Saitama

Travel Guide

Saitama which includes a city
The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama
Saitama
Saitama showing outdoor art
Saitama Super Arena which includes a high rise building and a city

Explore glorious parks, attend a J-League soccer match, watch a J-pop concert in this busy commuter city and find museums dedicated to bonsai, manga and trains.

Created from the merger of three cities, Saitama is an exciting city that is perfectly situated for a daytrip from Tokyo. Enjoy the city’s parks, museums, family-friendly entertainment attractions and delicious cuisine. Saitama is the capital of Saitama prefecture. Venture deeper to discover a region teeming with ancient shrines and outdoor adventures amid multicolored landscapes.

The 168-acre (68-hectare) Omiya Park, famous for its cherry blossom trees and red pine forest, is a great place to start. Visit the 2,000-year-old Hikawa Shrine and meet varied wildlife at the free Omiya Park Zoo. Get active at the sports fields of riverside Akigase Park and swim at the summer pool of Shirakobatosuijo Park. Yono Park dazzles with its cherry blossoms and roses.

Delve into the evolution of Japan’s railroads via interactive exhibits at the Railway Museum. Learn about manga comics at the Saitama Manga Museum. Saitama Prefectural Museum of History and Folklore showcases the city’s artists, cultures and lifestyles. The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum and Omiya Bonsai Village provide an excellent introduction to the art of bonsai tree cultivation.

If you are in the mood for shopping, the AEON LakeTown mall offers national and international fashion labels such as Uniqlo and Zara. Cocoon City has additional global retails and a cinema. Join 37,000 adoring fans at the Saitama Super Arena for performances by popular J-pop bands. Paint your face red for a Urawa Red Diamonds soccer match at Saitama Stadium.

Like everywhere in Japan, the people of Saitama take their cuisine seriously. Sample unagi kabayaki (grilled eel), which originated on the rivers and swamps of the Urawa Ward during the Edo era. The Iwatsuki Ward is the birthplace of tofu ramen.

Trains depart regularly for the 25-minute journey from Tokyo Station to Saitama’s Omiya Station. Use the city as a base for touring fascinating sights, such as the Chichibu Kannon Pilgrimage, Kita-in Temple and Nagatoro Iwadatami Rocks in Saitama prefecture.

Where to stay in Saitama

Omiya Park which includes a lake or waterhole and a garden

Omiya

Home to the revered Hikawa Shrine, this neighborhood boasts a rich cultural heritage. Immerse yourself in the spiritual atmosphere and explore the shrine's historical significance.

Omiya
Saitama which includes a sunset and a city

Urawa Ward

4.5/5(7 area reviews)

If you're spending some time in Urawa Ward, The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama and Urawa Art Museum are top sights worth seeing.

Urawa Ward
Saitama Super Arena which includes a high rise building and a city

Chuo Ward

Located in northern Saitama, Chūō-ku offers easy access to Saitama New Urban Center and Saitama Super Arena. With multiple transportation options, including Kokusaikōgyō Bus and Seibu Bus, getting around is a breeze.

Chuo Ward
Saitama Super Arena which includes a high rise building and a city

Shintoshin

5/5(2 area reviews)

If you're spending some time in Shintoshin, Saitama Super Arena and Keyaki Hiroba are top sights worth seeing.

Shintoshin
Numakage Park showing signage and a sunset

Minami Ward

Experience the thrill of horse-racing at the local track or explore the Musashi Urawa Ramen Academy theme park in this densely inhabited district. Easily accessible via multiple train lines and expressways.

Minami Ward
Omiya Bonsai Art Museum which includes a park

Kita Ward

If you're spending some time in Kita Ward, Omiya Bonsai Art Museum and Manga Hall are top sights worth seeing.

Kita Ward
Candeo Hotels Omiya

Candeo Hotels Omiya

3 out of 5
1-401-1 Sakuragi-cho, Omiya-ku Saitama Saitama
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
The price is ¥11,406 per night from Jan 18 to Jan 19
¥11,406
¥12,682 total
Jan 18 - Jan 19
Book a stay at this spa hotel in Saitama. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (1,012 reviews)
Staff was great and held our bags as we were really early. They did offer early check in but at 2200 yen per hour. We went and got food and came back and they were ready for us. Only thing I recommend is 3-4 towels in the room instead of two. When using the spa you need to take your own towel and ...

Reviewed on Dec 31, 2025

Candeo Hotels Omiya
Shinjuku Washington Hotel Main

Shinjuku Washington Hotel Main

4 out of 5
3-2-9 Nishishinjuku Tokyo Tokyo-to
The price is ¥12,721 per night from Jan 6 to Jan 7
¥12,721
¥15,392 total
Jan 6 - Jan 7
Stay at this hotel in Tokyo. Enjoy free WiFi, 15 restaurants, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in our reviews. ...
8/10 Very Good! (3,655 reviews)
Was very nice having plenty of dining options open late during our stay. The rooms were not very big but that was expected. We spent one night there and enjoyed being around so much around Shinjuku.

Reviewed on Jan 2, 2026

Shinjuku Washington Hotel Main
Hotel Gracery Shinjuku

Hotel Gracery Shinjuku

4 out of 5
1-19-1 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku Tokyo Tokyo-to
The price is ¥17,243 per night from Jan 6 to Jan 7
¥17,243
¥20,863 total
Jan 6 - Jan 7
Stay at this hotel in Tokyo. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and in-room massages. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in our reviews. ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (4,434 reviews)
A very good hotel for a short stay, perhaps not so great for more than two or three days. The hotel is located right in the red light district of Shinjuku. Rooms are clean and reasonably spacious for Tokyo. Staff were very helpful in organizing dinner reservations and sending on suitcases to the ...

Reviewed on Dec 31, 2025

Hotel Gracery Shinjuku
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
KOKO HOTEL Residence Asakusa Kappabashi

KOKO HOTEL Residence Asakusa Kappabashi

4 out of 5
3-chome-24-2 Nishiasakusa Tokyo Tokyo
Stay at this aparthotel in Tokyo. Enjoy free WiFi, a 24-hour front desk, and laundry facilities. Popular attractions Sensoji Temple and Tokyo Skytree are located ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (377 reviews)
We enjoyed our stay at Koko hotel Residence. As the name implies we found everything we needed in the kitchenette. It included cups bowls spoons etc. A microwave (low power) good size mini fridge and electric tea kettle. The lobby also provided disposable items such as toothbrushes if needed. The ...

Reviewed on Jan 2, 2026

KOKO HOTEL Residence Asakusa Kappabashi
MIMARU Tokyo Shinjuku West

MIMARU Tokyo Shinjuku West

3 out of 5
3-3-11 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku Tokyo
Stay at this aparthotel in Tokyo. Enjoy free WiFi, laundry facilities, and an in-room coffeemaker. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (510 reviews)
Courteous and informative staff.

Reviewed on Jan 2, 2026

MIMARU Tokyo Shinjuku West
Rhodes Kagurazaka Hotel

Rhodes Kagurazaka Hotel

3 out of 5
1-17 Saikumachi Tokyo Tokyo
Stay at this apartment in Tokyo. Enjoy free WiFi, laundry facilities, and slippers. Popular attractions Tokyo Dome and Tokyo Imperial Palace are located ...
7.2/10 Good! (158 reviews)
Check in instructions were pretty clear. Contact the hotel ahead of time to deliver luggage via services like Yamato. The stay was pleasant as I enjoyed the area. The bed was a bit stiff and I had an issue with the room but the staff quickly resolved it. The whole room feels more like an apartment ...

Reviewed on Dec 2, 2025

Rhodes Kagurazaka Hotel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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