A 30-minute train ride from Tokyo, Saitama City was founded in 2001 and is one of Japan’s newest cities. Not everything about the place is modern, however. There are few cities in the country that so clearly reflect its distinctive blend of the traditional and the contemporary. Situated just a short distance from Saitama’s futuristic centre is the Hikawa Shrine, built over 2,400 years ago, and Omiya Bonsai Village, established in the early 20th century.