SAITAMA CITY

2015 Tour de France

Saitama Critérium 2015

Date:October 24(Sat)
Venue:Around Saitama-Shintoshin Station

The third holding of The Tour de France Saitama Critérium will take place on Saturday, October 24, 2015. As its name indicates, the race has the same prestige as The Tour de France, the world’s most prominent cycle road race, which is broadcasted in about 190 countries of the world. You will have a great opportunity to enjoy the spirit, message and fascination of The Tour de France without leaving Japan. The superstar road race cyclists of The Tour de France 2015 will gather to stage exciting races in the city.

The 3.1 km circuit course is set up right in Saitama Shintoshin area, which is filled with high-rise buildings. “Critérium” is a bike race held on a short course often in an urban setting where cyclists compete over multiple laps.

Female sprinters and para-cyclists will participate in the individual time trials that will take place prior to the main race. Come and experience an extraordinary speed and drive up close!

1st Saitama International Marathon

Date: November 15(Sun)
Venue:Saitama Super Arena>>Minuma Tambo>>Saitama Stadium2002>>Kyu-Nakasendo>>Saitama Super Arena

The Tokyo International Women’s Marathon was the world’s first women’s marathon, which was first held in 1979. The competition has produced excellent runners such as Naoko Takahashi, the gold medalist in the Sydney Olympics, and Mizuki Noguchi, the gold medalist in the Athens Olympics. It was replaced by the Yokohama Women’s Marathon in 2009 but the competition still remained a great marathon for elite female runners from all over the world. This prestigious marathon will takeplace in Saitama City in 2015.

One of the beauties of Saitama, a large city with 1.27 million residents, is its vast green zone called “Minuma Tambo” located only 2-3 km from the city center. The runners start at Saitama Super Arena and run through the city while enjoying both the urban and bucolic scenery that make Saitama City an attractive place. The last part of the course is located in Kyu-Nakasendo, one of the historical Edo Five Main Roads: here the race will approach its climax with a roar from the spectators. Let’s greet the athletes with rousing cheers!

At Saitama Shintoshin Keyaki Hiroba, which is the start and finish line, “Saitama Umaimono Ichiba” (Saitama gourmet market) will be organized between November 13 (Fri) at noon and 15 (Sun) to 16:00 to offer local delicacies and souvenirs to the runners and spectators.

Other Attractions

“The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum, Saitama” is located in the city of Saitama, famous for having Japan’s best bonsai gardens. The city will organize the 8th holding of the World Bonsai Convention in 2017 (April 27 Thur – 30 Sun, 2017). Omiya Station is a key station serving as the junction of a number of railway lines. The Railway Museum that was inaugurated on October 14, 2007, showcases 37 real train cars ranging from those used in the 19th century to the Shinkansen bullet trains. You can experience the train driving simulator featuring five types of trains such as D51, the steam locomotive and Shinkansen 200 series. An expansion of the premises is scheduled in autumn 2017.

Iwatsuki is one of Japan’s top doll producers with more than 80 doll ateliers. A variety of traditional dolls including the hina-ningyo and gogatsu-ningyo are made here and sold in Japan and abroad. There are doll-making workshops for visitors as well. In Urawa, a town that thrived as a posting station of Nakasendo in the Edo period (1603-1867), there are many famous eel restaurants which pass on a culinary heritage. The brewery Sake from four breweries in the city and Saika-no-Hoseki (colorful fruit jellies), one of SAITAMA Best Selection items, are popular local delicacies for gift souvenirs.

You will enjoy Saitama City while watching international sporting events while also exploring its own many attractions and scenery!