In Omiya, the largest commercial and corporate area
in the Saitama prefecture, the objective is to develop a city
that can be “the gateway to a million cities.”ils
Omiya Station is the key junction of transportation with 12 railroad and five shinkansen (bullet train) lines and approximately 600,000 passengers daily. Historically, the East Exit prospered as a temple town with Hikawa Shrine located there from long ago; during the Edo Period the area developed as a post station for the Nakasendo Road. At the West Exit, land readjustment and redevelopment projects proceed.
The Omiya Station district is now developing as the largest business and shopping area in the prefecture. Along with taking advantage of its convenience as a key junction of transportation and using the regions resources, the objective is the enhancement of both commercial & corporate functions as well as interaction & cultural functions appropriate for a base for diverse urban activities targeting the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Photo from above Omiya Station.
The skyscrapers in the foreground is Sino Omiya and Sonic City.
In the background is Omiya Park and the approach to Hikawa Shrine.
The construction of a highly independent urban center
will correct the excessive dependency on Tokyo.
With a goal of realizing a highly independent urban center to correct the excessive dependency on Tokyo, a zone of approximately 47.4 hectares that included the former Omiya rail yard for the national railway was prepared. Saitama Shintoshin is located at the center of the Kanto Plain and serves as the major interchange for Tohoku (Northern region of Japan) and Joshin-etsu (North and West of Tokyo) areas. With a wide array of national agencies coupled with the concentration of advanced business, commercial and cultural functions, this new urban center can take on some of the responsibilities of the Tokyo metropolitan area and lead the way in reorganization of the urban structure aiming for an extensive cooperative base.
Concentration of Advanced Urban Functions
(Supporting Urban Functions)
Saitama Shintoshin serves as a central base for Saitama’s urban center business core that supports Tokyo metropolitan functions. There is a concentration of advanced urban functions including national government agencies.
As a core facility, Saitama Super Arena hosts a variety of events: music, sports, industry, culture. Featuring the world’s largest mobile system, from 6,000 to 37,000 can be seated. Next to the Super Arena lies the “Keyaki Hiroba” (Zelcova Plaza). This plaza is an artificial ground that covers the second floor with almost one entire area wooded with zelcova trees, creating a man-made park for visitors to relax at in the new urban center.
In the government office quarter, Saitama Shintoshin National Government Buildings house national government agencies for mainly Kanto (Tokyo Metropolitan Area） and Koshin-etsu (North and West of Tokyo) areas. Additionally, Japan Post facilities, and hotels Rafre Saitama and Hotel Brillante Musashino are located here.
Cocoon Shintoshin, a shopping mall with the prefecture’s largest cinema complex, is located to the east of the railroad tracks and continues to be a popular destination.
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