2023 Information for the annual wind chimes and glistening river at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. Updated, on July 1st 2023, after visiting the 2023 display. The Enmusubi Wind Chimes at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine are generally displayed from the first weekend of July to the first week in September. They follow theRead More →
Kawagoe Aquatic / Aqua Park aka Kawagoe Suijo Kouen, or Kawagoe Water Park, is one of the bigger and most popular summer pools in Saitama. In 2022, Walker listed it as the 5th most popular aqua park in all of Japan. In addition, now that several pools have closed permanently,Read More →
Surprising information for the 2023 Kawagoe Fireworks… Kawagoe Fireworks 2023 The site of the Kawagoe Fireworks alternates between two locations each year. This year, it should be Isanuma Park‘s turn. HOWEVER, according to Walker magazine (June 2023) the Kawagoe Fireworks are cancelled in 2023. I can’t find any information onRead More →
Republish of the annual information for the seasonal pinwheel display at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. Hydrangea information added in 2023. Information for this annual June event has been on insaitama since the inauguration of the event. But this is the first year I have included hydrangea information. The ‘Hikawa’ hydrangea generallyRead More →
Chinowa Kuguri and Nagoshi No Harae general information plus annual information for Chinowa Kuguri at Kawagoe Hachimangu. I find the summers in Japan very tough. Its not so much the heat as the humidity. That is why we always escape back to Ireland. However, in 2020 and 2021 I wasRead More →
Recently a friend asked me did I know where you can buy the giant cotton candy (candy floss) you sometimes see people walking around Kawagoe with. Although, I am not a foodie, I am into anything photogenic, so I actually not only know the shop, I have been. And theRead More →
Information for the Festival of Dreams event at Kitain Temple, Kawagoe, on May 13th 2023. As you may know, Kawagoe City celebrated 100 years as a municipality last year. This festival has the byline “A day to gather dreams for the next 100 years”. Festival of Dreams A festival offeringRead More →
Information for Cafe and Bar Kingyo-tei (Kingyo Tei | Kingyotei | 金魚亭) in old Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture. Kingyo-tei Kingyotei is located on the grounds of Matsumoto Shoyu. It opened in March 2022, replacing the once popular Cafe Kura which closed permanently in 2020. Retro cafes are all the rage atRead More →
Currently the Kawagoe City Art Museum is showcasing an exhibition named “The Beauty of Warriors” . The word used for warriors is Mononofu, which is the ancient word for warrior. Unfortunately, it has become associated with humanoid robots in English due to the Guinness World Record robot named Mononofu. InRead More →
The Somei Yoshino variety have well and truly finished, but right now some of my favourites are in bloom. Its no secret that yaezakura are my favourite cherry blossom variety, but I also really adore the Gyoiko (Gyoikou ギョイコウ). They are a really special, magical, cherry blossom that changes colorRead More →