The Misato “Big Bon” dance festival is held annually on August 11th, a public holiday for mountain day. It takes place in Niodori Park in Misato City, near Misato Chuo Station on the Tsukuba Express line. The dance festival starts at 4 pm and ends around 8.30 pm. However, inRead More →
The Nakasendo matsuri is just one of many festivals that is normally held in Omiya at the end of July and start of August each summer. They are collectively called “Omiya Summer Festival”. Unfortunately, but understandably, they were all cancelled in 2020 due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Official notification ofRead More →
Spark Carnival – The 33rd annual spark carnival, one of a collective of Omiya Summer Festivals, was due to be held on August 1st 2020. However, due to the Coronavirus outbreak, the carnival was cancelled along with dozens of other festivals in Saitama City. The carnival is generally held onRead More →
Honjo Gion Festival – This festival occurs every year on the 2 days preceding “umi no hi”, an annual holiday in Japan. However, in 2020 the event was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak. It attracts about 40,000 people. There are 70 stalls. One of the unusual features of this festival is the 雨乞獅子“rainRead More →
Saitama Water Park Summer Pools in Ageo usually open in the middle of July to early September. However, in 2020, like most other seasonal outdoor pools and aqua parks, the aqua park was not open on account of the Coronavirus. It is too early to tell how things will turnRead More →
Toda Summer Pool for kids at Kodomo No Kuni. Kodomo no Kuni is the name of the Children’s Center in Toda city, Saitama. Among their many facilities they have outdoor pools for children in the summer. They have a 30 cm pool and a 45 cm pool making them idealRead More →
Cherry Blossom Boat Ride, Night light up and river of pink petals at Shingashi River at the back of Hikawa Shrine February 18th 2021 – it was announced today that there will be no boat ride in 2021 on account of the Coronavirus. The Kawagoe Spring Festival has also beenRead More →
Yabusame is the military art of discharging an arrow at a target while riding on a running horse. Each year in both Autumn and Spring Moroyama town celebrates this ancient military art form. The festival in Moroyama has been celebrated for the last 950 years. Moroyama is the only place in Saitama whereRead More →
Okanzakura Sakado – The Nissai Sakura Festival in Sakado is a relatively new festival in Saitama, although the cherry blossoms have been around for quite some time. The event was cancelled in 2020 on account of the Coronavirus. And unfortunately, news came in at the end of December 2020, thatRead More →
Koshigaya Plum Blossom – The 27th Annual Koshigaya Plum Forest Park Plum Blossom Festival is tentatively planned for Saturday March 6th and Sunday the 7th. However, due to the Coronavirus there is a chance the festival may not be able to go ahead. The festival was cancelled in 2020 dueRead More →