Before the pandemic, the Saitama Bon Odori had been held in Yono for more than 45 years. It has been greatly missed the last few years, but thankfully it is coming back in 2022. In 2022, Ryohei Kondo, artistic director of the Sai no Kuni Saitama Arts Theater, will joinRead More →
A truly energizing festival, the Chichibu Kawase Festival and Fireworks is one of the highlights of summer in Chichibu. They cancelled the festival in both 2020 and 2021, but in 2021 they had a mini surprise fireworks on the 19th. I am absolutely delighted to announce that this magnificent festivalRead More →
Normally, pre-pandemic, Satte Summer Festival is a four day annual affair every July. However, it has been cancelled for the last two years due to you know what! But it is scheduled for 2022. However, it will be very different than an “usual” year. For one, this year it isRead More →
The Kuki Lantern Festival, also known as Kuki Tenno Festival, is one of the most famous festivals in Saitama Prefecture. In 2020 the event was completely cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak. In 2021, a small part of it was on, without any type of food or festival stalls. Moreover,Read More →
Kumagaya Uchiwa Festival is one of the Kanto area’s largest summer festivals. It is open to the public from July 20th – 22nd annually, but it is actually celebrated from the 19th to the 23rd by patrons of Yasaka Shrine of Kamakura-cho. However, it was not open to the general publicRead More →
Saikasai – Asaka City Festival. For the last two years, due to the Olympics, they scheduled the Saikasai festival for Autumn. But in 2022 for the first time in three years, they are planning to have the festival in August again. This festival is on the first Sunday of AugustRead More →
The Sayama City Irumagawa Tanabata Festival and Fireworks are officially one of the three great Star Festivals of the Kanto region. Sayama City have decided to have the festival in 2022. However, it is very much a festival “lite” with many of the usual elements of the festival missing, includingRead More →
The Kazo Citizen’s Peace (Heiwa) Festival is held on May 3rd annually. May 3rd is a national public holiday that falls during Golden Week. The festival is a type of spring festival, but the highlight is the jumbo carp streamer. It is the world’s longest carp shaped windsock. The carpRead More →
The Kasukabe Wisteria Festival was cancelled in both 2020 and 2021. However, the Wisteria of Ushijima – Tokaen, which is just one location of the Kasukabe Wisteria Festival, was open to the public. It is opening in 2022 too: from April 11th to May 5th. Update May 2nd 2022: TokaenRead More →
Oshi Castle Ruins are located in Gyoda City in Eastern Saitama Prefecture. Nicknamed “the floating castle”, and sometimes “Turtle Castle”, due to its position on elevated land surrounded by water, the story of the castle is particularly famous. In its day, the castle was considered one of Kanto’s seven strongholds.Read More →