Wakō has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall.

Wakō has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 18 members.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of Saitama 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Since it is adjacent to Tokyo metropolis, the population of Wakō rapidly increased as a commuter town after World War II.

The head offices of RIKEN, a large natural sciences research institute in Japan, are also located in the city.

When Nichiren prayed for a safe delivery and made a blessing with a willow twig a spring of pure water sprang up on the spot.

Nichiren then had Tokimitu's wife hold the willow twig while water from the spring was poured into her mouth whereupon she soon gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

At that time, Kawagoe Castle played an important role in governing the northern part of Musashi Province.

Kawagoe was 10 Ri (about 40 kilometres (25 mi)) from Nihonbashi in the old part of Edo and there were six shukuba along the way, namely: Kamiitabashi, Shimonerima, Shirako, Hizaori, Ōwada, and Ōi.

Ikkan-ji is a Sōtō sect temple built during the Kan'ei era (1624–43) and was consecrated by Sakai Tadashige, a local administrator of Shimoniikura in the Edo period.