Information on Hanashobu, Ayame, Kakitsubata Iris flowers in Japan. In addition, information on when and where to see them in Japan. Plus bonus information for Saitama Prefecture. Iris are quite a popular and significant flower in Japan. Their bloom is said to mark the start of summer. Irises were traditionallyRead More →
Seven hundred year old wisteria, a natural monument of Saitama Prefecture, in spring and hydrangea backdropped by Japan’s tallest pagoda in summer. At Aobaen in Saitama City, just North of Tokyo. In the most unlikely of places in Saitama City there are three 700 year old wisteria that are aRead More →
Kawasemi-gawara is the name of a BBQ spot and free campsite by the Arakawa (Ara River) in Yorii, Saitama Prefecture. If you’ve ever been to the Saitama Museum of Rivers you will have seen it by the car park entrance to the river museum. You can also see it asRead More →
This is one post I am particularly happy to be bringing you! We have been trying to stay at Kinomura Camp in Tokigawa for the last five years. However, as it is extremely popular we have never been able to secure a booking for a date we wanted. This year,Read More →
Hachimangu is one of several shrines in Kawagoe with a long rich history. It is a “ichinomiya” meaning it was the first shrine of the Hachimangu sect in Kawagoe. (There are older shrines, such as Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, in Kawagoe). Kawagoe Hachimangu was founded in 1030 A.D. by Minamoto Yorinobu.Read More →
River BBQ and water play at Kurakake barbecue site in Higashimatsuyama, commutable from Tokyo on a day trip. Booking for the 2021 barbecue season at Kurakake is now open. Everything changed in 2020 on account of the Coronavirus. However, this year they are not restricting access to just Higashimatsuyama residentsRead More →
Chichibu is one of my favorite areas in Saitama due to the abundance of nature. It is a very beautiful part of Saitama, and indeed the Kanto area. And due to its accessibility from and proximity to Tokyo, it offers a weekend retreat from the hustle and bustle of cityRead More →
Heisei no Mori – or Heiseinomori – is a park in West Saitama in a town that has recently become better known, due to its exit on the Ken-o Expressway. Kawajima town, also referred to as Kawashima town, is beside the cities of Sakado, Kawagoe, Higashimatsuyama and Okegawa. The park hasRead More →