Kawagoe is a city of about 350,000 located in southwest Sakado City is located in cen- Tsurugashima City is located about 45 kilometers Saitama Prefecture 30 kilometers from central Tokyo. It tral Saitama Prefecture about from central Tokyo. It is flat, with no mountains or Kawagoe City became the first place given city status when Saitama Sakado City 45 kilometers from central Tsurugashima hilly areas or large rivers. Urbanization continues RainbowRainbow Prefecture introduced the city system in 1922, and then Tokyo. to advance, but traces of the rural Musashi Plain Kawagoe City Hall Tel. 049-224-8811 became the first designated “core city” in Saitama in 2003. Sakado City Hall Sakado City has a total that bring to mind depictions of older Japan can Kawagoe City (Saitama Prefecture) Region http://www.city.kawagoe.saitama.jp Tel. 049-283-1331 Kawagoe also boasts some of the highest-value industrial area of 41.02 square meters. City still be found in parts of the Iimori and Oya River Urban Development Council Koedo-Kawagoe Tourist Association shipments in Saitama Prefecture. At the same time, Kawagoe http://www.city.sakado.lg.jp The central town area is sur- basins. Tel. 049-227-8233 has one of the largest areas of cultivated land and fields in the Sakado Yosakoi Event Committee rounded by countryside, creat- Tsurugashima City Hall Tsurugashima City is also a transportation hub. http://www.koedo.or.jp Tel. 049-271-1111 prefecture. Kawagoe also retains some of the history and tradi- Tel. same as above ing an ideal balance of urban The Kan-Etsu and Ken-O expressways run through Kawagoe City Tourist Information Office http://www.sakadoyosakoi.com/ http://www.city. Playing Tel. 049-222-5556 tions of feudal Japan, with old kura warehouses still in use and and rural landscape. The city tsurugashima.lg.jp/ the city, and each of their interchanges connects important Buddhist temples such as Kita-in Temple in the city. continues to evolve and devel- to National Route 407, which traverses the city The landscape, a combination of dense shrubbery typical of the Musashino Upland and alluvial terrain op while maintaining its pleasant and serene atmosphere. City Hall Website center. enriched by the Arakawa and Iruma Rivers, has given rise to a number of folk arts that continue to be passed Sakado is largely flat, with the tip of the Chichibu Mountains extending down, including the Kawagoe Festival. With its many faces and attractions, Kawagoe welcomes around 6.5 into its western end. This tip, poking out of Sakado’s lowlands, is called TTourTourour MMapMapap million visitors a year and is a major tourist destination in the greater Tokyo area. Shiroyama area. The Koma River runs in back of this hilly area from the south- Tsurugashima Municipal Sports Park west to the east, and it merges with the Oppe River in northern Sakado and 18 then the Iruma River before feeding into the Arakawa River. Sakado Yosakoi Festival (Otagayanuma Pond) Kashiya Yokocho Playing 10 Sakatchi is the city mascot. Flowers 1 Isanuma Pond 4 (Penny Candy Lane) Address: Otagaya, Tsurugashima City (MAP I-7) Address: Yakushi-cho, Sakado City, and elsewhere (MAP I-4) Tel. 049-271-1111 (Citizen Sports Section, Board of Education) Address: Isanuma Pond, Kamoda, Furuyakami, Flowers Address: 2-chome Moto-machi, Kawagoe City (MAP O-10) Tel. 049-283-1331 (Sakado Yosakoi Event Committee Office) Parking lots: 276 spaces, 4 handicapped spaces Local City and Town Sightseeing Guide Kawagoe City (MAP O-7) Tel. 049-222-5556 (Kawagoe City Tourist Information Office) Note: Using public transportation on the day of the event is recommended to avoid traffic congestion. Access: 15 min. by Tsuru Wagon from the West Exit of Tsurugashima Station, Tel. 049-222-5556 (Kawagoe City Tourist Information Office) Access: 2 min. by foot from Fuda no Tsuji bus stop, by Tobu Bus bound for Kura Access: 3 min. by foot from North Exit of Sakado Station or from the East Exit of Kita-Sakado Station, Tobu Tojo Line Tobu Tojo Line, and 10 min. by foot from Kawatsuru Danchi bus stop Access: From Kawagoe Station, Tobu Tojo Line/JR Kawagoe Line, no Machi from Hon-Kawagoe Station, Seibu Shinjuku Line, or Kawagoe Station, Festival Held in October, the Sakado Yosakoi is one of the largest yosakoi festivals in Japan, and teams of dancers delight The park contains wooded areas that preserve the existing trees as much take the Tobu Bus bound for West Hirakata or Kawagoe Undo Tobu Tojo Line/JR Kawagoe Line, or take the Eagle Bus CO-EDO Loop (Junkai) festival watchers as they make their way down the city parade route performing original versions of the yosakoi as possible, while Otagayanuma Pond serves as the main wetlands area. Koen (Kawagoe Athletic Park) and get off at Isanuma-Iriguchi Bus and get off at Kashiya Yokocho bus stop dance. At the main venue, powerful dance performances on the stage must excite you and you can enjoy food The park also has sports facilities built around the main sports ground. bus stop, or take the Seibu Bus bound for Kawagoe Green Park In the 1920s and 30s, this street of 70-some shops was home to many booths set up around it by commerce and agriculture organizations from Sakado. Otagayanuma Pond is a popular destination in spring when the cherry Ogose Town Kawajima Town and get off at Isanuma Boken no Mori bus stop confectionery makers and wholesalers. Today about 20 shops still make trees planted around it are in full bloom. Tranquil Isanuma Pond is a popular place for locals to relax out- and sell original sweets and snacks. The street is loved for its nostalgic The Weeping Cherry Facilities include one softball/baseball ground (with night lights), one sub- doors. Many tourists also flock to the pond in spring when the atmosphere as well as confectionery. 11 ground, two multipurpose squares, a conference room (with showers), and cherry trees are in bloom as well as summer when the pond’s at Jigen-ji Temple a wooded area for nature observation. lotus flowers are in bloom. Isanuma Pond is also the rotating site Walking Path along Address: 285 Nakaosaka, Sakado City (MAP K-5) Flowers of the Koedo-Kawagoe Fireworks Display once every two years. 5 the Ahina Line Tel. 049-280-2205 Nikko Kaido Cedar Avenue Parking lots: Available 19 Walking Tel. 04-2996-2888 (Seibu Railway Customer Access: 2 min. by foot from Nakaosaka bus stop by Tobu bus (Nikko Waki-okan) Center) (MAP L-9) bound for Kawagoe Station or Higashi-Sakado Danchi from Walking Access: 10 min. by Tsuru Bus from the Access: Near Minami-Otsuka Station, Seibu Wakaba Station, Tobu Tojo Line, or 2 min. by foot from Jigen- West Exit of Wakaba Station, Tobu Tojo Shinjuku Line ji-Mae bus stop by Sakatchi Wagon Miyoshino Line Fields of Rape Address: Takakura, Tsurugashima City (MAP I-6) Line, and 5 min. by foot from City Chuo The Ahina Line was a freight railway line Parking lots: 85 spaces, 2 handicapped spaces at the Tsurugashima Library bus stop The weeping cherry tree at Jigen-ji Temple, designated a 15 Flowers at Takakura (MAP I-7) Heisei no Mori Park that operated in the first half of the 20th natural monument by the city, stands over 15 meters tall City Agricultural Inter change Center This path is also called Nikko Waki- Access: 20 min. by foot from Ipponmatsu Station, Tobu Ogose Line century. The walking path is also where 8 Shakyamuni's Birthday Festival and is more than 260 years old. It blooms in late March. okan and was used by Hachioji Sennin Ogose Plum Grove Umerin Hanashobu (Iris) Garden Kawamin Kawabee The Takakura rape blossom festival is held in mid-April and the Japanese TV drama Tsubasa was Doshin (junior officials in Hachioji) to Sightseeing filmed. Entry onto the tracks is prohibit- Address: Eigen-ji Temple, 12-69 Naka-cho, Sakado City (MAP I-5) popular with tourists for its blooming fields of rape, which guard Nikko Toshogu Shrine. Nikko Tel. 049-281-0061 Omiyasumiyoshi-jinja ed. A map of the walking path is avail- 12 carpet the Takakura district in brilliant yellow. Held on a Kaido Cedar Avenue has become a Access: 10 min. by foot from the North Exit of Sakado Station, Tobu Tojo Line Shrine Sunday in mid-April, outdoor stands sell various foods and Hidaka City Moroyama Town able at Minami-Otsuka Station. Shakyamuni’s (the Buddha’s) birthday festival is held each year on May 5 at Eigen-ji Temple, a precious green belt with trees said to Festival Address: 254 Tsukagoshi, Sakado City (MAP K-4) Sightseeing goods and there are taiko drum, music, and dance perfor- be more than 300 years old. Festival temple of the Soto sect of Zen Buddhism built in 1592. At a Buddhist altar decorated with flow- Tel. 049-283-8503 mances by citizen groups and other events. ers in front of the main hall, visitors pour hydrangea tea over a statue of Shakyamuni. People Parking lots: 50 spaces pray at the statue for good health, the well-being of their family, and good fortune in business. Access: 50 min. by foot from the East Exit of Wakaba Station, Tobu Tojo Line, The Zelkova at Suneori or 3 min. by foot from Sumiyoshi-jinja bus stop, city loop bus, or 10 min. by 16 17 Takakura Shishimai (Hie-jinja Shrine) foot from Sumiyoshi-jinja-Mae bus stop by Tobu bus bound for Yahata Danchi (Shirahige-jinja Shrine) The Omiya Sumiyoshi kagura are designated by Saitama Prefecture and Address: 6-chome, Suneori-cho, Tsurugashima City Address: Takakura, Tsurugashima City Learning selected as a national important intangible folk-culture asset.