Gyōda brings together archaeological history, castle traditions, and seasonal scenery. The Sakitama Kofun Park centers on large burial mounds, while the Ancient Lotus Garden and views of rice paddy art offer a different perspective. There are also hands-on activities and local dishes. When planning your trip, it’s worth choosing your dates based on your interests and the relevant seasonal or reservation requirements.
Burial mounds and seasonal scenery
Sakitama Kofun Park in Gyōda City is home to nine large burial mounds built from the late 5th century to around the beginning of the 7th century. The Saitama Kofun Group is located on a plateau, where its large burial mounds stand close together. It is one of the largest groups of its kind in Japan. In March 2020, it became the first site of its kind in Saitama Prefecture to be designated a Special Historic Site. An annual fire festival held in the park on May 4 recreates a scene from Japanese mythology recorded in the Kojiki. If you’re planning your trip around the festival, check the date before you travel.
The Ancient Lotus Garden is home to about 100,000 Gyōda lotus plants, which bloomed 1,400 to 3,000 years ago, as well as around 20,000 lotus plants representing 41 varieties from around the world. The 50-meter-high observation tower at the Ancient Lotus Hall offers a view of the rice paddy art. The season for viewing it runs from mid-July to mid-October. This gives your trip a clear seasonal focus: viewing the rice paddy art is limited to a specific period, while the burial mounds, with their long history, offer a different point of interest.
Hanachozu Week also follows a set monthly schedule: it takes place from the 1st to the 14th, except in November and January, when it runs from the 15th to the end of the month. Some displays may not always be available, so check the latest details before visiting.
Oshi Castle and historical traces
According to tradition, Oshi Castle was built during the Muromachi period and is considered one of the seven famous castles of the Kantō region. During Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s campaign to pacify the region, it withstood Ishida Mitsunari’s flood attack. The castle’s nickname, “Floating Castle,” comes from this battle. The Gyōda Local History Museum is located on the site of the former main bailey, and the reconstructed three-story Gosan-kai Tower is part of the museum.
Gyōda’s historic townscape includes many preserved buildings, including tabi warehouses made of earth, stone, and mortar. Access to some individual buildings may be restricted. Mizuki Park was created on the site of the remains of moats and ponds from Oshi Castle. The castle’s history, the museum, historic buildings, and traces of former waterworks each shed light on a different aspect of the area’s past.
Getting around and activities
The train ride from Ueno or Ikebukuro Station to Gyōda Station takes about 60 minutes; only local trains stop there. Gyōda’s city bus runs six routes: the East, West, Northeast, and Northwest circular routes, as well as the Minami-Ōdōri and Sightseeing Base circular routes. The network covers much of the city. Check the latest routes and timetables with the operator before traveling.
Tourist rental bicycles can be picked up at four locations and returned to a different one; you can combine a bike ride with public transportation. The tourist information center at Oshi Castle Bus Terminal provides attraction and local food brochures, visitor assistance, and rental bicycles. As rental conditions may change and the information about this service was last updated in 2022, confirm the current conditions with the provider. Three tourist information centers in Gyōda also offer volunteer guided tours of Oshi Castle and the Saitama Kofun Group by prior reservation.
At the Gyōda Haniwa Hall, you can make haniwa figures. The Oshi Castle SAMURAI Experience lets you wear samurai armor at Oshi Castle; seasonal exclusions apply, so check availability for your dates. The Oshi Castle NINJA Experience has three options: one with shuriken throwing, one with a ninja costume, and a more comprehensive option that includes location photography. Here, too, it’s a good idea to check current availability before your trip.
Local dishes and finding a hotel
Furai is a flour-based dish cooked with green onions, meat, and egg. Zeri-furai is deep-fried and resembles a croquette; vegetables such as potatoes and carrots can be used. Both dishes add a distinctive local touch to your food plans, without requiring you to visit a particular restaurant.
The seasonal windows for the rice paddy art and fire festival, along with reservation and seasonal restrictions for some activities, are useful practical considerations when choosing your travel dates.
Discover more destinations: Kumagaya, Yoshimi, Fukaya, Iruma, Hanyū, Koshigaya, Kawaguchi, Chichibu.
For the regional travel overview: Saitama Prefecture.
