5 Photogenic Buildings and Townscapes of Saitama | Recommended Instagrammable Retro Architecture and Castles

Saitama Prefecture, where history and charm breathe, has many buildings and townscapes that make you want to press the shutter! This time we picked out 5 photogenic spots that are "somehow nostalgic, yet stylish." Take your camera and set off on a lovely trip ♪

---

01 | Kawagoe Castle Honmaru Palace (Kawagoe City)

The symbolic presence of "Little Edo" Kawagoe. As a surviving castle honmaru palace, it is one of the few precious buildings of its kind nationwide. The imposing wooden karahafu (gabled entrance) is stunning, and on cloudy days the building's light and shadow stand out more, making for a dramatic shot. The co-performance with cherry blossoms in spring is a spectacular view, and the contrast between the soft pink and the darkened wooden architecture is a must-see. Aiming from a low angle slightly diagonal at 45 degrees from the front dramatically increases the building's impact.

Access: About a 15-minute walk from "Honkawagoe Station" on the Seibu Shinjuku Line

---

02 | Kawagoe Ichibangai (Warehouse-Style Townscape) (Kawagoe City)

One of Saitama's premier photogenic spots, where warehouse-style buildings continuing since the Edo period stand in a row. The sight of the imposing black-plaster warehouses lined up neatly is as if you have time-slipped. The slanting light of early morning casts shadows on the warehouses' bumps, letting you take photos with a sense of three-dimensionality. The time before opening, with few people, is recommended. A composition creating depth with a wide angle from the center of the street is standard, but closing up on just the lattice windows of the warehouses also has charm.

Access: About a 10-minute walk from "Kawagoe-shi Station" on the Tobu Tojo Line

---

03 | Former Bushu Bank Kumagaya Branch (Kumagaya City)

A pure-white neoclassical building constructed in 1931. The arched windows and Corinthian colonnade exude an elegant atmosphere, with an exterior so refined it makes you think "Is this really Saitama?" In the front light of late morning, the elegant white walls shine, and the contrast with the blue sky heightens the photogenic effect. Shooting with a diagonal composition while placing the columns at the edge of the frame finishes as a shot exuding a European atmosphere.

Access: About a 5-minute walk from "Kumagaya Station" on the JR Takasaki Line and Chichibu Railway

---

04 | Around Chichibu Festival Hall, Chichibu's Old Townscape (Chichibu City)

The center of Chichibu, where Showa-retro sign architecture and shops stand in a row, is an irresistible place for nostalgia lovers. Faded signs and tiled buildings produce a worldview that needs no retro filter. The orange light at dusk illuminates the retro architecture more warmly, creating a dramatic atmosphere. Cropping the townscape with a vertical composition lets you take a shot like a scene from a Showa-era movie.

Access: About a 10-minute walk from "Seibu-Chichibu Station" on the Seibu Chichibu Line

---

05 | Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine (Omiya Ward, Saitama City)

A power spot where the long approach stretching about 2 kilometers and the vermilion-lacquered great torii gate radiate an overwhelming presence. The early-morning scene where the morning sun streams into the tunnel of trees covering the approach is fantastical, breathtakingly beautiful. Shooting that makes use of the approach's depth with a symmetrical composition centered on the torii gate is recommended. In the autumn foliage season, the gradations of red and vermilion are especially beautiful, surely photogenic on social media!

Access: About a 10-minute walk from "Omiya Station" on the JR and Tobu lines

---

📸 Recommended Hashtags for Social Media Posts

``` #SaitamaSightseeing #SaitamaTrip #LittleEdoKawagoe #KawagoeWalk #WarehouseTown #RetroArchitecture #Instagrammable #Photogenic #OldTownscape #HikawaShrine #ChichibuSightseeing #SaitamaCastle #TabitabiJAPAN #japantravel #retrojapan #KawagoeSightseeing #OmiyaSightseeing ```