Sightseeing Spot

This is the main shrine of Kounosu, where the legend of konotori (=stork), which is also believed to be the reason behind the cities name, has been handed down to this day. In 1873, Raiden Shrine, Kumano Shrine, and Hikawa Shrine were combined to form Kono Shrine. At the end of the year, they hold a Tori no Ichi marked at the shrine.

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 of the temple to this day. Every year on November 14, they hold the "Ten Nights Memorial Service," one of the three major ones in Kanto, and the "Doll Memorial Service," which is unique to the town, which is known for its hina dolls.

Of the total 61 kilometers of the Motoara River, 8 kilometers run through the Fukiage area. There are 17 bridges across the river, including the Shinsaga Bridge, a Civil Engineering Heritage Site selected by the Japan Society of Civil Engineers. Many of the bridges are decorated with poems and sculptures, making the exploration of them a perfect activity for some leisurely sightseeing!

Hana no Oasis is a park located in the Teraya district, the birthplace of flower production in Konosu. In spring, a tulip festival is held amid 40,000 tulips. In autumn, you can enjoy late-blooming sunflowers.

There are a lot of things to see, including exhibits that tell the history of Konosu station town. There are also hina dolls and akamono plants, a warehouse built in the Meiji period (designated as an important building of Saitama Prefecture's landscape), and a stage decorated with mosaic art. The museum also provides information on sightseeing and sells local specialties. Make sure to stop by and have an enjoyable time!

From the moment you pass through the Nagaya gate, you will find yourself in an atmospheric space where you can feel the peace and nostalgia of an old traditional house. In the garden, roses are in full bloom, and inside the facility, there is a restaurant where you can eat and a center specializing in local produce, allowing you to buy and bring home fresh vegetables. This is a great place to enjoy an atmospheric and relaxing time.

Roadside Station Showa is surrounded by a rural landscape of fertile farmland, small forest grooves, and pastoral rice fields. This blessed natural environment allows you to feel the changing of the seasons. In the product hall, you can find a variety of souvenirs from all over the country as well as products unique to the Kasukabe area. This is a very popular spot for tourists where you even can buy fresh local vegetables. Or why not sit down and enjoy a hot meal at the restaurant "Shokusai-kan?"

This Tourist Information Center is located on the second floor of the Station Building adjacent to Higashimatsuyama Station. Here you can find pamphlets on sightseeing spots and events in the city, walking maps, and more. City mascot character goods and other specialties of the city are also available for purchase. A pamphlet rack is also located in front of the ticket gates of Higashi Matsuyama Station, allowing you to easily grab what you need on your way to the train.

Maruki Gallery for the Hiroshima Panels was built by the collaborative husband and wife artists Iri and Toshi Maruki. Their goal was to create a place where anyone, at any time, could see their collaborative work "The Hiroshima Panels," 15 panels depicting the effects of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In 1966, they moved to Shimo Karako, Higashi Matsuyama City, and the following year, they opened the Maruki Gallery for the Hiroshima Panels, where they spent more than 30 years completing all 15 panels. The museum also holds special exhibitions, lectures, concerts, and other events on the theme of war and life.

JA Saitama Chuo's Higashi Matsuyama direct sales center "Inahoterasu" is an open building constructed with local wood and natural material. The name was chosen through a contest where locals participated and came with suggestions. Inahoterasu symbolizes how the ears of rice (=inaho) will light up (=terasu) a bright future for people. Here you can find a wide variety of souvenirs from Higashimatsuyama City, such as processed pears and chestnuts, yakitori rice crackers, and other sweets!

It is the oldest remaining gravity dam for agricultural use in eastern Japan. The weir of the dam and its management bridge are both registered as tangible cultural properties of Japan. The area is also known as a famous place for fishing for crucian carp and wakasagi. Furthermore, you can enjoy the seasonal scenery of cherry blossoms in spring and vividly colored leaves in the autumn.

This shrine is dedicated to the spirit of Mt. Ontake, the main mountain of the Kiso district. It is said to have great spiritual power and to protect visitors by dispelling bad spirits and bringing good fortune. The shrine garden covers an area of almost 50.000 square meters, including Togo Park located within its precincts. The shrine performs various kinds of "o-harai (a Japanese form of light exorcism)" for groundbreaking ceremonies, house exorcism, car exorcism, and you can also visit for Shichigosan (ceremony celebrating children at the age of 3, 5, and 7) or to make your first shrine visit of the year.

Located in Naguri/Okumusashi of Saitama, Hakuun-san Torii Kannon is a tourist attraction selected as one of the top 100 best locations in Saitama, covering an area of about 30 hectares. The site is funded privately by Yataro Hiranuma who spent more than 30 years erecting the buildings. In addition to the Kyusei Kannon (Goddess of Salvation) by the top of the mountain, the main hall, Gyokkamon Gate, Niomon Gate, Great Bell Tower, and Heiwa Kannon (Goddess of Mercy), the Genjo Sanzo Tower is famous for enshrining the remains of Genjo Sanzo, a Buddhist priest known to appear in the famous Chinese novel "Journey to the West."

Reopening in 2021 with the new concept of "a world wrapped in heartwarming happiness." The nostalgic cityscape of the past will be recreated with overwhelming quality, pulling you into the world both through social interactions and food experiences! You can also expect the unexpected with exciting live performances suddenly taking place, further absorbing you in this nostalgic world. In addition, a new attraction has been introduced that offers an immersive and thrilling ride!

YOT-TOKO will leave you with the impression that Tokorozawa is a place packed with delicious food and interesting places to visit! YOT-TOKO doesn't only provide tourist information and sell local food specialties, they also display and sell traditional noh masks, kumade rakes, and hina dolls! One of the most eye-catching products is the colorful packages of the Sayama tea! This is the only place where you can see packages lining up from all the city's tea vendors. Tokorozawa Sakura Town is connected by the Tokorozawa Sakura Town Bridge.

This facility was built in the early Meiji period around 150 years ago as a merchant's inn. Chichibu-Kan was renovated while maintaining its original construction and atmosphere as much as possible and re-opened as a base for social interaction and tourism. The first floor is a free rest area with a large fireplace, and surrounding it are rental boxes where citizens can display and sell their handicrafts and ceramics. Whether it's for tourism information or to mingle with the locals, we hope you will visit Hot Spot Chichibu-kan!

This store was originally the main building of a meisen silk wholesaler that prospered in the Taisho era. It has now been restored as a tourist center that also displays and sells local products. You can also try out the local cuisine at the soba noodle shop!

Chichibu's souvenirs are all here! If you are looking for souvenirs of Chichibu, why not visit here? They have a wide range of products from popular souvenirs of the Chichibu area to the local mascot character, Potekuma-kun goods.

This park, located on a hill overlooking the city, surrounded by lush greenery, is famous for its shibazakura (moss phlox) and cherry blossoms. This place has been a getaway for citizens needing a break from city life for many years. There is also an area with athletic facilities for children to play, and exhibition halls such as Mt. Bukou Museum and Yamato Art Museum.

The building was built in 1930 and was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property in 2001. At the Chichibu Meisen museum, you can learn about the history of Chichibu Meisen, view the exhibits, and try your hand at stencil dyeing and weaving. All the equipment displayed in the museum is still in use, and if you are lucky, you can even see it in action.

With around 500 trees blooming along the bank of the Arakawa River, this spot has been famous for its cherry blossoms since the Edo period (1603-1868). It has even been selected as one of the 100 best cherry blossom spots in Japan by the Japan Cherry Blossom Association. During the Kumagaya Cherry Blossom Festival, held from late March to early April, the cherry blossoms are lit up at night so that visitors can enjoy them after sunset as well!

Muzeum pamięci Ogino Ginkgo is a Japanese-style building divided into an exhibition room and a lounge area. The building has a tiled roof and plastered walls partly covered in wooden siding, which resembles the Nagaya-mon gate of Ginko Ogino's birthplace. Ginko Ogino is one of the three great historical figures of Saitama Prefecture. She passed the medical practice examination in 1885 and became the first officially licensed female doctor in Japan.

The Katakura Silk Commemorative Museum is built in the cocoon warehouse of the Kumagaya Factory, the last silk manufacturing plant of Katakura Industries, and has been recognized as a Heritage of Industrial Modernization by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry. To preserve and pass on the 121-year history of the company's silk production, the museum displays the machinery used to produce silk at the Kumagaya Factory, and you can follow the entire process from cocoons to raw silk.

The historic site "Sugaya Yakata Castle" (a national historic castle site) overlooking the Toki River to the south is said to be the place where Hatakeyama Shigetada built his mansion in the early Kamakura period. Inside Sugaya-kan, there is a museum dedicated to the historic remains of Ranzan Town. Furthermore, the area is also known for its Yamayuri (Mountain Lilies), which grow wild and are at their best around July every year. In addition, plum and cherry trees are also planted here. Together with Sugaya-kan, Ranzan town is home to Sugiyama Castle, and both of them were appointed as being among the "Continued 100 Fine Castles of Japan" on April 6, 2017.