Japanese Prefectures: Kantō - Saitama
都道府県 (とどうふけん) - Prefectures of Japan
Learning the kanji and a little bit about each of Japan’s 47 prefectures!
埼 さき、さい、みさき、キ cape, spit, promontory
玉 たま、～だま、ギョク jewel, jade; ball
関東 かんとう Kanto, region consisting of Tokyo and surrounding prefectures
Prefectural Capital (県庁所在地) : Saitama City (さいたま市)
Saitama is Tokyo's neighbor to the north. Much of southeastern Saitama is considered a suburb of Tokyo, but the western parts are mostly rural with mountainous forested areas, and include a castle town and the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park. Saitama has historically been a fertile agricultural region and is currently the major food supplier for the metropolitan area of Greater Tokyo. Some of the first currency in Japan came from copper discovered in the Chichibu area in the 8th century. Saitama's central location has made it a historical hub for transportation to all parts of Eastern Japan, and the modern radial roads and railroad system are designed for ease of transportation to all parts of Japan. Saitama is also the backdrop to the famous Miyazaki Hayao (Studio Ghibli) film "My Neighbor Totoro."
Recommended Tourist Spot・おすすめ観光スポット
Kawagoe - 川越
The Edo-period castle town of Kawagoe is also known as Ko-edo (小江戸 or "Little Edo") because of its many traditional buildings dating from the Edo period. The streets have been maintained as-is since the Edo period (1603-1867). The weekends are the most popular times for visitors to gather here and experience the atmosphere, shops, and popular seasonal events. In the third week of October, the Kawagoe Festival is held with a parade of traditional ornate floats and a musical competition.
The Warehouse District is lined with old earthen storehouses, which are unique two-story buildings that have remained unchanged since the days when the city was a major transportation and commerce hub for Eastern Japan. The Toki no Kane, or "Bell of Time," has marked time for the town for centuries, and continues to ring four times daily. Candy Street is a street lined with stores where traditional Japanese sweets are made in the old-fashioned way.
For more recent history, the Taisho-Roman Street has old, retro western-style buildings from the Taisho and Showa areas. There are also no overhead power lines, which makes this a popular spot to shoot many Japanese period films set in these eras.
There are severable notable temples and shrines in Kawagoe, especially Kitain Temple, which was built over 1,000 years ago. This temple has 538 stone statues of Buddha, each with its own face and unique posture. No two statues look alike, and the popular belief is that there is a statue to resemble any visitor to the temple. Kawagoe Hikawa-jinja Shrine is a Shinto shrine dating back to the 6th century that boasts a torii shrine gate that is 15 metres tall. Kawagoe Kumano-jinja Shrine has fortunes, lucky charms, and also boasts the "stepping health road," which is a path to walk barefoot to stimulate the acupuncture points on the soles of your feet for health benefits.
Regional Cuisine - 郷土料理
Miso Potato - 味噌ポテト
Famous in the Chichibu region of Saitama, miso potatoes are a well-known winter treat in the area. This dish is similar to a baked potato covered in sweet miso sauce and is traditionally from the rural areas in the mountainous part of the prefecture. It is now a popular street stall snack that combines the sweet and savoury miso flavours with the earthy baked potato texture.
Saitama Dialect・Saitama-ben・埼玉弁
むじっけー猫だね。
(mujikkee neko da ne)
Standard Japanese: かわいい猫だね。
(kawaii neko da ne)
English: What a cute cat.
2. ああみぃ aahmii no good, can't do it (also, ああみ, aahmi)
ごめん、明日ああみぃ。
(gomen, ashita aahmii)
Standard Japanese: ごめん、明日行けない。
(gomen, ashita ikenai)
or ごめん、明日はダメ。
(gomen, ashita wa dame)
English: Sorry, I can't go tomorrow.
or Sorry, tomorrow is no good.
3. かみぎっちょ gamigiccho lizard
庭のすみっこにかまぎっちょがいたで。
(niwa no sumikko ni kamagiccho ga itade)
Standard Japanese: 庭の隅にとかげがいたよ。
(niwa no sumi ni tokage ga ita yo)
English: There was a lizard in the corner of the garden.
4. うちゃる ucharu to throw away
そこにうちゃるなよ。
(soko ni ucharu na yo)
Standard Japanese: そこに捨てるなよ。
(soko ni suteru na yo)
English: Don't throw that away there.
このおせんべいこわい。
(kono osenbei kowai)
Standard Japanese: このおせんべい硬い。
(kono senbei katai)
English: This senbei is hard.
*Note: senbei is a Japanese rice cracker
今日はえらい食べるな。
(kyou wa erai taberu na)
Standard Japanese: 今日はたくさん食べるな。
(kyou wa takusan taberu na)
English: Don't eat a lot today.
