Exploring Tokyo’s top spots is great, but did you know neighboring Saitama holds many hidden gems, including Kanto region’s top energy hot spot? This tour takes you by private car to Nagatoro and Chichibu area in Saitama, known for its rich natural beauty and deep-rooted traditions. Discover timeless landscapes, sacred sites for spiritual rejuvenation, and enjoy delicious traditional lunch.
Your guide, Eri, and driver, Masa, both living in Saitama, will ensure a memorable Saitama journey!
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Pick-up at Your Hotel in Tokyo 23 Ward
- We will pick you up at your hotel by car.
We'll make a stop at Takasaka Service Area on the Kan-Etsu Expressway heading from Tokyo to Saitama. This is a popular service area well-known to locals living around the Tokyo. It offers a wide range of food options, including restaurants, sweets shops, and a bakery, and has a large selection of souvenirs from Saitama, Gunma, and Niigata.
Let’s enjoy a little warm-up for the trip by picking up some drinks or snacks and browsing for unique souvenirs you won’t find in central Tokyo!
This impressive rock formation in Nagatoro, Saitama Prefecture, features expansive, layered rocks that blanket the area much like tatami mats on a floor. The striking crystalline schist layers were shaped over time by the Arakawa River’s currents, creating a truly awe-inspiring natural attraction.
Spanning 80 meters in width and 500 meters in length, this expansive rocky terrain was shaped by the currents of the Arakawa River, which eroded the crystalline schist and carved out a fault valley and rock terraces. The formation is named “iwa-datami” because it resembles the smooth, layered look of tatami mats. Often referred to as the “window to the earth,” Nagatoro offers a rare chance to observe the earth’s crust exposed at the surface.
Soba noodles (Buckwheat noodles) are one of Chichibu’s local specialties.
While soba can be enjoyed throughout Japan, the soba from the Chichibu area is particularly delicious, with a firm texture and rich flavor, as it is cultivated using the pure headwaters of the Arakawa River that flows through Tokyo and Saitama.
Let’s enjoy a traditional lunch at a local spot frequented mainly by Japanese, where you can also try dishes like Chichibu-grown maitake mushroom tempura and seasoned rice.
Mitsumine shrine is said to be the strongest energy hot-spot in Kanto Region. This expansive and stunning mountain shrine is dedicated to wolf spirits, among others, and features several wolf statues throughout the grounds. Although Japanese wolves are now extinct, they once roamed these mountains, and it was believed their spirits guarded homes against fires and theft. Because of this, the shrine held great popularity among the people of Edo.
Wandering the shrine grounds is truly enjoyable—there’s always something unexpected around each corner. Be sure to look out for scenic mountain views, an elegant red tower, intricate carvings on the main hall, a mysterious stone with a hidden dragon, and sacred trees that are said to renew your energy if you place your hands and forehead against them. You’ll also come across the striking red gate, Zuishinmon, likely one of the most beautiful gates you’ll ever see, as well as a statue of Yamato Takeru, who founded the shrine nearly 1,900 years ago.
Michi-no-Eki Arakawa is a rest stop surrounded by the natural beauty of the Oku-Chichibu area. In addition to locally grown vegetables and fruits from Chichibu, it offers a wide variety of souvenirs.
Let’s take a break with some delicious sweets— the ice cream here is absolutely fantastic!
The end time may vary depending on the traffic.
At your hotel
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
・Guide Fee
・Lunch for Guide and Driver
・Expressway Toll Fees: 3,800 JPY (for the round trip)
・Parking Fees: Nagatoro Iwadatami (100 - 200 JPY), Mitsumine Shrine (520 JPY)
・Gasoline Costs: 4,200 JPY
Calculated as: Travel distance (280km) × 15 JPY per kilometer
Travel distance is based on round-trip distance from your hotel, assuming a Shinjuku-area location.
*If your hotel is further from Shinjuku, additional gasoline costs may apply.
・Beverages, Snacks or Meals for Guest
・Possible Fees for Entrance and Activity for Guest
・Any Other Personal Expenses of the Guest
<About Tour>
• Let me know in advance if you have any food restrictions.
(Vegan and Vegetarian options are very limited in Saitama, but we know a great conveyor-belt sushi restaurant with variety food options along the way)
• This tour includes walking over rocky terrain with some ups and downs, so be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes and clothes that allow for easy movement.
• This tour doesn’t include a river cruise. If you’d like to do one, we may need to suggest you change the itinerary.
• Please bring cash (not just credit cards) for food, drinks, and other purchases, as some shops and restaurants in rural areas may only accept cash.
(*Lunch: approx. 1,500 - 2,500JPY for a soba set meal)
• The end time for this tour can vary due to traffic, so we recommend keeping your schedule flexible afterward.
• Please inquire about dates and times not listed
<About Car>
• Our car is TOYOTA RAISE (see in the picture)
• Our car can fit up to 2 adult guests and 1 child guest (aged 6 and older) in the back seat.
• Unfortunately, children aged 5 and under cannot join this tour because we don’t have a child seat available. (Children cannot sit on a parent's lap)
Please be sure to check in with me before confirming the booking.
(My availability might change because of personal commitments)
Hello! I’m Eri. I was born and raised in Osaka.
After graduating from university, I moved to Tokyo, lived and worked there for about 20 years. I spent 6 years working in export administration and 12 years as an overseas travel insurance claim examiner.
I now live in Saitama, the neighboring prefecture to Tokyo, that boasts beautiful shrines, relaxing hot springs, and stunning nature spots.
I love both overseas and domestic travel. Exploring new cultures and traditions is one of the highlights of life, bringing great joy. I would like to convey that joy to you, who have respectfully come to explore Japan, a country full of unique traditions, customs, culture, and delicious Washoku (Japanese cuisine).
If you have any specific requests, don’t hesitate to let me know so I can tailor the tour to suit your preferences.
My husband, Masa, who is a Certified Domestic Travel Services Manager (National License) will be driving during our car tours to Saitama & Okutama. He also loves traveling and has professional experiences as a web director & marketer at a major travel agency in Japan. We are both excited to help you explore the many facets of Japan, particularly in Tokyo and Saitama.
We are looking forward to offering unforgettable experiences to you from around the world!
<Eri's Credentials>
・CEFR C1
・TEFL Diploma (The TEFL Academy)
・Completed the Medical Interpretation Training Curriculum organized by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in 2018
<What Eri Likes>
・Walking both in a city and in beautiful nature
・Exercising at the gym
・Learning new things
・Traveling and exploring
・Onigiri and Dashimaki Tamago (I can't live without steamed white rice)
・Seinfeld, SHOGUN, and Dr. Wendy Suzuki's TED Talk & Books
$447/ per group
Reserve