Chichibu and Nagatoro are home to tourist attractions such as Mt. Mitake, Mt. Kumotori, and Hitsuyozan Park; tourist events such as the Chichibu Night Festival, Chichibu Kawase Festival, and Nagatoro Funadama Festival; and local delicacies such as botan nabe, Chichibu soba, and jumangoku manju.
Chichibu is located in the northwestern part of Saitama Prefecture, and its urban area is formed in the center of the Chichibu Basin, surrounded by the Chichibu Mountains. Because it is a basin, summers are extremely hot and humid, but tropical nights are rare due to the low humidity.
Nagatoro is also located in the Chichibu Basin, and railroads and roads run along Nagatoro Valley. Nagatoro is also known for its many tourist attractions, including Nagatoro Gorge.
Chichibu is famous for its soba (buckwheat noodles), and there are as many as 20 buckwheat noodle shops in the area, all of which have their own unique flavor. The Chichibu buckwheat noodles, grown in the headwaters of the upper Arakawa River, are strong and aromatic, with a taste that satisfies everyone. Sobayu in Chichibu is rich in vitamin B and rutin, so after eating buckwheat noodles, you should taste the soba water.
Chichibu is also a popular place for growing strawberries, apples, and other fruits. Strawberry picking is also available, so you can enjoy freshly picked fruits. Nagatoro also has gourmet spots, with ayu (sweetfish) cuisine being a typical example. The taste of ayu fish in Nagatoro Valley is exceptional.
The Chichibu Night Festival, held in Chichibu from December 1 to 6, is one of the three major Hikiyama festivals in Japan, along with the Kyoto Gion Festival and the Hida Takayama Festival. The festival has a long tradition that dates back to the Edo period, and the heroic floats decorated with lanterns are a sight to behold.
At the same time, the Chichibu Night Festival Fireworks Festival is held, and is known as one of the rare winter fireworks festivals in Japan. The Chichibu Night Festival is designated by the national government as an important intangible folk cultural asset.
A sightseeing tour of Nagatoro that should not be missed is the line rafting. A wooden boat with a boatman at the helm takes visitors down the Arakawa River. Both banks of the river are lined with uniquely shaped rocks, offering dynamic views.
The monolithic rocks, called iwadatami, are designated as a special natural monument and should not be missed. Chichibu Akakabe, a 20-meter-high precipice, is also a highlight. There is also a rapids point where you can enjoy the thrill of the rapids.
For even more thrills, rafting is recommended. Staff who have studied rafting in Australia will guide you. After rafting, you can also enjoy a barbecue.
Misotsuchi no Tsurara is an ice art created by freezing water from the rocks, and is a famous winter scenic spot in Okuchichibu.It is a famous winter scenic spot in Okuchichibu. As the weather gets colder, the icicles gradually reveal themselves. When the ice is lit up, the scene is fantastic and romantic.The best time to see the icicles is from late January to mid-February, depending on the temp...»
Mimine Shrine is said to have been built during the eastern expedition of Takemikoto. It once flourished as a training center for mountain priests and is still an object of worship for the Mimine Ko. Recently, the shrine has been attracting attention as a power spot, and is especially known as a shrine for marriage. This shrine is one of the Chichibu Sanja (three shrines) along with Chichibu Shr...»
The Urayama Dam is a dam opened in the area where the Urayama River is impounded, and the surrounding area has been developed. This dam is the second highest gravity concrete dam in Japan, standing at 156 meters. To give visitors an overview of the dam, an elevator with a height difference of 132 meters and the Urayama Dam Museum are also available. The Urayama Dam is one of the tallest dams in J...»
The Chichibu Night Festival is the theme of the exhibition, which includes displays of yatai and kasaboko floats, a projection corner, and an exhibition of materials related to the Night Festival. On holidays during the spring and fall tourist seasons, visitors can also enjoy powerful performances of actual Chichibu yatai music. At the Chichibu Matsuri Kaikan, the Kasaboko/Yatai Corner on the fi...»
The exhibits on nature are explained in an easy-to-understand manner using many materials such as fossils, rocks, animals, and plants. The skeletal reconstruction model of a fossil animal called "paleoparadoxia" is especially popular. In addition, for the visually impaired, there is a corner with stuffed animals that can be touched by hands. Also on display are the world's first reconstructed bi...»
Chichibu Shrine is the head shrine of the Chichibu region and is an ancient shrine with a history of 2000 years. The shrine is known for its sculptures by Jingoro Left, especially famous for his sculptures of "Tsunagi no Ryu" and "Kosodate no Tora" (a tiger raising a child). The shrine pavilions were rebuilt by Tokugawa Ieyasu in the Gongen-zukuri style, combining the main hall, the hall of offer...»
The Chichibu Yomatsuri is one of the three major Hikiyama festivals in Japan, along with the Gion Festival in Kyoto and the Takayama Festival in Gifu. The festival lasts for two days, the second day being the Yoi (waiting time) and the third day the main festival. The float pulling begins in the afternoon of the second day and continues into the morning of the third day. In the afternoon of the t...»
This is a beautiful scenic spot where the Arakawa River flows. In this area, rock terraces stretching 5 km long look as if they are covered with tatami mats. These rocks are called "Nagatoro-shiki metamorphic rocks" and are among the oldest rocks in Japan. This rock provides important information about the history of the earth and the formation of Japan, and is the subject of much research. In 1...»
Located on the east side of Chichibu City, Hitsujiyama Park is part of the Prefectural Mukou Nature Park. This park is surrounded by nature and is a popular place for citizens to relax. While visitors can enjoy the scenery of each of the four seasons, the springtime lawn cherry blossoms in particular attract people. Hitsuyama Park is also known as the park designed by Dr. Seiroku Honda. Dr. Seiro...»
A hot spring inn with a history of more than 200 years, this hot spring is known as "Mishiro no Yu" (hot spring for the generations). It is the oldest inn among the seven Chichibu hot springs. Founded in 1827, it was known as the inn in front of Kinshoji Temple, the fourth of Chichibu's sacred places of worship, and prospered as an inn for pilgrims. Until the Taisho era (1912-1926), it was gener...»
Located in the Nagaone Hills, this vast site covers approximately 375 hectares and consists of three zones: the Cultural Forest Zone, the Music Forest Zone, and the Sports Forest Zone. These zones are connected by the approximately 3-kilometer-long "Sky Road. Sky Road is a large promenade that stretches across the park and is ideal for strolling and cycling. There is also a train-type mobile amus...»