Saitama JAPAN　Just North of Tokyo - en, Saitama Prefecture Products & Tourism Association, Sonic City Building 5F, 1-7-5 Sakuragicho, Omiya-ku, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Saitama-shi (2025)

03/07/2025

Immerse Yourself in the Sound and Light of the Spectacular Todabashi Fireworks Festival

The Todabashi Fireworks Festival🎇, held along the Arakawa River banks in Toda City, Saitama Prefecture, offers a truly unique spectacle you won't find anywhere else.

What makes it special is its stunning collaboration with the Itabashi Fireworks Festival, taking place simultaneously on the opposite riverbank✨ The two festivals synchronize their launches and choreography to create an absolutely breathtaking display.

Combined, both festivals launch approximately 15,000 fireworks—one of the largest displays in the greater Tokyo area! This year in 2025, the festival will take place on Saturday, August 2nd, beginning at 7:00 PM. Access couldn't be better—the nearest station to the launch site is just 15 minutes from Ikebukuro Station in central Tokyo!

We highly recommend booking paid seating in advance so you can sit back and enjoy the show in comfort. Without reservations, you can still arrive early before the fireworks begin and claim your spot along the nearby riverbank! Either way, you'll witness these magnificent fireworks bursting directly overhead, so choose the option that works best for your schedule!

The area also features Toda Park, perfect for a leisurely stroll, and the historic Myokenji Temple, established in 1280—both wonderful stops to visit before the main event.

*Please note that the fireworks festival may be canceled due to severe weather. Check the official website for the latest updates before your visit.

[Todabashi Fireworks Festival]
📍Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/zLE5Yi4vmVYwEcfy5

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🌎 “Saitama Tourism Support Desk” provides tourists with information on how to make the most of their trip to Saitama! The service staff can also assist you with booking activities. 🙆‍♂️
Please feel free to contact us. ✉📞
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/contact/
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A comprehensive website that provides tourism information about Saitama
▶ https://saitama-supportdesk.com/
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30/06/2025

Chichibu Onsen Hananoya - Where All Rooms Feature Open-Air Baths♨️

Just about 80 minutes by limited express from Ikebukuro Station in Tokyo, Chichibu Onsen Hananoya is a luxurious hot spring inn nestled in the scenic mountains of Chichibu. All 25 guest rooms come with their own private open-air bath! Unwind in your personal onsen and soak in total privacy - no need to worry about being seen by others.

Choose your ideal room from a variety of styles, including charming special suites rebuilt from traditional townhouses, classic Japanese-style rooms, and Japanese-Western rooms.

The mildly alkaline spring water of the baths is known for its skin-beautifying benefits. Take your time and indulge in the healing waters amid the pure air of Chichibu.✨

Another highlight of the stay is the food, uniquely crafted with seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. Enjoy these regional flavors at your own pace in a tranquil, semi-private dining space.😋

Why not treat yourself to a special getaway, surrounded by the natural beauty and culinary delights of Chichibu, at Hananoya?

[Chichibu Onsen Hananoya]
📍Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/LNfb5qwivuineU9H9

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🌎 “Saitama Tourism Support Desk” provides tourists with information on how to make the most of their trip to Saitama! The service staff can also assist you with booking activities. 🙆‍♂️
Please feel free to contact us. ✉📞
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/contact/
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A comprehensive website that provides tourism information about Saitama
▶ https://saitama-supportdesk.com/
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26/06/2025

A Natural Treasure: Ranzan Valley Highlights

Ranzan Valley, one of Saitama Prefecture’s most iconic scenic spots, is a peaceful escape where the clear waters of the Tsukikawa River flow past layered rock formations, surrounded by lush greenery.🏞️

The valley features unique peninsula-like terrain, shaped where the river flowing from the Chichibu Mountains meets the surrounding hills and makes a dramatic 180-degree turn. A walking path runs along the river, perfect for a stroll while enjoying the vibrant green scenery.

As you walk through the valley, be sure to take a close look at the rocky riverbanks👀—especially along the water’s edge. You’ll notice round holes on the surface of the rocks. These are known as potholes—called "ouketsu" in Japanese—natural formations carved over many years by the swirling motion of water and small stones.

Most are just a few centimeters wide, but from the riverside path near the Toyama Ouketsu Tourist Parking Lot, you can see several giant potholes—some big enough for an adult to fit inside!

Visit and experience these mysterious rock formations, shaped over time by the forces of nature.✨

[Ranzan Valley]
📍Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/MMxWi5X9QkaTmKrT9
👀See more here!
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/spots/post-21847/

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🌎 “Saitama Tourism Support Desk” provides tourists with information on how to make the most of their trip to Saitama! The service staff can also assist you with booking activities. 🙆‍♂️
Please feel free to contact us. ✉📞
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/contact/
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A comprehensive website that provides tourism information about Saitama
▶ https://saitama-supportdesk.com/
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23/06/2025

Must-Try Chichibu Delicacies

Surrounded by rich natural beauty, Chichibu is home to a wide array of delicious local specialties!

As the weather warms up, don’t miss the kakigori (shaved ice) made with natural ice.🍧
Thanks to its high-quality water and climate with hot summers and freezing cold winters, Chichibu has long been producing ice the natural way.

The ice is frozen slowly over more than two weeks, allowing impurities to be removed and creating a pure, clean flavor. Its high density makes it slow to melt and easy to shave finely, resulting in an airy, fluffy texture.

Another Chichibu specialty is waraji katsudon—a rice bowl boldly topped with oversized tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlets).

The pork is sliced thinner than regular tonkatsu, making it extra crispy. The sweet and savory soy sauce-based sauce soaked into the cutlet and rice is sure to whet your appetite.😋

Other local favorites to try include kurumi soba - buckwheat noodles dipped in a rich sauce made with locally grown walnuts - and miso potato, which is a local dish of steamed potatoes deep-fried tempura-style and topped with a sweet miso glaze.🥢

👀See more here!
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/specialty/

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🌎 “Saitama Tourism Support Desk” provides tourists with information on how to make the most of their trip to Saitama! The service staff can also assist you with booking activities. 🙆‍♂️
Please feel free to contact us. ✉📞
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/contact/
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A comprehensive website that provides tourism information about Saitama
▶ https://saitama-supportdesk.com/
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19/06/2025

Refresh Yourself in the Lush Greenery of Besshonuma Park, Urawa

Located in the Urawa area of Saitama City, Besshonuma Park is a tranquil spot centered around Besshonuma Pond. Dawn redwood and bald cypress trees surround the pond, while seasonal flowers and greenery add vibrant color to the landscape throughout the year.

Now is the perfect time to enjoy the fresh greenery of the park.🌿
Take a leisurely stroll along the park’s walking trails, feel the refreshing breeze, and enjoy the vibrant fresh greenery and soft sunlight filtering through the trees.☺️

Don’t miss the breathtaking sight of vivid green trees reflected on the surface of the pond. For the clearest reflections, visit in the early morning or on calm, windless days when the pond’s surface is relatively still.✨

[Besshonuma Park]
📍Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/66nAqi79SuYcsHfP8

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🌎 “Saitama Tourism Support Desk” provides tourists with information on how to make the most of their trip to Saitama! The service staff can also assist you with booking activities. 🙆‍♂️
Please feel free to contact us. ✉📞
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/contact/
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A comprehensive website that provides tourism information about Saitama
▶ https://saitama-supportdesk.com/
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16/06/2025

Highlights of Takigawa Valley - A Healing Spot Where You Can Feel the Power of Nature!

Saitama's Chichibu region is a place where you can immerse yourself in nature. The Otaki area in particular, also known as "Oku Chichibu," is a vast, deep mountainous territory mostly covered with forests, where nature remains unspoiled to this day.⛰️

Takigawa Valley is a steep V-shaped gorge where you can enjoy these features. You cannot help but feel the power of nature in this beautiful valley, with its sheer cliffs and dynamic rocks!

The hiking trail is dotted with waterfalls of various sizes, so we also recommend going "waterfall hopping." The area near the waterfalls is cool and refreshing even in summer, and will make you forget the heat.🥾

A must-see is Fudo Falls in Oyokesawa. It is the biggest waterfall in Otaki, with an impressive 50-meter drop! The majestic waterfall, flowing down three tiers, is breathtaking!

Nearby, you will also find Mitsumine Shrine⛩️, enshrined on the summit of 1,100-meter-high Mount Mitsumine, and Chichibu Takizawa Cycle Park🚲, which is one of the best offroad bicycle-only parks in Japan, where you can ride BMXs and mountain bikes. Be sure to stop by!

[Takigawa Valley]
📍Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/fVKgT85JnyS3v5gL7

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🌎 “Saitama Tourism Support Desk” provides tourists with information on how to make the most of their trip to Saitama! The service staff can also assist you with booking activities. 🙆‍♂️
Please feel free to contact us. ✉📞
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/contact/
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A comprehensive website that provides tourism information about Saitama
▶ https://saitama-supportdesk.com/
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12/06/2025

Colorful Hanachozu at Gyoda Hachiman Shrine!

"Hanachozu"🌸 has recently been trending on social media. It is the practice of placing flowers in the water basins at shrines and temples, where one can purify oneself before worship. The bright, colorful beauty of these floral arrangements has been gaining attention.

The city of Gyoda, Saitama Prefecture, holds a monthly event called Gyoda Hanachozu Week, where visitors can admire the beauty of hanachozu. It takes place from the 1st to the 14th of each month (excluding July to September, and January). During this event, hanachozu arrangements are displayed not only at the main venue, Gyoda Hachiman Shrine, but also in the eaves of nearby stores and at the site of Oishi Castle, delighting the eyes of visitors.

The most popular of these is the hanachozu in the "suikinkutsu" on the grounds of Gyoda Hachiman Shrine. A suikinkutsu is a device that allows you to enjoy the reverberating sound produced by water dripping into an underground cavity. If you listen carefully, you will hear a refreshing sound, similar to that of a "koto" (Japanese string instrument).☺️

There are many other things to see on the shrine grounds! The "nade momo" (patting peach) is a popular spiritual hot spot. Stroking the peach while making a wish brings blessings of longevity and protection against illness and bad luck. You can also divine your fortune with a variety of fortune-telling slips, such as the "mizu mikuji," where the letters appear when the paper is dipped into the sacred water from the underground spring.

Various gods are enshrined within the precincts, such as the Shrine of the Eye, beneficial for healing eye diseases, and Kasamori Inari Shrine, enshrining the god of beautiful skin. Be sure to come visit!⛩️

[Gyoda Hachiman Shrine]
📍Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Wz2LQodAptmjaXae9
👀See more here!
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/spots/post-21742/

🌼Learn more about Hanachozu Week!
https://www.gyoda-kankoukyoukai.jp/hanachozu.html

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🌎 “Saitama Tourism Support Desk” provides tourists with information on how to make the most of their trip to Saitama! The service staff can also assist you with booking activities. 🙆‍♂️
Please feel free to contact us. ✉📞
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/contact/
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A comprehensive website that provides tourism information about Saitama
▶ https://saitama-supportdesk.com/
------------------------------------

11/06/2025

Best Spots to Admire the June-Blooming Safflowers of Okegawa City

Located in the center of Saitama Prefecture, Okegawa City is an area that has thrived as a major transportation hub for many years.

The cultivation of safflowers began when a merchant brought seeds to Okegawa in the Edo period (1603 - 1868). Soon after, the city had the second largest production output of safflower in Japan.

Around 30 years ago, this flower that has greatly contributed to the development of the region started attracting attention again. Now, safflowers are symbolic of the city.

On June 14 and 15, when the flowers are at their best, the Benibananosato Okegawa rest area will become the main venue of the Safflower Festival.✨ There will be various attractions, such as a bus to the safflower fields, safflower picking and dyeing experiences, a market, and more.
Benibananosato Okegawa, the main venue, is a "culinary amusement park" that opened in March 2025. Many visitors have flocked here since its opening to enjoy delicious Japanese foods, including locally grown fruits and vegetables, as well as snacks and other processed foods that use local ingredients.😋

At the Benibana Furusato Hall, a renovated private house from the late Meiji period (1868 - 1912), you can create unforgettable memories of your trip through a variety of activities such as safflower dyeing, pottery making, and soba noodle making.♪
Be sure to stop by!

[Benibana no Sato Okegawa]
📍Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/qykg9gCp7cD2aMSZA

[Benibana Furusato Hall]
📍Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/3Z8gP5K3kzKDa5B1A

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🌎 “Saitama Tourism Support Desk” provides tourists with information on how to make the most of their trip to Saitama! The service staff can also assist you with booking activities. 🙆‍♂️
Please feel free to contact us. ✉📞
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/contact/
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A comprehensive website that provides tourism information about Saitama
▶ https://saitama-supportdesk.com/
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05/06/2025

Hydrangeas at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine

Founded in 1030, Kawagoe Hachimangu is a shrine with a long history.⛩️ It is dedicated to the Deity of Victory, and many athletes and students preparing for exams visit to pray for success.

The shrine is also renowned for its hydrangeas, with around 300 colorful plants decorating the precincts. It holds a Hydrangea Festival from mid-May to early July every year.

The rear approach to the shrine is especially beautiful, with hydrangeas blooming on both sides of the path. The contrast with the vermilion lanterns and fences makes for a striking scene.✨

Visitors can enjoy hydrangeas of various colors and shapes, including many rare types such as “Dancing Party” hydrangeas, with flowers reminiscent of people dancing, and “Uzu” hydrangeas, with cute, round petals.

Be sure to also check out the hydrangea blossoms floating in the shrine's water basin, a vessel that holds water to purify oneself before worship.

The blooming season lasts all of June, so be sure to stop by!☺️

[Kawagoe Hachimangu]
📍Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/R3Z8cp7Myb9cByrw8

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🌎 “Saitama Tourism Support Desk” provides tourists with information on how to make the most of their trip to Saitama! The service staff can also assist you with booking activities. 🙆‍♂️
Please feel free to contact us. ✉📞
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/contact/
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A comprehensive website that provides tourism information about Saitama
▶ https://saitama-supportdesk.com/
------------------------------------

02/06/2025

16,000 Hydrangeas in Full Bloom at Satte Gongendo Park

Gongendo Park in Satte City, Saitama Prefecture, is a lush green spot where visitors can admire seasonal flowers and plants.🌿

The Satte Gongendo Sakura Tsutsumi bank inside the park is famous for its cherry blossoms, but it is also a must-visit in June for its colorful and beautiful hydrangeas!

The Hydrangea Festival is held every year during the blooming period, when over 16,000 hydrangeas of approximately 100 varieties reach full bloom along the slope of the embankment. The festival is scheduled to be held from June 7 (Sat) to 29 (Sun) in 2025.

The Annabelle variety, which is at its best in mid-June, is especially popular. Its stunning pure white flowers cover the entire area, making it a great photo spot.📷

There is still plenty to see even after the hydrangea season has passed! Sunflowers in the summer, red spider lilies in autumn, daffodils in winter - the scenery changes with the seasons.👀

[Gongendo Park]
📍Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EsYYmeg8B3gnpmWt9
👀See more here!
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/spots/post-21870/

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🌎 “Saitama Tourism Support Desk” provides tourists with information on how to make the most of their trip to Saitama! The service staff can also assist you with booking activities. 🙆‍♂️
Please feel free to contact us. ✉📞
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/contact/
------------------------------------
A comprehensive website that provides tourism information about Saitama
▶ https://saitama-supportdesk.com/
------------------------------------

22/05/2025

Step Into the World of Moomin at Tove Jansson Akebono Children's Forest Park🌲

Located in Hanno City, Tove Jansson Akebono Children’s Forest Park is a dreamy space inspired by the world of Nordic fairy tales.📖 It’s completely free to enter, and all are invited to explore and unwind.

The park is filled with the spirit of Tove Jansson, creator of the beloved Moomin series, with charming buildings and scenery that bring the world of Moomin to life.🏠

Wander among the trees, feel the breeze, and relish the soft sunlight filtering through the leaves. There’s also a cozy cafe where you can relax with a bite to eat or a sweet treat.

The park is also illuminated at night on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.✨
*Light-up is from sunset to 8:30 p.m.
*Hours may vary depending on the season

Just a 20-minute drive away is Moominvalley Park—a full-on Moomin theme park where you can enjoy shows, workshops, delicious food, and fun souvenirs.

Why not make a day of it and visit both?

[Tove Jansson Akebono Children’s Forest Park]
📍Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nFfuSfb5etKQRApJ6
👀See more here!
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/spots/post-21810/

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🌎 “Saitama Tourism Support Desk” provides tourists with information on how to make the most of their trip to Saitama! The service staff can also assist you with booking activities. 🙆‍♂️
Please feel free to contact us. ✉📞
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/contact/
------------------------------------
A comprehensive website that provides tourism information about Saitama
▶ https://saitama-supportdesk.com/
------------------------------------

19/05/2025

Experience Soy Sauce Making – Use Top-Quality Ingredients and Bring It Home!

Located in the northwest of Saitama Prefecture, Kamikawa Town is blessed with lush greenery and pure, clear water. Surrounded by such a beautiful natural environment, Yamaki Brewery, founded in 1902, is known for its craftsmanship in making traditional products like miso and soy sauce. With a focus on using domestically grown organic ingredients, their miso and soy sauce are made using traditional methods passed down through generations, resulting in rich aromas and deep, savory flavors 😋

One of the highlights at Yamaki Brewery is their “Soy Sauce Making Experience” held on the second floor of their store, Kojian! Here, you’ll get to extract soy sauce yourself by pressing "moromi" (a mixture of soybeans, wheat, koji mold, and saltwater that has been fermented) that has been fermented in wooden barrels. It’s the perfect opportunity to savor the flavor and fragrance of extremely fresh, authentic soy sauce! After bottling the soy sauce, you can add a personalized label and take it home as a unique souvenir.

After the experience, be sure to relax at their attached cafe, where you can enjoy dishes and sweets made with Yamaki Brewery's products 🍵🍡

[Yamaki Brewery]
📍Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Z1fcQpFhuU1tHJGE9
👀 See more here!
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/restaurant/post-13777/

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🌎 “Saitama Tourism Support Desk” provides tourists with information on how to make the most of their trip to Saitama! The service staff can also assist you with booking activities. 🙆‍♂️
Please feel free to contact us. ✉📞
https://saitama-supportdesk.com/contact/
------------------------------------
A comprehensive website that provides tourism information about Saitama
▶ https://saitama-supportdesk.com/
------------------------------------

Saitama JAPAN　Just North of Tokyo - en