Strawberry Picking Farms, Chichibu and Northern Saitama 2023

A selection of 10 Strawberry Picking farms in the Northern area of Saitama, including Chichibu, for the 2023 strawberry picking season.

Strawberry Picking Chichibu and Northern Saitama

Last year (2022), several farms opted to open late due to the pandemic. Many farms that normally open in winter opted to wait until February to open. However, this year it is a bit more like normal, with several farms opening in January, some even opening in December. But there are still many places that require you book in advance, whereas before the pandemic they didn’t have this requirement.

The system and cost

Generally, you pay a fixed price for a half of hour of all-you-can-eat as you pick. The prices per farm differ greatly, some start as cheap as 600 yen for children, but, in 2023, adult costs are usually about 2000 yen.  Most (but not all) farms do not charge for children two years old and under. I have not added the cost to each farm below, because the prices change frequently. Also, as the weather warms, it is not unusual for the farms to lower the price. So please do check with each individual farm for the most up-to-date costs (and information). Parking is typically free.

Strawberry picking farms in the Northern area of Saitama

This post introduces strawberry picking farms in the Northern area of Saitama. If you want more central picking areas, nearer Tokyo, please see 12 Strawberry Picking Farms in Western Saitama. The areas featured in this post include:

• Fukaya
• Kamisato
• Chichibu area
  • Yokoze
  • Chichibu City

Fukaya

1. Hanazono Ichigo-en

The Hanazono Ichigoen / strawberry farm is one of the longest running with picking available up until late June. So if you are looking for somewhere to pick strawberries on a June Japan / Saitama trip, Hanazono Ichigoen is worth considering. Especially if you are coming by car as the strawberry farm is located close to the Hanazono Interchange of the expressway. And it is in a nice roadside station which has a famous sweet themed food park Hanazono Forest.

2. Angelina Berrys Farm (Angelina Berries Farm)

This is one of the farms that is opening late again this year. They have been selling strawberries since mid December though. I have not been to this farm myself, but it is very well known and reputed in Saitama Prefecture. Furthermore, this farm offers 45 minute sessions of picking, unlike most farms which have only 30 minute sessions. You can print off a 100 yen discount from their website, linked below.

3. Yachiyo Strawberry Farm

Another popular strawberry picking farm in Fukaya is the Yachiyo Strawberry Farm. There are five different types of strawberries at the farm, including sweet Beni Hoppe, one of Japan’s most popular. They also have Akihime, Sagabonoka, Amarin and Kaorin strawberries too. You can buy yakiimo on the farm grounds too. Please note this farm is only open five days a week, outlined below.

4. Ando farm

A farm that kids will no doubt enjoy, Ando Farm has a mini ranch on the grounds. The ranch has cows and goats. Although, its address is Fukaya it is actually right on the border of Ranzan town. This is another farm with a long picking season. And actually its not unusual for to be able to pick even in July. So another one to bookmark if you are going to be in Saitama, Japan, in June. It is a very highly rated farm that is always busy on weekends.

Kamisato

5. Kamisato Strawberry and Tomato farm

The Kamisato Strawberry and Tomato Farm near the Kamisato Service Area smart interchange on the Kanetsu Expressway. It also has melon picking in summer, which is really rare in Saitama. The farm is located next to Cantare, a well known dessert buffet and restaurant. There is a sweets factory and bakery there too – you can watch them at work through the large windows designed to offer a view. You can pick up freshly baked bread for just 100 yen.

Chichibu Area Strawberry farms

Yokoze

6. Komatsuzawa Fruits farm

The Komatsuzawa Fruits farm is probably the largest and best known fruit farm in Yokoze town in the Chichibu area of Saitama Prefecture. It is a leisure farm where you can fruit or vegetable pick all year round. In addition, you can fish for trout here too. Moreover, they have a great workshop where you can make your own soba or udon. They have a hammock house where you can hang out! Their strawberry picking season is generally from early January to late April, but they are starting the 2023 season in November 2022! At the moment they have only scheduled up to the end of February, after that they will watch the conditions of the strawberries before making a decision.

7. Yokoze Town Tourism (横瀬町観光）Strawberry Farm selection

Komatsuzawa Fruit farm and Okiune Fruit Farm are just two of several strawberry farms in Yokoze. Just like Yoshimi town, the strawberry picking farms in the Yokoze area work in a cooperative. Below is the information for the Yokoze town tourism center with details for eight (ten in a non pandemic year) different strawberry picking farms in the Yokoze area. Ashigakubo is one area of Yokoze. There are very famous icicles there, which are lit up on weekends. If you are going strawberry picking in Yokoze before February 23rd, you can combine a trip to the icicles for an unforgettable winter experience!

Chichibu

8. Tomita Farm

The Tomita farm is a large picking farm with dozens of greenhouses. It does have a website, but it is not updated annually. For this farm, it is strongly recommended that you ring before you go to make sure they are open and accepting pickers. They have raised strawberry beds at both adult and children’s level. Furthermore, the aisles are wide so suited to strollers and wheelchairs. The season here starts earlier than anywhere else, in November! A November start is really rare, so if you are looking for somewhere to pick strawberries in November bookmark here! Moreover, another thing that is rare about this farm is that you can opt to pick strawberries to bring home, i.e. not pick and eat as you go as is the usual system.

9. Chichibu Fruit farm

This is perhaps one of the most famous fruit farms in Saitama Prefecture, or at least the most promoted. It is a tourist farm well used to handling large groups as much as small families. You can barbecue on the grounds which is one of the reasons it has always attracted tourists and / or bus tours on a daytrip to Chichibu. Moreover, it is within walking distance of three train stations: Seibu Chichibu, Ohanabatake and Kagemori Stations.

10. Masakado Farm

Conveniently located by the Arakawa roadside station, the Masakado Farm is a fruit farm with strawberry picking in winter and spring, and grape picking in Autumn. We haven’t been for the strawberry picking yet, but we have been grape picking here. The vineyard and the strawberry farm are at slightly different locations, the latter (strawberries) is not on google maps. But if you get in the vicinity of the roadside station you can easily spot it. Its a lovely bucolic location, with a view of Saitama’s steam locomotive “the Paleo Express” twice a day from March.