Saitama Prefecture is Tokyo's underrated northern neighbor — a landlocked prefecture where the Edo-period streets of Kawagoe, the world's largest railway museum collection, bonsai gardens tended for a century, and the moss-phlox hills of Chichibu sit within an hour of the capital, all at a fraction of Tokyo's crowds and prices.
Historical sites
Places where Saitama's past comes alive.
Kita-in Temple (Edo Castle Remnants)
Where: Kawagoe City
Admission: Adult: ¥400 ($2.67) | Child: ¥200 ($1.33)
Kawagoe Castle Honmaru Goten
Where: Kawagoe City
Admission: Adult: ¥100 ($0.67) | Child: Free (junior high school and under)
Hikawa Shrine (Musashi Ichinomiya)
Where: Omiya, Saitama City
Admission: Adult: Free | Child: Free
Chichibu Shrine
Where: Chichibu City
Admission: Adult: Free | Child: Free
Mitsumine Shrine
Where: Chichibu City (Mount Mitsumine)
Admission: Adult: Free (donations welcome) | Child: Free
Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park
Where: Tokorozawa City
Admission: Adult: Park free; museum ¥820 ($5.47) | Child: From ¥260 ($1.73)