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 →
Summer Holidays / Summer in Saitama 2023 – In 2020 and 2021 summer was quite different to life before the pandemic. In 2022 things were a bit better with some fireworks and festivals on and even a few water play areas and pools open. But not all of them byRead More →
This scenic riverside area of Ogawa town is very much off the tourist trail, even though it has been visited by the (former) Emperor and Empress of Japan. Furthermore, it has an unique shrine, that you have to cross the river to get to. It is the Tsuki river, whichRead More →
Last year, 2021, I saw on my Google Analytics that some new visitors had found my website through a search for “Nagatoro river boating during the SOE?” Ironically, at that time, I had very little on the blog about the river boating in Nagatoro, just a brief mention on theRead More →
Tokigawa Town in the Hiki District of Saitama Prefecture is just over an hour from Tokyo. The town is famed for a rarer type of Iris; Iris Japonica or Butterfly flowers in English. However, there is also a small Iris garden in the town with the “hanashobu” variety of IrisRead More →
Autumn leaves 紅葉 (koyo/ kōyō) Festival at the Ranzan valley / Gorge in 2023. Ranzan Valley¹ is a beautiful nature spot with several hiking routes in the Hiki area of Saitama Prefecture. It is particularly popular in Autumn when the leaves are in various shades of red, yellow and green.Read More →
A Little known river play spot, where you can also barbecue, along the Oppe River at Daima Nozon Hiroba in Ogose. River play / BBQ Ogose Given the year that’s in it, we’ve been spending a lot of our time “off the beaten path”. On our spring adventures this yearRead More →
Kawasemi-gawara is the name of a BBQ spot and free cheap campsite by the Arakawa (Ara River) in Yorii, Saitama Prefecture. If you’ve ever been to the Saitama Museum of Rivers you will have seen it by the car park entrance to the river museum. You can also see itRead More →
Tsuchiuchi Camping Grounds is deep in a valley in the former Otaki village in Chichibu. Pitched on the staggered sides of the ravine, the camp and cabin grounds are hugged by beautiful forest on all sides. Natural moss grows thick on craggy rock with fresh water rolling over forming beautifulRead 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 →