Saitama Prefectural Nature Park – Noyamakita-Rokudoyama Park . . A Green Oasis in Tokyo’s Outer Suburbs I’ll go out on a limb and say this is possibly the best 4-hour hike within 30 km of downtown Tokyo. The Sayama Hills measure 11 km...
Chichibu’s Natural Ice Sculpture If you’re looking for a day adventure to get your nature fix during the winter months the Misotsuchi no Tsurara 三十槌の氷柱 (Icicles of Misotsuchi) could be just the ticket. Located in a remote pocket in Chichibu, Saitama...
Where to Hike as a Family in the Greater Tokyo Area Hiking with children is a great way to get them connected to the outdoors and enjoy nature but knowing exactly where to go can be a challenge. Thankfully the Greater Tokyo Area has plenty of...
Irikawa Gorge 入川渓谷 – Arakawa River Starting Point 荒川起点石標 . . The Irikawa Valley: Chichibu’s Best Kept Secret For nature starved Tokyoites the main go to spots to enjoy large expanses of greenery are Okutama in Tokyo and Chichibu in the westernmost...
Sleep in these Mountain Huts and Save Some Coin While hiking purists might scoff at the idea of bedding down for the night in a mountain hut either due to cost considerations or the thought of suffering through an ensemble of snorers, huts do have...
Mt. Bonomine 棒ノ峰山 – Mt. Sobatsubu 蕎麦粒山 – Mt. Tenmoku 天目山 . . Some of the Finest Mountain Hiking in Tokyo This lesser hiked trail follows the Nagasawa ridgeline 長沢背稜 which forms part of the boundary between Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture...
Tracking Down Saitama’s Tallest Waterfall Saitama Prefecture like neighbouring Tokyo has only one waterfall chosen as one of the 100 Japanese waterfalls of Japan way back in 1990. Whilst it’s not the easiest location to reach by public transport...
A Village where Scarecrows Outnumber People Following in the footsteps of Nagoro in Shikoku, the tiny village of Niegawajuku in Chichibu, Saitama is seeking to revitalize itself with lifelike scarecrows (or kakashi). Niegawajuku like much of rural...
Hunter-gatherer Cave on a Chichibu Mountainside On a recent outing to the ruins of the former Mitsumine Ropeway in Chichibu, Saitama we spotted what appeared to be a cave in the distance. Never to let a good opportunity pass we decided to make the...
Elevator Ride to the Base of the Dam It’s not often you get the chance to take a 121-metre (397 ft) elevator ride deep within the recesses of a working dam especially one perched high up in the mountains. But during a recent trip to the Takizawa Dam...