Toyamago Frost Month Festival Yudate kagura performed in the 11th month of the lunar calendar (Frost Month). It is thought to be a ritual that invites the gods from across the country around the winter solstice, when daytime is shortest and life force weakens, to welcome them with hot water and pray for the revival of the sun and life. ◆Schedule and details for the Frost Month Festival Toyamago Tourism Association Tel: 0260-34-1071 *Please also check the official website.

⋆⸜ ⭐️<Daisen Park Japanese Garden> Wa Light Nights ⭐️ ⸝⋆ 【Special Winter Night Opening】💫 On winter nights, a serene and beautiful Japanese garden comes alive, bathed in traditional Japanese light. Leave everyday life behind and spend a warm, glowing moment with someone special ✨😊♡⃛ < Japanese Garden in Daisen Park > 🔶Event Period ・ Saturday, December 20 to Sunday, December 21 ・ Wednesday, December 24 to Thursday, December 25 ・ 5:00 PM–8:00 PM (last admission 7:30 PM) 🔍For details, search “Daisen Park Japanese Garden Special Winter Night Opening”! https://www.daisenteien.jp/event/tw2wj5c1lke1...

⋆⸜❄Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko Winter Mini Concert❄⸝⋆ Enjoy choir, piano, and string performances in the free zone's Tourist Information Exhibition Room♪🎀 [Same-day events] ※Reservation required ☆ Risho Cafe vol.2 opens in the hall, serving special sweets like chocolates and cakes🍰 ☆ A workshop to make a displayable Christmas handkerchief featuring the "Chasen Tree" pattern will also be held☆🎄 ⭐Sunday, December 14 — 11:00 to 16:00 📍Please come to Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko ( @rishonomori )♪😊 🔍For details, search "Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko Concert"! 🔗 https://sakai-rishonomori.com/pages/103?detail=1&b_id=574......

Hakodate's port at night. This beautiful night view gives the impression of a glittering cityscape, but the streets of Hakodate are not so bustling at night, and it has a peaceful charm. Of course, the real "star" of the show in Hakodate is not the port, but the Goryokaku. It feels incredible to find an advanced iteration of the the European star forts perfected under Vauban appearing unexpectedly in northern Japan. Fascinating history!

As soon as winter arrives, a box of tangerines always appears in a corner of the living room. That five-kilogram box is usually eaten down to the last fruit by my family in less than a week. Datun Mountain in my hometown of Beitou District produces plenty of ponkan. Though the skin is thicker, the flesh is full and the sweet-tart balance makes them an essential offering during Lunar New Year rites. By contrast, Japanese mikan are small and charming, especially the SS size that you can pop into your mouth whole. I often realize, to my surprise, that I’ve already eaten more than ten. But my favorite is Obara Beniwase from Kagawa Prefecture. Its flavor closely resembles Beitou’s ponkan, with a perfectly balanced sweet and tartness that never grows tiresome. Both the peel and flesh of Obara Beniwase are deeper and redder than those of ordinary tangerines, and it is said to be the most vividly red citrus in Japan. The top grade is called Sanuki Beni, with sweetness over 12.5, followed by the excellent Kintoki Beni, with sweetness above 11.5. Sakaide City in Kagawa Prefecture is the main growing area for Obara Beniwase. Once, when I visited Shiramineji Temple, the 81st site on the Shikoku Pilgrimage, I stopped at an orchard at the foot of the mountain to pick tangerines. Looking at those glossy red-orange fruits in the sunlight awakened my appetite, and I ate several dozen at once, then brought home a large bag to enjoy slowly. Perhaps because of all that, the box of tangerines that inevitably appears in a corner of my home each winter is more than a seasonal symbol; it is a small warmth in my heart that bridges Taiwan and Japan and ties together memories and flavor.

Illuminations are lit at JR Miemachi Station ❚ Held from December 5, 2025 to January 31, 2026 Illuminations are on display at JR Miemachi Station in Mie-machi, Bungo-ono City, Oita Prefecture, organized by the Mie Branch of Bungo-ono City Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The lights glitter and lend a festive glow to Miemachi Station. Why not visit Miemachi Station this winter? Date and Time: Friday, December 5, 2025–Saturday, January 31, 2026 Location: JR Miemachi Station (2930 Akamine, Mie-machi, Bungo-ono City, Oita Prefecture) Lighting Hours: 5:00 PM–1:00 AM (next day) ■■■ Access from places such as Fukuoka and Kumamoto to central Bungo-ono City ■■■ About a 3-hour drive from JR Hakata Station, Fukuoka Prefecture About a 2-hour drive from JR Kumamoto Station, Kumamoto Prefecture About a 1 hour 20 minute drive from JR Beppu Station, Oita Prefecture About a 1 hour 20 minute drive from JR Yufuin Station, Oita Prefecture ■■■■■■■■■■■■ Introducing tourism and recommended spots in Kyushu, Bungo-ono City, Oita Prefecture ■■■■■■■■■■■■

2026 Ice and Snow Lantern Festival This enchanting event fills winter nights along Kiso Road with the warm glow of ice candles and bamboo lanterns handcrafted by local residents. Held at post towns and other venues across the Kiso area, it usually runs from late January through mid-February each year. A photo contest will also be held. We look forward to many entries! For details, please see the Kiso Tourism Federation website.

Photographed on December 3, 2013. This is the Tori-no-ichi fair at Kawagoe Kumano Shrine. A kumade decorated with beckoning cat charms that looks auspicious.

This year, various spots around Sakai City are once again brightened with illuminations✨ This time, we're featuring the illuminations at Sakai Risho-no-Mori! 👀 Don't miss its nighttime appearance♪ 🌟 "Sakai Risho-no-Mori Illuminations" ⛄ 📅 Period: Tuesday, November 18, 2025 – Monday, February 16, 2026 🎄 Lighting hours: 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM 📍 Location: In front of the main entrance of Sakai Risho-no-Mori (2-1-1 Shukuincho-nishi, Sakai-ku, Sakai) 📞 Contact: Sakai Risho-no-Mori (tel: 072-260-4386)

Window Art at Kamu On display until around noon on Friday, December 26th! 📍Roadside Station Nishiokoppe Kamu Throughout December, the windows inside the facility are filled with drawings.🖍 With a Christmas and sweets theme, children from the nursery, elementary and junior high students, and adults have decorated the windows. The windows beside the karakuri organ feature impressive works by five villagers! We hope you enjoy seeing how each piece combines Christmas and sweets. #Nishiokoppe Village #Hokkaido #window art #Roadside Station #Kamu #winter #Christmas #sweets #drawing

Enjoy a sparkling winter night! Introducing illumination events around Nagano City✨ Nagano Forest Village Decorated largely with natural materials, it offers a warm, gentle, and otherworldly atmosphere. "Forest Plays Christmas 2025" Period: Friday, November 21 to Thursday, December 25, 2025 Lighting hours: 4:00 PM–9:00 PM *Please see the official website for details* Zenkoji Omotesando Illumination Zenkoji Omotesando and the area in front of Nagano Station will glow with magical illumination✨ Period: Saturday, November 15, 2025 to Monday, February 23, 2026 *The Christmas tree will be on display until Thursday, December 25, 2025.* Lighting hours: 5:00 PM–10:00 PM Venue: Zenkoji Omotesando (Nagano Station Intersection to Zenkoji Intersection) *Please see the official website for details* #Illumination #Nagano City events #Nagano City #Nagano Prefecture #Nagano Sightseeing #Nagano Travel #Nagano #Nagano City

Hiroshima Prefecture Shobara City's top spots for food and shopping! Blessed with vast land, Shobara offers farm-to-table gourmet delights. Surrounded by rich nature and marked by big temperature swings, Shobara is a treasure trove of delicious ingredients. As one of the prefecture's largest agricultural towns, it is home to the nationally acclaimed wagyu brand Hiba Beef 🥩, a specialty unique to Shobara. From these local ingredients come indulgent and exceptionally tasty treats. Be sure to try the exclusive specialties you can only taste in Shobara. For more details, visit the Shobara Tourism Navigation website 🔽 https://www.shobara-info.com/spot/4014...

I took this photo at Ritsurin Park during the autumn foliage season. A building appears across the pond, and a maple with red leaves fills the foreground, giving a strong sense of depth, so I pressed the shutter. It was a calming scene that warmed my heart. This fall I hardly got to capture autumn because of university exams and assignments, plus driving school, so Ritsurin Park was the only place I visited. It's an incredibly fun spot, though. I’m hoping to visit many different places next year.

I visited Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamon-do in Hiraizumicho, Iwate Prefecture. The vermilion of the autumn leaves wrapped the temple grounds, and the quiet surface of the water gently reflected the season—what a lovely place☺️

I photographed the swirling fallen leaves collecting in the plunge pool at Ichinotaki Falls in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture. I was moved by this scene that you can only see through the lens of a camera ☺️

An aerial composition of the four-season cherry blossoms along the Tashiro River in Obara Village. Obara Village, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture December 2025

Winter break travel to Akanko! ⁡ Akanko dedicated booking site & Marimo Pay As an opening commemorative campaign While Marimo Pay normally offers up to 5% points back we are offering an incredible 10% back for stays during the campaign period!!!! ⁡ With Christmas, New Year and other events packed into winter break why not spend it at Akanko?? ⁡ Book from the link in our profile!! https://lake-akan.com/marimopay/...

Akanko Winter Illumination Giveaway Campaign!! Today between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM Post a photo of the illumination on any social media and show your post to the tourism association counter staff to receive an immediate prize by lottery♪ We do not require any specific hashtag for social media posts, but if you would like to add one, please use #Akanko Marimo Gate .

Today, December 8, is "Rice Day" 🍚✨ Satoyama no Yume, a branded rice from Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture, won first place in the "Osaka Residents’ Most Delicious Rice Contest" and is a carefully selected rice with a taste score of 80 or higher. By creating a branded rice, Satoyama no Yume aims to build an environment where young people can take up farming with hope, contribute to agriculture and regional development, and bring dreams and aspirations to the community. This rice packs the dreams of satoyama farmers. To promote circular agriculture by reusing bamboo that damages farmland, farmers spent years experimenting to achieve this proud flavor. They cut bamboo into powder, ferment it for use as fertilizer, and use oyster shells—Hiroshima Prefecture’s specialty—to replenish soil minerals. These practices contribute not only to great taste but also to building a sustainable society that cares for the environment. (Rice Day falls on the 8th, 18th, and 28th of every month.) 1) [Shobara Satoyama no Yume Farm] New crop: Shobara branded rice Satoyama no Yume Set of 3 × 1 kg 6,800 yen (shipping and tax included) Product here 🔽 https://ec.satoyamaselect.jp/view/item/000000000034?category_page_id=ct45... 2) [Shobara Satoyama no Yume Farm] New crop: Shobara branded rice Satoyama no Yume Premium Set of 3 × 1 kg 7,500 yen (shipping and tax included) Product here 🔽 https://ec.satoyamaselect.jp/view/item/000000000005?category_page_id=ct45...

December 7th Azumino greeted a below-freezing morning The sendangusa, known locally in Nagano as "baka", was frosted by the river mist that formed in the early morning The frost will melt as the sun rises In the distance, the landscape of the Northern Alps

December 6th Azumino Cold Moon The full moon sinks behind the Northern Alps A December morning turned bitterly cold.

December 6th Good morning This morning in Azumino the sky is a crisply clear blue The summit of Mount Nagamine is minus 5 degrees… It’s a very cold morning, but the full moon, the alpenglow on the Northern Alps, and the sea of clouds together make an amazing sight!!

Photographed on December 3, Heisei 25. This is the Tori-no-Ichi fair at Kawagoe Kumano Shrine. Here is a kumade decorated for the Year of the Horse, the zodiac sign for next year. 🐎

“Midwinter!” Yamabiko Falls Viewing Event—Applications open from Monday, December 8th! Experience the winter form of Yamabiko Falls, a sight shaped by nature—see it for yourself. Event dates: Sunday, January 18th, 2026 (Application deadline: January 8th) Sunday, February 8th, 2026 (Application deadline: January 30th) Eligibility: Elementary school students and older (Each day limited to 30 participants; minimum number to hold the event: 5) *Elementary school students must be accompanied by a guardian* Participation fee: Adults 600 yen; elementary, junior high, and high school students 300 yen How to apply: Use the QR code on the flyer (Applications by email, fax, or phone are also accepted) Inquiries: Engaru Town Board of Education Maruseppu Education Center TEL 0158-47-2456 FAX 0158-47-3817 e-mail m-kyoui@engaru.jp We hope you’ll join us♪

This is Mount Fuji in early winter. Silver grass sways in the wind.

The ginkgo tree-lined avenue in front of our Ekimae station is magnificent. It was a late-autumn day.

This photo was taken at Ritsurin Garden in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture when the autumn leaves were at their peak. The crimson maple branches spread over the water like a cloak, and I captured the moment a sightseeing boat slowly passed through. Seeing the autumn colors reflected on the calm surface and the peaceful expressions of the passengers, I felt the gentle passage of the changing season. It was my second visit to Ritsurin Garden, and I was surprised to find that the scenery had changed dramatically since my first visit—two hours had passed before I knew it. I enjoyed seeing so many different scenes. Ritsurin Garden, where time drifts by in a tranquil space, felt so comfortable that I wanted to return.

Photographed on December 3, 2025. This is the Tori-no-Ichi fair at Kawagoe Kumano Shrine.

The autumn leaves at Shinnyodo Temple in Kyoto were more beautiful than I expected, and I really enjoyed them.