Saitama Prefecture, which is fairly accessible from Tokyo, is full of attractive tourist spots! Here is a selection of the best photogenic spots to visit with friends or partners.
What is Saitama Prefecture?
Saitama Prefecture is located adjacent to the northern part of Tokyo, just 30 minutes by train from central Tokyo. It is characterized by a blend of large shopping centers and amusement facilities while retaining traditional townscapes and nature.
In this issue, we will introduce some of the most photogenic spots in Saitama Prefecture that you will want to take pictures of!
Ofuro cafe utatane (おふろcafe utatane)
Ofuro cafe utatane in Saitama City is a hot spring facility with a warm Scandinavian-inspired interior. In addition to natural hot spring baths, Ofurocafe utatane is popular with friends and partners for its stylish café for dining, lounge with unlimited manga reading, working space for work, and lodging facilities, making it an unprecedented spot.
There are a variety of ways to spend your time, such as relaxing in the spacious and varied bath and sauna space, or reading magazines and manga in the hammocks. The café’s menu is like a mini-trip to Scandinavia, with a wide variety of pastas, rice bowls, and sweets that are as lovely to look at as they are appealing.
Overnight stay is also available, so why not use it as a base for your stay?
Access
10 min. walk toward north along the railroad tracks from Saitama New Urban Transit (New Shuttle) Tetsudou Hakubutsukan Station (Onari Station).
Official website *There is a fee to enter the museum.
https://ofurocafe-utatane.com/en/information/
Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine (川越氷川神社)
Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine in Kawagoe City is said to bring good luck for marriage. When you come here, try to draw a fortune called “tai-mikuji. It is unique in that you use the pole provided to draw it as if you were fishing for sea breams. In Japan, sea bream has long been an offering to the gods and is also known as a lucky fish.
In addition, “Enmusubi Fu-ring(Matchmaking Wind chimes)” is usually held from early July to early September. More than 1,500 wind chimes are displayed in the precincts of the temple, colorful and very beautiful. Take pictures and stroll around while listening to the cool Japanese-style sounds.
Access
0 minute walk from Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine (Tobu Bus) or 0 minute walk from Hikawa Jinja-mae (Co-Edo Loop Bus) from Kawagoe Station (JR, Tobu Tojo Line) or Hon-Kawagoe Station (Seibu Shinjuku Line).
Official website *Japanese only
https://www.kawagoehikawa.jp/
Candy Alley (Kashiya Yokocho) (菓子屋横丁)
Kawagoe City’s famous spot, Candy Alley (Kashiya Yokocho) is a cobblestone street lined with colorful glass and about 30 candy stores and other shops.
Old-fashioned confections that the Japanese people find nostalgic are called “dagashi. In the olden days, the expensive “Jo-gashi,” made with fine white sugar, was called “Dagashi,” whereas popular confections made with inexpensive ingredients were called “Dagashi. Adults who come here recall memories of entering a candy store as a child and wondering what to buy with the spare change they had on hand.
The simple, nostalgic and warm street corners give people a sense of comfort even as times change. Why not choose from a selection of fun, bite-sized sweets that every Japanese person has had at Kashiya Yokocho?
Access
Get off at JR or Tobu Tojo Line Kawagoe Station and take a bus to Kashiya Yokocho(菓子屋横丁).
15 minutes walk from Honkawagoe Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line
Official Site
https://en.chocotabi-saitama.com/spot/20871
Seitenkyu Temple (聖天宮)
Five Thousand Soaring Dragons Seitenkyu Temple is located in Sakado City, Saitama Prefecture. It is called the “Taiwan of Saitama” by those in the know due to its gorgeous appearance and the mysteriousness of the unfamiliar Taoist religion.
The entire building is decorated with as many as 5,000 dragon sculptures, and the glittering golden roof is a photogenic sight! It took 15 years to build Seitenkyu Temple, which was built by the best temple carpenters in Taiwan. The building is 50 meters wide and 25 meters high. In recent years, it has become popular among cosplayers.
Access
20-30 minutes walk from Wakaba Station on the Tobu Tojo Line.
Official website *Japanese only
https://www.seitenkyu.com/index.html
Azami Reizo (阿左美冷蔵)
If you visit the Chichibu region, one of Saitama Prefecture’s tourist destinations, you must try the shaved ice at Azami Reizo. The shaved ice is made from natural ice and is worth trying at least once for its unprecedented fluffy texture. The shop is open all year round, so if you move your visit from the busy summer season, you can enjoy the shaved ice without waiting.
Natural ice is served with natural and additive-free syrup. (Depending on the time of year, the ice may not be natural ice, but pure ice (ice made in factories or other places, not from natural ponds).
Azami Reizo has two branches: the main store in Kanasaki, Minano town, Chichibu-gun, and the Hoto Sando(mountain path) store on the mountain path of Hotosan mountain in Nagatoro-machi, Chichibu-gun. The shaved ice served at these stores with their retro atmosphere is exquisite! Don’t miss the limited menu for each store and the seasonally changing menu.
Access
Kanasaki Honten: 3 min. walk from Chichibu Railway Kaminagatoro Sta.
Hoto Sando Store：3 min. walk from Chichibu Railway Nagatoro Sta.
Official Site
https://www.instagram.com/asamireizou/
Nagatoro Valley (Iwadatami) 長瀞渓谷（岩畳）
Nagatoro Iwadatami is a rock formation along the Arakawa River, about a 5-minute walk from Nagatoro Station on the Chichibu Railway Line, that has attracted much attention for its unique shape and is designated as a national scenic beauty and natural monument. Many tourists visit the area to see the rocks with their unusual geographical features.
This Iwadatami is geologically very rare, and the Nagatoro area is also called “Window of the Earth” because of its special geological features that can be observed up close. Iwadatami is a great spot to visit all year round, but it is especially beautiful and crowded with people during the autumn foliage season.
You can also experience line rafting while viewing a dynamic natural screen. The ride is a powerful experience as you glide down the river in a traditional Japanese-style boat. The beauty of the canyon created by Nagatoro’s nature is breathtaking.
The Nagatoro Iwadatami-dori shopping street is also located in this neighborhood and is lined with many restaurants and souvenir shops. It is a great place to pick out souvenirs and eat.
Access
Chichibu Railway Nagatoro Station, 5 min. walk
Official Site
https://en.chocotabi-saitama.com/spot/20947
Johnson town (ジョンソンタウン)
Johnson Town in Iruma City is a collaboration of a 60-year-old U.S. military house and a newly built Heisei House, and is a photogenic spot with the atmosphere of a good old-fashioned American town, “America at your ease.
The name Johnsontown comes from the fact that Fort Johnson was located there. Johnson was the name of Gerald G. Johnson, a young colonel in the U.S. Army.
The 130 or so buildings are used as homes as well as general stores and cafes, and there are also many stores that enrich daily life, such as dentists, music schools, and even dance studios.
Access
18 minutes on foot from Iruma-shi Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line
Official website *Japanese only
https://johnson-town.com/about/
