Saitama Prefecture is located north of Tokyo and serves as a “commuter town” for the capital. Although many people may think Saitama has nothing special, there are actually a lot of attractive sightseeing spots. One of our editorial members, K. S., who lives in Saitama, will introduce recommended spots along the Seibu Ikebukuro Line as well as Kasukabe City, where “Crayon Shin-chan,” one of the most popular Japanese anime series, takes place!
Writer: K.S.
I have been living along the Seibu Ikebukuro Line for 28 years. The area has just the right amount of suburban charm, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else!
A tour along the Seibu Ikebukuro Line recommended by the local resident
The Seibu Ikebukuro Line stretches west from Ikebukuro Station, one of Tokyo’s major stations. You will enter Saitama Prefecture at Tokorozawa Station. Let’s take a look at the area around Tokorozawa, Hanno, and Chichibu Stations, which are especially recommended for sightseeing along the line.
Just about 25 minutes from Ikebukuro, Tokorozawa is a convenient residential area with easy access from Tokyo. The station area is lined with shopping facilities and cafes, and recent redevelopment has made the city even more vibrant.
A large-scale complex facility with the fusion of pop culture and art in Japan. One of the highlights is “Kadokawa Culture Museum,” designed by world-renowned architect Kuma Kengo. The museum has a space surrounded by huge bookshelves about eight meters high, along with projection mapping displays. The complex also includes a bookshop selling anime goods, cafes, and a hotel, making it a great place to relax and spend time.
| Access | Tokorozawa Sta. → 20 min by bus → Higashi-Tokorozawa Sta. → 10 min walk |
| Business hours | Kadokawa Culture Museum: 10:00-18:00 (admission until 17:30) / Hours vary for other facilities. |
| Regular holiday | Kadokawa Culture Museum: Tue (open if Tue is a national holiday) / Closed days vary for other facilities. |
| URL | https://tokorozawa-sakuratown.com/museum.html |
One of the biggest spa resorts in the Kanto region, featuring onsen, sauna, bedrock baths and restaurants. Although located close to downtown, the resort offers natural hot springs. A highlight is its three types of saunas and a cold plunge bath that you can jump into! The food court offers a variety of dishes, including menus from popular Japanese chain restaurants, making it possible to enjoy a full day here. If you’re looking for ultimate relaxation, this is a must-visit spot.
*Guests with tattoos are permitted only if their tattoos can be fully covered with a cover seal measuring 10 × 14.5 cm.
| Access | Kotesashi Sta. → 25 min walk / Free shuttle bus service available from Tokorozawa Sta. (Seibu Ikebukuro Line, Seibu Shinjuku Line), Kotesashi Sta. (Seibu Ikebukuro Line), and Shin-Tokorozawa Sta. (Seibu Shinjuku Line) |
| Business hours | 9:00-25:00 (open Sat, Sun, national holidays from 6:00, open Fri, Sat, the day before national holidays until 26:00) |
| Regular holiday | Open 365 days *Please check the website for the latest information. |
| URL | https://king-and-queen.site/ |
Located roughly halfway between Ikebukuro (about 50 minutes) and Seibu-Chichibu (about 55 minutes), this area offers a nice opportunity to enjoy the transition from the urban landscape to the surrounding natural scenery.
The facility consists of two zones, namely “metsä village,” where you can experience the Scandinavian lifestyle, and “Moominvalley Park,” themed around the world of the Moomins.
You can visit shops and cafes, participate in hands-on crafting workshops, and enjoy renting a boat on the lake. Surrounded by a tranquil forest and waterside scenery, it’s a perfect place to relax.
A theme park where you can step into the world of the “Moomins,” popular characters from a series of books by a Finnish author. The Moominhouse has been faithfully recreated, and there are attractions for both children and adults. The shop offers exclusive merchandise that can only be found here.
| Access | Ikebukuro Line, JR) and Komagawa Sta. (JR) |
| Business hours | Please check the website. |
| Regular holiday | No fixed holidays |
| URL | https://metsa-hanno.com/metsa/ |
Located in the western part of Saitama Prefecture, Chichibu is blessed with abundant nature, such as Mt. Hodo and the Arakawa River, making it a popular day-trip destination from Tokyo.
Laview is a limited express train connecting Ikebukuro Station and Seibu-Chichibu Station. It will take you to Chichibu in 77 minutes, with no transfer required! The spacious seats make you comfortably relaxed and the large windows extending nearly to the floor allow you to fully enjoy the scenery, making the trip feel over in no time.
In this popular activity of a guided boat trip, you can experience both a relaxing cruise and thrilling moments with splashes of water, while enjoying the beautiful landscape of Nagatoro’s unique Iwadatami rock formation, which has been designated as a Special Natural Monument of Japan. During winter (January to February for the year 2026), special boats are equipped with a kotatsu heated table, which keeps you warm during the boat ride. No reservation required in advance!
| Access | Nagatoro Sta. → 1 min walk |
| Business hours | 9:00-16:00 / during winter (January and February) 10:00-14:00 |
| Regular holiday | Please check the website. |
| URL | https://www.chichibu-railway.co.jp/wp-content/themes/tpl_chichibu/images/global/nagatoro/en_nagatoro.pdf |
The magnificent icicles are formed with water leaching from the rocks and freezing in winter. The icicles are about eight meters tall and stretch about 30 meters in width. The peak of the icicle formation is mid-January to mid-February every year. The icicles are illuminated at night during the peak period. You will be impressed by the mystical beauty and scale of nature with this art of ice!
| Access | Seibu-Chichibu Sta. → 40 min by Seibu Kanko Bus Mitsumine-jinja Line → Misotsuchi Stop |
| Business hours | 8:30-17:00 (illumination: Mon–Fri 17:00-19:00, Sat, Sun, national holidays 17:00-20:00) |
Take the ropeway and arrive at Sancho Station on Mt. Hodo in Chichibu and you will find two plum gardens, which will have peaks of the blossoms from winter to early spring. One is “Wintersweet Garden,” where yellow wintersweet plum blossoms come out to full bloom from late December through late February, and the other one is “Plum Garden,” where white and pink plum blossoms come out from early February to late March. Depending on the season, visitors can enjoy different scenic views.
“Waraji” are Japan’s traditional sandals made with straw. This dish is a tonkatsu pork cutlet as large as a waraji sandal served on rice. One piece of tonkatsu should be hearty enough for most people, but there are some restaurants where you can choose to eat more than one piece.
This dish is a generous amount of pork sauteed with miso-based sauce and served on rice. The delicious salty-sweet miso flavor and the irresistible aroma of sauteed pork stimulate your appetite so much that you cannot stop eating!
One of Chichibu’s local dishes is potatoes deep-fried and coated with a generous amount of sweet-and-salty miso sauce. It is a popular between-meals snack for local people.
Produced at a distillery in Chichibu, this whisky has been highly acclaimed worldwide. The fruity aroma and mild texture are perfect for whisky beginners. It is good with hot water in winter.
*The distillery is not open for public tours or direct sales.
The craft beer is made with local ingredients, such as wheat and hops. The spring water in Chichibu is soft water, making it ideal for brewing, and breweries are scattered throughout the area.
Enjoy roasted fresh pork horumon offal. With various theories about horumon dishes in Chichibu, one of them says that there used to be many pig farms in this area, which increased the number of horumon restaurants. Locally, when people say “yakiniku” (grilled meat), they are often referring to grilled horumon.
Directly connected to Seibu Chichibu Station, an onsen facility named “Matsuri no Yu” has a food court and a souvenir area, which are filled with Chichibu’s local specialties. At this facility, you can try all of the above-mentioned food and drinks! It will be also great to relieve your fatigue at the end of your trip here!
| Access | In front of Seibu-Chichibu Sta. |
| Business hours | Food court: Mon-Fri 11:00-18:30, Sat, Sun, national holidays 11:00-19:30 Souvenir area: Mon-Fri 9:00-18:30, Sat, Sun, national holidays 9:00-19:30 Onsen facility: 10:00-22:00 (also open 6:00-9:00 on Sat, Sun, national holiday) |
| Regular holiday | No fixed holiday |
Kasukabe is the setting of the popular Japanese manga and anime “Crayon Shinchan,” which I’ve loved since childhood. It’s a must-visit for fans of Shinchan and anyone who wants to experience a local Japanese town atmosphere!
This studio features a photo spot where visitors can take pictures with Shinchan’s family, exhibitions, and an amusement arcade. You can fully immerse yourself in the world of the anime. At the photo sticker booth (Purikura), you can take souvenir photos with original frames!
| Access | Kasukabe Sta. → 4 min walk |
| Business hours | 10:00-20:00 (closed at 18:00 for 16 years and younger) |
| URL | https://shinchan-game-cinema.jp/ |
This beloved local supermarket is famous among Saitama residents. Numerous funny-name items are only available here, such as Kasukabe Puripuriketsu Purin Pan (“plumpy butt pudding on bread”) and Sokorahen-no-kusa-tendon (“tempura rice bowl made with vegetables from around here”). These quirky products have been attracting attention!
| Access | Minami-sakurai Sta. → 5 min walk |
| Business hours | 10:00-19:00 |
| Regular holiday | Sun and national holiday Mon |
| URL | https://www.instagram.com/supermidori/ |
