Saitama Prefecture

Formerly known as 武蔵国 (musashi no kuni), Saitama prefecture sits just above Tokyo and is referred to as a "bed town". These are areas (usually) around major cities that, though they might not have much in them, offer an abundance of places to rent and buy much cheaper than in a major city.

Other than just cheap rent, Saitama prefecture is well-known for the town of Kawagoe, which is a town that is referred to as 小江戸 (koedo). Koedo is a town where a traditional cityscape can be found, a town that has a touch (or vibe) of the Edo period (1603-1868) in it. In Kawagoe, there are 蔵 (kura—a traditional warehouse) in which soy sauce is made. Many other traditional buildings line the streets of this city. Starting in 1648, Kawagoe is also well known for the "Kawagoe Festival" that is held on the third Sunday of October every year, a festival that centers around Hikawa shrine in the same city.

Saitama prefecture is also well-known for the city of Chichibu. This is an area with an abundance of nature that includes three famous power spots referred to as the 秩父三社 (chichibu sansha). These power spots are three Shintō shrines: Mitsumine Shrine, Chichibu Shrine, and Hodosan Shrine.

There are also Japanese cartoons that are set in Saitama prefecture. One of those cartoons is "Crayon Shin-chan". This is a cartoon that focuses on a naive kindergartener by the name of Shin-nosuke who lives in the city of Kasukabe. Kasukabe is an actual city in Saitama prefecture and has become even more well-known because of this show. In the city, there are now several places where one can find statues of Shin-nosuke, and there’s even a video game arcade there that sells a variety of Shin-chan-related products.

With the ever-popular "Railway Museum" and "Omiya Bonsai Art Museum" too, this is one prefecture that never gets old.