Sightseeing Spots

Kuroyama Santaki is the name of a group of three waterfalls known as Odaki (male waterfall), Medaki (female waterfall) and Tengu Taki (demon waterfall). This scenic spot was selected as one of Japan’s 100 best sightseeing destinations. Enjoy fresh greenery in the spring, refreshing cool air in the summer and remarkably beautiful leaves in autumn.

The Old Yamazaki Family Villa was built as a retreat for Kashichi Yamazaki, the 5th generation of Kameya, a long-established confectionery store of Kawagoe. The building and other components have been recognized as having national cultural significance; the main house, tearoom, and the benches of the waiting room were designated as tangible cultural properties of the city in 2000, a portion of the building was donated to the city in 2006, the garden was registered as the national monument (place of scenic beauty) in 2011, and the main building was designated as a National Important Cultural Property in 2019. The garden of the former Yamazaki family's villa is also recognized as a valuable example of a Japanese-style garden, including a tea ceremony room designed by Katsuya Hoka along with Japanese and Western-style buildings, and is highly regarded as “a contribution to the development of landscape gardening culture."

The temple was rebuilt by Seigon Shonin at the end of the 16th century and became one of eighteen monk training schools for the Jodo sect. As a temple associated with the Tokugawa Shogunate, the use of the "three-leaf hollyhock crest" was permitted. There are many cultural assets on the temple grounds that tell the ancient history in the present day. They hold the "Ten Nights Memorial Service," one of the three major memorial services in Kanto, every year on November 14, and the "Doll Memorial Service," unique to this town which is known for its hina dolls.

This museum was jointly established by Honjo City and Waseda University. The museum holds archaeological materials from the Paleolithic period through which visitors can trace the history of Honjo City. In addition to artifacts rarely found in Japan, such as the laughing human haniwa (terra-cotta tomb figurine) holding a shield and a completed cast of a small glass ball, visitors can see a variety of valuable materials owned by Waseda University.

The only sake brewery at Kura no Machi, Kawagoe. Though the sake brewery cannot be toured, the adjoining Matsumoto Shōyu, established 200 years ago, can be toured free of charge. Please stop by for a visit! The sake brewery is only 1 minute by foot from the Toki no Kane, the center of Kawagoe’s tourist destination.

Just a minute's walk from the station, the water at this hot spring gushes from a source 1,500 meters underground, and is said to be a sodium chloride high salt onsen, a spring water source known as “Bijin no Yu” (beauty hot spring) that is neutral and gentle on the skin. It is also popular for its medicinal bath containing natural herbal medicines. In 2020, a new footbath named "Namazu no Ashiyu" (catfish footbath) was opened, and is gaining popularity as a new tourist spot in Yoshikawa City.

Koedo Kurari is an improved facility retaining the atmosphere of the original Kyūkagamiyama brewery, established in 1875. The brewery, built through the Meiji, Taisho, and Shōwa periods, was remodeled and designated as one of Japan's registered tangible cultural properties along with the three warehouses: souvenir shop (Meijigura), Restaurant (Taishōgura), Japanese sake shop (Shōwagura), and meeting space (Tenjigura).

This hot spring was opened at Aeon Town Yoshikawa Minami in June 2021 under the theme ''deliciousness, happiness, beauty, and health." There are three types of indoor baths, a reclining bath and an outdoor bath. After taking a bath, you can enjoy sushi produced by Kanazawa Maimon and sweets by chocolatier Hironobu Tsujiguchi of Le Chocolat de H in the food court attached to the spa.

The railway museum opened on October 14th, 2007 in Ōmiya, Saitama as part of Japan Railways (JR) Group’s 20th-anniversary commemorative project. The South Building was newly opened in July of 2018, with the permanent exhibition of the main building renewed extensively. Through this renewal, the inside of the building has been divided into stations of 5 categories: rolling stock, history, job, science, and future, updating the museum to tell the rich story of the relationship between humans and railways from a unique and diverse perspective.

The Saitama Forest Science Museum is a place where visitors can learn about both forests and forestry and deepen their understanding of the roles of forests and forestry. The Museum was built by Saitama Prefecture to encourage and support the local forestry industry.

In addition to Japanese papermaking and seasonal experiences and workshops related to the Japanese paper, there's soba and udon handmaking experiences, and Japanese paper specialty goods and agricultural products available for purchase. The food court is chock-full of local village cuisine such as salted grilled artic char and oyaki. There's also a thatched-roof paper-making house inside the Japanese garden, where visitors can enjoy a relaxing space straight out of the Edo period.

Jigenji is Chichibu’s 13th sacred site on Japan’s 100 Kannon Pilgrimage. It has been famous as a "temple for eyes" for 780 years. Worshippers come from all over Japan with worries and concerns regarding the eye.

Tabi to Kurashi (Tabi and Life) Museum was originally a factory of tabi socks delivering to tabi stores under the name Bokuya Honten (Main Branch). The factory was reborn as a museum, retaining most of the original factory’s appearance. At the museum, demonstrations by individuals who used to be tabi craftsmen can be seen, and your own original tabi (additional cost) can be made every second Sunday of the month.

On May 23, 1868 (Keio 4), Heikuro Shibusawa, a member of the old shogunate army who was defeated in a battle with new government forces at Hanno, fled alone towards Kuroyama Village via the Kaoburi Pass. He encountered a patrolling scouting party and fought them alone, but was badly wounded and committed suicide (harakiri) while sitting on a rock on the river bank. Heikuro was a cousin, brother-in-law, and adopted son of Shibusawa Eiichi, the man known as the "father of Japanese capitalism," whose face appears on the 10,000 yen bill.

This roadside station, with a play tower designed to resemble a strawberry castle, is easy for families to stop by. Goods such as fresh dorayaki made from Yoshimi grown strawberries are available for purchase. It is also a popular place to take a break and enjoy a delicious soft-serve ice cream.

The Sennen no Sono Lavender Field spans approximately 6.5 hectares and boasts around 22,000 lavender plants including over 10 different lavender varieties, such as Grosso (French), Hidcote (English), and Avonview (Spanish). In late May, visitors can enjoy the enchanting sight of red, pink, and white poppies blooming alongside early-blooming lavender. By mid-June, a portion of the field transforms into a golden sea of wheat known as "Nourin 61," and towards the end of June, visitors can witness the spectacle of wheat harvesting. The annual Ranzan Lavender Festival takes place from early to late June, offering a wonderful opportunity to experience the beauty of the lavender field. *Please note that access to the fields is restricted after the festival as they undergo harvesting.

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.

Passing along a road within the mountains, you will come to a direct sales farmers market built from Japanese cypress (hinoki). The shop specializes in mountain mushrooms and wild vegetables harvested in the Ohno region. The “Chirimen Norabō-na,” only available at this shop, is popular every year for its sweetness. The building is the oldest of the town's four direct sales shops, and is said to be the model for Myōkaku Station, which has the same octagonal shape.

The bath uses water close to the source, a gensen (hot spring source) 2,000 meters underground. The water is rich in sodium and heats the body to its core. Due to the warming effects of the sodium, the bath is known as "Atamari no Yu" (warming bath). In addition, the hydrogen ion concentration is pH 8.1. This low alkaline water also helps soften dead skin cells, earning the bath the additional name of "Bihada no Yu" (bath for beautiful skin). Please enjoy the exquisite waters from the Kachōfūgetsu source. Also on the premises of this vast facility are a beauty salon, a massage parlor and a refreshing oxygen room. We offer a relaxing environment for each and every customer. (Please refer to the URL below for more information regarding the facility.)

The well at our brewery, "Bushūyama Jyōryūsui" (underground water) was established as one of the hundred best mineral water sources of the Heisei Era. If you bring a container, feel free to fill it up with water and take it with you!

The two authentic Dashis (festival cars) pulled at the Kawagoe Festival are on display along with materials related to the Kawagoe Festival. At this exhibition hall, the powerful atmosphere of the Kawagoe Festival can be experienced all year round. There is also a regular demonstration of musical accompaniment (about 20 minutes).

Sakitama Shrine is an ancient shrine with a majestic and calm atmosphere which holds a history of a thousand and a few hundred years, and is the origin of Saitama Prefecture's name. The main building of the shrine has a height of 8.7 meters, a circumference of about 92 meters, and is built on top of a megalith tomb (kofun) called Sengenzuka, connected to the Saitama Kofun Group. The deity has two pillars: Sakitamahime-no-mikoto and Sakitamahiko-no-mikoto, gods that protect individuals and bring good fortune and success in matrimony. Recently, a popular limited edition go-shuin (seal stamp) with a motif of the 4 cats that reside in the shrine is available (every month on the 22nd including a few days before and after).

In the spring, cherry blossoms bloom and azalea flowers cover the mountain at Oshamoji-yama Park, located at the town's south entrance, and the many revelers make for a boisterous flower-viewing party. The Shamoji mother-goddess (god Oshamoji) is enshrined in a hokora (miniature shrine) at the foot of the mountain, thus the park is named “Oshamoji-yama.” The Kanto Plain and mountains of Chichibu can be seen from the park's observatory.

This is the Ōsawa village shrine. It is said the Katori Shrine was transferred here from Sagishiro. The “Meisaichō” notes the shrine's establishment as Ōei era (1394 to 1428). This area belonged to Shimōsa Province in the middle ages, and Katori Shrine, the province's first shrine, was invited to the village as its guardian deity and built in Sagishiro. It was moved to its current ground around the Kan’ei era (1624 to 1644) due to the maintenance of the Ōushū Kaidō. According to the sign displaying date of construction (munafuda), the current main shrine was renovated in 1866. A pattern from the fabric-dyer is engraved around one side of the main shrine. It is the work of Takejiro Hasegawa who resides in Mount Asama San’ya-machi and is the city’s designated cultural property.