Information for two back to back festivals in Kitamoto City this November: the Neputa Festival and the Industry Festival. Both of which will be on for the first time in four years. I have also included an account of visiting the fascinating Neputa Festival at night. Kitamoto Festivals Each yearRead More →
Big Mouse Coffee and Fermentation shop is a cafe in a ‘kominka’ (old Japanese country house) in a rural part of Nishi Ward in Saitama City. It is located in a former ‘Forest of Horses and Art’ that was destroyed by typhoon Hagibis. The Kominka used to house a bonsaiRead More →
Horo festival, also known as Horokake matsuri, is a religious celebration and unique cultural event. September is the month for cultural and religious events after all! There are so many in fact, that I only pick a select few to share, such as the distinctive Horo Festival. This event hasRead More →
Information for, and an account of, visiting Japan’s largest Dolls festival display at the Konosu Surprising Dolls Festival or Konosu Bikkuri Hina Matsuri in Japanese. 鴻巣びっくりひな祭り。 Japan’s largest dolls festival pyramid display “Konosu Doll Pyramid” in Konosu, Saitama Prefecture, is just a 50 minute train ride from Ueno station inRead More →
The remains of Fujimi turret, also known as the Mt. Fuji Viewing Tower, are a historical landmark in Kawagoe. They are located relatively near to Miyoshino Shrine and Honmaru Goten. The very first time I visited Kawagoe, approximately 20 years ago, I traveled from Ibaraki with my then neighbor andRead More →
The Chichibu Rocket Festival is most commonly referred to by its Japanese name “Ryusei Matsuri” even in English, possibly due to the uniqueness of this 400 year old festival. Ryusei literally means dragon power. The Ryusei Festival, or “Chichibu Yoshida Dragon Power”, is a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural PropertyRead More →
Cherry blossoms along the Koma River at the Izumicho Sakura Embankment in Sakado City, Saitama. Koma River Cherry Blossoms Sakado There are several places you can see cherry blossoms along the Koma River in Saitama Prefecture. But perhaps the best known are those at the Izumicho Sakura embankment beside SakuraRead More →
Off the beaten path cherry blossoms and sakura boat ride, on the Ando River, in Kawajima Town, Saitama Prefecture. Updated April 12th 2023 with late-blooming yaezakura information. For the first time in four years, Kawajima Town will have their sakura boat ride in 2023. The boat ride information section hasRead More →
A giant cedar with seasonal flowers and a Catbus Bus Stop in the Hiki District of Saitama Prefecture. Thanks to volunteer work I do with a team of fellow “Hikijin” and Hiki District lovers, I heard about this completely off the beaten path nature spot in the mountains of TokigawaRead More →
Yamato natural spring water is one of Japan’s “top 100 water” as selected by the Ministry of the Environment. Some people call the water Fuppugawa water. The spring water is pumped from the source at the 100 Tatami Mat Rock on Mt Kamabuse (585 metres) to a more accessible locationRead More →