Sightseeing Spots

In 1805 a traveling merchant from the former Oomi province, the current Shiga prefecture, arrived in Gyoda city searching for good water. In the area closest to Tone river and Arakawa river, the groundwater was plentiful, so he chose this place to build a Sake brewery. Nowadays, this place is famous for its clean water, and they are still producing exquisite sake here. The southern style of brewing sake, fermenting the rice at a low temperature, is a masterful technique that lets you feel the soul of the brewer. This sake is truly a masterpiece.

Chichibu Festival Museum exhibits materials related to the booths and kasaboko (combined umbrella and halberd carried on floats in some festivals) of the Chichibu night festival that takes place every year on the 2nd and 3rd of December. The booths, kasaboko, curtain, sculptures made by Shōwa’s master craftsmen are arranged in a design related to the Myōken belief. At noon, the lanterns are switched on to reproduce the night festival. Within the noise of the palatial Chichibu booth music, the luxurious booth and kasaboko can be seen right before your eyes.

Other than natural hot springs, low in alkalinity, said to have effects similar to the so-called "beauty baths", there is a large-scale Ganban’ yoku “Onnetsubō” which can be enjoyed unisex and is very popular! At the Four Seasons Buffet, “Kohansaryō”, vegetables harvested locally based on the four seasons can be tasted while enjoying the view. ※ This is a facility for those older than elementary school. Preschoolers are not allowed to enter.

With Susanoo, the god of storm, inshrined here, the shrine is known to protect against evil and plague. Inside is a lion mask, popular among locals and often called the "Hirakata lion". Every year in July, there is a mysterious festival called "Doroinkyo". This festival is designated as an intangible folk cultural asset by Saitama prefecture. The giant zelkova and enoki mushrooms in the precincts are designated as natural monuments by Ageo City.

Hikawakuwa Shrine has been loved locally since its foundation in the Edo period. In addition to the main shrine, the grounds include two halls dedicated to the god of learning and Zhu Xi. A shrine monument to the life of Unmuro, the Hall of Prince Shotoku, and the Sengen Shrine.

Experiencing the lakeside of the forest The lifestyle of northern Europe Starting with a market where shopping for sundries of northern European brands, fresh local vegetables, and handicrafts can be enjoyed, there are restaurants where one can enjoy meals of northern Europe, workshops for arts and crafts, rental boats to have a fulfilled time taking a "stroll" on the surface of a lake, seasonal events hosted by various brands, allowing for quality time filled with diverse experiences to be spent with family and friends.

The Kuroyu hot spring, distinctive to the Kanto area, can be found alongside the bypass of the National Route 4. A wide variety of baths including, hot spring baths that flow directly from the source, jet baths, salt saunas, high-temperature saunas, medicated baths, utaseyu (striking water baths) can be enjoyed here.

The date of its foundation is unknown, but it is said to have been built in the Meiō era between 1492 and 1501, as well as in 1684. It is said that when a Buddhist priest named Genkai visited Fushimi Inari, he built a sutra mound with 10,000 Lotus Sutras buried inside. In the precincts, you can also find a shrine dedicated to Shingoro Takahashi and his wife Ise who developed the warabi (bracken) textile industry of the area. Furthermore, there is a heart-shaped stone that is known to grant visitors success in their pursuit of love.

Enjoy handmade soba, udon, and other set menus that have been popular among the farmers of Ashigakubo for a long time. You can also enjoy strawberry picking. The strawberries are bright red and packed with juicy sweetness. It is located right next to Menya Kinoko Chaya. If you want to pick strawberries, stop by the Menya Kinoko Chaya first. ※ Time limit of 30 minutes per entry ※ Greatly appreciated if you contact us in advance

At the Moominvalley Park in Saitama Prefecture, based on the popular creation, ‘Moomins,’ by Finnish author and artist Tove Jansson, you can immerse yourself in the delightful world of Moomin and its popular characters. The first theme park of its kind outside of Finland, it was opened in March 2019 in Hanno, Saitama, and is easily accessible from Tokyo via train. There are four main attraction areas, featuring a variety of theater venues, a large three-story museum, a playground with Moomin landmarks that appear in the story, delicious restaurants, a cafe, and the world’s largest Moomin store! For additional fun, outside Moominvalley Park lies the Metsä Village, where visitors can enjoy a Nordic experience with shopping and dining options, relax around Lake Miyazawako in comfortable outdoor seating viewing the lake and surrounding forest, or take part in various hands-on activities. At Moominvalley Park, there’s fun to be had for everyone!

Purchases can be made from 1 piece of sembei (Japanese rice crackers). We have more than 30 flavors available. Other than this, we also offer sembei wrapped individually to make it easier to eat, along with gifts and seasonal Japanese sweets. There is an “Inauguration Festival” in mid-April, a “Thanksgiving Festival” in mid-October, and a “Thank You Fair” at the end of June and November.

Sakuranoyama Park has about 300 Someiyoshino cherry trees that display their full beauty as they bloom in early April. At the top of the "mountain park," there is an observation deck where you can look out over the Saitama-Shintoshin area. On the second Saturday of May every year, a big fireworks display is held.

A cluster of spider lily grows on the banks of the Karasu River. With a backdrop of a clear blue sky, Mt. Haruna, one of the three mountains of Jōmō, and the Karasu River, named after the legend of Yamato Takeru, a ripe red carpet spreads out.

This is a museum for the classics of the Rolls Royce and the Bentley, in which the Bentley was beloved by Jirō Shirasu and the Rolls Royce by the former prime minister, Shigeru Yoshida. See the door open and close, hear the sound of the engine, and come into contact with the running figure of the car; the power of these once active famous cars can be felt to this day.

This park built on the ruins of Iwatsuki Castle is a lush natural space with trails to explore and open areas to relax. Mingled in with the green, you can find a tennis court, baseball field, playground equipment, a picnic area with a fountain, and a pond with a vermillion-lacquered zigzag bridge. There is even an aged train, oozing with retro atmosphere, on display! In other words, this is a place for people of all ages! Not to mention, in spring, 600 cherry blossom trees bloom here, making it a "sakura"-hotspot during the vernal season.

With an elevation of 305 meters, this charming little mountain is a familiar symbol of Hidaka City. There is a hiking course that offers a variety of ways to climb the mountain, including a gentle slope for the inexperienced and a rocky slope for the veteran climber. At the top of the mountain is a Japanese Hokyointo Pagoda, and you can enjoy the view of Hidaka City. On a clear day, you can also see the skyscrapers of Shinjuku and the Tokyo Sky Tree looming in the distance.

The main building and the guest house, built from the end of the Edo period to the first half of the Meiji period, are centered around a barn and two storehouses, and the stone walls and white walls facing the street are what create the beautiful scenery of Komago. It was designated as a national tangible cultural property in 2014.

Also known as Ogino-do, the main deity, Saint Kannon, is said to have once stood on the top of Mount Bukō. The temple also has a buddha statue in the style of Seiryō-ji, a picture scroll of good fortune, and a tooth of Yamanba (a mountain witch). The view seen from the top of Mount Bukō is a magnificent sight.

It is a place located very close to the Ōshi Castle and is noted for its water hyacinth. The Aoi-no-ike (lake) within the park displays beautiful water hyacinth at a certain season. The square is also known for its 200 trees of sakura (cherry blossom). In addition, “Inaka Kyōshi-no Bungakuhi" (Literary Monument of a Country Teacher) of Katai Tayama was built here. In the monument, a verse from the book Inaka Kyōshi, “The road to Yori was long…”, is engraved.

Mizukokaizuka Park is a park with a site area of roughly 40,000 square meters. It is maintained to preserve a midden (shell mound) which is designated as both, a historically significant place and a midden that represents the first half of the Jomon period (approximately 5500 to 6500 years ago). The site area illustrates the size of the village and the 5 pit-houses have been restored. With a path (spanning 582 meters) going around it, the forest from the Jomon era is restored on the outside. At the exhibition hall on Mizukokaizuka, dwelling sites from the time of excavation are replicated and reproduced in order to articulate the midden of the time along with how individuals lived at the time. In addition, there is an archive adjoining the park where archaeological and historical resources unearthed from the city’s ruins are exhibited, with stone tools from the Paleolithic era roughly 30,000 years ago, Jomon pottery (also known as “Musasabi-gata-doki” ) unearthed from the ruins of Hazawa that is designated as a cultural property by the prefecture, along with an iron sword and a glass bead from the beginning of the Kofun period, with numerous data utilized to explain the primitive and ancient times of Fujimi City.

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.

Doukan Omotenashi (hospitality) Plaza provides information on tourist attractions, historical sites, hiking trails, flowering information, and special products in Ogose Town. Make sure to stop by when you visit Ogose Town!

“The small-leaved maple” is said to be a 600 year-old tree that shows various expressions through the 4 seasons and is an elegant big tree designated as Saitama Prefecture’s natural treasure. The circumference of the trunk is 3.8 meters, with a height of 7.2 meters, 18.9 meters to the north and south, 20.6 meters to the east and west, with a trunk girth of 56.3 meters. The yellowing of leaves start from the middle of November to the end. In addition, an event called the “Night Zazenkai” takes place on the 8th of each month from 19:30. Nearby, there is a “Teuchi (Handmade) Soba Machida” and the scenery of each of the four seasons can be enjoyed while eating the handmade soba.

The Arakawa Line downstream boating in Chichibu Nagatoro lets you ride upon the beautifully layered stone riverbed, which is designated as a natural monument. It is a relaxing course with a couple of thrills along the way, but perfectly safe for children or seniors to enjoy as well. While listening to the boatman's entertaining guiding, you can enjoy the cherry blossoms in the spring, the cool breeze in the summer, the beautiful colors of autumn, and the warmth of the kotatsu (heated table) boat in the winter. In other words, a perfect outdoor activity regardless of the season!