Yokoze, town in Chichibu district, Saitama prefecture, Japan
Yokoze is a small town in the Chichibu district set among rolling hills, rivers, and green fields. Traditional wooden buildings fill the streets, while forests, mountains, and rice terraces shape the surrounding landscape.
Yokoze was established as a village in 1889 and later merged with neighboring Ashigakubo in 1955 before becoming an official town in 1984. The area has roots as a mining community, where copper was extracted and later used to create Japan's first coins.
The town's name reflects its location between valleys and rivers, showing how deeply residents connect with the land around them. Traditional wooden houses with characteristic roofs define the streets, and local festivals where people wear traditional clothing and share stories keep these customs alive in everyday life.
The town is accessible via Route 299 and a railway line connecting to larger cities. Visitors should know that amenities are limited to what a small rural community offers, making it best to plan visits around local market hours and to bring cash for small shops.
The town was home to a copper mine whose ore was given to the emperor and used to create Japan's first coins, a historical connection that shapes local identity today. Today, geological formations like large rock formations and a sandstone breccia stone supporting a temple stand as reminders of this mineral-rich past.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
