The Capybara Onsen, aka hot spring, is one of the (thee?) most popular annual events at the Saitama Children’s Zoo. Indeed the love of the Capybara Onsen in general is a phenomenon hard to explain – you just have to go and see for yourself. I guarantee you, even theRead More →
For the fourth year in a row, the Higashimatsuyama Fireworks have been cancelled on account of the pandemic. There will be no firework displays in Higashimatsuyama city in 2023. Official notification Higashimatsuyama Fireworks 2020 The 2020 Higashimatsuyama fireworks have been cancelled due to the Coronavirus Outbreak. The 2020 Higashimatsuyama summerRead More →
Iwadono Kannon is the most common name used for Shoboji temple in Higashimatsuyama. However, on Google maps its called Shōbōji and that is the name that has stuck with me. The legendary gingko tree at Shoboji is one of my personal favorite posts on this blog! But there is moreRead More →
Information for the winter and spring peonies, peony festival and other seasonal flowers and events at Botanen, Higashimatsuyama. Botanen Park in Higashimatsuyama is the largest peony garden in all of Japan. However, more than just a peony garden, it is also a small park with several things to offer. InRead More →
Every November in Japan there are chrysanthemum festivals all around the country where you can see potted chrysanthemum displays. However, there are only a few places where you can actually see chrysanthemum flower beds. In Saitama anyway. One place you can see chrysanthemum growing in a manicured garden is theRead More →
Saitama Children’s Zoo celebrate Halloween for the month of October. For the occasion, the children’s castle will transform into a Halloween castle, with lots of different photo spots. For a long time, when my own children were small, this was one of only a few Halloween events in Saitama Prefecture.Read More →
Higashimatsuyama is famous for pear picking. There are almost 20 tourist pear farms in Higashimatsuyama City, Saitama Prefecture. However, in 2023 only two of them will offer picking. I am quite surprised by this as in 2021, when things were stricter, there were 8 places you could pick. Last yearRead More →
New at / news for the Saitama Children’s Animal Nature Park, Autumn 2019. Saitama Children’s Animal Nature Park is the official name for Saitama Children’s Zoo, a 46 hectare zoo in the hills of Iwadono in Higashimatsuyama. Saitama Children’s zoo is one of the top attractions of the prefecture andRead More →
Higashimatsuyama Agriculture Park, fruit and vegetable picking, food farming, farm product processing experiences and seasonal flowers. The cosmos are now in bloom in November 2023 and there will be an event in the park on Sunday November 19th 2023. More on that below. Higashimatsuyama Agriculture Park The Higashimatsuyama Agriculture Park,Read More →
Peace Museum of Saitama, Iwadono area of Higashimatsuyama The Peace Museum of Saitama (埼玉県平和資料館 in Japanese) is set in the lush tranquil hills of Iwadono in Higashimatsuyama. The area of Iwadono is part of the vast 4,638 hectare “Prefectural Hiki Nature Park” . If you’ve ever been to the SaitamaRead More →