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Enjoy the mesmerizing light displays ✨ Here’s the latest on the Nagano Lantern Festival! Overview of the Nagano Lantern Festival Date and Time: February 20 (Fri)–February 23 (Mon, holiday) 6:00 PM–9:00 PM Venues: Zenkoji Temple, Zenkoji Omotesando area, Shiroyama Park area, Nagano station front Recommended Events 1. Yume Akari Art Exhibition and Future Yume Akari Alongside the five-color illumination of Zenkoji that paints the winter sky, the festival’s emblematic “yume akari” lantern artworks shine. This year’s display will again be at Shiroyama Park, where about 900 lanterns—mainly elementary school pieces on the theme of “Future Dreams”—will fill the park and create a grand spectacle. Date and Time: February 20 (Fri)–February 23 (Mon, holiday) 6:00 PM–9:00 PM Venue: Shiroyama Park (in front of the Prefectural Art Museum) Admission: Free 2. Zenkoji Yume Joya-to (Zenkoji Everlasting Light) The lighting design by internationally renowned lighting designer Mikiko Ishii is a must-see at Zenkoji! With a prayer for peace, the night sky over Nagano will glow in five colors. Date and Time: February 20 (Fri)–February 23 (Mon, holiday) 6:00 PM–9:00 PM Venue: Zenkoji Temple Admission: Free 3. Floating Light Balloons in the Night Sky A new highlight this year! Ride a hot-air balloon featuring Nagano Prefecture’s PR character Arukuma for a special aerial view of the illuminated sites. Date and Time: February 21 (Sat), February 22 (Sun) 6:00 PM–9:00 PM (registration opens 5:30 PM, last registration 8:30 PM) Venue: Shiroyama Elementary School grounds Fees: Adults ¥2,500, elementary school children ¥1,500 (same-day registration, first-come first-served) / limited capacity Notes *Schedule may change due to weather. Thank you for your understanding.* *For day-of-event updates, check the official website and social media.* 4. Lantern Ramen Festa Five of Nagano’s famous ramen shops gather at Shiroyama Park. Enjoy steaming hot ramen under the magical lights on a cold night. Date and Time: February 20 (Fri)–February 23 (Mon, holiday) 6:00 PM–9:00 PM Venue: Shiroyama Park (in front of the Prefectural Art Museum) 5. Nagano Lantern Festival Special Live A one-night-only special live performance by Afro (the rap member of MOROHA, currently on hiatus). Date and Time: February 21 (Sat) 5:00 PM (doors open 4:30 PM) Venue: Zenkoji Daikanjin Manzen-do Hall Admission: Free *Entry may be restricted during busy periods. Please dress warmly.* 6. “I Fell in Love Today.” Special Talk Show Enjoy a talk show featuring cast members from ABEMA’s popular love-reality program, hosted by Nobuo Okubo. Date and Time: February 21 (Sat) 6:15 PM Venue: Zenkoji Daikanjin Manzen-do Hall Admission: Free *Entry may be restricted during busy periods. Please dress warmly.* For details, please see the official website. #Nagano Lantern Festival #light up #events #Nagano City #Nagano Prefecture #Nagano tourism #Nagano travel #nagano #naganocity

Photographed on February 17, 2014. After visiting Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, I relaxed at the Starbucks Kanetsuki‑dōri Store. I had a chocolate mousse latte and a chocolate tart. SAKURA starts today. 🌸

Good morning ☀ #This morning in Tsukigase #Satoyama landscape #Blooming is progressing #A village of flowers, greenery, and water #I want to connect with people who like photography #Nara Prefecture #Nara City #Nara tourism #tsukigase baikei plum festival February 14, 2026 to March 29, 2026 Photograph by Yasuki Okamoto

A fire lookout tower and MtJonen together!! Nagano Prefecture apparently has a lot of fire lookout towers…

Jikkasegi Irrigation Canal flowing beside the Northern Alps An irrigation waterway built in the Edo Period Now it serves as a resting spot for ducks

February 17th Yesterday Azumino was mostly cloudy, but today it’s clear Mt. Jonen appears in a dignified, striking view

Expo Memorial Park Plum Festival Senri Expo Park, Suita City, Osaka Prefecture Schedule: From Saturday, February 7, 2026 to Sunday, March 8, 2026 ※Closed on Wednesdays ※Open on Wednesday, February 11 (a national holiday); closed the following weekday, Thursday, February 12, as a substitute holiday Time: 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last admission at 4:30 p.m.) Venue: Natural and Cultural Garden Umebayashi, Japanese-style garden Umebayashi, and other locations The Umebayashi in the Natural and Cultural Garden spans about 5,500 square meters and features approximately 120 varieties and 600 plum trees, while the Umebayashi in the Japanese-style garden contains about 40 varieties and 80 trees, offering visitors a chance to enjoy a wide range of plum blossoms.

Onsen website “From the Information Desk” updated 📝🆙 Announcement from the Tourism and Commerce Division, Kawayu Onsen District Development Office: We will hold open-house style briefings about the Kawayu Onsen district redevelopment. The sessions will take place at Kawayu Furusato Hall on March 1 and March 2. No specialized knowledge is required. Feel free to join us! Location Kawayu Furusato Hall 2-3-40 Kawayu Onsen Date and Time Sunday, March 1, 2026 — 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday, March 2, 2026 — 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM No prior registration is required; please come directly to the venue if you wish to attend. The content will be the same on both days. Organizer Teshikaga Contact 015-482-2940

📺 A special TV program about the Amaichi Gran Fondo will air on TV Kumamoto (TKU)! Last winter, the cycling event “Around Amakusa! Amaichi Gran Fondo” took place across the entire Amakusa area. Cyclists from around the country raced along Amakusa’s stunning routes, and the excitement of that ride is now being broadcast as a TV program! 🚴‍♂️💨 The program will show participants cutting through the wind, the warm hospitality at aid stations, and, above all, plenty of footage of the beautiful coastline of our town, Reihoku. This is a must-see for those who actually took part, those who cheered along the route, and anyone who dreams of riding here someday. Please tune in and feel the breeze of Amakusa and Reihoku through your screen! 📅 Broadcast details Broadcaster: TKU TV Kumamoto Program title: Around Amakusa! Amaichi Gran Fondo Air date and time: Saturday, February 21, 2026, 11:00 AM–11:30 AM 👉 For more details about the program, please visit the TKU official website. ※Program content is subject to change.

Tower of the Sun 1-1, Expo '70 Commemorative Park, Suita City, Osaka Prefecture Because the number of visitors and viewing times inside the Tower of the Sun are limited, entry is primarily by reservation (reservations accepted until the day before; however, same-day tickets may be sold if spaces remain). The Tower of the Sun, the symbol of the 1970 Japan World Exposition Osaka 1970, Expo '70, had its interior closed to the public for a time, but after restoration work it reopened for interior visits in March 2018. Inside the Tower of the Sun, photography is generally allowed only on the first floor (the Underground Sun Zone and the first exhibition floor of the Tree of Life). On routes to the upper floors, smartphones and similar devices must be stored in bags to prevent equipment from falling for safety reasons. However, renting a paid dedicated smartphone case allows safe photography on the upper floors. The rental fee for each photography smartphone case available for use inside the Tower of the Sun is 500 yen. Payment must be made in cash. Thirty-six kinds of living creatures There are 150 steps up the staircase to the top of the tower... an elevator is available

🎎The Hina Doll Festival is on now at Fashion Mail Plaza in front of Tomakomai Station!🎎 Around 800 hina dolls are praying for world peace and recreating scenes such as the Sapporo Olympics (1972) and a moment from the film "National Treasure."✨ Location Fashion Mail Plaza (Omotemachi 3-chome, Tomakomai City) Dates Open daily from 10:00 to 18:00 until Sunday, March 15 (closed Wednesdays)

I joined an exchange event at Hachioji Municipal Fifth Elementary School! It turned into a very enjoyable day with activities for the second graders and shared lunches with each grade. 😊✨

Fukuoka is one of the more younger and vibrant cities in Japan, and for many visitors needs no introduction. The downtown Hakata area with its exciting nightlife and ancient temples is justly famous, and many people enjoy the large urban area of Tenjin, which is always bustling , with a great deal of shops, museums and entertainment. Heading into the slightly more residential area of Nishijin, though, in the more relaxed west of the city, Fukuoka really finds its balance as a place that is modern without losing its touch with tradition, and full of compact convenience without the overwhelming activity of the city center. In particular, the Nishijin Shopping Street is a traditional arcade that you really owe it to yourself to experience. It has a strong Showa vibe, with many small businesses making a living based on their connections to the community. Despite the somewhat antiquated atmosphere, it is near a university and high school, keeping the shopping arcade energetic and full of life, where trendy new things can be found in hole-in-the-wall shops next to more traditional crafts and stores that have been handed down for generations. For an American that has seen many traditional stores run out of small towns to be replaced by the usual big chains, it is inspiring to see not just old shops continuing their business but even new operations flourishing in an area that feels both out of step with modern times and yet very much connected and flourishing.

Today I attended the Kinen-sai (Prayers for a Good Harvest) at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. These are the lanterns of Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. Kinen-sai is a ritual to pray for a bountiful harvest that year, national peace, and the well-being of the people.

[Gems Found in Kushiro💎] While the "jewelry ice" seen in Toyokorocho, Tokachi is very famous, you can find similar ice on Kushiro’s shores during the bitter cold from late January through February. These photos were taken last week at Otanoshike Coast. The light brings out even more beauty, making it truly lovely✨ By the way... can you read the name of the beach? It’s pronounced "Otanoshike" 😙 Not "Dairakke"!