What to do and see in Saitama Prefecture, Kanto: The Best Things to do Good for Couples

August 13, 2021 Concepcion Newsome

Saitama Prefecture (埼玉県, Saitama-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region. The capital is the city of Saitama.
Restaurants in Saitama Prefecture

1. Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine

1-407 Takahanacho, Omiya-Ku, Saitama 330-0803 Saitama Prefecture +81 48-641-0137 http://musashiichinomiya-hikawa.or.jp
Excellent
44%
Good
48%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 441 reviews

Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine

Reviewed By marfield49 - Singapore, Singapore

In the midst of a concrete Omiya, embarking on the 2km, tranquil tree-lined route towards Hikawa Shrine was truly a lovely journey of peace and reflection. And in autumn in late Nov, the tree colors were a sight to behold. Two tori gates marked the head and end of the route. The shrine complex is huge but understated. There's a water trough upfront for visitors to "purify" oneself before entering the compound) You can get instructions at the tourist booth at Omiya mall when you come out of the train station. An extra perk for us was that many families were celebrating the 753 festival in which 5yro boys and 3 & 7yro girls were dressed in their formal kimono best to celebrate their rte of passage.

2. Gongendo Sakura Tsutsumi

Uchigoma, Satte 340-0103 Saitama Prefecture +81 480-43-1111 http://www.satte-k.com/gongendo/index.html
Excellent
58%
Good
34%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 172 reviews

Gongendo Sakura Tsutsumi

Reviewed By FrancisTLim - Penang Island, Malaysia

08Apr2017. This is a long (by walking standards) park along the river bank. Unlike Ueno park which has smaller areas of sakura, in Gongendo Park I walk under the sakura along the full length of the park. For me, this is the best place to view sakura. This park is not as crowded as Ueno park during the sakura season (I guess because it is more remote). However, I was going by train so I took the train to the nearest train station, which was the [Minami-Kurihashi Station] station. Then I walked about half an hour (about 2 and a half KM) from the train station to the Northern end of Gongendo Park. The walk from the station to the park was also quite pleasant, passing by the country side houses & farms. FrancisTLim.

3. Musashi Kyuryo National Government Park

1920 Yamada, Namegawa-machi, Hiki-gun 355-0802 Saitama Prefecture +81 493-57-2111 http://www.shinrinkoen.jp/
Excellent
36%
Good
59%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 123 reviews

Musashi Kyuryo National Government Park

4. Mitsumine Shrine

298-1 Mitsumine, Chichibu 369-1902 Saitama Prefecture +81 494-55-0241 http://www.mitsuminejinja.or.jp/
Excellent
60%
Good
36%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 421 reviews

Mitsumine Shrine

Reviewed By Retron - Leysdown-on-Sea, United Kingdom

I visited Mitsumine at the end of 2016 with a friend and we both thoroughly enjoyed our time there. This year we were back in Tokyo and we both wanted to go back - not least because we missed part of the shrine (the old part of it) and the shops and museum were closed in December. In the intervening months it seems that Mitsumine has been featured on a TV programme in Japan, as a "power spot". As a result, visitor numbers have gone up - which means you have to be quick off the mark if you're taking the rickety old bus to the shrine. As with last year, we went from Ikebukuro to Chichibu on the Seibu-Chichibu line. The tourist office has closed at Ikebukuro (they helped last year with filling in the train ticket forms), but luckily said forms are now in English as well as Japanese. The bus still leaves from the Chichibu train station, but this time there was a long queue awaiting us - unlike last time where we were the only ones heading for the shrine as we got off the train. Luckily, we were able to get seats on the bus (it's a 75-minute ride), but there were several people who had to stand throughout. More people got on as the bus stopped en route to the shrine. This time upon arrival at the shrine we both went straight past everything and headed west - for beyond the hotel, there's a path leading to the original old shrine. Unlike the new shrine (which is very fancy, colourful and dedicated to the founders of Japan), the old shrine is much more modest - and is the shrine which is dedicated to the wolf said to have guided the prince through the forest nearly 2000 years ago. The old shrine has plenty of wolf statues around it (and plenty more inside), along with offerings of sake and such placed there by worshippers. It was well worth the visit! The new shrine itself was just as before - splendid in every way and clearly fondly looked after. The guardian wolf statues had new bibs and there were different votive tablets (ema) for sale at the shrine shop. This time I picked up some of the new year ceremonial arrows, as well as some ema, another ofuda and some little wooden wolf charms (with bells). Unlike last time, the museum and main wolf gift shop was open. The museum is fascinating. It contains several pelts of wolves (including a Honshu wolf from Chichibu), as well as all sorts of things from the shrine in years gone by. There's also a story board explaining how the shrine was founded. It's all in Japanese, with pretty much no English whatsoever, but it's still well worth a visit. The only downside is that photography isn't allowed, so you'll have to make do with the museum's pamphlet. The wolf shop was well worth visiting. It's the only place in Japan that stocks so much wolf merchandise, as far as I'm aware, and aside from some rather overpriced soft toy wolves the rest of it was unique. I've been to wolf centres across the States, Canada, France, Spain and the UK - and most of the items on sale at Mitsumine were unique. They had laser-etched crystal replicas of the shrine (and wolf guardians), little glass wolves and pawprints, lots of types of sake - and glasses - a Japanese-style pen set, enamel badges and lots more besides. I spent a small fortune there, something not lost on the lady who served me - she disappeared for a bit, then came back with a carrier bag full of small square bits of paper. "Origami, tanabata", she said. She gave the bag to me, as a gift, meaning I've now got enough bits of paper to make a whole mass of origami wolves! Having seen how busy the bus was on the way out, we decided to get to the bus queue 25 minutes early for the way back. There was already quite a queue and we were lucky to get seats. It seems that Mitsumine has become more popular than before, so if you plan to visit there are a few things to bear in mind: * The museum and wolf shop are closed for the winter period - December to March. * They're also closed every Tuesday. * The shrine is more popular than ever, so be prepared to get to the bus stop at least 20 minutes before the bus is due to arrive. This is much harder to do on the way out if you're coming from Tokyo! * Weekdays are quieter than weekends, but there are fewer buses running. * Avoid the 1st of the month unless you really like queueing - special talismans/charms are given away and the queues are astronomical these days! 3km or more of queues aren't unheard of, meaning it'll take you hours and hours just to get to the shrine.

5. Keyaki Hiroba

10 Shintoshin, Chuo-Ku, Saitama 330-0081 Saitama Prefecture +81 48-601-1122 http://www.saitama-arena.co.jp:443/keyakihiroba/
Excellent
16%
Good
49%
Satisfactory
32%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 167 reviews

Keyaki Hiroba

Keyaki Hiroba is a restaurant and a shop in front of the Saitama Super Arena. In the park on the second floor connecting the deck from Saitama Shintoshin Station, there are 220 zelvoa trees, and it is a space of rest. There are various restaurants, convenience store, pharmacie on this 1st and 3rd floor.

6. Kinchakuda Manjushage Park

125-2 Komahongo, Hidaka 350-1251 Saitama Prefecture +81 42-982-0268 [email protected] http://www.kinchakuda.com/office/index.htm
Excellent
38%
Good
47%
Satisfactory
13%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 182 reviews

Kinchakuda Manjushage Park

7. Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine

2-11-3 Miyashitamachi, Kawagoe 350-0052 Saitama Prefecture +81 49-224-0589 http://www.kawagoehikawa.jp/
Excellent
29%
Good
52%
Satisfactory
18%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 332 reviews

Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine

8. Nagatoro Iwadatami Rocks

Nagatoro, Nagatoro-machi, Chichibu-gun 369-1305 Saitama Prefecture http://www.pref.saitama.lg.jp/chokotabi-saitama/spot/sp827.html
Excellent
23%
Good
51%
Satisfactory
24%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 282 reviews

Nagatoro Iwadatami Rocks

9. Saitama Prefecture Omiya Park

4 Takahanacho, Omiyaku, Saitama 330-0803 Saitama Prefecture +81 48-641-6391 http://www.pref.saitama.lg.jp/omiya-park/
Excellent
24%
Good
59%
Satisfactory
17%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 218 reviews

Saitama Prefecture Omiya Park

Reviewed By Drwan - Machang, Malaysia

Super 2nd Street is located about 800 meters from Miyahara Station. There you can find lots of quality used items. We went there looking for Coca Cola items and we were not disappointed.. Will go again in our next trip to Tokyo.

10. Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park

1-13 Namiki, Tokorozawa 359-0042 Saitama Prefecture +81 4-2998-4388 http://www.parks.or.jp/tokorozawa-kokuu/
Excellent
30%
Good
55%
Satisfactory
14%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 194 reviews

Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park

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