Kanata's Japan Shrine Guide
目次
- 【Gyoda City, Saitama Drive Route Overview】
- Kick Off Your Trip with Panoramic Giant Art!
- Touch Ancient Mysteries: Exploring the Roots of Saitama
- [Lunch & Break] Immerse Yourself in Taisho Romance at a Green Western-Style Building by the Water
- 3.Center Your Mind at the “Shrine of Sealing” and Feel the Breeze at a Famous Castle
- Admin’s Impressions
【Gyoda City, Saitama Drive Route Overview】
Why not venture out a bit farther for a weekend drive to a city where history intersects with modern spectacular views? Located about a 1.5-hour drive from Tokyo in northern Saitama Prefecture, Gyoda City is a hidden gem that is overwhelmingly easy to explore by car. In this guide, I present the “foolproof, most efficient route” that I personally drove and tested—ranging from vast rice paddy art and textbook-famous burial mounds to a Taisho Roman Western-style café and a famous castle that withstood a water siege. Grab your camera and let’s set off on a sensory-rich day-trip drive!
Kick Off Your Trip with Panoramic Giant Art!
📍 Ancient Lotus Park & Gyoda Tower
After getting off the expressway from Tokyo, your first destination is the symbol of Gyoda: the 50-meter-tall Gyoda Tower (Ancient Lotus Hall).
The 360-degree grand panorama from the observation room is magnificent, offering sweeping views of the Kanto Plain and surrounding mountain ranges. Best of all, spreading out below from summer to autumn is the Guinness World Record-certified “Rice Paddy Art”—a spectacle of breathtaking scale! In early summer, the miraculous “Ancient Lotus”—revived from seeds 1,400 to 3,000 years old—blooms in all its glory. Capture this magnificent view with your camera first thing in the crisp morning air.
- 🚗 Parking: Sprawling free parking lot available (a 500 yen fee applies during specific periods such as the lotus blooming season).
- ⏱ Travel time: Approx. 5 minutes by car to the next spot.
- Note: Best viewing for “Rice Paddy Art” is around mid-July to mid-October; “Ancient Lotus” blooms from mid-June to late July (mornings only).
Touch Ancient Mysteries: Exploring the Roots of Saitama
📍 Sakitama Shrine & Saitama Museum of Ancient Funerary Mounds
Next, step back in time into ancient Japanese history. First, visit the unusual “Sakitama Shrine,” enshrined atop a massive burial mound (Sengen-zuka Kofun). Known to those in the know as a power spot, it is said to be the origin of the name “Sakitama” (which evolved into “Saitama”). The colorful Hanachozu (floral purification basins) decorating the grounds create an artistic space immensely popular on social media.
After praying, move to the adjacent Sakitama Kofun Park and visit the Sakitama Museum of Ancient Funerary Mounds. The radiance of the authentic National Treasure, the “Inscribed Iron Sword (Kinsaku Mei Tekken)” featured in Japanese history textbooks, is breathtaking even if you aren’t a history buff.
- 🚗 Parking: The park’s vast free parking lot is available.
- ⏱ Travel time: Approx. 8 minutes by car to the next spot.
[Lunch & Break] Immerse Yourself in Taisho Romance at a Green Western-Style Building by the Water
📍 Vert Café (Former Oshi Town Credit Union Building)
Mid-drive, enjoy a retro lunch break at “Vert Café,” nestled along the banks of Suijo Park, a popular spot for local relaxation. Renovated from a Western-style building erected in the Taisho period and designated as a Tangible Cultural Property by the city, the interior exudes a delightfully nostalgic atmosphere.
Relish signature dishes like “Junjou Neapolitan” (Pure Heart Neapolitan), “Omoide no Chicken Rice” (Nostalgic Chicken Rice), or a retro “Haikara Pudding” while unwinding over the peaceful water and lush greenery outside the window.
- 🚗 Parking: Free parking available on-site.
- ⏱ Travel time: Approx. 4 minutes by car to the next spot.
- Note: Closed on Tuesdays.
3.Center Your Mind at the “Shrine of Sealing” and Feel the Breeze at a Famous Castle
📍 Gyoda Hachiman Shrine & Oshi Castle Three-Story Yagura & Oshi Toshogu Shrine
Once satisfied, head toward the city center, the ultimate highlight of Gyoda. First, offer prayers at “Gyoda Hachiman Shrine,” renowned as a guardian shrine for warding off diseases (such as cancer) and afflictions.
A short drive away stands the famed “Oshi Castle,” which famously withstood Mitsunari Ishida’s water siege in the movie The Floating Castle (Nobou no Shiro). The beautiful “Three-Story Yagura” towering against the blue sky is a must-see.
Finally, wrap up your journey immersed in the solemn atmosphere of “Oshi Toshogu Shrine,” quietly nestled right next door and enshrining Tokugawa Ieyasu.
- 🚗 Parking: Free visitor/tourist parking available at each location.
- ⏱ Return route: From here, head to the expressway interchange to return to Tokyo.
- Note: Closed on Mondays (for Oshi Castle / Museum).
Admin’s Impressions
The biggest advantage of a driving trip in Gyoda is its exceptional ease of getting around: “all spots are within a 10-minute drive of each other” and “free parking is abundantly available.” With little worry about traffic jams or parking, you can enjoy exploring at your own relaxed pace. Before heading home, be sure to pick up local specialties like “Zely Fry” or “Fry” for takeout, or grab some charming accessories themed around traditional tabi socks (which Gyoda once produced more than anywhere else in Japan) to round out a thoroughly satisfying drive!
