Chichibu has long been famous for its buckwheat flowers, but I have noticed in recent years Orui Soba field appearing on social media more and more. I love driving by Orui Soba Field at this time of year to see the sea of buckwheat flowers. Due to the type of location it is, I most often just drive by. But in 2022 I found somewhere to park and went on foot to take some photos of the stunning scene I enjoy annually. Some of the people who have been posting about it on social media are bikers or cyclists. Its the type of place that is easier to visit on bike or motorbike because it is easier to pull in. But as the private field of a farmer, there is no official parking for this scenic spot.
Orui Soba Field
Unfortunately the one and only day that I took photos at this location it was very overcast. And then the heavens opened up and it started to lash rain, so I really didn’t get the photos I wanted. But that’s okay. Because I continue to enjoy it as a drive-by location. I love that you can see the mountain ridges of Oku-Musashi in the background. I decided to share this location on the blog this year, because somebody added it to Google Maps last year. Also, October is a good month to visit Moroyama for the open gardens, such as the stunning Hana no Michi Fukuda, which is in its prime right now.
However, the garden is not within walking distance of the field, but the Moroyama Museum of History and Folklore is. It is about a ten to fifteen minute walk from the Orui Soba Field. There is a restaurant, Sumiya Soba Noodle restaurant that actually has a partial view of the soba fields and a parking lot. I have never eaten there so I can’t speak to the quality of it. Please do not park in the parking lot if you are not eating there. Also, you must not enter the field, just admire it from the outside. Please note there is nowhere to pitch a tripod as there is no footpath. There is also limited opportunities for close up shots, this is very much a wide angle lens spot.
Information
Flower: Buckwheat flowers
Season: around the end of September to mid October, it will depend greatly on the weather. Also, the farmer could harvest the field at anytime, so play it safe it is best to visit before the middle of October. The photos in this post were taken early in the month of October, in 2022.
Location: Orui Soba Field 大類そば畑 854 Orui, Moroyama, Iruma District, Saitama 350-0432, Japan. View on Google Maps.
Access: as above, there is no parking lot. If you are using public transportation, you can get a bus from Sakado Station, on the Tobu Tojo Line. Alight at the Nigabayashi「苦林」bus stop, which is about a ten minute walk from the fields. It takes just under an hour to walk from Kawakado Station on the Tobu Ogose Line.
There is no official website, but you will find lots of blog posts in the Japanese language about this spot online.