Reihoku Sunset Marche — January Announcement📣 Happy New Year🎊 Our first announcement of the year is the Reihoku Sunset Marche in January♪ 👀 Highlights of this Sunset Marche 👀 ❣ At the Reihoku Sunset Marche, where agricultural products, processed goods, and prepared foods from Reihoku are sold, freshly shipped bagged mikan (tangerines) will be available this time 🍊 Please enjoy these seasonal farm products❣ We look forward to seeing you 😊 Don’t forget to bring your own shopping bag🛍✨ Scheduled produce for sale: ・Aspara greens ・Cauliflower ・Turnips🫜 ・Pumpkin🎃 ・Cabbage ・Cucumbers🥒 ・Kale ・Rice🌾 ・Coral leaf feather ・Taro ・Sweet potatoes🍠 ・Potatoes🥔 ・Garland chrysanthemum (shungiku) ・Daikon radish ・Tomatoes (Aiko, cherry) ・Chinese cabbage ・Green peppers🫑 ・Broccoli🥦 ・Ponkan ・Mikan🍊 (bagged, boxed, bag-hung) ・Mizuna (Beni-hoshi variety) ・Lettuce (sunny, leaf) ・Welsh onion (single stalk) 🥦🍅🥕🍠🥬🧅🫑🌽🌶🫛🍆🫚🥔 Reihoku Sunset Marche Date: Sunday, January 11, 1:00 PM–3:00 PM Location: Amakusa Reihoku Tourist Association (Reihoku Town Local Products Center, 4535-1 Kamitsufukae, Reihoku)

Yesterday it dropped to minus 26 degrees, so the water vapor in the air froze on the tree branches, creating beautiful hoarfrost. Hokkaido, Sarabetsumura.

Otowa Bridge in Tsuruimura, Hokkaido It is a famous spot for photographing the red-crowned cranes.

Hoshino Resorts Tomamu’s Christmas Everyone was making snowmen and enjoying snowball fights.

Photographed on January 3, 2014. These are the hanachōzu (flower water basins) at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

Every year on January 3rd, Yoda-dera Temple, the inner sanctum of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, holds its New Year goma fire ritual. Goma is one of the most emblematic practices of the Shingon school, tracing its origins to ancient Indian fire offerings. By offering items to the flames and chanting mantras, the ritual symbolizes the burning away of worries, karmic obstacles, and impurities, transforming them into purification and the power of prayer. We arrived at Yoda-dera around noon that day. The goma altar in front of the main hall had already been set up, and neatly stacked goma sticks waited quietly to be lit. Just after one o’clock, the mountain resounded with the low, distant sound of conch shells. Yamabushi in ceremonial robes blew the conches as they slowly walked toward the main hall, then chanted the Heart Sutra to Yakushi Nyorai, opening the ceremony. After the sutra chanting, the monks and practitioners moved to the goma altar, marked the ritual boundary, established the protective enclosure, and performed rites facing the four directions to invite Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and guardian deities to descend and protect the site. As mantras and sutras rose and fell, the goma sticks were thrown into the fire in sequence. The flames grew stronger and the smoke shot into the sky, as if carrying the world’s wishes and prayers heavenward. When all the goma sticks had burned away, the ritual opened for public worship. Visitors circled the goma altar in order, letting their bodies and clothing be touched by the smoke rising from the flames. The smoke is said to ward off misfortune and purify body and mind, bringing peace and health for the new year. Surrounded by swirling smoke, people pressed their hands together in silence, entrusting their wishes to the lingering warmth.

The 41st "Lake Oketo On-Ice Fishing Tournament" will be held on the following date. Why not fully experience the charms of Lake Oketo in winter? We look forward to many applications! Date and Time: Sunday, January 25, 2026 Registration: 8:00–8:30 AM; Competition: 9:00–11:00 AM Estimated finish: 12:00 PM Participation Fee: Oketo Town residents ¥3,000; non-residents ¥4,000; all junior high school students and younger ¥1,500 (includes fishing site cooperation fee, insurance, and bathing ticket) Application Period: Thursday, January 8, 2026 – Monday, January 19, 2026 *Reception hours: 8:30 AM–5:15 PM (excluding weekends and public holidays) *Applications will be closed once capacity (60 people) is reached. How to Apply: Oketo Town Tourism Association Office (Oketo Town Hall, Industrial Promotion Division, Commerce and Tourism Section) Please apply by phone or fax. TEL: 0157-52-3313 / FAX: 0157-52-3353 https://www.town.oketo.hokkaido.jp/topics/2080/...

Nagawacho is taking on government crowdfunding! 🔥 [Nagawacho’s 20th Anniversary of the Merger! Let’s brighten and energize the town — We want to light up the midwinter sky with fireworks at the Otaya Festival Fireworks 2026!] ★Donation period: Until January 20, 2026 This town’s Furumachi Toyoke Grand Shrine holds its annual festival, popularly known as the Otaya Festival, when decorative floats are offered at five locations around town. In recent years, population decline and other factors have created challenges such as a shortage of people to make the floats, a lack of staff to run the event, and insufficient budgets. To ensure the sustainability of the Otaya Festival fireworks for the future, we ask for your support! Details below👇 https://www.furusato-tax.jp/gcf/4963...

A runway-like single road leading to MtJonen With its pyramidal shape, this beautiful peak is Azumino’s symbol!! A Northern Alps mountain that is unmistakable when viewed from Azumino

January 6th This morning in Azumino is clear and sharply cold Last night’s snowfall lightly dusted the countryside white The Northern Alps, lit by the morning sun, look magnificent!!

[About the operation of tourist and bathing facilities] Information on the New Year operating status of tourist and bathing facilities is available at the linked "Teshikaga Navi". Please note that hours and days of operation may differ from the usual schedule. Some bathing facilities may be temporarily closed, so we recommend contacting each facility directly before you go. https://www.masyuko.or.jp/news/20251226/...

🎍✨Happy New Year 2026✨🎍 The year 2026 has begun!💨 At Teshikaga Navi, we will continue working to share a wide range of information so you can enjoy wonderful moments in Teshikaga this year as well. Thank you very much for all your support last year. We look forward to your continued support in 2026. Wishing you a wonderful year.㊗️💫

Would you like to try a refreshing totono experience?🧖‍♀️ At the spectacular outdoor sauna SHIMODACCI SAUNA, where you can enjoy Shirahama’s sea right before your eyes, we will hold a totono trial on January 11 and 12🌿✨ (Please check the images for event details.) You can enjoy the sauna at a much better rate than usual, and savor the hot springs too😌💭💙 Seats are limited, so we recommend booking in advance⚠️☝️ I actually tried it myself before, and the outdoor cool-down while gazing at the sea felt incredibly good… Even sauna beginners will think, “This is addictive!”✨ I wrote about my experience on my blog, so please give it a read👇 https://www.shimoda-city.info/post/20250915...