Saitama Prefecture is dotted with fascinating tourist spots. In this issue, we have compiled a list of three hot spots that are sure to be a hit with enthusiasts. This article will surely make you want to visit them.
What is Saitama Prefecture?
Saitama Prefecture is located north of Tokyo, about 30 minutes by train from central Tokyo. It is characterized by a combination of natural abundance, historical architecture, and the latest shopping centers and amusement facilities.
For example, in areas with a lot of nature, you can enjoy hiking, hot springs, and delicious local food. There is also a wealth of urban entertainment, with state-of-the-art shopping malls and concert halls.
The region is a perfect blend of nature and city, tradition and modern culture.
Tokorozawa Aviation Museum (所沢航空発祥記念館)
The Tokorozawa Aviation Museum is located in Tokorozawa City, where Japan’s first airfield was built in 1911 and is located in Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park.
Visitors can learn about the history of various types of aviation, and real airplanes, helicopters, and engines are on display in the museum. It is also a very valuable place where visitors can learn about aviation and flight through flight simulators and piloting experiences.
In the flying craft class, participants can learn tips and tricks for building, flying, and adjusting their flying crafts. When weather permits, test flights are held on the lawn. This is a fun spot for the whole family.
In the museum store, visitors can purchase more than 1,000 aviation goods ranging from products related to the birthplace of aviation in Tokorozawa to model airplanes and die-cast models, as well as plastic models such as flyable assembly airplanes and space food. The Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park, where this facility is located, also has a stylish café-restaurant called Cantina. The restaurant serves pizza, hamburgers, curry, and other dishes, as well as tiramisu, pudding, and other sweets. The park is also rich in nature, making it a great place to take a stroll and refresh yourself.
Access
8 min. walk from East Exit of Kokui-Koen Station on Seibu-Shinjuku Line
Official Site
*There is a fee for admission (free for preschool children).
Japanese only
https://tam-web.jsf.or.jp/user_guide/
Omiya Bonsai Art Museum, Saitama (さいたま市大宮盆栽美術館)
If you want to learn more about bonsai, one of Japan’s traditional arts, this is the place to go. The world’s first public bonsai museum, the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum in Saitama City opened in 2010. Bonsai” is designated as a traditional industry of Saitama City.
As an art museum that promotes comprehensive bonsai culture, the museum exhibits mainly bonsai, but also bonsai vessels, suiseki, paintings, historical materials, and more. Bonsai, with its different expressions in each season, is becoming increasingly popular among the younger generation.
Many workshops and events are also held. Multilingual support is available, and the reception staff can speak English. International Gallery Guides” are conducted twice a month by CIRs (from England). The guide explains in English how to see and appreciate the exhibits, including the bonsai in the Collection Gallery. Visitors can also listen to explanations of the exhibits by scanning the two-dimensional code displayed in the museum with their smart phones.
And just a few minutes’ walk from the Bonsai Museum is the Omiya Bonsai Village. In the past, there were bonsai specialists in the area around Dankozaka (Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku) in Tokyo, but they were severely damaged by the Great Kanto Earthquake (1923) and moved to this area in search of suitable soil for growing bonsai. 1925 saw the birth of Omiya Bonsai Village, which had about 30 bonsai gardens at its peak in around 1935. Omiya Bonsai Village is still known as a sacred place for masterpiece bonsai and is visited by many enthusiasts from Japan and around the world. There are six bonsai gardens in the Omiya Bonsai Village, each with its own particular style of bonsai. Please visit the Bonsai Village in conjunction with the Omiya Bonsai Village.
Access
Get off at JR Utsunomiya Line Toro Station and walk 5 minutes from the East Exit.
Get off at Tobu Urban Park Line Omiya Koen Station and walk 10 minutes.
Official website *Admission fee is required to enter the museum.
https://www.bonsai-art-museum.jp/en/
Saiboku Garden (サイボク園内)
If you are interested in delicious Japanese meats, visit the Saibokuen in Hidaka City, Saitama Prefecture. This is a “food and health theme park through pigs” for children and adults alike, complete with restaurants, fresh meat and vegetable stands, athletic facilities, and even a hot spring. It has become a popular spot visited by 4 million people a year.
Saiboku is a food processing company that began as a small ranch in Saitama, Japan, and has been manufacturing and selling ham and sausage made from pigs raised on its own ranch.
The facility includes Restaurant Saiboku, which seats about 300 and serves tonkatsu and yakiniku, a meat, deli, bread, and freshly picked vegetable store, cafeteria, fruit juice bar, athletic area, and natural hot spring facilities. This is a hot spot where you can gather places to eat delicious meat, play, and relax.
Access
From Tsurugashima Station on the Tobu Tojo Line, take the Tobu Bus and get off at Saiboku (last stop).
Take Seibu Bus from Sayama-shi Station on Seibu Shinjuku Line and get off at Saiboku (last stop).
Take the Tobu Bus from Kasahata Station on the Kawagoe Line and get off at Saiboku (last stop).
Official Site
*Fees will be charged for the use of some facilities.
Japanese only
https://www.saiboku.co.jp/park/
