On September 3rd, I updated the post about the early blooming spider lilies in Yoshimi to say that the red section were a write off this year, but that there was ‘hope for the colored section’. Thankfully, the early blooming section did indeed end up blooming beautifully, just this week.Read More →
For the first time in three years, Shinrin Park have grown the Cock’s comb (aka Keito / Cockscomb / Celosia) and Kochia at the ‘Undo Hiroba’. The Undo Hiroba is larger than the area where they were grown in both 2022 and 2021. In fact, the display will be twiceRead More →
Shinrin Park (aka Musashi Kyuryo National Government Park) confirmed earlier this week that they will have their Halloween night in the Forest again this year. They had it in between 2020 and 2022 too, for the record, despite the pandemic. And I for one was very grateful we were ableRead More →
Due to the success of the sky lantern night for Kawajima Town’s 50th anniversary in 2022, the town will once again host a sky lantern night x Halloween event in 2023. Last year the lanterns sold out in hours, as it was a first come first served system. But thisRead More →
One of the routes to Tokigawa town brings you through the low hills of the Hatoyama countryside, where there is currently sunflowers in bloom. I found myself there serendipitously today, just as the sunflowers are starting to bloom. About a quarter of the sunflowers are already photogenic. Sunflowers Hatoyama TheRead More →
Tochimoto water (shinsui) park is a park around the Tochimoto Weir on the Tsuki River. Ogawa town developed the park as a relaxation space for locals. It is used for walking, fishing and river play. In addition, the park is used for various events during the year. Such as, theRead More →
Each year in summer Okamoto daylily garden in Ogawa opens to the public for about two weeks. However, between 2020 and 2022 they didn’t open due to the pandemic. But this year, they are open again for the first time in four years. Daylily Garden Ogawa Daylilies grow in SaitamaRead More →
When you think of Saitama’s famous shaved ice cafes, where comes to mind? For me, Azami Reizo, Kore ga kakigori, Craft Cafe and Yamadaya are the first that come to mind. We’ve been to three out of four and so far, and for us personally, Yamadaya is our top pick.Read More →
Each year in June, Ranzan town host a lavender festival at Sennen no Sono lavender field. Sennen no Sono was, for one year in 2019, the largest lavender field in all of Japan! They may have downsized it, but with 22,000 lavender over 6.5 hectares it is still a formidableRead More →
Information for the 2023 Tokigawa Iris Festival in Saitama, Japan. Tokigawa Iris Festival The Tokigawa Iris Festival is held at the Tokigawa Iris Garden, a relatively small iris garden with about 5,000 iris. The iris bloom around the first three weeks in June. As of May 28th 2023, some ofRead More →