Saitama
Saitama Prefecture can be found among the other areas that make up the Greater Tokyo Area, and due to the geographical location of Saitama, most of the Prefectures in the city are considered to be suburbs of Tokyo. It is one of the eight landlocked Prefectures that can be found in Japan, and it shares borders with Tokyo, Chiba, Ibaraki, Gunma, Nagano, and Yamanashi.
Each of the borders that Saitama Prefecture shares are marked by a geographical feature, such as the Edo River separating Saitama Prefecture and Chiba Prefecture. The only area that does not feature a strong geographical border is the area to the Southeast of the Prefecture.
A lot of people visiting Saitama Prefecture are drawn to the Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine, which is only a short walk away from Omiya Station. It is the top shrine of Musashi. The shrine itself has been dedicated to showing respect to the kami of Susanoo, the God of sea and storms. The temple is also relatively close to a popular zoo and museum.
One of the most popular dishes in Saitama Prefecture is called Hiyajiru Udon, which is a type of cold soup udon dish. It comes with sesame seeds, cucumbers, and a variety of other vegetables.
You can also find the Omiya Bonsai Village in Saitama City, which initially looks like a simple, peaceful area. If you look around, then you will be able to find a number of bonsai tree nurseries, and a fantastic bonsai art museum tucked away within the area. You might also notice that most of the private houses surrounding the area have a collection of bonsai trees in their garden.
The village itself was formed under exceptional circumstances in the year 1925. The Great Kanto Earthquake occurred in 1923, and all of the bonsai nurseries and the workers who lived in Tokyo had to look for another location. A new location would offer better soil, and they found it in Saitama Prefecture.
