Perfect for families! Snack factory tours in Saitama prefecture

Many companies build factories in Saitama Prefecture because it’s near Tokyo and easily accessible. Today, we will show you some factory tours for Japanese snacks that are close to Japanese people’s hearts. We picked spots where children and adults alike can have fun learning about how snacks are made. Enjoy freshly-made snacks and other things you can only find by doing a factory tour.

Learn the secrets of popular snacks at Lotte Factory Urawa’s School of Snacks

Lotte Factory Urawa has a factory tour area called the “School of Snacks” (おかしの学校). You can observe the creation process of popular items like Pie no Mi (パイの実) or Ghana Chocolate (ガーナチョコレート). Which tour you end up in is a surprise until the day of. These products are household names in Japan, and the tours are great for kids. You learn in a room that looks like a school classroom, and there are trick art photo spots dispersed throughout. Make it look like you got sucked into a world of sweet treats in your photos. You can observe the production line as well, so you can easily see how the snacks are made. Time flies when you’re watching the snacks flowing through the production line. In addition, you get a gift after the tour, so you can relive the tour at home. A reservation is required, so be sure to plan accordingly.

Hours	Reservations only. Check their website for hours.
Address	3-1-1 Numakage, Minami-ku, Saitama-shi, Saitama Prefecture
Access	Urawa Washington Hotel: From Kencho Dori bus stop, ride Bus #10 and get off at Musashi-Urawa Station (West Exit).
URL	https://www.lotte.co.jp/english/

Enter a world of treats for children and adults at Glicopia East

At Glicopia East, you learn about the world of Glico snacks. The production lines for Pretz (プリッツ) and Pocky (ポッキー) are open for factory tours. These tours are also by reservation only, so be sure to make plans accordingly. It’s a popular spot for adults and families since they are open on weekends and holidays, and they have a parking lot. Apart from the production line, you learn about the history of snacks through videos, and there are plenty of spots to make memories. Take photos with “Glico Man” or jump inside of a Pocky or Pretz box. Get pumped during the quiz competition. There are so many ways for children and adults to have fun. Additionally, they have Giant Pocky (ジャイアントポッキー) decoration events on weekends only. Check it out if you’re interested.

Hours	9:00AM – 4:00PM Reservations only. Be sure to check the website.
Address	9-55 Nakamaru, Kitamoto-shi, Saitama Prefecture
Access	Urawa Washington Hotel: From Urawa Station, ride the JR line to Kitamoto Station. Take a taxi or shuttle bus.
URL	https://www.glico.com/global/

Freshly made snacks straight from the factory! Enjoy castella and soft serve at Bunmeido Urawa’s Saitama Aozora Kobo

Bunmeido’s factory is known for its castella. At the shop entrance, the little bear mascot greets the visitors. Bunmeido used to have a famous commercial with a well-known jingle. Take a picture of the mascot and even you might feel a bit of nostalgia. In the shop, you can observe the production process through glass windows and watch the castellas get made. Over 100 snacks are sold there including the popular but hard-to-get “Sanji-no-Oyatsu Anpan” (3時のおやつあんぱん). There are even sale items that you won’t find in stores. Their “Cloud Soft Serve” (雲のソフトクリーム) is also popular. Snack lovers, get your hands on some interesting snacks here.

Hours	9:00AM – 5:30PM
Address	182 Zaike, Sakura-ku, Saitama-shi, Saitama Prefecture
Access	Urawa Washington Hotel: From JR Urawa Station, ride to JR Omiya Station. 20-min. ride away by Bus #30 or #40.
URL	https://www.bunmeido.co.jp/