History / Culture / Tour Spots in Saitama Area

  • Yakyu Inari Shrine
    rating-image
    4.0
    41 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Saitama Pref. Higashimatsuyamashi Yakyuchou 2-5-14
    "A Shinto shrine located in 2-Chome Yakyu-cho, Higashimatsuyama City. Dedicated to Ukemochi-no-Kami, the shrine was founded in 712, although its name was written with different characters. After the samurai Minamoto no Yorinobu prayed for success here when tracking down the rebel Taira no Tadatsune and achieved victory in his quest, he donated a new main shrine building, and the shrine was renamed with characters pronounced the same but meaning ""arrow and bow."" The Danjuro Inari, a subordinate shrine built by kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro VII, stands on the shrine's grounds, and parishioners come to this shrine to pray for success and protection in the field of the performing arts."

    I stayed few days at hotel directly near Yakyu Inari Shrine and every day I went to work directly across this area. I can say this place is really nice and amazing. Every day made my morning better...

  • Chichibu Imamiya-jinja Shrine
    rating-image
    4.0
    31 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Saitama Pref. Chichibushi Nakamachi 16-10
    A Shinto shrine located in Naka-machi, Chichibu City. One of Japan's oldest shrines, since ancient times it has been dedicated to a water god embodied by a miraculous spring welling up from under Mt. Buko. Until the distant Nara period, the shrine was also dedicated to other deities such as the Eight Dragon Kings. In 1535, a portion of the spirit of Susanoo-no-Okami from Imamiya-jinja Shrine in Kyoto was ritually transferred to this shrine when an epidemic raged in the region. The grounds encompass Ryujin Pond, the oldest spring in Chichibu, as well as a huge tree called the Ryujinboku which is over 1,000 years old.

    強力なパワースポットです。 といっても秩父全体がそうなので、それを構成するひとつなのですが。 秩父はぜひとも歩いて旅したい街。車の方が楽だけど、やはりこの町は歩いて移動したい。 今宮神社を目指す場合は地場産センターから反時計回りに、秩父神社、番場商店街、今宮神社、矢尾百貨店、御花畑、西武秩父駅、羊山公園、道の駅…と、いつもぐるっと周回するコースに入れています。どこからも雄大な武甲山が見え、町の中で...

  • Shibusawa Sakaeichi Memorial Hall
    rating-image
    3.5
    40 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Saitama Fukaya-shi Shimode

    「近代日本資本主義の父」渋沢栄一さんの「渋沢栄一記念館」です。入場料は無料です。 この「渋沢栄一記念館」は、渋沢栄一さんの生まれた故郷の「公民館」の一部を「渋沢栄一記念館」にしているためか、とても手作り感のある雰囲気の記念館です。「公民館」の体育館もそのまま残っています。 そのような雰囲気の「渋沢栄一記念館」の展示は、、王道的な渋沢栄一さんの遺品、資料、年表などを紹介をしてあります。その中で印象深...

  • Saitama Prefectural Museum of History and Folklore
    rating-image
    4.0
    34 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Saitama Pref. Saitamashi Omiya-ku Takahanachou 4-219
    A museum located in Omiya Park along the industrial road in Takahana-cho, Omiya Ward, Saitama City. The museum collects and researches items relating to the history, folk customs, and art of Saitama. The museum's standing exhibition looks at the lifestyles and culture of the people of Saitama and it also holds special exhibitions on the history and folk customs of the prefecture.

    Learning the history of Saitama. Total of 10 halls for the permanent exhibition. Ticket for permanent exhibition is ¥300, permanent and special exhibitions (on kimono) cost ¥400.

  • Jigenji Temple
    rating-image
    3.5
    50 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Saitama Pref. Chichibushi Higashimachi 26-7
    Located near Ohanabatake Station on the Chichibu Main Line, Jigenji Temple is instantly recognizable by its stout, black-painted gate. Founded in 1486, it was long considered the 13th site of Chichibu's 34 temples devoted to Kannon, as well as the home of the god of eyesight, and for these reasons it attracted worshippers. Among the many cultural relics and historical treasures found on the temple grounds are a standing statue of Kanzeon (Kannon), a round library where 1630 sutra scrolls are stored, and wooden statues of the 13 monks who founded the temple.

    目の仏様、薬師瑠璃光如来が祀られているお寺さまです。歴史を感じる、立派な建物の神社です。自分は目が良いのですが、このお寺さんの歴史というか、本殿の姿に圧倒されました。好きなお寺さんです。

  • Kitain Temple
    rating-image
    3.0
    3 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Saitama Pref. Kawagoeshi Kosembamachi 1-20-1
    Boasting a 1200-year history, Kitain Temple is a National Designated Important Cultural Property that houses several valuable Cultural Properties. In addition to ordinary worship and visits to the main temple building, it also puts on occasional exhibitions of its treasures, which make available to visitors the precious items it has kept throughout its long history. The souvenir shop within its precincts was opened in 1972 and is well known as the first temple-based souvenir shop for tourists within the city limits of Kawagoe.

    「川越散策マップ」の中で七福神のマークがついていたので、喜多院の境内にあるこちらの大黒天にも立ち寄りました。小さなお堂の周りには幟旗がたっていて雰囲気を盛り上げていました。

  • Kawagoe City Museum
    rating-image
    4.0
    44 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Saitama Pref. Kawagoeshi Kuruwamachi 2-30-1
    A museum located in 2-Chome Kuruwa-machi, Kawagoe City. The museum's standing exhibition contains informational panels on the history of Kawagoe from ancient times to the present and models which convey local folk customs such as traditional Kawagoe festivals. The museum also holds special exhibitions. The surrounding area is dotted with cultural facilities such as the Kawagoe City Art Museum, Kawagoe Castle Honmaru Palace, and Kawagoe Matsuri Kaikan, and visitors can purchase a shared museum pass granting access to all of them.

    At the far end of the shopping street was Kawagoe City Museum where there were many exhibits on the history of Kawagoe city. The museum was not large but the staff there was pleasant and conversed...

  • Chichibu Festival Museum
    rating-image
    4.0
    59 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Saitama Pref. Chichibushi Bambamachi 2-8
    A museum which presents materials and live demonstrations relating to the Chichibu Night Festival, held each year on December 3 and one of the three largest float festivals in Japan. Making use of the latest technologies, the museum recreates the sights and sounds of the festival for visitors to enjoy. Visitors can also see historical materials up close. There’s a souvenir shop on the first floor selling souvenirs related to the festival as well as original museum merchandise.

    A Small Museum, but does an excellent job of showing how dynamic this festival is! It is a Designated Cultural Treasure which you can experience here. We went on a weekday, not crowded, but the 3-D...

  • Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Nyotai Shrine
    rating-image
    4.0
    31 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Saitama Pref. Saitamashi Midori-ku Miyamoto 2-17-1
    A Shinto shrine located in 2-Chome Miyamoto, Midori Ward, Saitama City. The shrine is dedicated to gods such as Kushinadahime-no-Mikoto. Warm climate plants grow thickly here, and the shrine's grounds have been designated a Prefectural Natural Monument as well as Furusato no Mori forest. A Nagoshi no Harae event is held here on July 31 in which participants take dolls into which their sins and shames have been transferred to and let them drift away on a river, then pass through a large ring placed in the shrine's torii gate to pray for good health.

    氷川女体神社(女体社)は、大宮氷川神社(男体社)中山神社(簸王子社)と合わせて武蔵国一宮と称されています。氷川三社はそれぞれ離れた場所に鎮座していますが、大宮氷川神社から見て中山神社と氷川女体神社は、冬至の日の出の方向に一直線に並んでいます。大宮氷川神社から女体神社までこの光の道に沿って一直線に歩くことはできませんが、日本一長い桜回廊が、大宮氷川神社と氷川女体神社を繋いでいますので、脚力と時間があ...

  • Time Bell Tower
    Travel / Tourism
    Saitama Pref. Kawagoeshi Saiwaichou 15-7
    A historic structure situated along Kanetsuki-dori Street in Saiwai-cho, Kawagoe City. The tower was originally built some 400 years ago by Sakai Tadakatsu, then the lord of what was Kowagoe Domain. The tower was destroyed by fires and rebuilt many times; the current tower was rebuilt after it was destroyed in the Great Kawagoe Fire in the Meiji period. The tower's bell still rings out four times a day to announce the time and this sound has been selected by the Ministry of the Environment for inclusion of its list of 100 Soundscapes of Japan.
  • Saitama Museum of Natural History
    rating-image
    4.0
    32 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Saitama Pref. Chichibugunnagatoromachi Nagatoro 1417-1
    This is a museum in Nagatoro, Nagatoro Town, Chichibu County. The museum collects as well as stores and researches natural materials of the area with the theme “from the past to the future, a 300 million year journey of Saitama and the coexistence of people and nature”. There is an earth science exhibition and a biological creature display as a permanent exhibit. Additionally, the museum holds exhibitions on the living biological creatures and minerals in the Saitama Chichibu area.

    埼玉県に40年以上住んでますが、子供と初めて訪れました。 他県の自然博物館に比べると小振りな博物館でしたが、秩父で発掘された化石から、大昔は海であったことがよく分かります。 パレオパラドキシアの化石は大変興味深いです。 秩父の自然や成り立ちを学べるので、秩父観光前に訪れると、秩父巡りがより楽しめると思います。

  • Saitama Museum of Rivers
    rating-image
    4.0
    29 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Saitama Pref. Osatogunyorimachi Kozono 39
    Opened in 1997, the Saitama Museum of Rivers teaches visitors through a variety of workshops about the Arakawa River, Saitama’s most prominent waterway, as well as the relationship between rivers and people’s lives. Its Arakawa Wakuaku Land facility is open from the Spring Equinox until the mid-November. This extremely popular “water athletics” park lets visitors learn about the scientific properties of water, flood control, and water use first hand through various activities.

    本館は館内音響環境が悪く、壁面に反響してアナウンスが明瞭に聞こえない。 「鉄砲堤実演イベント」を観覧したが、小学生ならば早々に(よく聞こえないので)飽きてしまうだろう・・・という感じ。 如何にも“予算内で設備を作りました”・・・後は知りません・・・というのが見え見え。 館内案内人にPAがダメだというと「よくそのように言われます」とのこと。 心に訴えかけるものが無く、全く響かない案内。博物館員の方々...

  • Gyoda City Provincial Museum
    rating-image
    3.5
    34 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Saitama Pref. Gyoudashi Honmaru 17-23
    The museum is located in the ruins of a castle completed in the Muromachi period by Akiyasu Narita. Although the castle was destroyed during the Meiji Restoration, it was a famous heavily fortified caste that did not fall during battles between the Uesugi and Hojo clans, and withstood a flooding attack by Mitsunari Ishida, dispatched by Hideyoshi Toyotomi during the suppression of the Kanto region. It was considered one of the seven main strongholds of the Kanto region. Currently, there is a reconstructed turret located on the site of the destroyed Oshi Castle in the Honmaru area, and you can see a full view of within Gyoda City from the top floor. At the folk museum located on the grounds, you can find exhibits about Gyoda’s history and local culture.

    市内循環バスの西循環コースで「忍城址・郷土博物館前」バス停からすぐ。「忍城バスターミナル」からでも徒歩5分ほど。 忍城本丸跡地にあり、復元された忍城御三階櫓も博物館の一部となっている。入館料200円。常設展示は撮影不可。館内には忍城の資料、埼玉古墳群の出土品、行田の産業として有名な足袋に関する資料などが展示されているが展示数はそれほど多くない。御三階櫓の最上階(4階)は展望室となっている。

  • Noninji Temple
    rating-image
    4.0
    27 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Saitama Pref. Hannoushi Hannou 1329
    This temple is located just a 15 minute drive from the Sayama-Hidaka Interchange on the Ken-O Expressway. It is said that this temple was formed when the military commander of Hanno, Nakayama Iekatsu invited the distinguished priest, Kamaya Fumitatsu and established a small hut, and then the son of Iekatsu, Ienori, built the temple in order to pray for his father's peaceful repose. To the north of the main sanctum lies the Ikeizumi contemplative type Horai Garden selected as one of Japan's top 100 gardens, and is designated as a Municipal Cultural Property. Many flowers bloom in the garden in every season, but the fall foliage is the most recommended. Every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 12 noon zazen meditation sessions are held.

    NHKの大河ドラマ「青天を衝け」でも紹介された寺で、戊辰戦争の1つの反応戦争の舞台で、渋沢成一郎・尾高惇忠・渋沢平九郎など渋沢栄一の縁者が中心となって結成した振武軍が新政府軍と戦った場所ということで、行ってみました。今まで歴史のある有名なお寺だと知らなかったので、初めて境内に入ってみましたが、思っていたより大きなお寺でした。本堂などに古さを感じなかったのは、飯能戦争で焼失した本堂を昭和11年に再建...

  • Kawagoe City Art Museum
    rating-image
    3.5
    31 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Saitama Pref. Kawagoeshi Kuruwamachi 2-30-1
    An art museum located in 2-Chome Kuruwa-machi, Kawagoe City. The museum's collection of some 2,000 items focuses on works by Kawagoe-born Western-style painter Kyuichiro Aihara and other artists connected to the area. The contents of the museum's standing exhibition hall and Kyuichiro Aihara Memorial Gallery are changed four times a year. The museum also holds special exhibitions as well as events such as gallery talks and museum concerts.

    3館共通券(市立博物館、川越城本丸御殿、市立美術館)大人370円、小学生無料で訪ねてみました。企画展の内容によっては十分楽しめるのではないでしょうか。 川越ゆかりの画家、川越市名誉市民の洋画家、相原求一朗(1918-99)記念室がありました。 家業を継ぐため美術学校はあきらめ、戦争を奇跡的に生き延び、日本美術界がめまぐるしく変化した1950年代は絵筆のとれない日々を過ごし苦悩に満ちた人生...

  • Iruma City Museum ALIT
    rating-image
    4.0
    15 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Saitama Pref. Irumashi Nihongi 100
    A museum located in Nihongi, Iruma City. The museum's exhibits look at the natural environments in Iruma such as the forest of Kaji Hills and the Iruma River; the history of the area from the Paleolithic; and key industries which flourished in Iruma such as silkworm farming and silk thread production as well as Sayama tea. The production tooling of Sayama tea is a Registered National Tangible Folk Cultural Property and highlight. There's also a children's science museum area where kids can deepen their understanding of science through experiments and other hands-on exhibits.

    入間市の博物館は2度目です。 今回は主人について行きました。 東野高等学校が入間市博物館の隣にあった。憩いの市民広場の桜が満開で大勢の市民が花見していた。 東北地方の津波災害の展示が3月いっぱいされていた。 入口に津波と同じ高さのモニュメントが展示されていた。 写真展はテレビで見ていたので。 常設展は前に見たので。島根県のボテボテ茶と言う聞いたことないのがあった。 入館料はシニアは無料でした。

  • Saitama Prefectural Museum of the Sakitama Ancient Burial Mounds
    rating-image
    4.0
    40 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Saitama Pref. Gyoudashi Sakitama 4834
    A museum located in Sakitama Kofun Park along Prefectural Route 77 in Sakitama, Gyoda City. The museum preserves historic sites in the prefecture including the National Historic Site-designated Sakitama Burial Mound Group. It also collects, researches, and displays relevant materials. Museum exhibits include the Kinsakumeitekken (gold-inlaid iron sword) and other National Treasure-designated artefacts exhumed from the Sakitama Inariyama Burial Mound displayed in the national treasure exhibition hall.

    横穴式と言う複数埋葬できるように作られた石室だそうですが、その石室を公開しており、他にはなかなかこういう施設は見当たらないのではないかと思う。盗掘された跡があった影響なのか、発掘された当時の写真や様子などからの解説が乏しいのが残念ですが、メインの博物館よりも別館で離れた所にあるこちらの方が、興味深い展示館でした。

  • Kawagoe Chamber of Commerce and Industry
    rating-image
    3.5
    37 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Saitama Pref. Kawagoeshi Nakachou 1-12
    This building is in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture. Its old European-style construction is reminiscent of the Parthenon, and it is now a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property. It was originally the Kawagoe branch of the former Bushu Bank. Built in 1928, it was handed over to the Kawagoe Chamber of Commerce, which still owns it, in 1970.

    大正浪漫夢通りの北の端の交差点に面して、大きく太い石の柱が特徴的な建物が建っていました。それが、この川越商工会議所でした。 この重厚な造りの建物は、昭和2年に、旧武州銀行川越支店として建てられたそうです。大きくて太い石の柱は、ドリス様式というそうです。

  • Nenogongen Tenryuji Temple
    rating-image
    4.0
    17 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Saitama Hanno-shi Minami 461
    This temple is located in Minami, Hanno City. Founded by Neno-Hijiri in 911, it was later established as Neno-Hijiri Daigongen Shrine to deify Neno-Hijiri. It has long attracted visitors who believe in its power to preserve one’s mobility, and on the ground there is a two-ton pair of imitation straw sandals made of steel. It is the 32nd temple of the Musashino 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

    ここの絵馬にあたるものは草履になっていて、それに付いている厚紙に願い事を書きます。また絵馬を買うと草履のお守りがもらえます。

  • Hachigata Castle History Museum
    rating-image
    3.5
    14 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Saitama Pref. Osatogunyorimachi Hachigata 2496-2
    This historical museum is in Yorii Town, Osato County, Saitama Prefecture. It serves as both a guidance center for the Hachigata Castle ruins and an activity center to educate visitors about local culture and history. There is an exhibition room dedicated to Hachigata Castle's history and construction, and there are special exhibition rooms on the themes of spring and autumn. The lecture hall can also be used for meetings and club activities except commercial purposes.

    その城で戦闘が行われ、勝敗がどうだったか、それをしっかりと展示しています。城跡だけ巡ってもそのあたりのことは確定できません。 私の場合、まず城跡を一通り巡り、意外とこれは防御力低いんじゃないかなと思ったら、実際落城していました。予想を確かめられました。

Saitama Areas

around-area-map

Eclipsed by neighboring Tokyo, Saitama is often branded as the sleepy suburbs. However, look a little deeper and you’ll uncover quaint towns bursting with history and crafts from the kurazukuri Edo-period clay houses of Kawagoe to the ancient tree-enveloped temples of Chichibu.

Saitama Photo Album

Browse Interests