Cafe Puisto in Tove Jansson’s Akebono Children’s Forest Park, aka the original Moomin Valley. However, since Metsa Village and Moominvalley park opened it is no longer referred to as Moomin Valley. But there are some of us to whom this will always be Moomin Valley! The Original Moomin Valley OnceRead More →
For the third year in a row, the Iruma Nouryou Firework Festival has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Several of the event websites are still (June 14th 2022) reporting this event as going ahead. But the official Iruma Air Base confirmed publicly on June 7th that they haveRead More →
Gojo waterfall, Hidaka. When I first wrote this post in 2016 there was no information in English anywhere around the web. I looked up information in Japanese and it said that the falls are named after The five virtues of Confucius, which is written “gojou” or “gojyou” in English. ButRead More →
In the 20th episode of the second season of the anime Yama no Susume, “Climb of Encouragement“, you can see a beautiful park with quirky buildings, that looks completely fictional. Fortunately, for all of us, it’s an actual park in the rural area of Hanno, right beside Tokyo. The park isRead More →
The Japanese sougou 総合 is used to indicate a multi-purpose park and that is exactly what Hidaka Sougou park is. It is often translated into Hidaka Total Park in English. The park is free in, with free parking. It is close to the golf course for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. HereRead More →
Asu Sports Park in Hanno City is just across the road from the very unique Akebono Children’s Forest. It has a nice playground for younger kids as well as a spider web climbing frame for all ages. The area around the spider web climbing equipment and the toddler play equipmentRead More →
Night light up, Christmas events and general information for Tove Jansson Akebono Children’s Forest (formerly Moomin Valley) in Hanno City, Saitama Prefecture near Tokyo. Last update 2023.01.30. Tove Jansson Akebono Children’s Forest Once nicknamed “Moomin House” and now known as “Mushroom House” the quirky building pictured below is one of threeRead More →
Saiboku Ham and Hot spring, in Hidaka City on the border of Kawagoe in Saitama, near Tokyo. This food centered leisure village (with hot springs and play areas) is located very close to the Kasumigaseki 2021 Olympic golf course. Saiboku hot spring near Tokyo is often described as a food themeRead More →