Area Characteristics
Saitama is an inland prefecture with more than 7 million people. With an area of 3,797km2（1,466mile2）, it is bigger than the 179th-biggest nation of Samoa（2,842km2＝1,097mile2）. Access to the southern part of the prefecture which includes Omiya and Urawa is excellent as a bedroom community of Tokyo while the northern area which includes the city of Chichibu has plenty of nature.
Major Sites
Saitama Prefecture has Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park among many other sightseeing sites to enjoy nature including the downstream area of Nagatoro Gorge. Along with the landmarks of Saitama New Urban Center and Saitama Super Arena, there is a great variety of spots to see such as The Railway Museum, Bonsai Village and Kawagoe which has been dubbed “Little Edo”.
Food
Soka senbei (rice crackers), Kawagoe potato cakes and Kumagaya gokabo sweets are the 3 famous confections of Saitama. Furthermore, the prefecture is also famous as a treasure house for its comfort food including Kitamoto tomato curry which won a national curry contest, Hatogaya yakiudon (fried udon noodles) which has been recognized as one of the Top 5 yakiudon in Japan, and a form of karaage (deep-fried chicken) whose breading is made from Soka senbei. As well, there is Sayama tea which is among the Top 3 teas in the country and Coedo beer from Kawagoe which has even won acclaim abroad.
Transportation
There are 15 railways operated by JR and private corporations going from Tokyo into Saitama, so these are recommended over buses and cars. It’s customary to take the train from Tokyo Station for Omiya via Ueno or go through Ikebukuro to reach Kawagoe and Chichibu. Although Saitama has plenty of north-south lines, it has a dearth of east-west lines so if you are considering touring through the prefectural sightseeing spots, renting a car is convenient.
Accommodations
There are many hotel facilities in cities such as Omiya and Urawa which have plenty of train lines including Shinkansen (Bullet Train) lines and conventional lines. Accommodations can also be found in tourist sites such as Kawagoe and Chichibu with its many onsen.