4 Saitama Tours Worth the Yen

1.Mt. Fuji and Hakone Private Tour with English Speaking Driver

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 22 reviews Our pick

Set out at 8:30 am in a private, air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking driver-guide and hotel pickup and drop-off. Choose a Fuji-area route or a Fuji-and-Hakone route; the two cannot be combined. Possible stops include Oshino Hakkai, Lake Kawaguchi, Mt. Fuji’s 5th Station and Lake Ashi. Guides named in past experiences include Fahad, Khanz, Shah and Sean.

“Khanz was a great driver that took us to some great locations. He was very knowledgeable about the area and accommodating. I would definitely recommend this tour. We had great weather and got to see amazing views of Mt Fuji from different perspectives”

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2.Ecotourism and Woodcraft with a Mountain Artist Near Tokyo

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 21 reviews · from $93

Meet guide Shun at Higashi-Agano Station for a short drive to a private forest in Hanno. A forestry master explains Nishikawa timber and the family’s 300-year tradition, then you smell three kinds of wood, learn about thinning, try cutting a log, and make an Edo Castle-shaped smartphone stand with a pyrography pen.

“The eco-tourism experience was truly unforgettable, grounding, and inspiring. The tour begins with a fascinating lecture by the master of a forestry family that has managed the forest for over 300 years. Learning about Nishikawa timber - speRead more”

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3.Unique Brewery Tour and One-of-a-Kind Sake Tasting Near Tokyo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 17 reviews · from $100

Meet your guide at Hanno Station for a 3.5-hour small-group visit to Yamane Brewery in Saitama. Learn how its doburoku is made in local Nishikawa timber barrels, then taste three sake varieties with snacks, served in cups made from Hanno soil. The group is capped at eight. Lunch and transportation costs are not included.

“First things first—the sake tasting was incredible! “Yamane no Minori,” which is no longer available this season, was absolutely mind-blowing.”

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4.Gyoda Tabi Shoes Cultural Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $45Best value

Spend three hours in Gyoda, about an hour from central Tokyo, wearing tabi socks and zori sandals as you explore warehouses, taste jelly fries and manju, visit Hachiman Shrine, and see a tabi factory. A guide explains the city’s footwear traditions. Mitch-san has guided the walk, though the guide may vary. The tour starts at 1 pm and costs $45.61 per person.

“The tour was very informative and I learned a lot. It was my first time to go to Gyoda in Saitama and I look forward to coming back again. The highlight of the tour was going to the tabi factory and watching the craftsman work.”

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