Moomin Valley – Nicknamed “Moomin House” the quirky building pictured is one of three buildings (and a cafe added in 2018) in this free, unique and imaginative theme park for children in Hanno City; Tove Jansson Akebono Children’s Forest Park. Once you leave your shoes at the door (which we didn’t on ourRead More →
Saiboku Ham and Hot spring, in Hidaka City on the border of Kawagoe in Saitama, near Tokyo. This food centered leisure village (with hot springs and play areas) is located very close to the Kasumigaseki 2021 Olympic golf course. Saiboku hot spring near Tokyo is often described as a food themeRead More →
Ageo Maruyama park is frequently listed in Saitama’s top 3 list of family parks. It is personally one of my favourites. I love that although the park isn’t massive, there is so much to do and see that you can spend a full day there. I particularly like that they have swings that toddlersRead More →
Oisezuka Park, Kawagoe Oisezuka Park is a small park in Kawagoe, but very close to Tsurugashima. It has a lovely well groomed open lawn that is great for a picnic and / or playing ball, chasing or blowing bubbles. :-Parts of the park are very picturesque and it is popularRead More →
Grape picking Sayama, Saitama. Sayama Grape season generally starts in August. What week in August depends largely on the fruit picking farm. The grape picking season is one of the shorter fruit picking seasons, generally finishing up in the middle of September. However, you can currently only buy directly fromRead More →
Peony Walk is a large mall in the city of Higashi Matsuyama. It’s nearest station is Takasaka, which is probably best known as the station for Saitama Children’s Zoo. Until the mall was built a few years ago, there wasn’t much in the area at all. Now there are a numberRead More →
Kitamotoshi Kodomo Park 2012 to 2020! Kitamotoshi Kodomo Park is called Kitamoto Children’s Park in English. When I first wrote this blog post in 2012 I only had two children and they were both toddlers. Fast forward eight years and I now have four children aged between 5 and 10Read More →
Nanbata* Castle Park in Fujimi City. In Saitama‘s oldest published post! First published in 2008 and still going strong in 2021, thank you very much for your readership and support. (*Nanbata is often written Nambata, I use both in this post so either is searchable). Nambata Castle Park When youRead More →