Saitama Prefecture is located directly north of Tokyo and is divided into Eastern, Northern, Central, Western, and Chichibu. It also borders Chiba Prefecture and is very close to Haneda and Narita airports. The climate is hot and humid in summer, with temperatures sometimes exceeding 40°C (104°F). In winter, on the other hand, it is bitterly cold with a gusty wind. Saitama Prefecture is home to many unusual spots, such as Saitama Children's Zoological Park, the only place in Japan where you can see Quakka wallabies and little cormorants, and Kinchakuda Manjushage Park, where in autumn the whole area is covered with bright red spider lilies in full bloom. As for gourmet foods, Soka senbei (rice crackers), Kawagoe sweet potato confections, and Kumagaya gokebou are famous as one of Saitama's three major specialties. Many of them are sweet, so they are perfect as souvenirs for children. Famous local dishes include Kure-jiru, which is miso soup with "kure" (mashed soybeans), and nibotou, which is made with plenty of local vegetables and cooked from raw rice noodles. You should definitely try them when you visit. When your stomach is full, we recommend that you visit a shrine to refresh yourself. There are many shrines in Saitama Prefecture, including Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, famous for marriage, Mimine Shrine, and Chichibu Shrine, where the Chichibu Festival, registered as an intangible cultural heritage, is held. Saitama is a wonderful prefecture full of mysterious charms, with many power spots and historical events.