Saitama has been a regional transportation hub for both passengers and cargo.
The name "Saitama" originally comes from the Sakitama (埼玉郡) district of what is now the city of Gyoda in the northern part of what is now known as Saitama Prefecture.
The prefectural name "Saitama" (埼玉県) was changed from kanji into hiragana, thus Saitama City (ã•ã„ãŸã¾å¸‚) was born.