Social media posts by our community

Taken on October 17, 2014. This is the evening celebration of the first day of the Kawagoe Festival. The floats from Renjakuchou and Ōta Dōkan.

Once you exit the parking lot from the highway, there is a park where you can take a break. Here are some photos from my visit to Gifu Seiryu Satoyama Park.

The Autumn Leaves and Light-Up at Hoshoji Temple ❚ Current Leaf Conditions as of November 8, 2026 The autumn leaves at "Hoshoji Temple" located in Kiyokawamachi, Bungoono City, Oita Prefecture. The light-up started on November 8. As night falls, lights illuminate the temple grounds, and the colors of the trees softly reflect on the surface of the pond. You can enjoy the unique beauty of the autumn leaves at night, which differs from the daytime. Currently, the leaves are about 60% colored. The light-up period seems to coincide perfectly with the peak viewing time. We will keep you updated on the leaf conditions. Please check the latest information before your visit. Location 1639 Udaeda, Kiyokawamachi, Bungoono City, Oita Prefecture Admission Fee Free Access About 50 minutes by car from Oita Merah IC About 10 minutes by car from Roadside Station Kiyokawa Parking Available (free, approximately 20 cars) ■ Autumn at Kiyokawa "Sai" Hoshoji Temple During the event period, a light-up will take place. 【Event Period】November 8 (Sun) to November 15 (Sun), 2026 ■ Hoshoji Temple Hoshoji Temple is an ancient temple with over 800 years of history. It is said that the reconstruction was inspired by the prayers of Lord Oda Deiwa Shintaka. During the autumn leaf season, the temple grounds are dyed in vibrant colors, often referred to as "The Colorful Hoshoji Temple" or "Autumn at Hoshoji Temple." During the event period, a light-up will take place, enveloping the temple grounds in a magical atmosphere at night. ■■Access from Fukuoka Prefecture and Kumamoto Prefecture to the center of Bungoono City■■■ About 3 hours by car from JR Hakata Station in Fukuoka Prefecture About 2 hours by car from JR Kumamoto Station in Kumamoto Prefecture About 1 hour and 20 minutes by car from JR Beppu Station in Oita Prefecture About 1 hour and 20 minutes by car from JR Yufuin Station in Oita Prefecture ■■■■■■■■■■■■ Introducing recommended tourist spots in Bungoono City, Oita Prefecture, Kyushu ■■■■■■■■■■■■

Autumn is getting deeper in Kyoto, and the weather is getting colder. With the sudden drop in temperature, sightseeing in Kyoto with children can become a little challenging, can't it? After enjoying Kyoto's beautiful streets and scenery, why not take a relaxing break at AriHana Kyoto? Children and adults can enjoy traditional Japanese games together and have fun discovering a different side of Japan. Run by a Kyoto native and former nursery teacher, AriHana Kyoto offers a welcoming place where families can relax and enjoy their time together. Try traditional Japanese activities like origami and make some special memories of your trip to Japan! No reservation is needed. Feel free to drop in anytime!

Fukuoka is one of the more vibrant cities in Japan, with a youthful energy that consistently sees it rank highly in terms of where people would like to live. One of the hallmarks of the city’s outgoing atmosphere is its evening food stands, the yatai. Every night in Fukuoka, dozens of food stalls open around the riverside. Offering dishes likes yakitori, gyoza, oden and tempura, the stands provide delicious warm food that is all the more welcome in the chill of the evening, and made fresh before your eyes. Besides just the food, though, the distinctive culture of yatai, with their limited spacing and cheerful atmosphere, encourage conversation between strangers. In Japan many people are uncomfortable speaking with strangers and prefer to maintain a polite distance, but the convivial atmosphere helps break down barriers. (The fact that alcohol flows freely with many of the dishes doesn’t hurt!) Fukuoka has many charms, with famous temples and shrines both a short distance from Hakata station, and the bustling city centure of Tenjin. However you spend a day of sightseeing in the city, it can be very nice to unwind in the welcoming atmosphere of yatai at the end of a long day.

When it comes to local soul food in the Tokachi region of Hokkaido, "Indian Curry" is a must! 🍛 Starting Thursday, October 29th, a store-exclusive topping—"fried vegetables"—has been introduced at the Indian Curry Satsunai branch! ✨ By adding these colorful, deep-fried vegetables to the piping-hot, classic "Indian Curry," you get an extra boost of texture and a healthier touch to an already delicious meal! It was absolutely wonderful! 😊 Indian Curry (Satsunai branch) is located just about a 10-minute drive from Tokachigawa Onsen! Be sure to stop by and give it a try! 😊

Invitation to the "Akan Lake Onsen Torchlight March" hosted by Tobu Top Tours. Would you like to walk through the solemn nights of Hokkaido, holding a torchlight? In Akan Lake Onsen, local guides will introduce you to Ainu culture, as well as the history and nature of the region. This night program allows you to experience the grandeur of nature at night and discover new charms of Hokkaido. • Schedule: November 7 (Saturday), 8 (Sunday), 14 (Saturday), and 15 (Sunday) - a total of 4 days. • Timetable: • Check in at your hotel and have dinner • 20:00: Gather and check in at the front of Akan Lake Marimukan 　With torches in hand, head to Ainu Kotan (dissolve on-site) • Application 　hok_night@tobutoptours.co.jp (by 18:00 on the day) *Registration will close once full. *Registration for November 7 is now closed due to full capacity.

【12/1】Sustainable Training for Accommodation and Tourism Facilities Teshikaga Town is working on "sustainable tourism." It is crucial for both visitors and residents to feel comfortable, while also ensuring that businesses can generate proper profits. Currently, major OTA sites have implemented options for "sustainability," making it more essential than ever for accommodation and tourism facilities to engage in sustainable practices. Why not take this opportunity to learn about sustainable facility management that can lead to reduced costs for attracting customers and maintaining facilities? This training will provide practical insights based on the international label for sustainable tourism facilities, "Green Key," focusing on actionable initiatives that can be immediately implemented and are beneficial for management. We look forward to your applications and participation. ■ Date: Tuesday, December 1, 2026 　10:00 Seminar Start 　16:30 Scheduled End ■ Venue: Mashu Tourism and Culture Center ■ Instructor: Satoru Takayama (Representative Director of JARTA) ■ Participation Fee: Free

Photographed on October 17, 2014. It's the first day of the Kawagoe Festival. This is the back view of Hachiman Tarō's float.

A dish featuring tenderly simmered red snapper accompanied by a variety of colorful vegetables. It showcases the charm of traditional Japanese cooking that brings out the natural flavors of the ingredients, as well as the meticulous enjoyment of food in Japanese cuisine. This photo was taken during a visit to Izu.

A luxurious seafood bowl adorned with fresh seafood and glossy salmon roe. This dish encapsulates the unique food culture of Japan, cherishing the blessings of the sea and showcasing the richness of its culinary delights.

It's called takoyaki. Many international visitors enjoy it while sightseeing in Osaka, but in the Kansai region, it's traditionally a food that families make themselves. In addition to the octopus-filled ones available at shops, you can add your favorite ingredients like pickled ginger, sausage, and cheese. Once cooked, they are topped with takoyaki sauce, aonori (seaweed flakes), and bonito flakes, and you can also add mayonnaise to taste. Having a takoyaki party, or 'takopa' for short, with family and friends is fun, but Kansai people eat the hot takoyaki incredibly fast, so they use both sides of the hot plate to cook them at full speed.

It is called Osechi Ryori. This is a dish that families and clans gather to celebrate the New Year and eat together, with each item having a special significance for good fortune. Nowadays, many people buy it from department stores or supermarkets, but in the past, it was common to make it by hand. In rural areas, it is still customary to prepare it in advance at the end of the year so that women do not have to cook during the New Year. The photos show only my grandmother's handmade dishes, which are all a modest brown color, but they taste amazing. The locally famous red konnyaku, which turned bright red at the command of the famous Sengoku period warlord Oda Nobunaga, is also included. In addition, it is a tradition for the whole family to gather around a table filled with my grandmother's handmade rolled sushi and mackerel sushi for a celebration.

Taken on October 17, 2014. This is the evening of the first day of the Kawagoe Festival. The floats from Noda Gochō and Hachimantaro.

It's called chawanmushi. There are many videos online of foreigners being surprised by how different it is from their expectations when they try it for the first time. It's a "savory, hot egg pudding" that isn't sweet. This dish consists of a seasoned egg custard steamed with various ingredients like mushrooms, vegetables, fish paste, and fresh seafood or chicken. Often, a rare ingredient called yuri-ne (lily bulb) is also included. It’s actually a challenging dish to make, and the photo shows the chawanmushi that my skilled wife made for the first time after 35 years of marriage. She learned how difficult it was by watching my mother-in-law prepare it often. Since it looks plain, I decided to garnish it with chive flowers that I grow in a planter in the garden. In Japan, you can even find it on the menu at conveyor belt sushi restaurants.