Iwadono Shohoji is a small mountainside temple, known for its Purple or ‘Mitsuba’ Azalea, in Tokigawa Town. I was updating the information for the 2023 Kasa natural ice rink in Tokigawa town today. Which reminded me that Shohoji temple is one of more than 300 posts I have sitting inRead More →
New Year Event Dezome Kumagaya – One of the many New Year traditions in Japan. Dezome Shiki has been practised since the Edo period. It involves a ceremony of firefighters with an acrobatic show, put on to simultaneously entertain the audience and raise safety awareness. It is one of myRead More →
Seien Park illumination in Fukaya is a relatively new addition to “In Saitama”. I’m not sure when the very first display was, but the event has been around for at least four years. It started grabbing attention in 2019 and has proved to be a very popular and photogenic illuminationRead More →
For the first time in three years: the Honjo Festival, ‘the best float festival on the Nakasendo’. The Honjo Festival is one of two festivals that take place in Honjo City in early November. The Kodama Autumn Festival takes place on the Culture Day public holiday, November 3rd, only. ButRead More →
The Kodama Autumn Festival is a traditional festival float festival that takes places on Culture Day annually. A highlight of the festival is the parade of sacred horses. Culture day is on November 3rd and is a public holiday in Japan. This festival centers around Hachiman Shrine. Kodama Autumn FestivalRead More →
The Iruma Air base air show happens annually on the 3rd of November. November 3rd is a public holiday in Japan for Culture Day. This is a popular event that attracts between 100,000 (bad weather day) and 200,000 (good weather day) spectators annually. However, in both 2020 and 2021 theRead More →
Anitamasai – Saitama’s largest Anime / Manga festival normally takes place in October annually in Omiya. Entry to the grounds is free. However, in both 2020 and 2021 on account of the Coronavirus the event was moved online. The organizers have confirmed that the 10th annual Anitamasai is scheduled forRead More →
The Kawagoe Festival is held annually on the third Saturday and Sunday of October. However, due to the pandemic, Kawagoe city cancelled the festival in both 2020 and 2021. But great news for 2022 – the city are planning the festival. As it is the 100 year anniversary of theRead More →
Tokorozawa are planning to hold the much loved Tokorozawa Festival in 2022, for the first time in four years. In 2019 they cancelled the festival last minute on account of typhoon Hagibis. In 2020 they cancelled the event early on in anticipation of a second or third wave of theRead More →
The Chichibu Rocket Festival is most commonly referred to by its Japanese name “Ryusei Matsuri” even in English, possibly due to the uniqueness of this 400 year old festival. Ryusei literally means dragon power. The Ryusei Festival, or “Chichibu Yoshida Dragon Power”, is a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural PropertyRead More →