Sightseeing Spots

Founded in 1940 by Gensaku Asami, Chichibu Wine is the oldest winery in Saitama. Known for its award-winning wines and deep local roots, it gained early recognition when a French priest compared its wine to Bordeaux. Visitors can enjoy tastings and learn about the winemaking process on-site.

Shimabu-ji Temple is the No.1 temple of Chichibu Fudasho (34 sacred places of the Kannon) . The main hall (Kannon-do), built in 1697, has been designated as a tangible cultural property of Saitama Prefecture. The carvings on the front balustrade, 'Jigoku no zu' and 'Gokuraku no zu', are magnificent. The main hall enshrines the deity Otasuke Kannon, who is said to help people out of their troubles and suffering. The Great Ceremony held every year on 24 August in the Shishoku Shokudo to the right of the main hall is also famous. It is a very lively gathering of monks from Chichibu, regardless of denomination. This event is famous as one of the three major offerings in the Kanto region, along with the Gyokusoin no Daisegaki in Saitama City and the Dojo Shigaki in Eifukuji in Sugito-cho, Kitakatsushika-gun.

Chichibu Shrine has long been an important presence in the town and remains a popular spot for Chichibu residents. Many structures dating from the early 1900s line Banba Street, the cobblestone road that leads to the shrine, providing a nostalgic atmosphere that recalls times gone by. Many shops still operate in buildings designated Registered Tangible Cultural Properties by the national government, allowing visitors to travel back in time to an earlier Japan.

Please contact the farms listed in the link below for information about grape picking in Yokoze Town! Prices vary depending on the type of grape. You can also purchase grapes at the Ashigakubo Roadside Station (The farms will ship grapes when they are ready to eat. We apologize for any inconvenience if they are sold out). All farms incorporate appropriate hygiene precautions for a safe and comfortable visit.

During wisteria season, you can enjoy vines of purple wisteria flowers descending from the trees in the precincts of Gokado Temple on Mt. Ogawa. Magohachi Honma, who built the temple, spent a night discussing the art of waka poetry with a traveling monk to finally master its secrets, and thus named the temple "Gokado" (words and songs temple). According to legend, the monk was said to have been the incarnation of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy. The stone Buddha in the Koshinto pagoda on the right side of the hall is one of few existing in Chichibu. Collectible goshuin seals are available at Chokoji Temple, about 250 meters away.

At Bokuunji Temple of Mt. Kōyō, also known as Oginodo, the main deity of Saint Kannon is said to have once stood on the summit of Mt. Bukō. Bokuunji Temple is also dedicated to rare items such as a Seiryoji-style Sakyamuni statue, a picture scroll of good fortune, and a tooth of Yamanba (a mountain witch). A magnificent view of Mt. Bukō is visible from the front of the temple.