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Saitama: 4 of the coolest new reasons to visit Japan's 'uncoolest' place

Saitama is a prefecture just next to Tokyo famous for its tongue-in-cheek nickname 'Dasai-tama', a wordplay on the prefecture’s name and the Japanese word ‘dasai’ meaning uncool. But never underestimate an underdog! Saitama is rising up the ranks with many note-worthy openings and places you can't miss. Now that a new sait-amazing era is about to begin, take a dive into the area's top picks: Moomins, art exhibitions, theme parks - you name it! All of the places can be visited either on a fun daytrip to escape from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo or as an overnight stay to fully immerse yourself and discover the cool in Japan’s 'uncoolest' prefecture!

Postcards from Japan: becoming the first foreign opening rider of a Shinto ritual, and Nikko's hidden gems with Michael No

When Michael No came to Japan on a farming holiday, his travels brought him to Nikko where his curiosity to learn yabusame, a shinto ritual of mounted archery, turned into a 7 year passion and a job at Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura. In 2019 he become the first foreigner to become the opening rider of a yabusame ritual in front of 25,000 people!

We talked to Michael about his journey, insider's tips for exploring Nikko an area famed for its natural beauty, and his expert food recommendations.

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