For fifty weeks of the year, the town of Koma (one stop past Hanno on the Seibu Ikebukuro line; 50 km from Ikebukuro, Tokyo) could be just about anywhere in rural Japan: peaceful, relaxing and a good hiking area. But at the end of September and early..
This carpet of over 5,000,000 bright red spider lilies beside the Koma River made it to the list of the top 30 reasons to visit Japan or really, the top 30 most beautiful places in Japan. So remarkable, in fact, that the Emperor and Empress of Japan ..
In the middle of summer, people flock to Saitama's Sakado City for one of the biggest yosakoi festivals around. Yosakoi is a type of dance festival in which teams from all over come to perform. Dressed in elaborate costumes and immaculately chor..
Situated in western Saitama Prefecture the Chichibu region (and the city of Chichibu) lies to the west-northwest of Tokyo. By train it's about 80 minutes away from Ikebukuro Station on the Red Arrow Limited Express to Chichibu city. By car, it can take from 90 minutes to two hours depending on y..
Many places in Japan pride themselves on the welcome they offer tourists. Few would be able to stand up alongside Nagatoro, however, in terms of efforts made to offer every aspect of the local sightseeing spots in multilingual, high-tech, yet simple and down to earth form - both visually and in aud..
Gyoda City is located in northern Saitama. It developed as a castle town around Oshi Castle built in 1490. Nine large ancient tombs built before the 7th century remain in this pastoral Sakitama area. Gyoda Castle, which was constructed nearly 500 years ago and also known as NOBO NO SHIRO (The Floati..
Whenever we miss the American Midwest, we take a trip to Kato Dairy Farm. We buy a waffle cone or a bottle of non homogenized milk and fight over who gets to drink the thick cream at the top. Then, we take our goodies outside and enjoy it in the wide..
I visited Wakuwaku Mura Restaurant upon the recommendation of the manager of Fuwa Fuwa Bakery Cafe. She said that the restaurant hired a French chef to train the kitchen staff (which included people with various disabilities from the Kawasemi NPO) an..
If you visit Chez Noir, you will be greeted by Mr. Kazuo Kuwabara dressed in what looks like the uniform of a wait staff in a European establishment. Mr. Kuwabara built this house with his own hands, learning along the way, using waste materials from..
Nothing beats the experience of staying at a spa resort. The warm smiles and helpful staff, convenient amenities, delicious and fresh breakfast dishes, but of course, the highlight is the natural hot springs. At this spa resort, you can appreciate th..
My journey to Honjo City in Saitama Prefecture led me to a pleasant stay at Hotel Route Inn Honjo Ekiminami. The easy access and friendly service was impressive and helped me check in to this hotel very easily. In the northern part of Saitama, Honjo ..
Hotel Route Inn Ageo is a wonderful hotel located in Ageo City, Saitama Prefecture. Ageo is just 30 minutes from Ueno station by train, making it a great introduction to Saitama, if you are coming from Tokyo. My room was spacious and very comfortabl..
Like many villages in Japan, Niegawajyuku in Chichibu is coping with the issues of an increasing number of elderly residents on the one hand, and a decreasing number of children and young adults on the other. Due to its proximity to the Mitsumine Shr..
For visitors seeking the quintessential classic Japanese landscape, Tokyo offers great expanses of greenery and ponds at gardens such as Shinjuku Gyoen and Hamarikyu. These gardens are popular with Japanese and international visitors alike, and they ..
Somewhere along the picturesque road on the way to Chichibu from Hidaka is a cozy nook of a stop called Cafe Nichigetsudo (カフェ日月堂). The warm brown of the all-wood house surrounded by greenery makes for an inviting combination. Right beside the cafe i..
