Landscapes and cityscapes, areas of huge industrial importance and others of outstanding beauty, nationally renowned local produce in the form of Japanese sake, craft beers and green tea, festivals known around the nation and a sporting prowess to rival and defeat most other prefectures, Saitama, as the header says, has it all – and then some.
Several million today call the ninth-largest prefecture in Japan home. Bordering Saitama to the north are Gunma and Tochigi, to the east Ibaraki and Chiba, to the south Tokyo, and to the west Nagano and Yamanashi.
Geographically running east to west, industry and many of the 39 cities in the prefecture (the highest number in Japan) give way to open farmland, low hills and finally the mountainous Chichibu region – an area offering some of the best hiking, camping and hot spring options in the immediate Tokyo area.
As any long term resident of Japan will be aware, the prefecture has a plethora of sporting teams to follow. For fans of football (soccer), Urawa Reds are the Manchester United of Saitama – purposely located here in order to gain the ‘U’ in their full name – Mitsubishi Urawa Football Club. Another team in the Japanese J-League is Omiya Ardija.
The pro-basketball scene in Japan is represented by Saitama Broncos, while Saitama Seibu Lions of the Pacific League in pro-Japanese baseball have won an amazing 13 Japan Series championship pennants to date.
We even have an indoor ski-slope for lovers of winter sports!
Not all is sporty, hustle and business bustle, however, as Saitama is home to some of the best museums and sites of cultural interest and import in the Kanto region.
Gyoda in the north of Saitama is home to remains of pre-historical residents of the area whilst Omiya in the industrialized southeast perfectly captures the essence of the world famous art of bonsai at its famed Bonsai village.
And of course, at the end of the day, when you have had your fill sightseeing, participating in or watching sports or even running around museums, why not kick back, chill out and enjoy a cup of local Sayama tea – from the west of the prefecture, perhaps a beer from the good folks at Hanyu in the northeast, or maybe even a locally brewed Japanese tipple – sake – from any of the numerous makers in the region.
Any and all can be enjoyed, but where better to do so than at one of the numerous onsen (hot springs) dotted around the west of the prefecture.
Whatever, whenever, head to Saitama and you will not be disappointed.
