Saitama with kids

Information for the 2022 Miyashiro Town Festival #insaitama

The Miyashiro Town / Citizen Festival, sub captioned “A sparkling summer day” is a lively two day festival annually in August. It is most often on the last weekend of August. Miyashiro is best known for being the home to Tobu Zoo and amusement park, which incidentally has a night zoo and starlight parade on the same nights as the festival. The summer ‘super’ outdoor pool is also currently…

Nagatoro Cherry Blossoms – Nagatoro is easily one of Saitama’s most beautiful locations. Thus it enjoys tourists all year round due to the abundance of stunning natural scenery. Spring is no exception when thousands flock to see the famous cherry blossoms in full bloom. Until 2019 the Nagatoro Cherry Blossom overlapped with the Nagatoro Wisteria festival. Unfortunately, the Iwadatami (river area…

I really love red buckwheat flowers. Although, one could argue they are pink rather than red! There are a few places you can see red buckwheat in Saitama Prefecture, but perhaps the best known area for them is in Kuki city. There is a large red buckwheat field in the city and each year they hold a festival in honor of the flowers! Red buckwheat flowers and festival in Kuki The red buckwheat…

Information for the annual Iwatsuki Yamabuki festival at the Iwatsuki Culture (Bunka) park. Iwatsuki Yamabuki Festival 2023 Each year in Autumn, Saitama City have several citizen festivals. Each ward has at least one. In Iwatsuki they don’t call it a ‘citizen’ festival, but the Yamabuki festival. It is held at the Iwatsuki Bunka (Culture) Park which is located along the Motoara River. There are…

Waranchu Festival, or Warafes for short, is fast becoming one of the three big events in Warabi annually. It is a relatively new festival, with this year being the fifth year, held in Warabi City Park. It would have been the 7th annual occurrence if it wasn’t for the pandemic! The event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021. Last year and before the pandemic, it was only on for one day, but in 2023 it…

As a special event this summer, Maruhiro Department Store in Kawagoe have an aquarium! Pop Up Aquarium Kawagoe Each summer Maruhiro Department store has a child friendly event. In 2023 it is a pop up aquarium. It started on Thursday July 27th and will run until Monday August 14th. The entry fee for children is 600 yen and 900 yen for adults. If you pick up a flyer or are a member of the…

Cherry blossoms at Wakaizumi Parks 2022

Information for the 2022 cherry blossom festival at Iwatsuki Castle Park #insaitama #saitamaguide #saitamasakura #iwatsuki #sakuramatsuri2022

For the first time in three years, Iwatsuki Castle Park will have a cherry blossom festival in 2022. However, it is nothing like a usual year, with less events and entertainment. But they will have light up (all things being equal). Something is better than nothing, right!? There will be no food or drink sold, unlike a usual year, and they request that you respect the “three C’s” when visiting…

Ranzan Cherry Blossoms - usually there are fireworks, sakura light up and horseback archery under the cherry blossoms, making it one of the better cherry blossom festivals in Saitama...

Information for the 2022 cherry blossom season at Gongendo Park, Satte. One of Saitama's famous cherry blossom and rapeseed scenes... #cherryblossom #canolaflower #rapeseed #gongendopark #satte #insaitama #explorejapan #saitamaguide

Information specific to the cherry blossom season at Gongendo Park. You can find general information for the park and information for other seasonal blooms here. Satte Cherry Blossom Festival In previous years this post was an event post about the cherry blossom festival, including festival stalls, entertainment and night light up, at Gongendo Park. However, there has been no cherry blossom…

The Koedo Kawagoe Spring Festival

The Koedo Kawagoe Spring Festival is on each year from the end of March until the end of Golden Week (May 5th). The opening of the event is usually on the last Saturday of the month. It is currently tentatively set to take place on March 26th. However, the event was cancelled in both 2020 and 2021 due to the Coronavirus. It remains to be seen if the event can go ahead in 2022. It would be a real…

Information for the Happy Spring Park AND March blooms in Shinrin Park. #insaitama #tulips #spring #shinrinpark

Happy Spring Park –  Shinrin Park is Saitama’s largest, and in my humble opinion, best park. It was Japan’s first national park, constructed as part of a Meiji centennial project. It’s official name is Musashi Kyuryo National Government Park. However, it is most commonly called Shinrin Park. Shinrin Park hold dozen of events annually. Moreover, there is always some seasonal flowers to enjoy.…

Information for Saitama's famous setsubunkai at Souganji... #insaitama #kazo #setsubun

The Setsubun festival at Fudougaoka Fudouson Souganji Temple in Kazo is famous throughout Kanto and beyond. It is probably Saitama’s most famous setsubun-kai? So much so, champion sumo wrestlers, even yokozuna have participated in the mamemaki bean throwing in the past. Apart from the common practice of mamemaki, throwing beans to ward off demons, they also have a very unique and popular ceremony…

Oshi Castle Ruins, apart from a fascinating history, the castle takes part in the fortnightly hanachozu week in Gyoda... #Gyoda #insaitama #hanachozu #castle