About Saitama
Saitama Prefecture wraps around the northern and western edges of Tokyo, forming a densely populated urban corridor that gradually gives way to mountain forests as it approaches the ranges of the Japanese Alps. While often overshadowed by its famous neighbor, Saitama rewards visitors with accessible history, nature, and culture without the crowds and prices of central Tokyo.
The prefecture's showpiece attraction is Kawagoe, known as 'Ko-Edo' or Little Edo. A short 30-minute train ride from Ikebukuro, this former castle town preserves a remarkable concentration of traditional clay-walled storehouses (kurazukuri) dating from the Meiji era, when wealthy merchants rebuilt their town in fireproof style after a great fire. The preserved district, with its bell tower and sweet potato confectionery shops, transports visitors back to Japan's mercantile golden age.
Chichibu, deeper into the mountains, offers a different experience — an ancient market town hosting one of Japan's top three float festivals each December, famous for fireworks exploding over dramatic nighttime processions. The surrounding Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park provides extensive hiking trails, seasonal wildflowers at Hitsujiyama Park, and the SL Paleo Express steam train that puffs through autumn foliage. Saitama's suburbs also contain Omiya Bonsai Village, the world center of bonsai cultivation.
Featured Spot: Kawagoe 'Little Edo'
Kawagoe's Kurazukuri district is one of Japan's finest examples of preserved Meiji-era merchant architecture. The distinctive clay-plastered black storehouses were designed to resist fire and showcase the prosperity of Kawagoe's trading families. The area's main street, Ichibangai, features over 30 kurazukuri buildings housing shops selling traditional sweets, lacquerware, and local sake. The Toki no Kane bell tower, rebuilt in 1893, still chimes four times daily and serves as the district's beloved symbol.
What to Experience
- Stroll the kurazukuri clay-storehouse district of Kawagoe's Little Edo
- Taste Kawagoe's famous sweet potato sweets and traditional confectionery
- See Chichibu's night festival — one of Japan's top three float festivals in December
- Visit Omiya Bonsai Village to admire the world's finest miniature trees
Best Seasons to Visit
Autumn (October–November) is magical in Kawagoe and Chichibu, with colorful foliage and the famous Chichibu Night Festival in early December. Spring brings cherry blossoms to Kawagoe's parks and tulip fields to Chichibu's Hitsujiyama Park. Summer is lively with local festivals and fireworks displays. Winter's Chichibu Festival is one of Japan's most dramatic nighttime spectacles.