Information for the Floating dolls of Iwatsuki in 2023. One truly enchanting event to mark the annual Dolls festival is the floating dolls of Iwatsuki event. Paper dolls are floated on a pond in the doll town Iwatsuki to mark the Dolls Festival, which is also girls day. The dollsRead More →
Saitama City Dezome Shiki – Dezome / Dezome Shiki is one of the those truly unique-to-Japan events. It is a ceremony and festival of sorts for and by firefighters, celebrating the coming of the New Year. But it is also a way to heighten safety awareness. Firefighters put on anRead More →
For the first ever Christmas at Omiya Kadomachi they are having a Tonttu Christmas from Finland. The period of the Tonttu Christmas actually started on November 25th, but the main events are coming up in mid December. Tonttu Christmas Tonttu are what I grew up calling “Santa’s little helpers”. MaybeRead More →
Santa Saitama City – Last year, 2021, it was hard to find 10 Santa Claus meet and greet locations for the whole of the Kanto Plain (Greater Tokyo area). This year, there are more than 10 in Saitama Prefecture alone. Moreover, Santa Claus will visit at least two locations inRead More →
For the first time in 3 years the Tamaari Town Christmas market is back; as “A very berry Christmas Market!” Formerly known as the Keyaki Hiroba Christmas market, the Tamaari Town Happy Berry Christmas market is one of Saitama Shintoshin’s annual Christmas events. This year the event has had moreRead More →
Cocoon City Christmas – Cocoon City is just one part of Saitama Shintoshin. The whole area of Shintoshin is the most Christmassy location I have found in Saitama prefecture to date. But in 2022, we have a Premium Outlets for the first time ever. Could it rival Cocoon City /Read More →
I have been sharing the Halloween Afternoon tea at Shikitei for years, but in 2022 I introduced their summer afternoon tea for the first time. And now; information for their winter / Christmas Afternoon tea. Omiya Rikyu is a wedding venue, so the building and gardens are beautifully kept. TheRead More →
Numakage Ice Rink – Each year, the summer pool in Numakage park, Minami Ward, is transformed into an outdoor ice rink during the winter months. The rink opens late on weekends. If you just want to observe people skating you can enter the rink area for free. There are otherRead More →
Cocoon City Illumination 2022 ~ 2023 – The annual illumination at Cocoon City will be switched on at 5 pm on Saturday November 12th 2022. After three years of a “star” theme, this year the illumination is called “Sparkling Milky Way”. Cocoon City Illumination The Cocoon City illumination display justRead More →
The very first night illumination I went to in Saitama, many years ago, was at the Keyaki Hiroba in Saitama Shintoshin. At the time it was one of only a handful of places that had a large scale night illumination display in Saitama. I had moved from Mito City inRead More →