Do you want to go a little outside of Tokyo and enjoy a little bit more of Japan? If you have an extra day and want to explore a little bit more of Japan, without having to travel very far from Tokyo, consider going to Saitama Prefecture. Saitama may not be as popular as major places in Japan like Tokyo, Kyoto or even like Kanagawa. But, you might be surprised with the charms Saitama has.
If you want to know more about Saitama and do a little exploring, but don’t know how to go or what to do there, I’ve got you. With so much information on the internet, including this article, it will only take a few minutes for you to get the answer to that.
In this article, I am going to introduce a little bit more of Saitama to you, how to travel to Saitama from Tokyo, places to go in Saitama, day tour options to Saitama, and more recommendations. So, keep reading!
Saitama is a prefecture North of Tokyo, and part of the Greater Tokyo Area. Most of the cities in Saitama can be described as the suburban area of Tokyo, because of the large number of residents commuting each day.
Saitama is rich in nature and offers lots of tourist spots. The capital city of Saitama, called Saitama also, lies 15 to 30 km North of central Tokyo. Due to its close distance from Tokyo, tourists visit the prefecture to explore a little bit more of Japan. It's a great place for a day trip away from Tokyo.
How to go to Saitama from Tokyo?
Here are ways to travel to Saitama from some major places in Tokyo:
Tokyo station to Saitama Prefecture (around 25-minute train ride- ¥390)
- Take the Utsunomiya Line (orange colored) from Tokyo Station, and get off at Urawa Station.
- You can walk for about 12 mins (1 km) or take the bus from Urawa Station West Exit and get off at Kencho-Mae for 100 yen.
Shinjuku station to Saitama Prefecture (around 40 m - ¥490)
- Take the Saikyo Line (tosca colored) to Akabane Station.
- At Akabane Station, switch to Takasaki Line (orange colored) to Urawa Station.
- You can walk for about 12 mins (1 km) or take the bus from Urawa Station West Exit and get off at Kencho-Mae for 100 yen.
Narita Airport Terminal 2 to Saitama Prefecture (1h 30m- ¥2780)
-From Narita Airport Terminal 2·3, get on the Skyliner to Nippori Station.
-At Nippori Station, switch to Keihintohoku line (light blue/tosca colored), and get off at Urawa Station.
- You can walk for about 12 mins (1 km) or take the bus from Urawa Station West Exit and get off at Kencho-Mae for 100 yen.
Haneda Airport Terminal 2 to Saitama Prefecture (around 1 h 20 m- ¥1080)
- From Haneda Airport Terminal 2, get on the Tokyo Monorail, and get off at Hamamatsucho Station.
-At Hamamatsucho Station, switch to Keihintohoku line (light blue/Tosca colored), and get off at Urawa Station.
- You can walk for about 12 mins (1 km) or take the bus from Urawa Station West Exit and get off at Kencho-Mae for 100 yen.
Akihabara Station to Saitama Prefecture (around 45 m- ¥490)
- From Akihabara Station, take the Keihintohoku Line (light blue/tosca colored) straight to Urawa Station.
- You can walk for about 12 mins (1 km) or take the bus from Urawa Station West Exit and get off at Kencho-Mae for 100 yen.
Shibuya station to Saitama Prefecture (around 40 m - ¥490)
-Take the Shonan-Shinjuku Line (red colored) straight to Urawa Station.
- You can walk for about 12 mins (1 km) or take the bus from Urawa Station West Exit and get off at Kencho-mae for 100 yen.
Where to go in Saitama?
If you are wondering what to do in Saitama, or where to go, here are some places you should visit in Saitama.
- The Railway Museum
A museum featuring about 36 railway cars, train cab simulators, railway model dioramas, mini trains, video booths, a multi-purpose hall, a gallery balcony, a cafeteria, a museum shop, and also a research room. There are also interactive exhibits like a driving simulator. You can still enjoy the museum even if you are not a train fan.
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Address |
3-47 Onaricho, Omiya-ku, Saitama 330-0852, Saitama Prefecture (map) |
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Phone |
+81 48-651-0088 |
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Business hours |
10:00 am- 6:00 pm (last admission 5:30 pm) *closed every Tuesday and December 29-1 |
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Price |
¥1000 for adults/ ¥800 for elementary, junior high, and high school students/ ¥200 for young children (age 3 and above) |
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Website |
- Kawagoe (known also as Koedo)
The city, known as Koedo or “Little Edo”, was a prosperous town of commerce during the Edo Era beloved by Tokugawa Shoguns. It is the no. 1 tourist spot in Saitama Prefecture, visited by around 6 million people each year. There are numerous attractions in Kawagoe.
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Address |
Motomachi Kawagoe-shi Saitama (map) |
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Phone |
049-227-8233 |
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Price |
Differs depending on the facility |
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Website |
- Bonsai Village
Bonsai Village is a name given to the community of bonsai lovers and cultivators in Saitama City. Bonsai is enjoyed as an appreciation of plants grown in pots with different shapes expressing the nature. There are 6 gardens making up the Bonsai Village. It is one of the most popular tourist spots in Saitama. From May 3rd to May 5th, a bonsai festival is held annually.
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Address |
大宮盆栽村, Saitama-ken, Saitama-shi, Kita-ku, Torochō, 2 Chome−24−3 (map) |
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Business hours |
Monday ( 09:00 AM-05:00 PM ) Tuesday ( 09:00 AM-05:00 PM ) Wednesday ( 09:00 AM-05:00 PM ) Friday ( 09:00 AM-05:00 PM ) Weekends ( 09:00 AM-05:00 PM ) |
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Price |
Free |
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Website |
- Omiya Bonsai Art Museum
Bonsai Art Museum is the first publicly run museum dedicated to the art of Bonsai, growing plants in containers like pots, and having their branches and leaves express nature. There are more than 120 bonsai masterpieces and bonsai-related artifacts in this museum. It opened in 2010, established by the Bonsai Village.
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Address |
2-24-3 Toro-cho, Kita Ward, Saitama City, Saitama, 331-0804 (map) |
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Phone |
048-780-2091 |
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Business hours |
March-October: 9:00 am-4:30 pm 9:00-16:00 |
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Price |
¥300 for adults/ ¥150 for high school, university students, and persons over 65/ ¥100 for elementary and junior high school students |
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Website |
- Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine
Hikawa Shrine, believed to have a 2400 year history, is a Japanese Shinto Shrine in Omiya-ku, Saitama. There is a large park with lush greenery, many cherry blossom trees, a museum, and a zoo, surrounding the shrine.
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Address |
1-407 Takahanacho, Omiya-ku, Saitama 330-0803, Saitama Prefecture (map) |
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Phone |
+81 48-641-0137 |
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Business hours |
5:30 am to 5:30 pm (March, April, September, and October) 5:00 am to 6:00 pm (May to August) 6:00 am to 5:00 pm (November to February) |
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Price |
Free |
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Website |
Wait, there’s more!
Saitama also offers many different attractions like Nagatoro, Hitsujiyama Park, Kita-in, and more.
Day tours to Saitama from Tokyo
Interested in Saitama? Do you want to make your travel to and in Saitama more exciting? Or do you want to have an enhanced and deeper experience while traveling in Saitama, here’s how: Go with day tours!
There are many great day tour options to Saitama. It’s way more convenient as you don’t have to plan your itinerary yourself and you are even guided by a qualified tour guide. You can visit the popular places and enjoy the many different attractions Saitama offers without hassle.
Look, the thing is…
There are many places on the web that offer day tours to Saitama, but you never know whether they are a trustworthy and good website or not. That’s why I’m recommending you GoWithGuide. The website is trustworthy, offering many different day trip options to Saitama. You can also customize the tour itinerary according to your preferences.You also don't have to figure out the transport from Tokyo to Saitama because your guide will help you with that.
Not only the website offers day tours to Saitama, it also offers many different qualified tour guides you can hire to make your trip more interesting and meaningful.
Recommended day tours to Saitama from Kawagoe
To enjoy Saitama, here are some of my recommendations of great day tours to Saitama.
Enjoyment of Bonsai sightseeing and Kawagoe Koedo tour spots one day trip in Saitama tour, where you can enjoy bonsai sightseeing and explore around Kawagoe Koedo.
You can also check A good old town of Kawagoe, called little Edo tour and Hikawa Shrine & Omiya Bonsai Village tour.
If you are a train fan or have children, I recommend the For Children and Railway fans! Tour to The Railway Museum. You will visit the Railway Museum, but you will surely have a more interesting trip as you will be guided by an experienced tour guide.
There are still many more day tour options to Saitama. If you want to check them out, click here.
Get this:
With these day tours, not only you can have a better experience in Saitama by visiting beautiful and popular spots, you can also learn with the insights given by your private guide. You will also have an easier travel to and from Saitama. This allows you to have an enhanced yet hassle-free experience!
From the tours mentioned above, they also provide set itinerary suggestions which you can follow or customize according to your preferences.
Wait, there's more:
If you are not looking for private tours but for private guides in Saitama, you can click here. For tours or private guide options for other areas in Japan, you can click here.
I hope this article helps provide useful information for your trip to Saitama, including how to go to Saitama from some major places in Tokyo, where are the must-visit spots in Saitama, options for day tours to Saitama from Tokyo, and more recommendation for a great Saitama trip. I hope you have a great time in Saitama!
