Photographed on January 3, 2014. This is the New Year floral temizu basin at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

These sparrows were photographed near Asahi Station when I went to Nagano to photograph the Nagano Electric Railway. They played together in a flock on the fluffy snow, their soft bodies so charming that I nearly forgot the cold.

Happy New Year from Gen at Shosenkyo Gorge. I look forward to your continued support this year. The 8th year of Reiwa has begun, and a week has already passed. The weather in Yamanashi’s Shosenkyo has been fine every day, with no snow, making for very pleasant days. Kanazakura Shrine, famous as the birthplace of crystal, has been welcoming visitors for New Year’s prayers from all over the country every day, creating a lively atmosphere. Kanazakura Shrine is also well known as a place to improve your financial luck. Why not pay a visit sometime? Gen has been open without a break since New Year’s Day on January 1st. We have also received a steady arrival of new power stones. If you have time, please feel free to drop by. All of our staff are sincerely looking forward to your visit.

Woody Winter School - Now Accepting Participants - Combine wooden parts and try making a fire truck 🚒 This is a woodworking class hosted by the Forest Museum “Mokumu”. You may come to Komu, The Museum of the Forest, and work at your own pace over about one month. Estimated work time is about 15 hours. If you work about four hours a day, you can expect to finish in four days. Duration: Thursday, February 5th – Sunday, March 1st Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays each week 10:00–16:00 ※Lunch break is from 12:00 to 13:00 Location: Woodworking Room, Komu, The Museum of the Forest, Nishiokoppe Village Participation Fee: 10,000 yen Residents: 5,000 yen ※Accommodation and meals are not included How to Apply: Please contact us by Sunday, February 1st. Forest Museum “Mokumu” 📞 0158-87-2600 Capacity is limited to five groups, so please apply early. - Forest Museum “Mokumu” - SASAKI Craft Exhibition Now On! - Winter opening hours: 10:00–16:30 Last admission accepted until 16:10 Admission Fee: High school and older: 500 yen 4th grade elementary to junior high: 300 yen Ages 3 to 3rd grade elementary: 100 yen Under 3 years old: Free #Forest Museum Mokumu #Woodworking Class #Woody School #Participants Wanted #Wooden Toys #Woodworking

📣 A chocolate seminar at Sakai Risho no Mori💕🍫 Presented by HIPPO to MOCA, a chocolate specialty shop in Sakai Ward, this seminar invites you to taste and compare chocolates while hearing stories—“A Chocolate Tasting and Talk: Learn to Tell the Differences.” You will enjoy both learning and tasting as the program includes accounts from a cacao farm, hands-on encounters with specialty beans, and a sampling of bonbon chocolates made with ingredients tied to Sakai. We look forward to your participation✨ 🔍 For details, search “A Chocolate Tasting and Talk.” https://sakai-rishounomori.com...

Photographed on January 3, 2014. This is the hanachozu (flower water basin) at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine. It looks festive and bright for the New Year.🎍✨

[TESHIKAGA 2025] I put together some footage of Teshikaga shot in 2025📸 Looking at it like this, Teshikaga’s four seasons are truly beautiful, aren’t they? To everyone spending 2026 in Teshikagacho and to all who continue to take an interest, we will keep sharing information, so thank you for your support🙇🩵

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 Ice Fishing Tournament” will be held on the dates below. Why not fully enjoy the charm of Lake Oketo in winter? We look forward to many applications! Date and time: Sunday, January 25, 2026 Registration: 8:00 AM–8:30 AM, Competition: 9:00 AM–11:00 AM Expected finish: 12:00 PM Participation fee: Oketo Town residents ¥3,000, non-residents ¥4,000, all junior high school students and under ¥1,500 (includes fishing venue cooperation fee, insurance, and a 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 close 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/...