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Attractions in Omiya | Hikawa Shrine, Omiya Park, Bonsai Art Museum

Omiya in Saitama City is known for its large interchange station "Omiya Station," which is always crowded with commuters heading to or returning from central Tokyo. People using Omiya station just to take trains tend to overlook the charm of Omiya, but Omiya has various attractions as the town with a 2000-year history.

Hikawa-jinja Dhrine
(Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Jinja 武蔵一ノ宮氷川神社)

Hikawa-jinja Dhrine (Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Jinja 武蔵一ノ宮氷川神社)
If you are familiar with shrines in Tokyo, you might notice that there are a number of shrines called Hikawa-jinja. The Hikawa-jinja in Omiya is the main shrine of all the Hikawa-jinja shrines in Japan, and has more than 2000 years of history. In fact, the name of the town “Omiya”, meaning “a large shrine” in Japanese, is derived from this shrine.
* Jinja means shrine in Japanese

Omiya Park (Omiya Koen 大宮公園)

Omiya Park, where Hikawa-jinja Shrine is situated in, has approximately 1200 of Sakura or cherry trees and is selected as one of Japan’s 100 best sites for Sakura blossoms. In the park, there is also a tiny zoo and a Japanese garden both of which are admission free.

Omiya Bonsai Village and Omiya Bonsai Art Museum (Omiya Bonsai Bijutsukan 大宮盆栽美術館)

Historically, Bonsai is a major industry in Omiya and the town has been promoted as a Bonsai village where 5 Bonsai gardens offer unique types of Bonsai. Omiya Bonsai Art Museum is the world’s first public museum of Bonsai art, visited by celebrities as well as Bonsai fans from around the world.

Getting to Omiya

From Shinjuku station to Omiya Station
Fare 464 Yen / one way
Approx. 29min. by JR Shonan Shinjuku Kaisoku Line
Approx. 33min. by JR Saikyo-sen Kaisoku Line

From Ueno station to Omiya station 
Fare 464 Yen / one way 
Approx. 25min. by JR Takasaki Line
Approx. 26min. by JR Tohoku Honsen Line (Utsunomiya Line)
Approx. 40min. by JR Keihin Kyuko Line

Getting to Hikawa-jinja Shrine and Omiya Park

It is about 20 minutes walk from JR Omiya Station to Hikawa-jinja Shrine. Form Omiya Koen Station to Omiya Park is about 5 minutes walk. To visit Hikawa-jinja Shrine, it is recommended that you walk from JR Omiya Station so you can go through the beautiful approach path to the Shrine on the way there.

Omiya Bonsai Art Museum

From Toro Station on the JR Utsunomiya Line, it takes 5 minutes on foot.
From Omiya Koen Station on the Tobu Noda Line, it takes 10 minutes on foot. 

Google Maps - Omiya

Related Websites

Saitama Tourism and International Relations Bureau
https://stib.jp/

Omiya Bonsai Art Museum
https://www.bonsai-art-museum.jp/ja/

The Railway Museum
https://www.railway-museum.jp/

Nack 5 Stadium Omiya
https://www.sgp.or.jp/nack5

OMIYA ARDIJA football club
https://www.ardija.co.jp/

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