Temple on a snowy day

Is this a great egret? It is releasing a small twig it grabbed along with a tiny fish. Today marks the start of March. The expected high is 11°C, and it looks set to be a warm, springlike day. (Image courtesy of Roadside Station Utonai Lake)

It’s getting warmer. Right now in Kyonan Town, the Yoritomo cherry blossoms (Kawazu-zakura) are in full bloom. The most beautiful cherry trees in town line the area around Lake Sakuma (the reservoir of Sakuma Dam) and along the Hota River. There is parking near Sakuma Dam, but it’s expected to be crowded, so please check the free parking information here.

23rd Arao Pear Blossom Genki Walk Saturday, March 29, 2025 The season of soft, joyful spring sunlight has arrived. Delicate white blossoms will bloom on Arao’s specialty pear trees. Would you like to walk through Arao’s spring scenery with us? We are pleased to announce an approximately 8-kilometer walking event that starts at Arao City Mall and goes to Mizuno Park and back. After the walk, we will hold a raffle with luxurious prizes, including gift certificates usable at Youme Town and a delivery of 3 kg of Arao pears this autumn. Event Date Saturday, March 29, 2025 (Reiwa 7) 9:00 AM–1:00 PM ※Held in light rain; canceled in severe weather Registration: 8:30 AM–9:30 AM Opening Ceremony: 9:30 AM Start: Mass start immediately after the opening ceremony Final Goal: 12:30 PM Course Start/Goal: Youme Town City Mall Parking Lot A Turnaround: Mizuno Park Eligibility Those who are confident in their physical fitness Elementary school students and younger must be accompanied by a guardian How to Apply ♦ Application Period From 8:00 AM on Saturday, February 1, 2025 (Reiwa 7) to 5:00 PM on Friday, March 14, 2025 (Reiwa 7) ♦ Application Method Online application form Search for “Arao Pear Blossom Genki Walk” Contact Arao Pear Blossom Genki Walk Executive Committee (Arao City Tourism, Culture and Exchange Division, Tourism Promotion Office) TEL 0968-63-1421 Participation Fee 500 yen (elementary school age and older) Competition Rules The event is conducted by walking the designated course. Participants must travel on foot only; bicycles, cars, and similar vehicles are not permitted. ※In the event of injuries to participants, first aid and coverage within the organizer’s insurance will be provided; other liabilities will not be assumed. Organizer: Arao Pear Blossom Genki Walk Executive Committee (Secretariat: Arao City Tourism, Culture and Exchange Division) Supported by: Tamana Agricultural Cooperative (JA Tamana); Arao City Tourism Association (general incorporated association) Cooperation: JA Tamana Arao Pear Section; Youme Town City Mall; Greenland; Yakiniku Nulbon Garden

Today, I attended the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine Monthly Festival.

We are currently Held in the Events of Hina Festival at three facilities in Yamato City. [3 Joint Project Exhibition Hina Festival in an Kominka House] ・Tsurumai no Sato Historical Materials Museum ・Shimotsuruma Hometown Museum ・Township Folk House Garden At each facility, you can enjoy the Hina Festival while enjoying the location of the kominka. There is also an exhibition of colorful hanging chicks and chirimen crafts, and you can meet various dolls. This Events is Held in until Sunday, March 9th. https://www.city.yamato.lg.jp/gyosei/bunka_sports/bunka_geijutsu/rekishi_bunkazai/11825.html...

Nanahata Road 2025 Held in until Sunday, March 9 20 minutes walk from Awa Kamogawa Station Picking rape flowers is 200 yen for 10 bottles It gets crowded on Saturdays and Sundays, so please Use the Kamogawa City office parking lot (free) Car Car

At the Yamato City Cultural Creation Base Point Sirius, where the Yamato City Events and Tourism Association is located, hina dolls are displayed until Monday, March 3. It is a very splendid seven-step Japanese dolls decorated in 30 tiers. When I was a child, I thought the faces of Japan dolls were kind of scary, but when I look at them like this as an Adult, I feel their beauty and cuteness. It's strange, isn't it?

Photographed on 2/23/25. This is Hanachozu from Koedo Kurato.

Demonstration against Shinzo Abe's state funeral

Scenery of Someday

Ise no Tsukijo!! Local castles and the moon were photographed with a super telephoto.

It was a snowfall that happened once a year #Kyoto City #Toji Temple #Five-story pagoda

I came to Toyama for sightseeing, but unfortunately it snowed If it's snowing, you can't just go out to see the snowy scenery, so you can walk from the hotel to the Takaoka Great Buddha On a snowy night, while no one was around, the Light up Takaoka Great Buddha was quite handsome.

The 17th Spring Maki Uma Festival ~Town Revitalization at National Historic Site~ (Tokkome Cherry Blossom Festival) Exhibition on the history of Maki, guided tour, horse riding corner (elementary school students and younger, capacity available), quiz rally, Stamp rally, horse-related games, let's draw horse pictures, can badge making corner, etc. Light snacks are sold at stalls by neighborhood associations and shop associations, and bafunmanju, wild horse cookies, wild horse catching, and Original goods are sold at "Tokkome-kun's shop" * We have prepared various events that many people from children to the elderly can enjoy. * Thereare the contents are subject to change without notice. < dates> 2025 (Reiwa 7) April 5 (Sat) 11:00~15:00 < venue> (1) Kaigara-yama Park (Hatsutomi Honmachi 2-22) (2) National Historic Site Shimousa Kogane Nakano Maki Site / Capture (Higashi-Nakazawa 2-1) [Culture and Sports Division]

Notice: Ooyama Cable Car Service Suspension Due to wire rope replacement, the cable car will be suspended for three days from Monday, March 12, 2025 to Friday, March 14, 2025. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and cooperation. Ooyama Kanko Densha Official Website https://www.ooyama-cable.co.jp/unkyu202303-copy.html...

[Oyama-dera Five-Platform Goma 2025] At Oyama-dera, on the grand festival day of February 28, the only Five-Platform Goma ascetic ritual in Japan was performed. The sacred flames rose together on five goma platforms as prayers for the worshippers’ wishes were ritually empowered.✨ The crackling fire, the chanting sutras, and the pounding taiko drums combined into a breathtaking prayer service that left everyone holding their breath in awe…! The solemn flames🔥 and the otherworldly scene woven by sutra recitation and drumbeats felt like a cleansing for the heart! [Notice of Reopening of Mount Oyama Public Toilet on February 28, 2025] The Mount Oyama public toilet, which had been closed due to pipe damage from freezing, has now reopened.

At Bibai Snowland @bibai_snowland, which is visit by many foreign visitors to Japan, we will Held in a sales event for companies in the city. Stalls of 14 companies have been decided this time. Please come and visit us on the day. Date & Time: Thursday, March 6, 2025 11:00~15:00 Location: Bibai Snow Land Organizer: Bibai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bibai Tourism and Products Association List of Stalls (in no particular order, honorifics omitted) Handmade Miscellaneous Goods / Dressing Hoshina Grill Stand, Key Chain / Doo Metal Yezo deer BBQ, Ghibier Ramen / Mt.inc Soap Loading Experience / Kyowa Automobile Maintenance Factory Reishi Products / Hokkaido Reishi Cheese Huttok / Sunflower Petit Gifts, Sashes / medokistore Puzzle French fries, croquettes / asombroso.hokkaido Sample Products, Candy / Bibai Automobile School Okonomiyaki / Teppanyaki Izakaya Konkon Lamb Menchi / Iishuya Boono Plush / ZOO Planning Bibai Yakitori / Daigo

★Lake Suwa / Kami-Suwa Onsen — A Ryokan with Delicious Food: Hama no Yu ※Kami-Suwa Onsen: The Yutama Legend At Kami-Suwa Onsen there is a “Yutama” legend that says the goddess of Suwa Taisha was carrying bathwater for her makeup on cotton as she moved from the Upper Shrine (Kamisha) to the Lower Shrine (Shimosha). Some of that water fell along the way and formed the hot spring known as Yutama. Now, in this cold season don’t we all want to soak in a warm onsen? Food lover Kasai turns into “steam-emitting Kasai” when he sweats in winter, with steam rising from his head, haha. Lately I’ve actually gotten hooked on onsens! First, I’d like to introduce the local Kami-Suwa Onsen!!! For the first feature, we received cooperation from Hama no Yu!!! Above all, Hama no Yu’s baths let you enjoy the garden view, and their baths are made from the now-rare black granite. And the ultimate feature is their heat retention!!! This heat retention is one of their strongest points in the whole country!!! Please stay with them and enjoy their baths, which are available 24 hours a day!!! • Men’s Bath There are four baths: a black granite bath, a cypress bath (bubble bath), a rock open-air bath, and a herbal bath. Men can relax and recover from fatigue in the herbal bath♨. A dry sauna and cold plunge are available. The large public bath is open 24 hours! • Women’s Bath There are four baths: a black granite bath, a cypress bath (bubble bath), a rock open-air bath, and a lavender bath. In the women’s bath you can especially enjoy the lavender bath♨, with its delightful fragrance and excellent relaxing effect. A mist sauna and cold plunge are available. The large public bath and the lavender bath are open 24 hours! ☆ Private Bath “Asa no Yu” A private bath is available where families can soak together in private, so if you have small children you can enjoy the onsen without worry, just like at home♨. Fee: 45 minutes / 2,200 yen (tax included) • Source: Nanatsugama Source (a mixed spring of Shin-Mitsugama No.1 source, Shin-Mitsugama No.2 source, Ayame source, and Yanaginami source) • Water Quality: Simple sulfur spring (weakly alkaline, hypotonic, high-temperature spring) • Indications: Neuralgia / Muscle pain / Joint pain / Frozen shoulder / Motor paralysis / Joint stiffness / Bruises / Sprains / Chronic digestive diseases / Hemorrhoids / Sensitivity to cold / Convalescence / Recovery from fatigue / Health promotion Everyone, please consider staying at Hama no Yu to enjoy this proud onsen and the ryokan’s pride—its delicious meals!!! https://www.hamanoyu.co.jp//

The 14th Teshikaga Photo Contest Winning Entries 4/5 The Teshikaga Photo Contest celebrates its 14th year this time. While recent years have favored digital submissions and entries via social media, the Teshikaga Photo Contest follows a classic format, judging printed works. For this edition, we invited Takeshi Mizukoshi, an internationally known mountain photographer who lives in Teshikagacho, to serve as a special juror. For the 14th contest, we accepted entries from November 1, 2024, to December 25, 2024, across four categories: Starry Skies, Sea of Clouds, Activities (Experiences), and Open. From 154 submissions, 20 works won awards! Today we present five Special Prize winners. Congratulations! 🎊 The final installment will appear in the next post. Stay tuned📸♪ ✴︎Special Prize✴︎ “Morning Awakening, In the Calm” Hazuki Yamada “As in Ancient Times” Masao Kainuma “A Night of Complete Ice Cover” Masaru Murakami “Nature’s Vitality” Tadashi Takeda “Charge” Toshikazu Yanagihori

Photographed on 2/23/25. This is Hanachozu from Koedo Kurasato.

🍵 Matcha experience with a golden tea bowl (seated tea ceremony)🍡 Enjoy matcha served in a golden tea bowl while seated, along with Sakai wagashi (fresh Japanese confections)✨ 📢 “Untie the Knot, Sakai: Delving into Sakai’s Mysteries 2025”🎉 🗓️ Saturday, March 22 and Sunday, March 23 📍 Sakai Rishō no Mori — reservations open from Saturday, March 1! 🔍 For details, please check the announcements on the Sakai Tourism Guide website 📬 Apply: via the Sakai Rishō no Mori reservation site 📞 Inquiries: 072-260-4386

🧵Unraveling the Mystery of the Tea Room – Hideyoshi’s Golden Tea Room and Rikyu’s Taian Sen no Rikyu, born in Sakai, perfected the tea ceremony culture 🍵 This event focuses on the tea room and features a special lecture by a curator along with an exhibition-guided tour visiting two tea rooms ✨ 📢“Untie the Cord: Exploring Sakai’s Mysteries 2025” 🎉 🗓️ Saturday, March 22 and Sunday, March 23 📍Sakai Risho no Mori; reservations open from Saturday, March 1! 🔍For details, please check the announcement on the Sakai Tourism Guide website 📬Apply via the Sakai Risho no Mori reservation site 📞Inquiries: 072-260-4386

🌷Manda Pit Spring Festa 2025🌷 Delicious gourmet food, handmade goods, and food trucks! Also featuring “Manda Elementary Kids Guide” collaboration: Challenge from Manda Pit ver.3! For details, please visit the Arao City Tourism Association website 💁‍♀️ ◆Date and Time Sunday, March 9, 2025 10:00–15:00 ※Event will proceed in light rain ◆Location Manda Pit Lawn Plaza, 200-2 Haramanda, Arao City Free admission! ※The paid area of Manda Pit remains charged as usual. ◆Program ・Petting zoo ・Challenge from Manda Pit ver.3 (quiz rally) ・Bubble Time (teambub) ・Gymnastics workshop by acrobat performance team VIVO ・Gourmet and craft market with over 30 vendors ◆Organizer Manda Pit Station @akane.0604k93 #Kumamoto Prefecture #Arao #Event #Spring Festa #Manda Pit #Gourmet #Food truck #Crafts #Handmade #Zoo #Petting zoo #Quiz rally #Challenge from Manda Pit #Tamana #Omuta #Nagasu #World Cultural Heritage #World Heritage

Photographed 2/28/25. CAFE ANDON's Cafe Latte and Foret Noir (French: Black Forest). It is a winter cake with cocoa sponge sandwiched between fresh cream and cherry jam. It also goes well with a latte. Of course, it is very tasty. It seems to be until today.

Iwamotoyama Park (Shizuoka) Located in the southwestern part of the city Elevation the Nature Park is a Use of a hilly area of more than 193 meters. In addition to the Lawn square, Ume Plum garden, and Nature observation Zone, Hiking Course are also Maintenance in the park, and from the Observation decks you can see the Fuji River to the west, the Izu Peninsula from the oceanic Suruga Bay to the south, and Fuji to the north, and you can Unfolds the best view of the East Sea. Especially in early Spring, about 300 Ume Plums bloom, making it an excellent photo point for "Mt. Fuji and Ume Plums". Famous as a superb view point for night views, you can see a beautiful illumination from Fuji City to Shimizu Port. Famous cafes are also located in the park, where you can eat fluffy pancakes.

Half of a snail Vacant house in Escargot

Try pushing a snowball or dancing next to it Louis was 👍 full of energy without worrying about the cold

Photographed on February 27: The plums at Atami Plum Garden are still largely in full bloom! Atami Plum Garden Plum Album https://www.ataminews.gr.jp/features/46... The 81st Atami Plum Garden Plum Festival https://www.ataminews.gr.jp/event/355...

"The 20th Rose Festival" has been decided to ♪ be held in Held in period: 5/24 (Sat) ~ 6/8 (Sun) Opening hours: 9 a.m. ~ 4:30 p.m. (Saturdays and Sundays from 8:30 a.m.) During the period, in addition to selling products related to the town Specialty products and roses, we are also planning to sell seedlings of the Sakaki Town Original rose "Oyster no Hikari" on Saturdays and Sundays only. Events, etc., will be announced as soon as the details are decided. Please ★ look forward to the Shinshu Oyster roses