Sightseeing Spots

This shrine was said to be founded by Yamato Takeru, the 12th Emperor of Japan, around 2,000 years ago. The current main building of the shrine is Shinto-style architecture, where the main hall and worship hall share one roof and are connected by an intermediate passageway. The main shrine, hall of offerings, and hall of worship were rebuilt during the end of the Edo period to the early Meiji period. The shrine is said to protect from fires, theft, and pain. Not only do many worshipers come from the local area, but also from throughout Kanto region, with more than one million annual visitors.

This park is located in the beautiful Nagaonekyuryo mountains that extend over the border between Chichibu city and Ogano town. It covers an area of 375 hectares and has three differently themed areas. The forest of sports, the forest of music, and the forest of culture and each of the areas are connected by a three km long "sky road". This park offers one of the best vantage points to experience the breathtaking sea of clouds. The fog produced by radiative cooling lingers in the Chichibu mountain area, creating the perfect conditions for the sea of clouds to form. When the weather aligns just right, you may be lucky enough to witness the iconic Chichibu bridge seemingly floating above the sea of clouds.

The "Little Edo Kawagoe Spring Sailing" is a Japanese cherry blossom viewing event held at the end of April, where visitors sail down the Shigashi River behind Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine to view 500 meters of cherry blossoms in full bloom. Sail along in a small Japanese-style boat enjoying the fully blooming sakura overhead with a flowing river of pink petals beneath you. It's a must-see for fans of the Japanese cherry blossom!

At this memorial museum, materials related to the history of aviation are displayed alongside actual airplanes. Visitors can learn about the principles of flight and aviation history from a variety of angles through flight simulators and helicopter piloting simulators! The many airplanes and helicopters displayed throughout the museum are a must-see. A special place to experience the wide-open skies and the history of flight in Tokorozawa. Aircraft craft workshops for families are also held regularly.

Kita-in Temple thrived after the appointment of Sōjō Tenkai, entrusted by Ieyasu Tokugawa, in 1612. Most of the temple burnt down in Kawagoe's great fire in 1638, but was renovated during the Edo period by the third generation shogun Iemitsu, who transferred the "Iemitsu Birth Room" and "Kasuga Bunkachi Makeup Room" to the temple from the Edo castle. In addition, the entire area was designated as an important cultural property. One of Japan’s three major arhat, “Gohyakurakan”, can be seen here.

A well-established Japanese sweets shop in Yoshikawa City that has been in business for 60 years. It was relocated to the backside of Yoshikawa Shrine and reopened in 2019. The famous "Namazu Manju" made with homemade red bean paste, which is rare nowadays, is a perfect souvenir. We also recommend the "Namazu Monaka," which allows you to compare the lean and coarse red bean paste and the freshly made dumplings you can enjoy in the store.

The park is the origin of the stone tablet in which Kyoshi Takahama writes “Kokoniware Kuotomubeki Tsukinoishi”, and is very famous due to the yellowing leaves. The best time to see the yellowing of the leaves is around November, with around 50 acer amoenums Japanese maples lit up. The area becomes very crowded during this time, especially with those who are devoted to photography. The yellowing of leaves can be enjoyed at the adjoining prefectural nature museum as well.

The fossils of the large shark, “Megalodon”, and the mysterious sea animal, “Paleoparadoxia”, found within Saitama Prefecture are on display. Furthermore, the Nagatoro area is a perfect example of the characteristics of Saitama's nature, and here you can enjoy easily to understand explanations for a deeper understanding. Also, there are simulation zones and free audio guides to be enjoyed. (For more information regarding the facility, please refer to the URL below.)

There are about six farms located closely on the east and north sides of Yokose Station, including Mikado Farm and Komatsuzawa Leisure Farm, where you can pick strawberries, grapes, sweet potatoes, and shiitake mushrooms each season.

Founded in 1864. A candy and pastry manufacture and sales store with a long history. “Chichibu Ame (Candy)” is meticulously and carefully crafted, with craftsmen being particular about bringing out the umami and original flavors of each ingredient. Almost all of the products are additive-free, making it safe for individuals of all ages to eat them.

Simple sulfur hot spring. Chichibu Yumoto (source of a hot spring), is a day trip hot spring that utilizes the Bukō Hot Spring as the source; it is effective for a range of chronic diseases such as neuralgia, sore muscles, arthralgia, stiff shoulders, and poor blood circulation. This is a liberating open-air bath where one can fully enjoy nature, with the cypress bath giving a tender feel of the tree and the rock bath providing a simplistic natural atmosphere. In addition, there is a “Bukō Auto Campsite (Phone Number: 0494-23-8229)” nearby and a lodging facility “Bukō-no-yu Bekkan (annex) (For reservation: 0494-24-4141)”.

This facility is the center of the "Cool Japan Forest" Project, a joint project by KADOKAWA and Tokorozawa City to share the cutting-edge culture and industry born from an area of plentiful, beautiful nature. The facility has a library, art, natural history and anime museums, and a multipurpose hall to enjoy Japanese pop culture events. In addition, there are book manufacturing and distribution plants, offices, stores, restaurants, hands-on bookstores, shrines, and more!

This roadside station is surrounded by rich nature with deep green mountains, clear streams of the Yokose River, clean air, flowers, and fruit trees for each of the four seasons. Inside the station, there is a farmers' market, restaurant, information center, resting area, experience dōjō (udon/soba), ceramics class, and a gallery. Outside, there is an open space for relaxing and a deck where one can view the river from above. You can also enjoy a walk next to the Yokose river. ※Publishing facility for “Monozukuri Annaijyō” of Saitama Prefecture Industrial Tourism’s Guide Book

This is a museum that exhibits the entire cultural heritage of Yokoze-machi. From stage models of Yokoze’s puppet show (intangible folk cultural property designated by the prefecture) and models of Bukōzanmitake Shrine Palace, there are displays of animals and plants collected from Mt. Bukō as well as historical documents that portray the transitions of Yokoze-machi. In the “nature” section of the permanent exhibition room, fossils of Sinomegaceros yabei, wild ox, wolves from about 130,000 years ago produced in the Nagoya Limestone Cave are on display. These fossil data are very rare on a national scale.

"Rakan," or "Arhat" is a Buddhist term signifying a spiritual practitioner, or high priest, who has attained enlightenment. The 500 Rakan of the Kita-in Temple are one of Japan's three great Rakan and took 50 years to complete. The 538 stone statues are famous for expressing a wide range of human emotions and each having a unique action. According to legend, if you visit at night and touch the heads of the statues, only one will be warm, and it is said that this statue's face resembles the sculptor's deceased parent.

In Chichibu Muse park's "Forest of Sports," there is a facility that anyone can enjoy regardless of age! In a mix of planted and native forests are seven zip lines high above the valley making it the largest park in Japan. The park is for adults and children older than 10 years. The courses are set at high altitudes making this forest adventure very popular among adults as well!

A townscape of “kurazukuri" traditional warehouses still remains in Kawagoe. The kurazukuri warehouses were cleverly built with fireproof architecture and developed as housing for the merchants of Edo. The warehouses retain an image of Edo that cannot be seen in modern day Tokyo. They were chosen as national “Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings” in December of 1999 and were selected as one of “Japan’s 100 Beautiful Historical Environments” in January of 2007.

This is a ropeway installed at an altitude of 497 meters in Mt. Hodōsan, connecting a total length of 832 meters from Sanroku Station to Sanchō Station in 5 minutes. The two gondolas go back and forth between Sanchō Station and Sanroku Station in reverse and are operated under a four-line crossing system. Further, the gondolas’ names: “The Bambi” and “The Monkey I” both originate from the popular Japanese macaque and deer at the small zoo of Mt. Hodōsan.

There is “Obinzurusama”, which goes with the saying that it is good to rub a part of the body that is in pain. In spring, the rare Bukoumamezakura blooms cutely, making it a pleasant view for the eyes of visitors. In addition, the animated movie, “The Anthem of the Heart” was based off of this location. The entrance’s “Enmei Jizō (life-prolonging Jizō)” is the mark.

It is the only waterfall in Saitama Prefecture that has been selected as one of Japan's 100 best waterfalls. There is a promenade of about 1.5km, and you can enjoy the seasonal appearance of fresh greenery and autumn leaves. The waterfall is divided into 3 steps, and the huge waterfall that drops for 76 meters is both powerful and impressive!

10 minutes walk from Yokoze Station. 10 minutes walk to Hitsujiyama Park and Shibazakura no Oka. Strawberries with a focus on the best taste and the most secure experience.

Many small, old-time candy stores line the Kashiya Yokochō (confectionery alley). 70 houses existed in the beginning of the Shōwa era, where they produced a variety of sweets to be sold wholesale. As of now, there are about 20 houses left that still produce and sell cheap sweets, such as mint candy and the Kintaro candy, which are nostalgic for both adults and children alike. Kashiya Yokocho was also selected as one of “The 100 Best Scented Sceneries” by the Ministry of the Environment.

This is a house lodge located in the mountain valley with the surrounding enclosed in deciduous trees and the chirping of birds giving one a feel of the season. In the forest, close to the Terasaka Rice Terrace, is a Yuyado (a lodge with a hot spring) of medicinal herbs which is beloved by many as the “Yakusō-no-yu (hot water of medicinal herbs)”. The pride of the lodging is the medicinal herb bath which contains, among other herbs, chameleon plant and Japanese mugwort, allowing for the body to warm up from its core and improving blood circulation. One can expect recovery from fatigue and better skin.

The history of Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine goes back a long way and is said to have started with the separation of worship practices by the Ōmiya Hikawa Shrine, a part of Musashi Ichinomiya, under the reign of Emperor Kinmei in the 6th century, when the cultural practice of building burial mounds was passed on to them. Thereafter, whenever Ōta Dōkan built a castle, it was revered as a Sōja, a shrine enshrining several gods, of this location, and is familiarly called “Ohikawa-sama.”