Sightseeing Spots

12 million cosmos flowers bloom on the fields along the Arakawa riverbank. Enjoy the impressive view of the Chichibu mountain range and Mt. Fuji, all while surrounded by a sea of cosmos flowers. The best time to see the cosmos flower is in mid-October, but poppies can also be enjoyed in May. At the Cosmos Festival in mid-October, the area becomes lively with stage events, refreshment stalls, and cosmos picking events.

Center for Environmental Science in Saitama is a core institution of environmental sciences with the environmental education center and the national institute for environmental studies combined into one. We offer various opportunities for the citizens of the prefecture to study the environment through exhibitions and a range of events. With the renewal construction completed in 2020, a new exhibition hall “Sai Kankan” has been added. Please come and see the changes for yourself! An eye-catching renewal! Sai Kankan Dome. A large video screen, covering your entire field of vision! There are two sections: “A Chapter on the Earth’s Environment”, which takes on the issues of the environment on a global scale, and “A Chapter on the Biological Environment”, which takes on environmental issues that take place close to us through a dragonflies perspective. There are 42 seats available.

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.

This is one of the largest flower markets in eastern Japan. There is a guided course through the market facility, allowing anyone to easily observe the auction (Monday/Wednesday/Friday). There is also a restaurant inside the facility.

The observatory at Mt. Ninomiya is the highest point in town, with an altitude of 131.8 meters. And needless to say, it offers a spectacular view! From this observatory, you can enjoy the far-off Mt. Asama, Mt. Tanigawa, Nikko Mountain range, Mt. Tsukuba, and the Chichibu mountains. If you go up to the top floor, you can overlook the skyscrapers of Shinjuku by using the free telescope. If you're lucky, you can even see the Tokyo Skytree! Besides, there are flowers such as the azalea planted, making it a lovely route for a stroll.

This fishing pond is very accessible, located approximately 9 kilometers (about 15 minutes) from the Higashi Matsuyama Interchange of the Kan-Etsu Expressway and roughly 5 kilometers (about 10 minutes) from the Ranzan-Ogawa Interchange. The pond is encircled by beautiful nature and has a surface area of roughly 11,600 square meters. On Saturday and Sunday, you can enjoy handmade udon made with local flour and buy locally grown vegetables at the farmer’s restaurant.

Behind the precincts of Takaohikone Shrine in Tako, Yoshimi town, there is a rocky mountain with a great view. If you climb up the mountainside and stomp your feet, you will hear a clomping sound. There is a legend regarding this place that goes something like this. Once upon a time, there was a rich man who was looking for a place to hide his treasure. One day, he paid a visit to Takaohikone Shrine and asked for the best place to hide his treasure. The god told him, "Bury it in this rocky mountain. I will protect it for you." The man felt relieved and buried all his riches in the mountain. Today, as a remnant of this story, the rocky mountain is called Mount Ponpon and is said to be inhabited by a divine spirit.

The Musashi-Kyuryo National Government Park was built to commemorate the 100 years of the Meiji era. Musashi-Kyuryo is Japan's first national park and is located in a hilly area of 304 hectares stretching between Hiki district, Namegawa town, and Yagii in Kumagaya of Saitama Prefecture. The park has plenty of forested areas, but the environment is diverse with ponds, swamps, marshes, and grasslands, making it a place where precious flora and fauna can grow and thrive. Also, it's one of the few places within the metropolitan area where you truly can feel in contact with nature.

The nature and the culture of Namegawa town is structured to resemble a museum, with the Eco-Museum Center acting as a hub that provides a wide range of information about Namegawa town. The Tokyo bitterling, a freshwater fish native to Japan, is designated as a national treasure. Research related to its artificial breeding and ecology has been taking place in order to re-introduce the Tokyo bitterling to the wildlife.

The park opened in 1990 as part of spreading “Botan (peony)”, the city’s flower. This is a prominent peony park in the Kanto region with roughly 30,000 square meters of colorful peony blooming from the middle of April to early May, with a “Botan Matsuri (Peony Festival)” taking place at the prime of the peonies blooming. Furthermore, Hydrangea, Japanese maple, Chimonanthus, a large playground complex, an open lawn, and an observatory can be enjoyed throughout the year.

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.

Yoshimi Town is dotted with artificial swamps, which actually are reservoirs built for rice paddy cultivation. Lake Hatcho is one such artificial swamp with an area of about 52000 square meters. The kanji letter for "Ha" can also mean both "eight" and "many," similar to how the symbol for eight is the same as the symbol for infinity. This can be found in many words and expressions used throughout the Japanese language, where the number eight is used to describe "too many to count." Lake Hatcho used to be called "Hatcho Hassan no Numa," which also is a play on eight, but since the name is incorrect, it isn't in use anymore.

Here you can find local vegetables and fruits harvested in Namegawa. We recommend the freshly polished white rice, cucumber, eggplant, and radish (vegetables vary based on the season). The farmers' market is a popular location where you can find seasonal fresh vegetables. Also, there are a variety of events such as the corn festival, rice harvest festival, agricultural festival along with the sales of seasonal delicacies such as the chestnut and dried persimmon of Bushū.

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.

Anraku-ji Temple is the 11th temple in Bando and has been known as Yoshimi Kannon since ancient times. The main deity of the temple is the Holy Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, the deity of compassion, and according to the Yoshimi Kannon Enki, it all started about 1200 years ago when a statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva was carved and placed in the rock cave. Every year on June 18, the Kannon is unveiled in the early morning to the public to ward off evil spirits. As a tradition, they also sell special "Yakuwake Dango (literally dumplings to ward off evil)" on this day. Even to this day, on June 18th, the long approach to Anraku-ji Temple is lined with stalls, and the area becomes very crowded from around 2 am to early morning.

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 handcrafting Japanese paper to seasonal experiences and workshops related to the Japanese paper, hand-making soba and udon, purchasing specialty goods of Japanese paper and agricultural products. There is also a plentiful food court full of the local village cuisine such as the salted grilled char and oyaki. Furthermore, there is a paper-making house with a thatched roof inside the Japanese garden, which makes you feel like you’ve gone back in time to the Edo period. The area is designed to allow for a relaxing time.

Refresh your soul in this natural environment consisting of a beautiful waterfall and a gorge that has been carved out by a mountain stream originating from Mt. Ryokami in the Chichibu mountain range. Also, from the beginning of January to the end of February every year, one of the three major icicles of Chichibu, Onouchi Hyakukei Icicle, can be found here as well.

It started in 1182 when Hatakeyama Shigetada offered a statue of a devil holding an iron rod to protect people from evil during the construction of the Sugayayakata. A rare shrine that enshrines the “oni (devil)”, with a Setsubun Festival taking place every year on February 3rd, with chants of “Fuku wa uchi, Oni wa uchi, Akuma soto (Out with the bad spirits, in with the good fortune and oni/devil)”. In addition, the shrine is known as the god of victory, with soldiers praying for good fortune during war.

About 12 million poppies are in full bloom on a vast slope 500 meters above sea level. The contrast between the red of the poppies and the clear blue sky is spectacular. During the blooming period, an event called "Poppies in the Sky" will be held, featuring gourmet food from the surrounding area, sales of local specialties, and the opening of a temporary parking lot. We hope to see you there.

A poppy flower field that initially was planted as a campaign to prevent illegal dumping. With about 12.5 hectares, it is the largest in Japan. At the Poppy Festival in mid-May, you can enjoy refreshments, regional vegetables, and of course, flower picking! The view of Mt. Fuji from under the Onari bridge by the Arakawa river, where the field can be found, is known as one of the best views of Mt. Fuji. A truly spectacular and scenic view of red, pink, and orange poppies blooming all around you.

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.

There are tours of the wine factory and vineyard, along with free samples and purchases of wines at the attached direct sales office, and lastly, eating at the directly managed restaurants (business days are designated).

The Yoshimi Hundred Caves is a horizontal hole tomb built at the end of the Kofun period (late 6th to late 7th century) and was designated as a national historic site in 1918. It is a historic site that represents Yoshimi Town, and there are currently 219 horizontal holes that have been confirmed. Each hole consists of two parts, a narrow passage, and a burial chamber. In some of the holes, you can also find the natural monument luminous moss growing.