Metsa Village

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.

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!

A fermentation theme park run by Pickles Corporation, a tsukemono (Japanese pickles) maker. There are select shops for fermented foods, cafes, restaurants, and workshops available. You can eat dishes made with rice bran and lactic acid bacteria, buy pickles and fermented foods carefully selected from all over the country. You can also experience fermentation directly with any of the workshops to make kimchi, pickled bran, and seasonal dishes.

It has been called this name ever since the Meiji Emperor reached the summit, making it the first scenic spot designated by the prefecture. Despite the low altitude, the town of Hannō can be overlooked. The sakura in the spring, azalea, and the tinted colors of the autumn leaves are beautiful making it the starting point of the Oku-Musashi nature trail.

The Kinchakuda park was formed by the zigzagging flow of the Koma River that runs through Hidaka City. Because its shape resembles a money pouch, it has come to be called Kinchakuda (= money pouch). Kichakuda park is a flatland surrounded by a river with a diameter of about 500 meters and a size of about 22 hectares. Flowers such as rape blossoms and cosmos bloom every season, but the highlight is the 5 million red spider lilies that dye the park in crimson colors every autumn.