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 →
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 →
The Taisho (Taishou) period was between 1912 and 1926. Yono in Urawa Ward have been hosting an event in commemoration of the period for almost 30 years. If it had not been for the you-know-what it actually would be more than 30 years! The last time they held the eventRead More →
Cocoon City Halloween – Cocoon City have had a Halloween Parade for quite a few years now, but from 2017 they increased the number of parades as well as the number of Halloween events. Then in 2018 they added even more Halloween celebrations. However, they cancelled most of their HalloweenRead More →
The Urawa Misono Festival¹ and fireworks were cancelled in both 2020 and 2021. I am so happy they are back in 2022. For one, the day time event is a railway festival, held in and around Urawa Misono Station. Who doesn’t love a railway festival!? Moreover, at night fireworks areRead More →