Get to know the town.

Higashimurayama's yearly event calendar — when can you catch a festival?

The Iris Festival, Yasaka Shrine's grand festival, the Awa Odori dance, the Industry Fair, the sake brewery open day. All year round, Higashimurayama has festivals with the townsfolk in the leading role. Here's a guide to when you can catch one.

Complete guide to the Kitayama Park Iris Festival — enjoying about 100,000 irises

Higashimurayama's biggest highlight of the year. We guide you through the “Higashimurayama Iris Festival,” where about 100,000 irises of roughly 600 varieties bloom together, from the angle of how to enjoy it.

Higashimurayama Kumegawa Awa Odori — the night the station front becomes a dance stage

Awa Odori isn't only for its home of Tokushima. Each October, the street in front of Kumegawa Station fills with the energy of the dance troupes (“ren”). A festival that once lapsed and was revived by local hands.

Higashimurayama Yasaka Shrine Grand Festival — a mikoshi linking the National Treasure temple and the shrine

Usually in July, the mikoshi festival when Higashimurayama is at its most fervent of the year. A mikoshi, accompanied by great drums and floats, travels back and forth between the National Treasure Shofukuji and Yasaka Shrine.

Higashimurayama Citizens' Industry Fair — the autumn when the town's best gathers in one place

Usually in early November, the city's largest event. Farm and livestock products made in Higashimurayama, and the pride of local shops and workshops, gather in one place. Two days to sample the town's “good things” all at once.

Sake & local brews4

Higashimurayama's proud sake brewery, Toshimaya Shuzo — “Kinkon” and “Okunokami”

It's not only the National Treasure and Ken Shimura. Higashimurayama has a venerable sake brewery that keeps making sake served even as shrine offering-sake. It's Toshimaya Shuzo in Kumegawa-cho.

Visiting Toshimaya Shuzo — the Saturday brewery tour and the KAMOSHInoBA shop

Not just drinking, but seeing “where it's made.” Toshimaya Shuzo holds a brewery tour every Saturday. It's an experience I especially recommend to my Taiwanese friends who love a sake-themed trip.

TOSHIMAYA FESTA — the November day the whole brewery becomes a festival

The brewery that usually makes sake in quiet becomes a festival ground once a year. Toshimaya Shuzo's open-day “TOSHIMAYA FESTA.” A day sake lovers can't resist.

The Higashimurayama brand “Sato ni Hachikoku” — flavors the town stands behind

“So what's Higashimurayama famous for?” The answer is here. “Sato ni Hachikoku,” a regional brand certified by the Chamber of Commerce — a collection of flavors the whole town has recognized as “our pride.”

Food & gourmet9

Higashimurayama kuro-yakisoba — jet-black yet addictive local comfort food

Its appearance is startlingly jet-black. But one bite and the deep richness hooks you. Higashimurayama-born “kuro-yakisoba” (black fried noodles) is a local specialty in the know that even evokes the town's history.

Touring the best Musashino udon shops — eating your way through Higashimurayama's udon culture

Thick, firm noodles dipped in a hot pork broth. When you come to Higashimurayama, the thing to taste is “Musashino udon.” Here we guide you through the town's deep-rooted udon culture from a food-crawl point of view.

Grilled dango and Higashimurayama wagashi — the town's soy-scented snack

Grilled over charcoal, with the fragrant scent of soy in the air — grilled dango. Higashimurayama has shops that keep this old-time flavor alive. We introduce the town's snack that even Ken Shimura is said to have loved.

Higashimurayama tonkatsu — a long-loved local favorite, one cutlet at a time

A crisply fried coating around juicy pork. Tonkatsu is a “go-to treat” for the people of Higashimurayama. After the sights, why not fill both stomach and heart with a cutlet from a long-loved local institution?

Murayama souvenirs — the taste of Higashimurayama you can take home

One of the joys of travel is choosing souvenirs. Higashimurayama has plenty of “take-home Higashimurayama,” from Ken Shimura-themed manju to local sake from a brewery with roots over 400 years old. They make perfect gifts for family and friends in Taiwan too.

Highly rated on Google — Higashimurayama eateries to visit at least once

From soba, udon and ramen to Chinese, Italian and Thai, plus izakaya, eel and cakes. Across Higashimurayama and the neighboring Akitsu and Kumegawa areas, here are the eateries that also score well on Google Maps and are worth visiting at least once, sorted by cuisine — each with its star score (at time of checking). Whether it's lunch or an evening drink, this one guide has you covered.

The old-house complex “Momotose” — where new talent gathers in an old home

An old house more than 60 years old has been reborn as a cafe, an atelier and everyone's kitchen. “Momotose,” featured even on NHK, is a slightly special space where you can feel the “now” of Higashimurayama.

Higashimurayama stylish-cafe walk — a break in the middle of your stroll

After enjoying the sights, the festivals and the udon — why not take a breather at a favorite cafe? Dotted along your walk in Higashimurayama are a renovated old house here, a hideaway-like little shop there.

Talked-about bread & sweets in Higashimurayama — fresh-baked aromas to accompany your walk

The scent of freshly baked bread, little sweets lined up in a display case. Higashimurayama has bakeries and sweet shops loved by locals. Perfect as a companion for your walk, or a little souvenir.

Family & kids5

Higashimurayama with kids — the complete play-spot guide

Run to your heart's content in a park, relax indoors on a rainy day, and sometimes experience old ways of life. Higashimurayama is just right for a day with small children. Indoor, park, nature, history experience — we guide you through the play spots by type.

Higashimurayama municipal children's halls — a place for the town's kids, rain or shine

Rainy days, hot summer days, cold winter days — at times like these, Higashimurayama's “children's halls” are a help. A place for the town's kids that anyone from a newborn to age 18 can use for free. There are five in the city.

Higashimurayama Central Park — Maimai Pond and splashing water play

A green metropolitan park that preserves Musashino's coppice woods as they were. In summer you can splash in the spiral wading pool “Maimai Pond,” with play equipment and a sandbox nearby. A Higashimurayama go-to where you can spend a whole day with small children.

Hachikokuyama Taiken-no-Sato — a history experience in Totoro's countryside

At the foot of Hachikokuyama, said to be the setting for Totoro, is a hands-on facility you can enjoy with children. “Hachikokuyama Taiken-no-Sato,” where you learn about the Sayama Hills' nature and a Jomon-period site while playing. Admission is free, and the ease of just dropping by is part of its charm.