Saitama — An attractive sightseeing destination with many popular sights
Saitama Prefecture is located in the heart of Japan’s Kanto Plain. Nicknamed Sainokuni, the “Land of Color,” Saitama boasts rich natural settings in the Chichibu Mountains and Sayama Hills, abundant water from the large Arakawa and Tone rivers, as well as diverse industry, culture, and academia. Saitama also offers a well-developed transportation network that includes six Shinkansen lines, six major expressways, and 24 conventional rail lines running in all directions.
Located not far from Central Tokyo, Saitama Prefecture is an easily accessible destination with many attractive sightseeing spots. The Chichibu and Nagatoro areas are particularly popular with people of all ages. This scenic spot is located in a valley created by the Arakawa River and offers beautiful natural sights. Visitors can enjoy a leisurely stroll along the rocky outcroppings along the river—designated a natural national monument—or an exciting boat ride down the river with unique stories told by the boatman. Other exciting activities include swimming, camping, and dining in the prefecture’s popular shopping districts. The Kawagoe area is also a popular destination for its traditional clay warehouses and merchant homes, called Kurazukuri. This district flourished as a castle town in the Edo period and is often called Koedo (“Little Edo”) for the historical atmosphere that lingers to this day, drawing crowds from across Japan. Kawagoe’s many attractions include Toki no Kane (the Bell of Time)—the symbol of Koedo—and Kashiya Yokocho, a stone-paved street lined with shops selling candy and Japanese pickles.
Saitama’s Hanno area is also becoming a major tourist destination thanks to Moomin Valley Park, a theme park that opened in 2019, where visitors can enter the world of the Moomins, popular Scandinavian comic characters. The area also offers a rich natural environment with magnificent forests and lakes that create beautiful, picturesque locations. Meanwhile, the Tokorozawa area is quickly becoming another popular destination with a wide variety of sights, including Seibuen Amusement Park and Sayama Lake. The highlight of the Tokorozawa area, however, has to be Tokorozawa Sakura Town, which opened in November 2020 as a global showcase of Japanese pop culture. The uniquely shaped Kadokawa Culture Museum, designed and supervised by the renowned architect Kengo Kuma, is also located in Tokorozawa Sakura Town. The museum’s impressive Bookshelf Theater is a comprehensive cultural facility that combines a library, art museum, and museum in a space surrounded by huge 8-meter-high bookshelves. Come and see all that Saitama Prefecture has to offer with its many attractions!
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Saitama Prefecture is located in the heart of Japan’s Kanto Plain. Nicknamed Sainokuni, the “Land of Color,” Saitama boasts rich natural settings in the Chichibu Mountains and Sayama Hills, abundant water from the large Arakawa and Tone rivers, as well as diverse industry, culture, and academia. Saitama also offers a well-developed transportation network that includes six Shinkansen lines, six major expressways, and 24 conventional rail lines running in all directions.
Located not far from Central Tokyo, Saitama Prefecture is an easily accessible destination with many attractive sightseeing spots. The Chichibu and Nagatoro areas are particularly popular with people of all ages. This scenic spot is located in a valley created by the Arakawa River and offers beautiful natural sights. Visitors can enjoy a leisurely stroll along the rocky outcroppings along the river—designated a natural national monument—or an exciting boat ride down the river with unique stories told by the boatman. Other exciting activities include swimming, camping, and dining in the prefecture’s popular shopping districts. The Kawagoe area is also a popular destination for its traditional clay warehouses and merchant homes, called Kurazukuri. This district flourished as a castle town in the Edo period and is often called Koedo (“Little Edo”) for the historical atmosphere that lingers to this day, drawing crowds from across Japan. Kawagoe’s many attractions include Toki no Kane (the Bell of Time)—the symbol of Koedo—and Kashiya Yokocho, a stone-paved street lined with shops selling candy and Japanese pickles.
Saitama’s Hanno area is also becoming a major tourist destination thanks to Moomin Valley Park, a theme park that opened in 2019, where visitors can enter the world of the Moomins, popular Scandinavian comic characters. The area also offers a rich natural environment with magnificent forests and lakes that create beautiful, picturesque locations. Meanwhile, the Tokorozawa area is quickly becoming another popular destination with a wide variety of sights, including Seibuen Amusement Park and Sayama Lake. The highlight of the Tokorozawa area, however, has to be Tokorozawa Sakura Town, which opened in November 2020 as a global showcase of Japanese pop culture. The uniquely shaped Kadokawa Culture Museum, designed and supervised by the renowned architect Kengo Kuma, is also located in Tokorozawa Sakura Town. The museum’s impressive Bookshelf Theater is a comprehensive cultural facility that combines a library, art museum, and museum in a space surrounded by huge 8-meter-high bookshelves. Come and see all that Saitama Prefecture has to offer with its many attractions!
