the Covid-19 figures and coronavirus news for Saitama Prefecture, I regrettably have to give it up indefinitely. I am very sorry, particularly to those who’ve been followingRead More →
January in Japan Have you always wanted to visit Japan, but its a little on the pricey side for you? Or maybe you’ve been to Japan several times and seen the cherry blossoms, autumn leaves and summer festivals. What next? Without a moment’s hesitation, after 20 years living in Japan,Read More →
In Spring 2021, the newest Starbucks in Saitama will open in Sayama City. It will be the first branch of the coffee chain to open in Sayama city. Moreover, it will be the very first Starbucks to open in a public park in Saitama Prefecture. In addition, it has terraceRead More →
A selection of 12 Strawberry Picking farms in Western Saitama, for the 2021 strawberry picking season. Western Area There are five areas in Saitama: Central, Eastern, Western, Northern and Chichibu. The Western area of Saitama has more cities and towns than the Central, Northern and Chichibu areas combined. The citiesRead More →
The latest information in English on the web for LGBTQ+ friendly, discrimination free 800 year old Saimyouji, Kawagoe. Includes information for seasonally themed floral water fonts, temple illumination and new in 2021 – wind chimes. New in 2021 The latest addition to the temple, May 2021, are wind chimes. ItsRead More →
Kawagoe is famous for many things, not least its sweet potatoes. Even the city’s main mascot Tokimo is a mash (if you’ll pardon the pun!) of the sweet potato “imo” and the symbol of Kawagoe the bell tower “Toki”. Moreover, there is even a “Kawagoe Imo” which refers to sweetRead More →