Japan City Guides: Saitama

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Saitama

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Kawagoe

• lies north-west of the capital.
• Japan's fastest-growing prefecture.
• historic castle-town Kawagoe 'old Edo' for kurazukuri warehouses, temples (Kita-in) and shrines.
• areas of scenic greenery and beauty.
• walking and hiking escapes from Tokyo.
• Saitama City's Omiya ward site of new Railway Museum.
• Interesting John Lennon Museum in Saitama City.

Things to see and do

John Lennon Museum in the superb Saitama Arena (Shintoshin station);
Mitsumine-jinja in the Chichibu-Tama National Park;
Kawagoe, 40 km north of Tokyo is an historic castle town noted for its kurazukuri - two-storey wooden merchants' houses some of which have been turned into interesting museums. These historic and pictuesque buildings are conveniently grouped to the north of Kawagoe station. The new (opened 2007) Railway Museum is extremely popular and fast becoming Saitama Prefecture's number one must-see place.
The Kita-in Temple north-east of Kawagoe station dates from the 9th century and contains the only surviving structures (an annex palace) from the original Edo Castle.
Kawagoe's main matsuri held in October is also one of the Tokyo region's most lively festivals with a parade of floats and costumed participants.
Access to Kawagoe from Tokyo by the Tobu Line from Ikebukuro Station, or the slower JR Saikyo Line. Alternatively take the Seibu Shinjuku Line from Shinjuku Station to Hon-Kawagoe.
Nagatoro - shooting the rapids on the Arakawa River, boats from Oyahana-bashi near Kami-Nagatoro station; Saitama Stadium - more stadium info - the largest soccer-specific stadium in Japan.

Access

Train

Seibu Shinjuku Line from Tokyo Seibu Shinjuku station to Hon Kawagoe (55 mins).
Seibu Ikebukuro Line from Seibu Ikebukuro to Chichibu for Nagatoro.
From Tokyo 50 minutes via Namboku subway line to Urawa-Misono Station on the Saitama Railway Line and then a 15 minute walk to Saitama Stadium in Urawa.
Takasaki/Utsunomiya Line from Ueno to Shintoshin Station for the John Lennon museum or the Saikyo Line from Shinjuku to Kiya-yono Station.

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