The Kumagaya Cherry Blossoms with rapeseed flowers along the riverbank is one of Saitama’s famous images. Furthermore, the cherry blossoms there have been celebrated since the Edo period. Moreover, the area is listed as one of Japan’s top 100 cherry blossom viewing spots. The Kumagaya Cherry Blossom Festival was cancelledRead More →
Seien Park illumination in Fukaya is a relatively new addition to “In Saitama”. I’m not sure when the very first display was, but the event has been around for at least three years. But it has only been on the radar since 2019. It starts on public holiday November 3rdRead More →
Marigolds, night illumination, Moss phlox, sunflowers and other seasonal blooms at the scenic Marigold Hill in Honjo City, Northern Saitama. And updated in November 2021 with the 2021/2022 night illumination information! Marigold Hill (no Oka) Marigold no Oka, aka Marigold Hill, is a small park in Honjo City. Like reallyRead More →
Jomine Park in the unassuming Kamikawa Town in the North of Saitama is one of Japan’s most famous winter cherry blossoms spots. Moreover, it is one of only a handful of places in Japan where you can see red maple leaves and cherry blossoms at the same time. Normally, theRead More →
With summer holidays around the corner, it has me thinking about places to bring the kids. In a “normal” year we visit Ireland for the whole of summer. However, due to the pandemic, we have been confined to Japan the last two years. As we are avoiding indoors at allRead More →
‘Tapioca and Tart’ at Layer cafe, located along the Arakawa riverbed on the grounds of a Karinto factory in Fukaya. Layer Cafe Layer cafe opened on the grounds of Asahi Karinto’s Hanazono factory in April 2020. Karinto is a type of sweet deep fried traditional Japanese snack food. The frontRead More →
Fukaya Sunflowers While driving to Northern Saitama today, along the Saikai Kaido (aka route 140) beautiful tall sunflowers already in full bloom captured my attention. Actually, in fairness, I think I spotted a camera man first on the foot path. I remember having the fleeting thought ‘ooh, wonder what he’sRead More →
Yano Fishing Park is located in a valley in Kamikawa Town in the Northern (Kodama) area of Saitama Prefecture, right on the border of Gunma Prefecture. Kamikawa Town doesn’t get a lot of publicity. With the result it is one of the most unspoiled areas of Saitama Prefecture. However, KamikawaRead More →
Hoanji is a 400 year old temple in Kumagaya City, Saitama. It is regarded locally as an hydrangea temple. However, it is not “thee” hydrangea temple: the most famous one is Nogoji. Nogoji’s hydrangea are off limits in 2021. Thankfully Hoan-ji is open to the public and welcomes hydrangea hunters!Read More →
The Naked Men Festival, Kamikawa, Saitama. Naked Men Festival The naked men festival is on the 19th of November annually, in Kamikawa town, Saitama prefecture. And during the time the festival is on there is also a winter cherry blossom festival on a ten minute drive away. The cherry blossomsRead More →