Saitama Winter Travel: Chichibu Night Festival, Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine & Hitsujiyama Park

The Charm of Winter in Saitama

Just one to two hours by train from Tokyo. Yet the world that unfolds once you step out is filled with a stillness and fervor of an entirely different dimension from the bustle of the city. Saitama's winter has experiences waiting everywhere that will surely stir the hearts of visitors — breathtakingly fantastical festival flames, mysterious shrines where the gods of matchmaking dwell, and the magnificent natural scenery colored by frost and snow.

Saitama may rarely be named first as a "winter destination," but in fact it is packed in every corner of the prefecture with spectacular scenery and stories that shine precisely because of this season. The crystal-clear winter air makes the festival flames more vivid, the silence of the shrines deeper, and the beauty of nature's forms more dignified — dive right now into "the Saitama you can only meet in winter." There is definitely value in heading out, undeterred by the cold, in this Saitama winter.

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Chichibu Night Festival

A sight that makes you doubt "Is this really Japan?" vividly colors the Chichibu night sky every December. The Chichibu Night Festival is one of the "Three Great Float Festivals of Japan," alongside Kyoto's Gion Festival and Hida's Takayama Festival. Registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, it is truly a Japanese festival to be proud of before the world. The sight of magnificent kasaboko and yatai floats over 6 meters tall slowly advancing along the winter night road, clad in the orange light of lanterns, makes you feel with your whole body that centuries of history are alive in this very moment.

And the climax is the fireworks that roar across the night sky. The moment when sparks launched into the crystal-clear winter air overlap with the light of the kasaboko — that overwhelming beauty cannot be fully conveyed no matter how many words are spent. The contrast between the white breath of the spectators bundled in winter clothing and the blazing red and gold light burns into the memory of those who see it and never leaves. The reason it is said to be something "you want to see once in your lifetime" will be understood in an instant once you stand there.

Best Season and Recommended Time of Day The main events are every year on December 2 (eve festival) and 3 (main festival). After dusk, from 6 p.m., when the lanterns of the kasaboko begin to be lit, the festival air shifts to an entirely different dimension all at once. The fireworks peak around 8 p.m. It's best to start securing a spot from 3 to 4 p.m. before sunset, and around Dango-zaka in particular, securing a place early is essential. Note that the main festival (the 3rd) draws more people than the eve festival (the 2nd) and offers a more spectacular performance.

Local Ways to Enjoy and Hidden Spot Information The highlight of the festival doesn't stop only around Chichibu Shrine. The biggest spectacle that locals always make sure to catch is the scene where the yatai floats are hauled up a steep slope called "Dango-zaka." The power of the moment when dozens of people pull a giant float up the slope by human strength offers a different excitement from the main venue. Do remember it as a hidden spot where, if you move early, you can watch relatively up close.

Also, the previous day, December 2 (eve festival), has a somewhat calmer crowd, so you can spend a luxurious time enjoying the festival's "behind the scenes" — carefully observing the preparation of the yatai and kasaboko, or leisurely eating your way through the street stalls. After the festival, the local way is to warm yourself up heartily with Chichibu's specialty "buta-miso don" (pork-miso rice bowl) or "waraji katsu don" (giant cutlet rice bowl). Many restaurants around Chichibu Shrine stay open until late at night on the day, so you can savor them while soaking in the festival's lingering afterglow.

Access

• Train: About 80 minutes by the "Chichibu" limited express from "Ikebukuro Station" on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line to Seibu-Chichibu Station. About 5 minutes on foot from the station to Chichibu Shrine. Or, from "Ohanabatake Station" on the Chichibu Railway (adjacent to Seibu-Chichibu Station), get off right at "Chichibu Station." On the day of the festival, both the Seibu Railway and the Chichibu Railway increase the number of temporary trains, so check the latest information on the official websites.
• Car: About 40 minutes from the "Hanazono IC" of the Kan-Etsu Expressway. However, on the day of the festival, traffic restrictions are implemented over a wide area. Parking lots also often fill up from early morning, so using public transportation is strongly recommended.

Tip for Travelers December in Chichibu commonly sees nighttime temperatures drop to near 0°C. In addition to a down jacket, gloves, and a knit cap, tucking adhesive heat pads onto your back, lower back, and toes will make long periods of viewing far easier. For your feet, take thorough cold measures with boots or thick socks. The coin lockers around the station and venue are mostly full by early afternoon on the day, so it's best to keep your luggage to a minimum and travel light with a single backpack. To avoid the crowding of temporary trains, heading to the station not right after the festival ends but after things calm down a bit, from 9:30 to 10 p.m., is also one wise option.

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Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine

The Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, long beloved by many worshippers as the "god of matchmaking," takes on an especially mysterious beauty in winter. In spring and summer, colorful matchmaking wind chimes decorate the approach, but the quiet winter precinct is filled with a dignified, taut air, different in flavor from the wind chime season. The moment you step into that pure air, you feel the turmoil of your heart settle calmly — many worshippers have had such an experience.

What deserves special attention as a winter highlight is the bestowal of lucky charms, beginning with the "sea bream omikuji (fortune slips)." A fortune drawn gently in the chilled air somehow carries a special weight and seriousness different from summer. Also, standing before the sacred tree several hundred years old that towers in the precinct, you can feel a mysterious strength, as if the eternal flow of time were gently pushing your back. It is precisely because of the winter-withered precinct that the presence of the trees and the silence of the sacred grounds resonate more deeply in the chest.

A great charm is that a winter trip to Kawagoe doesn't end with just the shrine. Walking leisurely through the warehouse-style townscape called "Little Edo," biting into sweet potato sweets at a long-established Japanese confectionery, or holding your hands over the steam of amazake to warm yourself to the core. The combination of the imposing townscape, as if you had time-slipped to the Edo period, and the clear blue winter sky is surprisingly picturesque. It's guaranteed your hands holding the camera won't be able to stop.

Best Season and Recommended Time of Day It's recommended throughout the entire winter season from December to February, but especially special is the period of hatsumode (New Year's first shrine visit, January 1 to 3). Many worshippers gather in Kawagoe to offer New Year's prayers to the god of matchmaking. If you want to enjoy the sacred atmosphere while avoiding the crowds, the 8 a.m. hour is the time to aim for. You can worship calmly in dignified silence. Conversely, at dusk, the illumination of the precinct creates a fantastical world, also of exceptional beauty. Enjoying the different expressions of morning and evening respectively is also a luxurious way to enjoy Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine.

Local Ways to Enjoy and Hidden Spot Information "Kashiya Yokocho (Candy Alley)," within walking distance of the shrine, is a hidden famous spot lined with nostalgic old-fashioned candy shops. Compared to the summer tourist season, the crowds calm down in winter, so you can have time to leisurely enjoy conversation with the shopkeepers while choosing nostalgic sweets. Also, Kawagoe is a major production area for sweet potatoes known as "Kawagoe imo." The winter-limited stone-baked sweet potatoes and candied sweet potatoes are piping hot and sweet, a local gourmet unique to Kawagoe that warms both body and heart. Encountering an unexpected gem at a shop you stopped by, lured in by the sweet aroma — that too is one of the joys of a Kawagoe winter trip.

Access

• Train (Tobu Tojo Line): About 30 to 40 minutes by the Tobu Tojo Line express from Ikebukuro Station to "Kawagoe Station." About 20 minutes on foot to Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, or about 10 minutes by bus (get off right at the "Hikawa Jinja-mae" bus stop).
• Train (Seibu Shinjuku Line): About 45 minutes by the Seibu Shinjuku Line express from Seibu-Shinjuku Station to "Hon-Kawagoe Station." About 15 minutes on foot to the shrine, and the route allowing access while passing through the warehouse-style townscape is also ideal for sightseeing.
• Car: About 10 minutes from the "Kawagoe IC" of the Kan-Etsu Expressway. However, on weekends and during the hatsumode period, the surrounding roads tend to get badly congested, and just searching for parking can take a considerable amount of time. Access by train is by far recommended.

Tip for Travelers During the hatsumode period (January 1 to 3), long lines form on the approach, and waits of one to two hours until worship are not uncommon. Those who want to avoid the crowds should aim for weekdays from January 4 onward, when you can worship thoroughly in a calm atmosphere. Combining the shrine, a stroll through the warehouse-style townscape, and Kashiya Yokocho gives you enough volume to easily enjoy half a day to a full day. Since stone pavement and gravel paths continue, avoid heels and go with comfortable, grippy walking sneakers or warm boots. Kawagoe's temperature is about the same as Tokyo's, but on days when strong wind blows through the streets, the felt temperature drops considerably, so a scarf and gloves are essential.

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Nagatoro

When you say Nagatoro, summer river-boat descents come to mind — it's precisely those of you with such preconceptions whom we'd love to have visit Nagatoro in winter. The sight of the natural rock carpet called "Iwadatami," carved out by the Arakawa River over long years, clad in frost and light snow, is just like a single ink-wash painting. In winter, when tourists become few, a luxurious time awaits when you can have this beauty of nature's forms almost all to yourself.

In the crystal-clear winter air, gazing at the sight of sunlight sparkling and reflecting on the surface of the Arakawa River, the bustle of the city and the various matters of daily life vanish to a surprisingly distant place. And then, thoroughly loosening your chilled body at the hot spring inns and day-trip bathing facilities dotted along the river before heading home — this is the way of spending a Nagatoro winter that has quietly become standard among locals.

Also, in Nagatoro, in addition to the summer river-boat descents, you can enjoy a winter-only river descent course. The sensation of gliding along the river surface enveloped in silence is an exceptional experience, hushed and clear, entirely different from the lively summer. The feeling of dissolving into great nature all by yourself is a special reward that only those who visit can savor.

Best Season and Recommended Time of Day December to February is the best season. Especially recommended is the early morning of January to February, when the sight of the entire Iwadatami shining white with frost is truly a fantastical spectacle that exists only in the Nagatoro winter. During the day, the surface of the Arakawa River reflects sunlight and shines beautifully, showing an expression different from early morning. The point is to choose the time of day according to your purpose — early morning if photography is the aim, daytime if you want to enjoy strolling and gourmet food.

Local Ways to Enjoy and Hidden Spot Information The shaved ice of "Asami Reizo," known nationwide as a summer specialty, is mostly closed for business in winter. Instead, warm local gourmet food takes the leading role in winter Nagatoro. The pork miso soup set meal and Chichibu soba you have at a local diner truly soak into your chilled body. Also, Hodosan Shrine, within walking distance of Nagatoro, is a hidden winter scenic spot. The cluster of wintersweet (robai) that dyes the mountain slope yellow from late January to February is spectacular, and you can't help but stop in your tracks at its sweet fragrance and vivid color. If you visit Nagatoro, do stop by this winter famous spot as a set.

Access

• Train: Get off at "Nagatoro Station" on the Chichibu Railway. About 50 minutes from Kumagaya Station by the Chichibu Railway. Or transfer to the Chichibu Railway from Seibu-Chichibu Station, about 20 minutes (transfer at Ohanabatake Station). About 5 minutes on foot from the station to the Iwadatami — its good access is one of the charms.
• Car: About 20 minutes from the "Hanazono IC" of the Kan-Etsu Expressway. There are several paid parking lots around Nagatoro Station. However, in winter there is the possibility of road surface freezing and snow accumulation, so we strongly recommend preparing studless tires or chains.

Tip for Travelers Frost-covered Iwadatami is more slippery than it looks, and if you let your guard down, there's a danger of falling. Be sure to wear shoes with high grip, and walk slowly and carefully when on the rocks. A popular route is to tour Nagatoro together with Chichibu in one day, and using the Chichibu Railway's "Chichibu-ji Yuyu Free Ticket" makes moving within the area cheaper and very convenient. Sunset comes early in winter, and it gets dark in an instant around 4 p.m. Plan to start strolling the Iwadatami and Hodosan Shrine from the morning, being mindful of your time allocation so you finish sightseeing while it's still light.

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Points for a Winter Trip

A Saitama winter trip — the very act of agonizing over which spot to choose is already one of the joys of travel. The overwhelming intensity of the Chichibu Night Festival where flame and prayer intersect, the dignified silence of Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine where matchmaking and history breathe, and the ink-wash-painting-like spectacular scenery created by great nature at Nagatoro and Hodosan's wintersweet — every spot is packed, in its own form, with emotion you can meet only in winter.

Once you've prepared solid cold-weather measures (down jacket, gloves, knit cap, heat pads, warm innerwear), the cold is no longer a hindrance to travel but rather turns into the true joy of travel. The festival flames like a bonfire, the sacred silence enveloping the precinct, the whiteness of the frost fallen on the Iwadatami — all of these pierce the heart deeply precisely because they are in the winter chill.

You can fully enjoy it even on a day trip from the city center, but spending the night and staying leisurely lets you savor the depth of Saitama's winter even more thoroughly. Enjoying an early morning stroll the next day after staying at a hot spring inn, or walking the hushed streets of Chichibu the morning after the night festival — it is precisely in such margins of travel that unforgettable scenery and memories dwell. Now, off to winter Saitama. A special trip is waiting for you.