JAXA Earth Observation Center is located in Hatoyama Town in the Hiki District of Saitama Prefecture. The town is probably the most famous place in Hatoyama, apart from the golf courses! To be upfront: my kids were too young the time we visited, so we ended up spending less thanRead More →
Heisei no Mori – or Heiseinomori – is a park in West Saitama in a town that has recently become better known, due to its exit on the Ken-o Expressway. Kawajima town, also referred to as Kawashima town, is beside the cities of Sakado, Kawagoe, Higashimatsuyama and Okegawa. The park hasRead More →
Tree climbing in Saitama – “Treeing” is the term the Japanese have coined for the sport of climbing trees with ropes and harnesses. In the Autumn of 2015, treeing came on my radar because one of my local parks started to offer it as a regular event. On further inspection quiteRead More →
If you are looking for a park in Yoshimi, there isn’t a great choice unfortunately. There are a couple of scenic parks, such as the Hatchoko park and the Sakura Tsutsumi. However, in terms of parks where kids can play there’s really only Yoshimi Town Friendship Athletic Ground . However,Read More →
Best of Saitama: the sprawling lush Musashi Kyuryo National Government Park, aka Shinrin Park: Musashi Kyuryo National Government Park West Gate Central Gate North Gate South Gate The Playgrounds of Shinrin Park Adventure Playground Musashi kids dome Giant Ball Area Ponpoko Mountain (Water play areas are included in seasonal attractionsRead More →
100 caves of Yoshimi, luminous moss and a world war II factory site: a country designated historical site home to a national natural treasure. And home to Koropokkuru. This post also contains information for the cherry blossoms in the area and the annual 100 Caves Sakura Matsuri (festival). 100 CavesRead More →
Ichigo no Sato is a “roadside station” in the prefecture of Saitama, North west of Tokyo. A roadside station, michi no eki in Japanese, is a type of rest and service area with a large parking area. Roadside stations are those that are on national routes. The equivalent on highwaysRead More →
Strawberry picking in Yoshimi Town, Saitama Prefecture. Yoshimi town is well regarded for strawberry picking. In fact, according to the Prefectural website, Yoshimi is number one for strawberries in Saitama. Winter / Spring strawberry picking is popular for family and school outings in Japan from February through May. However, someRead More →
Autumn leaves Shinrin Park, also known as Musashi Kyuryo National Government Park, Namegawa Town, Saitama Prefecture. This post is about the autumn colors in Shinrin Park. Information for the autumn leaves light up at night is here. Autumn Leaves Shinrin Park THIS POST WAS WRITTEN IN 2013. I won’t pretendRead More →
The Kawajima Spring Festival is set to go ahead for the first time in three years, on this the 50th anniversary of Kawajima Town. However, in 2022 it will be a low key event, or at least not the full complement of previous years. Actually, the “Kawajima Spring Festival” isRead More →