Just north of Tokyo lies the city of Saitama, capital city of the Saitama prefecture. As a part of the Greater Tokyo Area, some might see Saitama as just a commuter town for those who work in Tokyo itself, but want to pay lower rents. And while it is true that Saitama is a little less expensive than Tokyo proper, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a charm all its own.
Its character as a busy city also means that the good old town has seen almost everything there is to see, and so it is no surprise that it is supportive of LGBTQ+ rights, offering partnership certificates and recognizing businesses that make strides towards the inclusion and support of sexual minorities. So, let’s see what this town has to offer for the LGBTQ+ tourist!
The Railway Museum
Japan is famous for its fast, reliable, and well-managed railway systems. So, why not see how this modern marvel of interconnected transport came to be? This museum is a paradise for railfans, and it has so much on offer that even those for whom trains are merely functional can find something interesting.
Separated into “stations,” the museum has a Rolling Stock station that shows off 36 different train rolling stock, from the first train to run on Japanese rails in 1872 to the original Shinkansen, a revolution in high-speed rail. It also has a job station, where guests can try their hand at simulations of driving trains or even running a ticket office, as well as a history station, a science station, and a future station, which considers what the potential future for rail travel could be.
Museum of Modern Art Saitama
Opened in 1982, this museum that makes its home in Kita-Urawa park displays, as its name suggest, works of modern art from Japan and around the world. It has regularly changing special exhibits, but its permanent collection features works from such names as Claude Monet and Paul Signac, and Ei-Q.
It has a range of pointillist art, and on days with good weather, you can enjoy wandering the garden and taking in the artistry of a number of modernist sculptures. MOMAS also has a somewhat unique collection: unusual chairs. The museum sources chairs from around the world with an unusual aesthetic, and invites you not only to look at them, but also to take them for a test drive and sit on them! Is the one that looks the coolest the most comfortable?
Visit Kawagoe
Just a 30 min train ride from the center of Saitama City is the time-capsule town of Kawagoe. Known as “Little Edo” to locals, it maintains a lot of architecture from the Edo period, and with it the more slow-paced feel of living in a pre-modern Japanese town. If you like sweet potatoes, this is the place for you: a delicious treat since antiquity, Kawagoe has continued to make the delicious tuber a centerpiece of its local food, with vendors selling all kinds of varieties.
If your sweet tooth still isn’t satisfied, then you can take a trip to Kashiya Yokocho, or “Confectionary Row.” This narrow back alley has a number of shops that sell traditional Japanese candies and sweets, that give sugar-craving tourists and residents alike a nostalgic glimpse into the tastes of the Showa era.
The town’s symbol is the Bell of Time, a three-story bell tower whose origins date back to 1642. Commissioned by Edo-period daimyo and samurai Sakai Tadakatsu, the bell inside has been ringing out daily, four times a day, for nearly 400 years. If you’re lucky enough to be there in October, you can even see the Kawagoe Festival, where different neighbourhoods create floats and compete with each other in music and dance battles.
Omiya Park
The finest park in all of Saitama prefecture, Omiya Park is an absolute joy in the spring, and has been named as among the top places to view cherry blossoms in all of Japan. Even outside of this blossoming period, however, the park is filled with beautiful azaleas, Japanese red pines, plum trees, and magnolias.
The park has a wealth of activities, from visiting its Small Zoo (which, despite its name, has an impressive collection and variety of animals) to the Saitama Prefectural Museum of History and Folklore, which has well-researched and carefully curated relics and artifacts from Saitama’s history, giving visitors an insight into how Saitama came to acquire the character it has today.
For something a little more relaxing and romantic, you could also grab a row boating on the boating pond to glide along the water in a calm and quiet environment.
LGBTQ+ Bars
While not a match for Tokyo’s Nichome, Saitama does have some excellent bars that exist to serve the local LGBTQ+ crowd, as well as any tourists who wander their way. One example is Bar Raccoon, in Omiya Ward. Celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2025, this bar is exclusively for gay men: straight men and women are not permitted entry. It has an all-you-can-drink nomihodai option for shochu, and a karaoke machine, when you want to let your lungs loose after the shochu has sunk in.
For anyone looking to get right to the point, there’s also CP Shelter, a cruising club with a fun atmosphere. It has a system where, depending on where you place your locker key, you can let others know which your preferred role is during intimacy.
In Summary
Saitama is a great place to visit. Even if you’re staying in Tokyo, it’s only a short train ride away, and has a lot to see and do. Whether you’re just going for the day or spending the night, this little gem will shine bright in your memories.
