Saitama Prefecture sits just north of Tokyo, and while much of its eastern side functions as a commuter suburb of the capital, there is far more to discover here than rush-hour crowds. The prefecture stretches from the busy urban hub of Saitama city all the way west into the mountains of the Chichibu region, offering a surprisingly diverse mix of culture, history and nature within easy reach of central Tokyo.
Omiya, the commercial heart of Saitama city, is anchored by Omiya Station, one of the busiest rail hubs in the Kanto region and a stop on multiple shinkansen lines. The area draws visitors to the Railway Museum, an immersive attraction operated by JR East that houses trains from Japan’s first steam locomotive to the latest shinkansen.
Beyond Omiya, the former castle town of Kawagoe — known as “Little Edo” — is one of Saitama’s most beloved destinations. A short 30-minute train ride from central Tokyo, Kawagoe’s streets are lined with preserved kura-zukuri storehouses dating to the 18th and 19th centuries. The iconic Toki no Kane bell tower, built roughly 400 years ago, still chimes four times a day. Further west, the mountainous Chichibu region rewards visitors with scenic gorges, ancient shrines such as the mystical Mitsumine Shrine.
