The city of Kumagaya 熊谷市
At the gates of Tokyo, discover the city still very little known to tourists
Kumagaya was once a staging post town on the way to Nakasendo, the inland route from Tokyo to Kyoto that was heavily used during the Edo period. Today the city has fallen into anonymity but it has managed to retain its own identity. Located in Saitama Prefecture and nestled between the Arakawa and Tone rivers, the city of Kumagaya is the northern border of the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Activities in Kumagaya City
Shodenzan Temple
Of the city's many temples and shrines, the Menuma Shodenzan Kangi-in is the most impressive. Founded in 1179, it is a national treasure of Japan.
Shodenzan Temple owes its distinctiveness to its main building Shodendo, erected in 1760 in the Gogen style. Its walls are covered with an incredible amount of colorful woodcuts dating from the middle of the Edo period (1603-1868).
These carvings are reminiscent of those infamous temples and shrines in the city of Nikko and this place is often nicknamed "Saitama's Toshogu Shrine".
One, which depicts an eagle with a monkey in its claws above a waterfall, is attributed to Jingoro Hidari, the artist who created Nikko's famous Three Wise Monkeys artwork.
Address: 1627 Menuma, Kumagaya
Hours: 10:00 am - 4:30 pm.
Access: Take the bus from bus stop No. 6 at the north exit of Kumagaya Station to the Shodenzan-mae bus stop. The trip takes about 25 min.
Menuma Kangiin in Kumagaya
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Uchiwa Matsuri
Held from July 20 to 22, this summer festival began in 1750. The name Uchiwa Matsuri (uchiwa meaning fan in Japanese) comes from the fact that, since 1897, merchants in the city have had a tradition of distributing paper fans to their customers during festivities. This tradition was also undoubtedly encouraged by the schorching summer heat of the city, one of the strongest in Japan.
During the matsuri, the main attraction is the parade of giant floats representing the different districts of Kumagaya. Today, 12 large floats are transported through the city during the festival and around 750,000 people attend the ceremonies over the three days of the festival!
- Read also: Top 10 atypical summer festivals
Things not to miss around Kumagaya
Oshi's Castle
15 minutes by car or around 30 minutes by train from the center of Kumagaya, discover the castle of Oshi in the nearby town of Gyoda. Built during the Muromachi period (1333-1573) by Narita Akiyasu, this castle was completed in 1479. Nicknamed the "Floating Castle", it is located high up and surrounded by canals.
The place is famous for the "Siege of Oshi" which took place in 1590 when feudal lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi attacked Oshi Castle sending 23,000 soldiers to fight against his 619 samurai and 2,000 soldiers. The latter successfully defended, for a time, the castle against multiple attacks, making it part of Japanese folklore. This battle is one of the stages of the great reunification of the country, which put an end to the Sengoku period, a period of civil war between the different kingdoms which then constituted Japan.
You can watch the reenactment of one of the samurai battles from the Siege of Oshi on weekends and holidays (at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm). There is also the Oshi Jidai Matsuri which takes place in November and during which the inhabitants of Gyoda dress up as samurai and parade around Oshi Castle and in the city.
The castle is accompanied by a sublime lotus park, where there are 42 different varieties, some of which are grown from seeds that are almost 1400 years old. Overlooking the city since the 15th century, the castle and its park are worth the detour.
Address: 17-23 Honmaru, 361-0052 Gyoda
Hours: 9:00 am - 4:30 pm (last admission 4:00 pm), closed Mondays
Sakitama Kofun Park
In the vicinity of Gyoda City, this park is home to 9 centuries-old burial mounds, called Kofun, built between the 5th and 7th centuries. Indeed, if at first glance, the park appears to be only a hilly green expanse, these mounds of land are the tombs of the most important leaders of this period in the region.
These ancient tombs were left to nature which shaped them over the years. They then became grassy hills covered with Japanese cherry trees and flowers. This gives the park a unique and peaceful atmosphere, which is especially popular during the Hanami period.
You'll also find a museum here, which introduces the world to some of the possessions found in these tombs, including the Inariyama Sword, a national treasure.
Address: 5209 Sakitama, 361-0025 Gyoda
Hours: 9:00 am - 4:30 pm (9:00 am - 5:00 pm from July 1 to August 31), closed on Mondays
Address, timetable & access
Address
Timetable
From Shinjuku Station in Tokyo take the JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line or from Tokyo Station take the JR Joetsu or Hokuriku Shinkansen Line.
