Nagatoro Iwadatami Rocks – Downstream boating

Established 290 years ago, Nagatorogura Sake Brewery and Boutique Store is a sake brewery that inherits the ambitions of a Hino merchant Jūichiya Sōbē Hyōe who did his best to spread Saitama’s Japanese sake to the world. September 2018, to deepen the sake brewing traditions of Jūichiya Sōbe “Polish with skill and brew with your heart”, the sake brewery moved to Nagatoro, a place of beautiful nature. We are creating a Japanese sake, “THE SAITAMA ORIGINAL” through the use of Saitama’s natural water that flows from the Fuppu area and rice grown on Saitama’s soil.

The garden is located on a vast site of about 10000 square meters in the back of the Nagatoro Town Folk Museum. The Japanese naming of the golden poppy "Hanabishisou" comes from its shape, which is said to resemble a rhomb ("hishi" in Japanese). In early summer, golden poppies, also known as California poppies, bloom all over the hill. From May to June, the contrast between the deep blue of the sky and the vivid orange color of the poppy is completely mesmerizing.

The fossils of the large shark, “Megalodon”, and the mysterious sea animal, “Paleoparadoxia”, found within Saitama Prefecture are on display. Furthermore, the Nagatoro area is a perfect example of the characteristics of Saitama's nature, and here you can enjoy easily to understand explanations for a deeper understanding. Also, there are simulation zones and free audio guides to be enjoyed. (For more information regarding the facility, please refer to the URL below.)

The park is the origin of the stone tablet in which Kyoshi Takahama writes “Kokoniware Kuotomubeki Tsukinoishi”, and is very famous due to the yellowing leaves. The best time to see the yellowing of the leaves is around November, with around 50 acer amoenums lit up. The area become very crowded during this time, especially with those who are devoted to photography. The yellowing of leaves can be enjoyed at the adjoining prefectural nature museum as well.

It is said that this shrine was founded by the Japanese Takeru, about 2,000 years ago. The current main building of the shrine is a style of Shinto architecture in which the main hall and worship hall share one roof, and are connected by an intermediate passageway. The main shrine, hall of offerings, and hall of worship were rebuilt from the end of the Edo period to the early Meiji period. The shrine is said to protect from fires, theft, and pain. Not only are there many worshippers from the local area but throughout the Kanto region, with more than one million annual visitors.