Sightseeing Spots

This park features an open lawn space and large wooden play equipment, and the area is crowded with families all year. Seasonal flowers grow throughout the park, and in addition to cherry blossoms in the spring, the moss phlox (April to May) and irises (early June) bloom in a heart-warming sight. There are also kitchen spaces for barbecue, and visitors can fish at the large pond, Koai Tamei (within the designated area).

With low alkaline natural hot springs similar to a "Bijin no Yu" (beauty bath), the unisex large-scale outdoor bath, “Onnetsubō," overlooking Lake Miyazawa and the Chichibu Mountains is particularly popular! At the Four Seasons Buffet, “Kohansaryō," you can enjoy cuisine featuring locally harvest seasonal vegetables while taking in the view. ※ This is a facility for those older than elementary school. Preschoolers and younger are not allowed to enter.

This ropeway was installed on Mt. Hodōsan at an altitude of 497 meters, connecting the 832 meter distance from Sanroku Station to Sanchō Station in 5 minutes. The two gondolas go back and forth between Sanroku and Sanchō Stations operating under a four-line crossing system. The gondolas’ names, “The Bambi” and “The Monkey I,” both originate from the popular Japanese macaque and deer that inhabit the small zoo on Mt. Hodōsan.

It is a core facility for promoting the culture of bonsai and is the world’s first public museum specializing in bonsai. To spread the culture of bonsai, which is designated a traditional industry of Saitama, along with bonsai, bonki (vase), suiseki (rocks) and paintings of bonsai can also be enjoyed in this diverse exhibit. (For more information regarding the facility, please refer to the URL below.)

※The museum has been undergoing earthquake-proofing renovation since 2017, and is currently closed to the public. The Kawagoe Kurazukuri Museum was built by tobacco wholesaler Koyama Bunzō after the great fire in 1893 and designed referencing the few houses of Kurazukuri which survived the fire and merchant houses of the Tokyo Nihonbashi area. Visitors can tour the inside of the Kurazukuri houses of Kawagoe, where the atmosphere of the Meiji era can be felt to this day in the buildings' structure and design.

Enjoy the refreshing air around this beautiful waterfall originating from a mountain stream that flows from Mt. Ryokami in the Chichibu mountain range. Also, Onouchi Hyakukei Icicle, one of the three major icicles of Chichibu, can be found here from the beginning of January to the end of February every year.

Hanataen is a traditional Japanese strolling pond garden (kaiyu shiki teien) of about 2 hectares, with a characteristic wooden bridge centered on a beautiful pond, a tea room built in Sukiya style, a man-made hill overlooking the garden and elegant stone lanterns. Various trees such as cherry blossoms and plums also grow, and you can enjoy the seasonal flowers and foliage. In addition, the garden is adjacent to Saitama Prefecture's only outdoor Noh (traditional theater) stage, Koshigaya Noh Theater. A great place to both enjoy the beauty of Japan's culture and the four seasons.

A park inspired by the world of Scandinavian fairy tales. Unique buildings that tickle your imagination stand on park grounds overflowing with greenery. Play freely in nature among the refreshing breeze and dappled shade in this relaxing space for everyone.

Plum planting began in 1986 at Ume Hyakkaen Garden. You can enjoy about 170 varieties of plum flowers, including rare ones such as the early blooming red plum during the winter solstice and the three famous flowers of the moon, mangetsu, tagoto, and soumei. From mid-February, about 470 plum are in full bloom, and the fragrant plum scent spreads all the way to the summit.

Toki no Kane is said to have been first built in the Castletown Tagachō during the Kan’ei era (1624-1644) by the lord of Kawagoe Castle, Sakai Tadakatsu. The current bell tower was rebuilt the year following Kawagoe’s great fire in 1893, and is a three-story tower with a height of about 16 meters. It is a symbol of Kawagoe and denotes that “time” is indispensable for daily life. As of today, the bell rings four times a day (6 am, noon, 3 pm, and 6 pm).

Matsumoto Soy Sauce Factory has been making soy sauce in Kawagoe for around 250 years. The brewery, established in 1764, still carries out production with traditional methods using 40 cedar vats that have been in use since the Edo period. At a tour of this soy sauce brewery, designated an important part of Kawagoe's city landscape, you can experience firsthand the tradition of soy sauce production.

We offer tourist information and general information about the city. There is everything from displays of the original picture of “Crayon Shin-chan,” an animated character representing Kasukabe, to food for sale approved by the city’s “Food Selection." It is also registered as a “baby friendly station,” and families can use the station to change diapers and breastfeed here. Please feel free to stop by.

Established in 1946, our slogan is “from farm to dining table,” and we take pride in producing healthy and delicious ham and sausages using meat from the pigs raised on our farm. The quality of our product has been recognized for its authenticity in Germany, and has won many gold awards in international food contests. Featuring a theme park revolving around pork and health, there are gourmet pork meals, a farmers market selling local fresh vegetables and a relaxing hot spring, for a day full of leisurely fun.

At YOT-TOKO you will discover the many delicious foods and great places to visit in Tokorozawa! In addition to providing tourist information and selling unique local foods and specialties, there are also displays of traditional noh masks, kumade rakes and hina dolls; a showcase of the many charms of Tokorozawa. Among these are the eye-catching packages of Sayama tea, the pride of local tea producers, and this shop is the only place where all brands are available in one place. The shop is connected to Tokorozawa Sakura Town via the Tokorozawa Sakura Town Bridge.

Situated at the Nakacho intersection, the entrance to the Kurazukuri district, the Kawagoe City Nakacho Information Center is filled with useful information and housed in a traditional warehouse! You can also connect to their free Wi-Fi and use their baggage storage service (for a fee).

Toda Park was built between 1937 and 1940, centered around a rowing course which is the largest artificial still water course in Japan. Established as a city park after the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, it is used as a training area and competition venue for rowing, while also providing a relaxing environment filled with nature for the local citizens. The park is adjacent to the bank of the Arakawa River and also has an elevated plaza, flower beds, and lots of playground equipment, making it popular for not only its rowing course.

Ranzan Valley is one of Saitama Prefecture's famous scenic spots known for the Iwadatami rock terraces, the clear streams of the Tsukikawa River, and the heavily wooded natural environment. The Hosokawa area has a particularly unique peninsula-like topography, where a large river channel turns at a sharp 180 degree angle. The valley and surrounding Japanese red pine forests are a stunning sight! When Dr. Seiroku Honda, the first person in Japan to hold a Ph.D. of forestry, visited the area, he noted its great similarity to the landscape of Arashiyama in Kyoto, and referring to it as the "Arashiyama of Musashi Province," provided the origin of the name "Ranzan," another way to read "Arashiyama." In the summer, one can enjoy the fresh green and sounds of babbling brooks and chirping birds, in just an unbelievable one hour distance from the metropolis. In autumn you can also enjoy the reflection of the leaves on the surface of the water emphasized by the fiery red of the momiji maple trees. *Peak season for autumn leaves is mid-November to early December.

Located on about 13,000 square meters of the Nakagawa Riverbed, the contrast between the 120 pink peach blossoms and fields of yellow rapeseed flowers that bloom from March to April every year is a beautiful sight to see. In autumn, you can enjoy red spider lilies and cosmos. The annual Hanamomo Festival held in late March attracts many tourists.

Menuma Shodenzan Kangiin Temple is known as one of Japan’s three holy temples and is said to bring blessings for matrimony, family health, fortune, and scholarly achievements. In 2012, the main sanctuary, “Kangiin Shotendo,” was designated as a national treasure due to its highly skilled carvings, modern decorative architecture and public funding of its construction. Events take place throughout the year, such as the annual grand festival and Setsubun festivals during the spring and autumn.

Around 300 Someiyoshino cherry trees are in full bloom at Sakuranoyama Park in early April and the mountain peak boasts a view that overlooks the Saitama-Shintoshin area. A large fireworks display is held every year on the second Saturday of May.

The Yoshimi Hundred Caves are a mysterious group of horizontally carved rock tombs created at the end of the Kofun period (late 6th to 7th century), and designated a national historic site in 1918. There are 219 holes confirmed in total, and the tombs represent Yoshimi Town with their significance. Each hole is divided into a narrow passage and a burial chamber, and the protected species, luminous moss, also known as goblin gold, can be found growing in the tombs.

This is the oldest grand shrine in Kanto. It is said to have been founded by descendants of the Izumo family because of its old nickname, Hazenomiya; another theory is that it was established by Yamato Takeru 1900 years ago in the time of Emperor Keikō. The Washimiya Saibara Kagura music and dance is a tradition in the shrine and is designated as an important intangible folk cultural property of the country. The shrine also appears in the animation “Lucky Star,” and Washimiya shrine uses this connection to the work to revitalize the area.

This facility consists of 12 groups of fruit farmers, with the closest station being Ashigakubo Station on Seibu Chichibu Line. You can find this collection of fruit farms, aka Fruits Village, by the southern slope of Hinatayama in the Ashigakubo district. Fruits are harvested all year round, with strawberries from early January to mid-May, plums from early July to mid-August, and grapes from mid-August to mid-October. The sweet taste of fully-ripened fruits and the clean air of the great outdoors is a special experience. We encourage you to stop by! There is also a restaurant, “Ashigakubo Fruits Garden,” a “Farming Village Park” with a 100-meter roller slide nearby, and many great courses for hiking.

Newly reopened in 2021 with the concept: "A heart-warming world nestled in happiness." Find yourself in a world of wonder with high-quality replicas of retro townscapes, interactions with townspeople and spontaneous live performances, and delicious nostalgic foods. There are also new and exciting immersive light-up attractions for you to enjoy!