Cherry Blossoms and boat ride, Shingashi River – Kawagoe is just 31 minutes from Ikebukuro, Tokyo, on the Tobu Tojo line. It is a popular tourist town. One of Kawagoe’s most spectacular spots to enjoy “sakura” is out the back of Hikawa shrine, where the cherry blossoms line the Shingashi River. UntilRead More →
Saitama Cherry Blossoms – Hanami and cherry blossom season 2023. The very first cherry blossom forecast for 2023 was released on January 11th 2023. Last year, the first forecast predicted an early start to the season. But in later forecasts they pushed the date back to later in March. ThisRead More →
Annual information for the Ashigakubo Icicles in Yokoze Town, one of the “three great icicles of Chichibu”, along with Onouchi and Misotsuchi Icicles. The icicles are open to the public from early January to mid February annually. However, there are years when the weather interferes! For example, in 2020, dueRead More →
‘Tanbo’ Art – art made from rice in a ‘tanbo’, the Japanese for rice paddy. A must see in summer / early Autumn in Saitama. There was no rice paddy art in 2020, but it has been back since 2021. This year, 2022, the rice was planted on June 11th.Read More →
A floor by floor guide of the Kadokawa Musashino Museum, also known as the Kadokawa Culture Museum or Kadcul for short. Tokorozawa City, Saitama Prefecture. The Kadokawa Musashino Museum is a fusion of museum, art gallery, culture and library. It opened on August 1st 2020. The museum is from oneRead More →
This is one post I am particularly happy to be bringing you! We have been trying to stay at Kinomura Camp in Tokigawa for the last five years. However, as it is extremely popular we have never been able to secure a booking for a date we wanted. In 2020,Read More →
Annual information for the Metsa Village Umbrella Sky “Forest and Lake and Umbrella“ aka Umbrella Sky Project / Umbrella Street, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. The umbrella sky in Metsa* is one of the most famous and most popular summer events in Saitama Prefecture annually. To date, the event has gone aheadRead More →
The Kurakake Clear Stream Village will be closed until March 31st 2024 for river work. Thus, the barbecue will not be available until spring 2024. Kurakake Clear Stream Village: River BBQ and water play at Kurakake barbecue site in Higashimatsuyama, commutable from Tokyo on a day trip. Booking for theRead More →
Meiji Chocolate Factory Tour in Sakado, Saitama Prefecture – commutable from Tokyo. Meiji have seven factories with a free guided tour in the whole of Japan. We are lucky here in Saitama, that not only do we have one, but we have one of the chocolate and snack ones! AndRead More →
The life size Totoro and the House of Kurosuke were closed to the public from the start of the pandemic until May 2022. They did have a few special events at the house during that period. They reopened to the public in June 2022. However, there have been some majorRead More →