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Metropolis Japan
29-05-2025
- Metropolis Japan
Kumagaya
Surrounded by Tokyo's vast sprawl, it's easy to miss the rich history just north of the capital. Welcome to Kumagaya, located in the northern part of Saitama Prefecture and home to one of the Kanto region's biggest festivals. It's the birthplace of Kumagae Naozone, a famed warrior-turned-monk, whose equestrian statue graces Kumagaya Station. The city, once a trading post on the famous Nakasendo Highway, thrived as a prosperous hub of the silk industry. These days, Kumagaya's travel credentials have been revitalized after the destruction of World War II. The city is a bonafide regional hub for central and northern Saitama serviced by the Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train lines, the JR Takasaki Line and the private Chichibu Main Line. Having become a much easier jumping-off point for any number of adventure destinations, Kumagaya offers beautiful nearby nature experiences. You can go river cruising in nearby Nagatoro on the scenic Arakawa River that also runs through Kumagaya. Or go hike in the ever-popular Chichibu mountains. Image Credit: Menuma Shouden Kangi The Uchiwa Matsuri, Saitama's largest annual festival and one of the largest in the entire Kanto region, is Kumagaya's festive claim to fame. A massive 750,000 people pour into the city in late July, completely transforming Kumagaya's usual population of 200,000. The festival dates back to 1750, but got its name about 50 years later from an early 19th-century marketing campaign. Free uchiwa (hand-held fans) were handed out to attract customers during the sapping summer heat. Coinciding with a boom in the local silk industry, the festival soon developed intense levels of energy. Merchants attempted to outdo each other in appeal and wealth with parade floats and music. Kumagaya lies just north of the Tone, one of Japan's top three largets rivers, with the Arakawa running just south. Once a wild waterway prone to flooding, the now gentrified Arakawa is one of Japan's top 100 cherry blossom-viewing spots. With its Sakura Tsutsumi bank of 500 trees stretching out for over 2km, it's easy to see why. The Arakawa also plays a central role in Kumagaya's festival culture. Almost half a million people gather to witness the spectacular Kumagaya Fireworks Festival every second Saturday in August. With over 10,000 fireworks lighting the sky, Kumagaya proudly shows its love for festivals and welcoming visitors. Cherry blossom trees are in bloom at Kumagaya Sakura Tsutsumi. A more sedate experience can be had within the expansive grounds of the Menuma Shodenzan Kangi-in Temple. Established in the 12th century by Lord Sanemori, the temple underwent a facelift five hundred years later. Master builder Hayashi Masakiyo began work on the main building, and his efforts resulted in the temple becoming Saitama Prefecture's first National Treasure. The level of detailed craftsmanship has to be seen to be believed. Each carving is animated through life-like detail and features various stories, including adults strategizing over traditional games, children playing with toys and even sumo wrestlers doing what they do best. The work is stunning and rivals that of any other temple or shrine in Japan, even going so far as to be nicknamed the 'Nikko of Saitama.' In contrast to its festive extravagance, the cuisine of Kumagaya is a much simpler affair. Udon noodles, made from Kumagaya-grown wheat, are highly prized, while a most humble offering is the signature dish of the Menuma Shodenzan Temple, inari zushi . Made from vinegared rice and pickled vegetables wrapped in deep-fried tofu, the temple's inari zushi is much larger than the usual variety and keeps to a non-meat Buddhist ethos. Kumagaya is also known for tripe, the internal organs of pork and beef. Grilled and served with a strong sauce, tripe is a popular street stall evening snack. Gokabo is the Kumagaya confectionery of choice. Made using techniques carried over from the Edo period, these soybean powder and rice rolls are a classic rustic delight. As a hub in the north, there is plenty of time in Kumagaya for famous Buddhist temples, cherry blossoms and humble fare. But for anyone wishing to explore festive fun, the city explodes with exuberant life thanks to some of the most massive crowd-drawing festivals in the country. An easy escape from Tokyo's hustle, Kumagaya's relaxed ambiance is only interrupted by its residents' love of festival fun. Want to read about other day trip destinations you can reach from Tokyo? Read our guide to Kawagoe, a city full of historic streets, sweet shops and Edo-era charm. Or, head to our guide to Yokosuka, with top places to visit and things to do when visiting the city.
NHK
03-05-2025
- NHK
Holiday traffic congestion in Japan expected to peak on Saturday
People heading for hometowns and holiday destinations during the ongoing spring holiday period are causing traffic jams across Japan. Japan Railway group companies say congestion on Shinkansen bullet trains departing from Tokyo will peak on Saturday. Nozomi and other bullet trains on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line leaving Tokyo Station in the morning were almost fully booked. All seats were taken on most non-reserved cars of the Tohoku and Hokuriku Shinkansen trains departing Tokyo Station in the morning. Traffic jams on expressway lanes heading out of the capital are also expected to peak from Saturday through Sunday. The Japan Road Traffic Information Center says as of 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, traffic was backed up for 32 kilometers on outbound lanes of the Tomei Expressway near the Isehara Junction in Kanagawa Prefecture. The center also says traffic was jammed for 30 kilometers on outbound lanes of the Kanetsu Expressway near the Fujioka Junction in Gunma Prefecture. Domestic flights are fairly crowded, with reservation rates for departures from Tokyo of 83.5 percent at All Nippon Airways and 80.2 percent at Japan Airlines.
Japan Times
15-03-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Fukui enjoys visitor boost after shinkansen extension
Fukui Prefecture enjoyed a 20% increase in visitors over the 11 months since an extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line opened in the region. Still, how to increase the number of tourists who stay at local hotels will remain a key issue in the second year of the new section, which opened on March 16 last year between Tsuruga and Kanazawa stations in the Hokuriku region. "The number of visitors from the Kanto and Shinetsu regions, viewed as a key task amid the weak yen and rising prices, is increasing. It's a big step forward," Fukui Gov. Tatsuji Sugimoto told a news conference in late January, emphasizing the impact of the extension. The line connects Hokuriku and Kanto, which includes Tokyo, via Shinetsu. About 6.42 million people visited Fukui between March 16 last year and Feb. 15 this year, up by about 1 million from a year before, according to the prefectural government. Popular tourist destinations include the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum and Eiheiji temple. But the growth has not necessarily translated into an increase in overnight stays in the prefecture, which is sandwiched between the popular tourist areas of Kyoto and Kanazawa. According to Japan Tourism Agency preliminary data, the total number of overnight stays made in Fukui in 2024 was 3.45 million for Japanese visitors, up 8.5% from the previous year, the sixth-biggest expansion among all prefectures. But the growth in overnight stays by visitors from abroad was low. The number of such stays rose 37.2% to about 90,000, lower than the national increase of 38.9%. "There are few restaurants open until late hours and nighttime tourist attractions," a Fukui government official said. In addition to increasing night events featuring food and traditional performing arts, the prefecture is working to develop tours to attract foreign nationals visiting Japan for the World Expo in Osaka, which opens next month. Its partner in the project is West Japan Railway Co. (JR West), one of the operators of the Hokuriku Shinkansen. The Hokuriku Shinkansen line is due to be extended from Tsuruga to Shin-Osaka Station. But it is unclear when construction between the two stations will start, because of the huge construction costs local governments must bear and the impact of the construction work on groundwater. "While the connection between the Hokuriku region and the Tokyo metropolitan area is strengthening, effects of the extended section have not been seen in the Kansai or neighboring Chukyo region," JR West President Kazuaki Hasegawa told a news conference last month. "It is very important to connect the line to Kansai as soon as possible."
