Fujimi: Castle History, Jōmon Heritage, and Iris Blooms

Explore Fujimi through a range of themes: the medieval Nanbata Castle site, the Jōmon-period Mizuko Kaizuka site, temples with dated stone monuments, and seasonal nature. If you’re looking for a hotel in Fujimi, deciding what interests you most can help you choose where to go: are you primarily interested in castle history and exhibitions, early settlement history, or landscapes and local products?

Nanbata Castle: Castle Site and Historic Farmhouses

Nanbata Castle was a medieval castle site used as a base by the Nanbata clan, which ruled Fujimi. The site was designated a historic site of Saitama Prefecture in 1961. The historic Nanbata Castle Park covers around 17,000 square meters and opened in June 2000. Part of the park was developed to preserve and make use of cultural heritage. In the castle ruins area, the kuruwa (baileys), moats, and earthen ramparts of the Sengoku-period castle have been reconstructed based on excavation findings and old castle plans.

The historic farmhouse area offers a different perspective: two municipally designated cultural properties built in the early Meiji period and a Nagayamon gate have been reconstructed there. Newly built outbuildings complete the depiction of a traditional Fujimi farmstead. The Nagayamon exhibition room displays agricultural tools collected in the city under the theme “Fujimi’s Livelihoods.” An exhibition room in a rice granary at the Nanbata Castle Museum features an exhibition about Fujimi’s artisans. Videos also focus on local performing folk traditions and agricultural work.

At Nanbata Castle Park, volunteer citizen curators offer tours on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tours may be canceled during events or on days when Saitama Prefecture issues a heat advisory. If you’re planning to join a tour, check before your visit whether one is scheduled for that day.

Jōmon History at Mizuko Kaizuka Park

Mizuko Kaizuka Park was established to preserve and make use of the nationally designated historic site of Mizuko Kaizuka. The shell-mound site includes remains of a circular settlement built about 6,000 years ago during the Jōmon-period marine transgression. The park recreates a Jōmon-period village; the reconstructed dwellings and trees are among its key exhibits. Here, the archaeological site and a reconstructed view of the settlement stand side by side. Daioji Temple is across from the park: its origins date back to the medieval period, and its entrance gate also serves as a bell tower.

Temples and Dated Stone Monuments

Fujimi’s temples also tell different stories. Jōenji Temple is said to have been founded by the Okado family, a hatamoto family that ruled the area during the Edo period. Raigōji Temple has a hōkyōintō pagoda dated 1784, as well as an Enmei Jizō statue from 1723. Rurikōji Temple has a hōkyōintō pagoda dated 1864, along with six Jizō statues from 1790. The dates on the stone monuments give you specific years, while Jōenji’s founding is described as a handed-down tradition. At Mizumi Shrine in Mizuko, unusual frog guardians sit in place of komainu.

Iris Blooms, Wetlands, and Local Products

Yamazaki Park, near the Health Promotion Center, is also known as “Seseragi Shobuen.” Its iris field covers about 1,000 square meters and features 60 varieties and around 5,000 plants. The irises begin blooming in early June, though the timing can vary from year to year. Many local residents visit the park each year to see the June blooms. Another natural attraction is the area around Binnuma, which is known as a habitat for birds; the biotope-like Binnuma Nature Park was created in a wetland beside the river.

The Fujimi Egawa Cycling Path runs from near Uchikoshi Municipal Allotment Garden in Tsuruma 3-chome to the area around Uzurabashi Bridge in Ōaza Tsuruma. It is 1,048 meters long. To find points of interest by theme, the tourism app “Kokoshil Fujimi” organizes information about shops, events, cultural properties, and walking routes into categories.

Local products are also part of the Fujimi experience: Tedukuri-mura makes and sells miso using soybeans and rice grown in Fujimi-shi. Fujimi Gyoza is made with ingredients from Fujimi-shi, including komatsuna greens, and is recommended as a souvenir. Product availability may change, so if you plan to buy it as a souvenir, it’s best to check in advance whether it is available.

Choosing Fujimi for Your Hotel Search

As you plan your stay, you can weigh these themes according to your interests: Nanbata Castle combines reconstructed castle ruins with exhibitions about agriculture and historic farmhouses; Mizuko Kaizuka focuses on Jōmon settlement history; and parks and iris blooms offer seasonal highlights. This gives you a specific starting point for searching for a hotel in Fujimi: what would you like to discover during your stay?

Discover more destinations: Wakō, Sōka, Koshigaya, Misato, Tokorozawa, Gyōda, Satte, Minano.

View the broader travel guide: Saitama Prefecture.