Taiko with Ondekoza – Traditional Japanese taiko is invigorating to watch, but it is even more exhilarating to play. But training with the esteemed Ondekoza taiko drum troupe is an experience an a whole other level. The afternoon I spent watching and playing taiko with some of my peers andRead More →
Bokuranote “our hands”: Dog cafe, Dog run, Dog Shelter, Kawajima Town I think it is fair to say that, by and large, Japan is an animal and pet loving country. Despite that though, there is a surprisingly high number of pets abandoned in Japan each year. Of which a highRead More →
Peace Museum of Saitama, Iwadono area of Higashimatsuyama The Peace Museum of Saitama (埼玉県平和資料館 in Japanese) is set in the lush tranquil hills of Iwadono in Higashimatsuyama. The area of Iwadono is part of the vast 4,638 hectare “Prefectural Hiki Nature Park” . If you’ve ever been to the SaitamaRead More →
Cafe Mozart is the cafe on the grounds of the former Ogawa Town Shimozato school. The school is known to many as Ashigaoka school from the Non Non Biyori anime. The cafe is attached to the acclaimed school, which has become a popular destination for fans of the anime. ButRead More →
The Denjiro Science Show, live performance, report from Fresa Yoshimi, Summer 2019. Denjiro Yonemura Denjiro Yonemura is Japan’s “mad scientist”. You may have seen him on the TV, perform one of his magic like experiments or science projects. They are normally playful and involve the participation of at least oneRead More →
Garden and Cafe Prunus, Higashimatsuyama, piqued my interest when I saw a photo of it in a Moteco issue a couple of years ago. It wasn’t so much the food as the building that grabbed my attention. It is a fetching cross of English country meets Swiss chalet. Perched onRead More →
Chichibu Poppy Festival – In both 2020 and 2021 there were no “poppies in the sky”! In 2020, the Chichibu Poppy Festival “Poppies in the Sky” was not only cancelled, the flowers weren’t even grown. But in 2021 they grew the flowers and scheduled the event and then the dayRead More →
This is an update of an older post about the Sakura in Saitama. For a sakura guide written specifically for 2021: Saitama Sakura 2021 Saitama Sakura – Saitama may not be particularly well known for our cherry blossoms, but we still have plenty of places to enjoy cherry blossoms, cherryRead More →
Saitama Cherry Blossom Map A map of the key Saitama Cherry Blossom spots A map of most of the key locations for hanami and / or sakura cherry blossom viewing in the Saitama area. Please click on the location for further information. Map Key Not all of the places haveRead More →
Natural Cafe Sora – Indoor / Outdoor child friendly restaurant with play areas. Relatively close to both Yoshimi Kannon and Hatchoko Park, which are best visited in Autumn for the leaves or spring for the cherry blossoms. Natural Cafe Sora The standard of restaurants and cafes is so high inRead More →