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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Higashimatsuyama
東松山
A half-day stop for the national park and pork skewers, not a base: skip unless you have a specific interest.
Higashimatsuyama is a small city in central Saitama, known for its large national park and a local pork-skewer specialty. Most travellers pass through on the Tobu Tojo Line between Kawagoe and Yorii. The main draw is Musashino Kyuryo National Government Park, a 300-hectare woodland with cycling and seasonal flowers. The city itself has one notable shrine and a handful of restaurants. Plan for a half-day if you like parks; otherwise, use it as a transit point.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 東松山
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Jan–Feb (cold, park less enjoyable)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥5,000–8,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥8,000–15,000 excl. bed · High ¥15,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Pork skewer (yakitori) with miso sauce | ¥150–250 per stick |
| Coffee | ¥300–500 |
| Beer (can at convenience store) | ¥250–350 |
| Bus from Shinrin Koen Station to the park | ¥200 one way |
| Tobu Tojo Line Higashimatsuyama → Ikebukuro | ¥800 one way |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NRT · Narita International Airport
- About 2 h by train via Tokyo and Kawagoe
- HND · Tokyo Haneda Airport
- About 1.5 h by train via Ikebukuro
Typical fares
- Higashimatsuyama → Ikebukuro, Tobu Tojo Line
- about ¥800, about 50 min (check)
- Higashimatsuyama → Kawagoe, Tobu Tojo Line
- about ¥300, about 20 min (check)
- Bus Shinrin Koen Station → National Park
- about ¥200, about 7 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The Tobu Tojo Line connects the city to Kawagoe and Ikebukuro. Buses run from Shinrin Koen Station to the national park. A bicycle is useful for the park itself.
See and do
Known for
- Musashino Kyuryo National Government Park
- Yakyu Inari Shrine
- Pork skewers (yakitori) with miso sauce
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kawagoe | Tobu Tojo Line, about 20 min | About 30 min |
| Kumagaya | Tobu Tojo Line to Kumagaya, about 15 min | About 25 min |
| Chichibu | Tobu Tojo Line to Yorii, then Chichibu Railway, about 1 h 20 min | About 1.5 h |
| Tokyo (Ikebukuro) | Tobu Tojo Line express, about 50 min | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Near Higashimatsuyama Station
- A few business hotels; convenient for the train line.
- Kawagoe
- More accommodation options, 20 min by train; better for a base.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| This one, please | これをくださいkore o kudasai |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- The national park closes at 17:00 (Mar–Oct), earlier in winter: plan your visit accordingly.
- Pork skewers are called yakitori here but are pork, not chicken; the miso sauce is sweet and thick.
- Last trains from Higashimatsuyama to Ikebukuro are around midnight; check the timetable.
Very safe. The main risks are summer heat and limited English signage at the park and smaller restaurants.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Higashimatsuyama yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Musashino Kyuryo National Government Park
- Yakyu Inari Shrine
- Pork skewers (yakitori) with miso sauce
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Higashimatsuyama Tourist Association (Japanese): higashimatsuyama-kanko.com/
- Musashino Kyuryo National Government Park: www.shinrinkoen.jp/
- Wikivoyage: Higashimatsuyama, revision 4878278 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4878278
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/higashimatsuyama). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.