This place is freaking amazing! It’s like stepping into train heaven. The life-size locomotives are jaw-dropping, the simulators make you feel like a real conductor, and the exhibits are super interactive (even for adults). The whole place is spotless, easy to navigate, and packed with history that somehow never feels boring. Don’t skip the rooftop where you can watch Shinkansen fly by—it’s surreal. If you’re in Tokyo and even slightly curious about trains, this museum is an absolute must-visit.

A must-visit for train enthusiasts, but there's also a ton of stuff for kids. On a Friday morning, there were tons of families and school groups, so I can't imagine how crowded it must get on weekends. It's a really big museum, so you probably need more than a couple of hours to see everything. There are several places to eat, and a really big souvenir shop as well.

Fun and Educational Experience for the Whole Family! We visited The Railway Museum in Tokyo (Omiya) with our 20-month-old baby and had a great time! The museum is very well-organized, spacious, and clean. Even though our little one is still young, he enjoyed looking at the real trains, moving models, and the sound effects — lots of visual and sensory fun! There are many interactive exhibits for both kids and adults. Older children can enjoy train simulators and hands-on activities, while parents can learn about the history and technology of Japan’s railway system. Facilities are family-friendly — clean nursing rooms, stroller-friendly paths, and rest areas make it comfortable for parents with babies. The restaurant and café also offer nice meals and snacks with a train view. It’s definitely a great place to spend half a day or more, especially for families and train lovers. Highly recommended if you’re visiting Tokyo with kids! 🚄✨

Amazing museum! Everything about Japanese trains from 19th century to the newest JR additions! From real trains to models to awesome history rooms with many accessories and authentic things from era. Tickets are also really affordable and they have a model train store here! It's one of the best museums not even in greater Tokyo area but in all of Japan!

We visited the museum on a Saturday in November 2024. For train enthusiasts, this place is incredibly exciting; however, we believe that even non-enthusiasts will be in awe of it as well. This place is amazing! There are several exhibitions stretching from the train station to the entrance of the museum. If I remember correctly, there are about four to five ticket machines outside. We paid in cash, and at that time, the ticket price was ¥1600 per adult. Surprisingly, there was no queue since we arrived around 11 am, and the morning crowd had mostly entered by then. The exhibition features a huge hall displaying various models and types of trains used throughout history. We walked around several times to appreciate each train on display. You can even enter some of the trains to experience what the cabin feels like inside. The different designs of the trains and their cabins can be appreciated by anyone, not just dedicated train enthusiasts. It's also a fun place for kids; the displays are not only grand but also quite engaging. The second floor of the exhibition houses a restaurant and presents a chronological timeline of the different types of trains, including those that are still in existence and those coming in the future, complete with detailed miniature models. In another building, there are several simulators where visitors can experience what it's like to be a train conductor. It's surprisingly realistic. Overall, I can confidently say that this museum is worth the visit. It offers not only a stunning perspective on design but also a deep appreciation for engineering and technology. Over the years, advancements in engineering and technology, combined with innovative design, have made significant contributions to the history of trains.

Fantastic train museum - kids will love it. HUGE display of trains, galleries full of stuff, heaps of activities and shoes for the kids. Allow a full day to see and do everything. Multiple restaurants and cafes on site to slake hunger and thirsty. Conveniently located right outside train station too! Only star off for complicated "lottery" style reservation system for some of the activities

I'm so glad I came here, I'm not even much of a train fan but driving the mini trains and the simulators put a very big smile on my face. A fantastic museum and experience that's well thought out and put together, absolutely worth the journey from central Tokyo! Food in the restaurant was a bit poor, very expensive and not tasty. Would be perfect with a better menu as the decor and atmosphere were great.

Omiya is named after this place - Omiya Hikawa shrine. It's the biggesst shrine and the headquater of Hikawa kind of one around Saitama area. Perfect spot for having little walking.

Super Impressive Shinto Shrine. Very beautiful grounds and lots of smaller shrines here too. Very popular with the locals. About a 10 minute walk from the train station. Check it out if you’re in the area.

This is a historic shrine set in a beautiful park with water features, ducks, koi and turtles. The sense of peace and tranquility fills you as soon as you enter. We happened upon it by accident, walking back from the Bonzai Village. It was so beautiful, and we enjoyed playing our respects at the temples inside, as well as veiring the gardens and wildlife. The koi were especially friendly. There are signs warning not to feed them. Thought the park, there is a children's playground, and a zoo as well. We returned the next day to visit the zoo.

So peaceful and quiet shrine in Japan. Beautiful trees and so close to the city!

We walked from Omiya Station to Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Jinja. The autumn leaves What a beautiful we took a small stop at the Manju shop. We had finished our Goshuincho and had to purchase a new one. The shrine is beautiful with lots of things to see. There is a park nearby and we enjoyed the sight of the Ginko threes turning yellow.

This shrine is medium in size. But the path leading to the main shrine is very long, There are trees to enjoy. The inside of the shrine was quiet and has a unique Japanese architectural building.

Great historical Shinto shrine in Japan. Also known as Ichinomiya shrine of Musashi province. This shrine has sacred atmosphere.

Saw Urawa host tokyo Verde on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Easy walk from the station to the stadium, great atmosphere.

In today’s match, while I was taking pictures of players warming up on the pitch, one supporter approached me with aggressive behavior and told me that the cameras are not allowed here. I don’t understand why we are not allowed to take photos inside football stadium. Personally, I would say that please be careful while attending the home supporters’ stand; not all people welcome us foreigners.

The huge soccer stadium has over 60,000 seats and is the home stadium of the Japan national team. It takes about 30 minutes from the city center of Tokyo to Urawa-Misono, the nearest station. And then it needed to walk 20 minutes from the station to the stadium. It gets very crowded after matches.

Awesome stadium! Me and my brother watched Japan vs Saudi Arabia in a FIFA qualifier match. They let you bring beers in if if you pour it into their cups and the drinks inside don't cost much anyways. Bathrooms were good and never had that long a wait. The stadium is huge and the people were all very nice and helpful! I didn't realize though that when getting tickets for behind the goal all the seating is open seating. You don't have an actual seat you just bran what you can. If I had known that we would have gotten to the stadium earlier. We were walking around the town thinking we had specific seats lol but hey no biggie just get their earlier if you want a closer seat.

Beautiful stadium, a multitude of food options, and an exceptional experience. I would give it 10 stars.

The atmosphere inside the stadium was one of the best I have ever experienced in Japan!

Saitama Stadium 2002 is a world-class venue! The seats are comfortable, and the view of the pitch is fantastic from every angle. The staff were friendly and organized, making the entire experience seamless and enjoyable.

Totally polluted oil slick waters from nearly all waters here in park. The ones without oil, had a thick sludge of pond scum throughout the water. Poor birds and fish.

It’s a very nice park to spend your time. I jogged around the park and enjoyed people watching. Lots of parents brought their children dressed in their best to the shrine. The pond is currently under maintenance- no water. There’s one thing that bothers me a lot- all the animals at the zoo looks so sad to the point I can feel their sadness and frustrations. 😥😥😥😭😭

Very good place for relaxing and having some picnics. But sometimes have big black bird that wants to eat your food so please be careful.

Snaps from today (04/06) Bloom at its peak 🌸 Beautiful full bloom Sakura and lots of food stalls. We can have food and enjoy Hanami 🌸♥️

Went on 22Mar, Sakura was in full bloom and picnic is definitely the best way to enjoy the beauty. Crowd starts to come in from noon, by late evening it got really crowded. Bonus, there was a playground, free mini zoo and a small amusement park. It kept the kids occupied the whole day in the park.

An amazing open space park, located next to a lake and temple. Lots of open dirt areas to sit under the cherry blossoms in Spring, as per my photos. The paths were lined with lots of street food and festival games. The park can become extremely busy.

Absolutely beautiful park with so much too see and do. You can just stroll through and read about the various trees or visit one of the many event spaces; including archery, cycling, soccer, baseball, etc. There's even a free zoo. I thoroughly enjoy Omiya Park and I think you will too.

This is a must see! I am so grateful to myself for making the time and the staff for gifting me a postcard since it’s an ongoing partnership with the JR Rail Pass. It was remarkable to see much ancient bonsai. I spent about an hour reading my book in the gardens and exploring. Highly recommend and don’t forget to check out their exhibits and grab your stamp!

Outstanding!! Loved the history/timeline of bonsai in Japan + the explanation of bonsais/different species/pruning/etc. About 300yen per adult which is a super fair price. The garden outdoors (they have umbrellas) is incredible and you are welcome to take photos. They have a tree that is 1000 years old!!

The museum is amazing with beautiful trees and great setup. I also did a workshop of 90 mins with Sensai Ken. He is awesome! I was allowed to carry the potted plant! But my country wont allow with certificate.

The bonsai collections were all great, aging around 100-350 year even two of them are 800 and 1000 years old. Really a great experience to visit the museum. Surely will come back again.👍

Gorgeous and excellent labels in English. I learned a lot and really enjoyed the outdoor garden. I didn’t know about the surrounding village and the few nurseries we were able to enter because of the excellent guidance from the museum staff were eye opening. Like many Japanese museums and cultural events it was a little disappointing that photos weren’t alllowed everywhere, but I learned such a significant amount from the experience, the memories will stick. Each bonsai is an entire landscape!

Amazing bonzai collection and clear explanation of the history and art of bonsai! There are 500 to 800 year old bonsai l and a very kind old man in the garden who folded some truly awesome and cute origami with our museum tickets. Love it!

Nice and small museum with a seasonal display of various bonsai in their courtyard. I especially enjoyed the explanations of the traditional interior display styles. Worth a visit.

I was at Keyaki Hiroba for the Craft Gyoza Fes 2023 a few weeks ago. I love that this place has a huge courtyard for these kind of events. There was also enough high tables for people to eat and some benchs nearby to sit. I was only at the event for less than an hour. But it was very well organized with nice staff and the Keyaki Hiroba was a great place for this event. Hopefully in the future I’ll have a chance to attend a show at the Saitama Super Arena.

The night illumination in winter is pretty and it is free. They hold a number of events here annually including the popular beer festivals. It is also one of the areas you can enjoy street performers at the annual street performance festivals in January. Clean and well kept. Close to Saitama Shintoshin station.

A great space in the middle of saitama shintoshin station. There is convenient store nearby, but pretty crowded during event or festival times...

Comfortable open space. Many business persons enjoy themselves walking or resting during lunch break.

Excellent and beautiful place in winter.

Love the place. Whenever I visit Saitama Shintoshin I feel I am visiting the future.

Nice Christmas lights. The market is overpriced but nice to browse.

I visited Saitama Super Arena for the Billie Eilish concert, and overall it was a fantastic experience. Getting there was extremely easy—the arena is directly connected to Saitama-Shintoshin Station, making the journey seamless and stress-free. From arrival to entry, everything about the crowd flow was smooth and well-organized, which made a huge difference given how many people were attending. My seat was in the upper seating area, and while the view was great, the seats themselves felt a little small and cramped, which might be something to consider if you’re planning a long event. The acoustics were not the absolute best, but still good enough to enjoy the performance without distraction. What really stood out were the visuals. The stage setup and lighting for Billie Eilish’s concert were incredible and made the whole experience unforgettable. Even from the upper level, the production quality truly shined. Saitama Super Arena is a great venue overall—easy access, smooth operations, and capable of hosting massive events like this one. A few comfort improvements could make it even better, but I would absolutely come back for another concert here.

Conveniently located by the train station with plenty of shops and restaurants nearby. Arena size is just right, seats are standard, and it’s easy to navigate inside. The highlight for me was the superb sound system which is one of the best I’ve experienced at a concert venue.

My first experience attending Ateez concert in Saitama Super Arena for 3 days in a row from 13-15th September 2025.

Great place. Easy to get to, huge, organised. The main problem is the waiting time to get beer at a concert. 50 minutes!!!! That’s not the arena fault so still 5 star.

Foo Fighters from A section was amaizing. We entered a raffle and won free tickets to the added show. Standing floor which we crept into the isle and were center stage. Sound was great both nights.

Great venue for concerts, the sounds, lights and lazers were all amazing! Loved to see Linkin park back and Foo fighters in action there.

We came here for Viva La Rock music festival. It’s such a great space - right on the station, there’s convenience and chemist stores, and restaurants right next door under cover. The way they used the space for the music festival was so well done, two stages in the main area with video screens. There was seating as well as standing and mosh. There was chill out sections and food stands as well.

Very pleasant shrine located not too far from the train station. The bunny motif certainly makes this unique among the many shrines throughout Japan. There is a small parking lot and a public toilet. I was pleasantly surprised by the rather large park area on the east side of the grounds.

Very cool and very large Shinto Shrine. There are many smaller ones here too. Many visitors. Shrine office here as well.

Shrine near Urawa Station. It's a little interesting for having no Torii and having bunnies around the shrine instead of the usual lion dogs. Be warned, this shrine is well known for refusing to give you a goshuin if your goshuin-cho is from a temple or contains temple stamps. Prepare a brand new goshuin-cho if you are interested in collecting their's.

This shrine has lots of rabbits because it's named after the moon where rabbits are supposed to live.

Cool place for a break if you are nearby

Don’t bother going to this shrine to collect their goshuin if you have a goshuincho from a temple or temple stamps in your book. They’re insanely strict and will straight up refuse to put their goshuin in your book. As far as I know this is the only place in japan with this policy. Cute place nonetheless.

It's an abnormal shrine, having rabbits opposed to a tauree gate, with absolutely lovely grounds. Is a great stop off the standard tourist path.

I went to the Hiromi Uehara concert here and while she and the band were amazing, the venue was not. I found the audio to be not great, especially for the drums, including a very audible almost torn sounding speaker and clicks a couple of times..

Came here to visit a client for work. The entrance can be accessed from the 2st or 2nd floor. The security guards speak English a bit because to access floows above 14th floor you need to use elevators or go to the 2nd floor first. The restrooms are clean and alcohol sanitizer at the front entrance. I liked the structure of this building and very spacious.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE - ERT - 2 End

Nice hall for shows and concerts

Awesome!

A few mins walk from Omiya station (if you use the pedestrian deck directly into the 2nd floor of the building). Convenient venue for conferences with vending machine area for breaks right next to the rooms. Many casual restaurants around for a quick lunch too!

I have a japanese language lessons there, it is not easy to find it, but once you do, you'll love what is offered there. All kinds of classes you can attend, such as language, cooking, art etc. for a very low price, so low that is almost unbelievable

Really massive mall with 4 big buildings and lot of shops, food court with Indian, burger and Japanese food. They also have a massive grocery store and all Japanese big brand shops. Lot of coffee shops including couple of Starbucks with great view.

Huge brand-new shopping mall! Made it easy to browse, buy, eat and see things unique to Japan and yet familiar to someone from the U.S. - we particularly enjoyed stopping at the food court for dinner, eating a crepe for dessert and then enjoying a traditional hard candy art demonstration further inside of the mall complex. The pictures from this area are also very desirable. If you are in Omiya or the surrounding area and need a place to recharge, I highly recommend checking Cocoon City out.

Very cozy shopping center. Very spacious and elegant. Just the local people shop here, hardly any tourists in sight.

Wonderful peace. You can find many good restaurants. But I think there is still many small details which of indication guide can be improve.

Very big shopping mall in saitama shintoshin. It’s 3 minutes walking distance from Saitama shintoshin station. Large parking available but parking aren’t free. Lots of branded shop available.

Cocon city is a great place do shopping, enjoy outside garden and hanging out with family and friends.

The lights makes it more beautiful at night. Yodobashi Camera’s price is way cheaper than any other shops.

May 27th, 2022 Today's match is Omiya Ardija vs The Spa Kusatsu. Ardija lost the first goal in 4 minutes from the beginning. July 3rd, 2021 I came here to see a soccer game with Omiya Ardija vs Yamagata Montedio.

One of Japan's best venues for watching a football match - a small, football-specific venue - with great local fans, the walk to which is a genuinely pleasant 20 minute amble through and around a shrine. Visited on a bitterly cold evening for a match, but warmed by the reception and the enthusiasm of the supporters.

Great place to watch football. Nice standing area and close to the pitch. One of the most iconic walks to the stadium via the Jinja. Friendly staff.

Nice

It is the best stadium in the Japanese stadium. I hope like this venue will increase. If you watch football game,you can the highest enthusiasm and realism.

A quant J.League pitch loyal supporters for Omiya Ardijia. Friendly fans. Family welcome. Decent food trucks but needs better drink options no vending machine in the stadium.

Ive been here, and watching ardija, iam from Indonesia.

A small-sized, chill for walking, and free place to enjoy the autumn colors. It’s Neither too far away from Tokyo nor too crowded. Also, you have a cute coffee place to take a rest just at the entrance of it.

Beautiful park. Lots of trees, sounds of semi, room to walk, run, bring dogs, pond I see people fishing, area for exercises etc Very pretty.

quite park with a big pond: very nice if you want to stop for a break after long walk/day

A very big park where anyone can have a quiet and peaceful walk, take a dog for a walk, take kida to the playground, do some exercise or even go for a picnic. Honestly one of the most peaceful park. It has a nice pond where you can even do some fishing if you wanted to and a lot of benches and chairs where you can sit. There are also tables to use. There are a couple of things to see here like the pond, the Kaze no Kami statue and a small shrine.

A cute little park. Nice for walking, fishing, or open air recreation. There is also a museum on site, but it is only open during the day time. Definitely with checking out of you're in the area.

Clean park and respectful people. Great sights and fresh smell.

Good to enjoy with family. There is a small river and many facilities outdoor game for children.

Visited in May when the roses were in full bloom. It was so beautiful. Free entry and free parking. But there are very few parking lots. Come early or pay for parking nearby.

If you love flowers visit this park in April and May. I went there in the middle of May. I found the flowers in full bloom. It has a very big flower garden, mostly various kinds of roses.

I went to Yono Park on 14 May 2025 the flowers were full bloom very nice place for those who love nature especially flowers Better time to see this park in golden week at the start of May

Gorgeous park. Roses are impressive and even if you miss the main blooms in May-June, they’re still blooming right through November. The photos are from early November. Smell is amazing. Also lots of mature trees for shade, and wonderful autumn colors. The play equipment is a bit faded but perfectly fun enough. There’s a fountain and a koi pond, a small shrine and it’s a great place to take kids, have a picnic, jog, walk, meditate. Highly recommend.

This park is about 9 minutes on foot from yomo-Hommachi station. I was really happy to find this rose garden, it's a place for everyone-whether you're a rose lover or not, you will definitely love this place. The roses were properly cared for and well labelled-some in English, some in Japanese. I visited the park on a sunny day and the air smelled fantastic with beautiful fragrances.

There are many roses with different color. The roses are big and looks very nice. Public toilet and parking is available. But parking is limited, you have to wait several minutes. Beside, also there is a playground.

There are roses in all colors: a joy for the eye! It’s a nice park to walk in. We were there on a Wednesday afternoon and it was relatively quiet and peaceful. For convenience there are vending machines and toilet available.

Amazing Experience! 5 Gardens plus the museum… No photos Allowed… Masterpieces and authentic atmosphere…

Incredible experience. The staff were helpful and kind, the exhibits at the museum were informative and interesting, and the trees were amazing. From the tiniest baby Bonzai in the nurseries, to seasoned trees older than the USA (where I am from), everything we saw was beautiful and a testament to the dedication and skill of generations of Bonzai practitioners.

The museum was closed due to renovations, so check its re-opening date before you come. There were 5-6 other bonsai nurseries there that you can visit, and I saw plenty of amazing bonsais. No photography is allowed, so just soak in all the beautiful arrangements. I asked one of the masters about a small bonsai and he told me it took 25 years to grow from seeds. For international travellers you are probably out of luck, domestic visitors can buy bonsai at pretty reasonable prices (when factoring in the work that has been put in). You can buy some nice and small ceramic bonsai pots in a couple of the nurseries. Eye-opening experience if you like plants. Only two train stops away from Omiya Station or if you are a walker you can definitely walk here from the Station through the Omiya Park.

place for serenity and love. certainly a relaxing place to visit. an extraordinary experience to see those tiny trees in pots. imagine all the loving hands that took care of them from generations to generations. it is that deep sense of culture and love. one does not apply to work as a bonsai care taker. it's pure love that connects the master to the tree that brings out the best of that relationship. awesome is an understatement.

What a cute area! We did not arrive in Omiya until 4PM on a Friday evening after a last minute change in plans, sadly the bonsai and manga museum were already closed, but after seeing this area on Design Talk+ during an NHK World broadcast, I knew we'd have to at least walk around and check it out. The small visitor center was still open and provided free walking maps of the area, which was appreciated! The entire area was a quiet residential district and a pleasure to walk. Littered with small outdoor bonsai areas in from of random houses and small parks to enjoy outdoor time in, if that's your cup of tea I highly recommend talking a stroll in the neighborhood if you find yourself in the area. It was a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Lots of information about the history as well as a crash course on how to appreciate the artform before you are unleashed outdoors to apply that history and appreciation on century old bonsai specimens. Loved my time there so much.

100s-1000s of bonsai from starters to 100 year old.

I love Akigase park, especially during Bikelore. My only complaints are its distance from Tokyo and the portable toilets. Those should be replaced with permanent bathrooms. I appreciate that one of permanent bathrooms I used actually was heated in the winter!

Nice place to come and have some barbecue 🍖 party with family and friends. If you’re planning to come there,Try to search the place earlier coz if you park just near the first entrance just get ready to walk because the place is too huge to find the area!

The park has a beautiful view of Mount Fuji. It is a good place for organizing picnics and barbeque parties. The best time of the year is spring and fall. Avoid visiting on rainy days. The lush greenery is eye-catching. Wonderful place for taking photographs.

Akigase Park is a beautiful and picturesque location. It is situated in a good location from where you can see the soul of Japan- Fuji San. The park shows characteristic features of all seasons. Best time to check it out is during fall. It's a vast open area that will make you feel like you are on nature's lap. The view of Fuji San is nice. Great place to organise barbecue parties and picnics. A must visit if you are in Saitama.

Love this park. Dog friendly, lots of room to day camp and have a bbq. Lots of parking. Beautiful.

Lively, large park. Lots of parking but no easy access by public transport. Great for barbeque and a little day camp.

Located to the near my house and center of the Tokyo. Full of trees and green… our family visit here almost every week to walk and breath the fresh air. It is easy to access here because of the Oomiya bypass which is quite big road. If Sakura season comes(late March to early April), you can see amazing view of Sakura. Nothing needed if you relax under Sakura tree on season.

Please don't go, this is extreme cruelty! All animals look in a terrible state and extremely stressed. Most of them display repetitive behavior, trying to find ways to escape their cells. Look at the bear and Hyena videos and you will understand what I mean. Animals that are meant to roam freely and in different environments to here are forced to withstand conditions they would never face in their natural habitat. Have been crying and feeling completely depressed during all the visit. Most worrysome might be everyone else is enjoying the Zoo, completely unbothered by the cruelty in front of their eyes. Beyond all of this, cells are dirty, and there doesn't seem to be an attempt to mimic their natural habitat. Most of the cells have concrete floors and are dirty with pee and feces. Absolutely heartbreaking.

I was a bit sad I didn't get to see the tanuki, but I did get to see the anakuma badger. We enjoyed this little zoo. It rained during my visit, so some of the animals hid. Each enclosure had photos of and names for each animal as well as a little information about them. We enjoyed being able to walk through and see everything without having a huge crowd around. I especially liked the hyena and the javalina/peccaries. Funny enough, peccaries, also called javalina are native to my home state, Colorado, but I have never seen one before. Seeing a whole herd of them living happily there was really cool. Most of the birds were sequestered for breeding season, but the local wild birds made up for it by hanging around the park.

Free zoo. They have a nice selection of animals but I was a little sadden with the small enclosures. Some of the animals were pacing back or forth or they had no partner/mate. I did not see any zoo staff on the premise. Most of the animals appear to look healthy but not too sure if they were happy/mentally stable. There are restrooms and wash areas. There is a bird enclosure where you can get close to the flamingos and take some good photos.

🌸 - Omiya Park Zoo: This small zoo inside Omiya Park is in Omiya Ward, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture. It comprises eight different animal enclosures, including the monkey hut, squirrel and pheasant hut, and more. It focuses mostly on birds and small animals, but there is one large beast house with hyenas and Asian black bears. 💵 - Price: Free 🕒 - Hours: [10:00 - 16:00]

Good for kids... It's free... There are several different birds, monkey, Japanese bear, goat, pig and so on ...

Small zoo inside the Omiya park and free for all ages. Seen many species like squirrel monkey for the first time. Interesting animals.:)

Fun place to go. It's free to enter. I had a very good time with animals.