Year-end Greetings 😊

Thank you for following our social media throughout this year.

We will continue striving to bring you lots of great information next year, and we appreciate your continued support.

We pray that the coming year brings you peaceful days filled with smiles and brightness.

As the cold days continue, please take care of your health and have a wonderful New Year 🤗

May everyone see a beautiful first sunrise of the year across the country 🌅

https://tokachibare.jp/

I thought the autumn leaves were already over in mid-December, but when I went shopping in Chiba on the Boso peninsula, I stopped by a water mill while exploring the sights and found a beautiful display of autumn leaves. There was no parking lot, and the water mill caught my eye. The maple leaves were a vivid red, and the fallen leaves were beautiful too, so I enjoyed the last bit of autumn this year. Yoshii Ooido Water Mill

A photo taken during a trip to Shikoku.
Taken on November 26 at Ritsurin Park in Kagawa.
It was peak autumn foliage, and the contrast of red, yellow, and green looked wonderful.
The weather was calm with no wind, and the trees reflected beautifully on the water.
Once December arrives, it gets colder, and viewing night scenes becomes an experience of shivering in the cold.
At the end of November, the temperature was pleasantly mild, so I enjoyed the autumn colors and took photos before the real winter set in.

On November 30, 2025, many monks gathered at Sumadera Temple in Suma, Kobe, and were singing in chorus.

☆Notice of Closure☆
⁡
We will be closed from December 31st to January 1st.
We will resume normal business hours from January 2nd for the New Year period!

On November 30, 2025, at Suma-dera in Suma, Kobe. The fall foliage and the red beneath the eaves were gorgeous.

New Year shrine-visit guide 🎍
This time we introduce Kikuchi Shrine, Hokumiya Aso Shrine, Hachidai Ryuo Shrine, and Mt. Kuradake.

Kikuchi Shrine
The shrine approach glows with warm lights at night, making for great photos.
The "New Year Fortune Fukumikji" features luck-bringing prizes, including a Kikuchi Shrine award of an ever-growing half-sho of sacred sake and a grand prize of a zodiac ornament.
Amazake is also available on the grounds, offering a relaxing warm break.

Hokumiya Aso Shrine
Hokumiya Aso Shrine sits right beside the gentle flow of the Kikuchi River.
"Free Amazake Distribution"
・From New Year’s Eve, amazake will be distributed for free (while supplies last).
"New Year Limited Goshuin"
・A limited goshuin stamp will be offered for the New Year.

If you plan to watch the first sunrise, consider the views from Mt. Kuradake 🌄
Mt. Kuradake has a route that starts from the ninth station, so why not try a sunrise ascent to greet the first sun of the year?

#Kikuchi Shrine #Mt. Kuradake hike #Kikuchi City, Kumamoto Prefecture

https://kikuchikanko.ne.jp/archives/22620
https://kikuchikanko.ne.jp/archives/22679

Photographed on December 28, 2025.
This is LEC COFFEE’s original chai and a gateau chocolat.

#Autumn
#Photo Contest
It is late autumn in Kamikochi.
This day marked the mountain closing ceremony.
The mountains were beautiful, the water clear, and the air tasted fresh.

Photographed on December 28, 2025.
This is a gateau chocolat from LEC COFFEE.
We are grateful to everyone at LEC COFFEE for their help this year. We look forward to your continued support next year.🙇‍♀️

I visited Izumo Taisha in Shimane Prefecture ⛩️

I love shrines in the early morning when no one is around ✨

I paid my respects during the sacred kamiari-zuki, when the eight million gods from across Japan gather at Izumo Taisha to hold meetings about matchmaking and bountiful harvests 😊

Notice of an illumination event 📣

The illumination at Hiroo Santa Land in Hirocho runs through January 4, 2026 😊
Lights are on from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM ✨✨
The park glows with illumination and wood lanterns, creating a festive atmosphere 😍

Please consider stopping by during your New Year holidays outing 🤗

https://www.santaland.or.jp/

Kushiro, famed as one of the world’s top three sunset cities, actually offers unmissable sunrises as well.

At Kushiro Prince Hotel,
you can enjoy a luxurious sunrise and a sumptuous morning meal at the top-floor restaurant.

Using kombu from the Nemuro Strait,
the light soy-flavored Kushiro ramen and the fresh seafood rice bowl come with unlimited servings.

Even Kushiro’s indulgent gourmet offerings include plenty of lighter options for morning diners who prefer a milder start.

【Instagram】
https://www.instagram.com/kushiroprincehotel/

This is our family’s annual tradition. A praying mantis comes to lay eggs.

Toyama Prefecture Tateyamamachi Shomyo Falls

Snow fell late at night, letting the autumn leaves and snow perform together

Standing close to Shomyo Falls, Japan’s tallest waterfall by drop, the roar of the water is overwhelming

Tateyamamachi, Toyama Prefecture Akashiro no Kabe

Snow fell late at night, and around Shomyo Falls I saw a duet of autumn leaves and snow

I arrived early in the morning, and some forest roads were frozen

I photographed Akashiro no Kabe with a fisheye lens

Here are the main spots in Tomakomai to watch the first sunrise of the year 🌅
The sunrise is expected at 7:03 AM.
Please refrain from idling near private homes or any other behavior that might cause a nuisance.
● Roadside Station Utonai Lake
● Tarumae Shrine
● Midorigaoka Park Observatory ※Temporarily open from 11:00 PM on December 31 to 9:00 AM on January 1
● the beaches of Itoi and Tarumae
● Yufutsu Marina Waterfront Breakwater and others

Kamiichimachi, Toyama Prefecture – Mount Sengokujōyama

This spot is reachable by car via a forest road

Photographed from the forest road up Mount Sengokujōyama

The beautiful autumn leaves and the snow-capped Tsurugi-dake made a stunning sight

Kamiichimachi, Toyama Prefecture – Seseragi no Komichi

I walked from Seseragi no Komichi to near the check dam

Mt. Tsurugi was nearby, but clouds got in the way so I couldn’t see it clearly; I’ll get a better shot next time

Kurikara Fudoji Temple Nishinobo Hououden (Phoenix Hall), Tsubatamachi, Ishikawa Prefecture

Photographed the sunset from a hill during the autumn foliage
It was a beautiful view

Kurikara Fudoji Nishinobo Hououden, Tsubatamachi, Ishikawa Prefecture

I photographed the autumn leaves from a hilltop. Around sunset, a blanket of altocumulus clouds spread across the sky, creating a beautiful scene.

Akanko on December 28th!
Thanks to a sudden cold snap, the lake surface has frozen over considerably.
However... people still cannot go out onto the ice.
Even if you see footprints on the ice, under no circumstances should you step onto the lake ice.

Light-up Color Schedule for Nusamai Bridge — January, Reiwa 8 🌈//
Nusamai Bridge, a symbol of Kushiro City! From the bridge you can enjoy views of the Kushiro River and its mouth, Kushiro Port, and sunsets sinking into the Pacific Ocean.
The bridge is illuminated after sunset.
During local events and public observances, the lights change through a special 14-color sequence.
January light-ups🌈Please enjoy them.
*Nusamai Bridge is pronounced “Nusamai bashi.”*
Kushiro & Akan Official Tourism Site SUPER FANTASTIC
https://ja.kushiro-lakeakan.com/things_to_do/13397/
📍Kitaodori Street, Kushiro 1-1

Please visit Izu Shimoda Onsen in 2026 (^○^)

🌼 Shimoda Onsen Narcissus Festival
The flowers are expected to be at their best around mid-January ♬

After the narcissus,
🌸 Minamiizucho "Minami no Sakura and Rapeseed Blossom Festival"
🌸 Kawazu Town "Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival"

Both are about a 30-minute drive from Shimoda City.
Stay at Shimoda Onsen and enjoy the early spring flower relay ✨

Right now, JTB’s website is offering "discount coupons usable at Shimoda Onsen accommodations" (＼(^o^)／)

Right now, JTB’s website is distributing great discount coupons usable at Shimoda Onsen accommodations (＼(^o^)／)

No minimum fare required: 10% OFF ✨ (maximum discount 5,000 yen)

Limited quantity!
Take this chance to visit Shimoda Onsen ♨️

https://www.jtb.co.jp/kokunai-hotel/list/22219/?multiarea=22219&suggestkeyword=%E4%B8%8B%E7%94%B0%E5%B8%82&godate=&checkindate=&staynight=1&dateunspecified=1&roomassign=m2&room=1

We would like to inform you of the Saijo Tourism & Exchange Center’s opening hours during the New Year holidays.

December 31, 2025 (Wednesday) and January 1, 2026 (Thursday, national holiday): 9:00–16:00
On all other days: 9:00–18:00 (retail until 17:30) Open year-round

Please note that both the Shinji Sogo Memorial Museum and the Shikoku Railway Cultural Center on the same premises will be closed all day on the above two dates.


Thank you very much to everyone who visited us this year.
We look forward to your continued support next year.

Photographed on December 28, 2025.
This is a set from Tomori Shokudo featuring domestic chicken spice karaage and a bamboo shoot and taro gratin.
It also includes a hearty miso soup, steamed daikon with yuzu miso, simmered tamakonnyaku (ball-shaped konnyaku), and pickles—plenty to enjoy. 😊
On weekends, it’s best to make a reservation.

Photographed on December 28, 2025.
This is Chabudai-san’s morning dish.
It has been changed to a baked pot-au-feu.
I hear the ingredients are being sautéed. It has a sweet flavor.

Title: "Cute Pair"

A whole field
Of metasequoia
Leaves fallen
Two cute ones
Peeking out to play

Announcement of the illumination event 📣

"Sara Illumi" will be held in Sarabetsumura through Saturday, February 16, 2026 (planned) 😊
Lights are on from 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM.

A workshop for local residents shaped the designs, which are expressed with about 40,000 bulbs 🎵
Handmade village lights brighten the freezing winter nights with vivid color 🤗

https://www.sarabetsu.jp/sightseeing/event/illumination/