Bushu Nakajima Konya

Harvesting can be experienced throughout the year with tomato and strawberry picking in the spring, eggplant and blueberry picking in the summer, chestnut picking and sweet potato digging in the autumn, and finally harvesting broccoli, onions, and radishes in the winter. Also, barbecue, camping (mess kit for rice making), and classes of Kazo City’s famous handmade udon are available. From late March to the end of November, there will be a stage show of popular characters among children such as Pretty Cure, Kamen Rider, Anpanman. On a day with clear weather, it will take place on the stage outside while on a rainy day, it will take place at the family building hall.

From mid-June to early August, 12,000 stocks of 42 different types of lotus flowers bloom on the surface of the lotus pond. The Gyōda lotus (ancient lotus) takes a primitive form with the number of petals being few; it is said to be a lotus from about 1,400 to 3,000 years ago. Lotus flowers are best-viewed midmorning. There are botanical gardens for aquatic plants, lakes for aquatic birds, peony gardens, ume gardens, and a hanami place with sakura trees, making it a place where one can feel the beauty of nature all year round. In addition, from mid-July to mid-October, rice paddy art is at its prime and can be viewed from the Ancient Lotus Hall’s Observation Room. The rice paddy art of Gyōda City started in 2008, with rice transplanting taking place yearly due to several volunteers and participants; not only are the designs original, but some have been collaborations with movies, TV shows, games. In 2015 it has been recorded in the Guinness World Records due to the area of the art being “the world’s largest (rice paddy art)”.

The Hachimanyama Kofun (Mount Hachiman burial mound), is the central burial mound within the group of Wakakodama burial mounds that can be found in the area. It is estimated to be built in the 7th century and has a diameter of 80 meters. It was restored in 1981. From the stone hut, the “Urushi Nuri Mokkan (lacquered wooden casket)” was found in almost perfect condition. Those buried inside are assumed to have been people of power. It is called “Kanto-no-Ishibutai (Kanto’s Ishibutai) because it is a grand stone hut that matches those of the Ishibutai Kofun (Ishibutal burial mound) of Asukamura of Nara prefecture.

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.

The Sakitama Shrine holds a history of a thousand and a few hundred years and is an ancient shrine with a majestic and calm atmosphere originating from Saitama Prefecture. 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 tumulus named Sengenzuka (mound) and adjoins to Saitama Kofun Group. The deity has two pillars: Sakitamahimenomikoto and Sakitamahikonomikoto and are gods that protect individuals, brings good fortune and matrimony. Recently, there are limited edition Shuin (seal stamps) with the motif of 4 cats that reside in the shrine (every month on the 22nd including a few days before and after) and is very popular.