Ogawa: Washi, Nature and Culture

In Ogawa, handmade Washi paper, paths through the Satoyama landscape, and the history of an old farmhouse come together. When planning your stay, you can therefore focus on different interests: hands-on insights into crafts, nature watching, exercise, or local cuisine. These interests provide a useful guide when choosing a holiday rental in Ogawa.

See Washi being made—and make it yourself

At the Ogawa Washi Experience Learning Center, you can learn about making Washi paper year-round—from preparing the raw materials to forming sheets of paper by hand. Tours of the facility are also available. A reservation is required to learn how to make Washi. This makes the center an option for travelers who want to take time for a hands-on introduction to traditional crafts.

Additional workshops on papermaking, as well as making fans and Washi lanterns, are offered at Michi no Eki Ogawamachi. There is also a direct-sales shop for local agricultural products and a restaurant. This means you can consider craft activities and regional products as separate interests for your stay, without having to combine them into a fixed itinerary.

Walks and outdoor activities

The walking trail in Katakuri-and-Oomurasaki-Forest offers a chance to observe nature as the seasons change. It starts at Michi no Eki Ogawamachi and takes 30 to 60 minutes. In early spring, you can see delicate purple Katakuri flowers, white Nirinso flowers, and drooping cherry blossoms. If these plants and blossoms are a particular draw, you can take their seasonal timing into account when planning your trip.

For a longer hike, the Kannokurayama Hiking Course leads to viewpoints on Kannokurayama and Ishizoriyama, then returns to Ogawamachi Station. Sengen-yama Miharashi-no-oka Park offers different attractions: its facilities include a 203-meter-long roller slide, an activity course, an observation platform, and places to rest. During your stay, you can choose between a hiking route with two named viewpoints and a park with a range of activity and rest facilities.

If you would like to explore the surrounding Satoyama landscape using a rental vehicle, Michi no Eki Ogawamachi has pedal-assist electric bicycles, electric tuk-tuks, and electric scooters. The Ogawa Town Tourist Information Center also offers bicycle rentals and has paid lockers. The vehicle types and services can help you factor your preferred way of exploring into your day’s plans.

Historic houses and local cuisine

Built in 1721, Yoshida House is considered the oldest farm dwelling in Saitama Prefecture whose date of construction can be verified. Its features include an irimoya-style roof and a thatched roof; the house is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Food is also among the experiences offered there: at Yoshida House, you can eat traditional udon noodles and dango cooked over an irori hearth.

Another place to eat is Branch School Cafe MOZART, which serves lunches made mostly with vegetables from local organic farmers. Joro Unagi Fukusuke is located in a shop dating from the Meiji era that retains its historic atmosphere. The eel is prepared to order from a holding tank. For groups of ten or more, Seiun Brewery offers tours by reservation of its rice-polishing mill and brewery rooms, following the production process; the brewery also has an old building.

Whether you are most interested in Washi activities, seasonal nature, walking trails, or traditional foods, Ogawa offers a range of reasons to choose it as a place to stay. Other destinations in the same selection include Chichibu, Kawaguchi, Sayama, Koshigaya, Yoshimi, Iruma, Honjō and Gyōda.

For the broader travel overview: Saitama Prefecture.