Information for the annual Capybara Onsen at the Saitama Children’s Zoo. The official start date for the 2021 – 22 capybara onsen is Tuesday November 16th. Where can I see capybara in a hot spring in Saitama? There are actually quite a few places around the Kanto plain that haveRead More →
Tobu Zoo will revive both the Night Zoo and Halloween parade for the first time in two years. From October 2nd to October 31st, on Saturday and Sunday nights only, the Tobu Zoo will be open an extra two hours, until 7 pm, for the night time events. You canRead 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 →
Chichibu Highland Ranch, also known as Sai No Kuni Fureai Farm, is a free prefectural farm on top of a 766 meter high mountain ridge in Higashichichibu village. It affords a particularly beautiful view and is a great spot for watching both the sunset and the sunrise. Located on anRead More →
Saitama Aquarium in Hanyu It was a pleasant surprise revisiting Saitama Aquarium this past week. We hadn’t been in around eight years. And the last time was a bit of a disappointment so we left it this long to visit again. In the eight years since we’d been there thoughRead More →
Fishing with kids – I’ll be perfectly honest; fishing is not my thing. But my kids love it. Normally my husband brings them, but I have been with them a couple of times. Including their last visit a couple of weeks ago. The kids were inched into a love ofRead More →
New at / news for the Saitama Children’s Animal Nature Park, Autumn 2019. Saitama Children’s Animal Nature Park is the official name for Saitama Children’s Zoo, a 46 hectare zoo in the hills of Iwadono in Higashimatsuyama. Saitama Children’s zoo is one of the top attractions of the prefecture andRead More →
See the national butterfly of Japan in its natural habitat It’s amazing what you learn when you spend your days out and about exploring your adopted second home. Who knew that the Great Purple Emperor “Oomurazaki” Butterfly is the national butterfly of Japan? I didn’t and wouldn’t have, had itRead More →
Ogano Deer Park is a small animal park on the site of Oshika shrine, more commonly known as the biker’s shrine. Ogano is named for the deer in the area, it quite literally means “small deer field”. Ironically, the area is not that well known for its deer, but isRead More →
I’ve brought the kids to Tobu Zoo a few times over the years. Our initial visit was about seven years ago and we weren’t as impressed with the zoo side on that first visit. However, they have improved the zoo over the years and we have grown to like itRead More →