🍁 Shosenkyo Gorge’s autumn leaves are at their best! Come visit Shosenkyo as fall deepens! 🍁 A message from Shosenkyo Tourist Association’s mascot, Shosenkyatto ✨ The gorge has been cooling down, and the foliage is coloring up nicely. It stayed warm for a while this year, so the colors were delayed, but they’re looking great now—please come see them! I’m sending photos I took today for reference 😀 Expect crowds on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. If you’re driving, arrive early to secure parking 🚗 Use the city or prefectural lots or free parking areas. If you use a shop’s parking, be sure to check the usage rules ☝️ Mornings and evenings are getting chilly, so don’t forget warm clothing, okay?? Below are the names of the spots in the photos—please visit them 😄 1. Kakuen Peak 2. Senga Falls 3. From Shosenkyo Bridge 4. Crystal Fountain 5. Osada Enyuemon's Monument 6. From Nagatoro Bridge 7. Ishimon 8. Ai no Kakehashi 9. Arakawa Dam 10. Arakawa Dam See you at Shosenkyo! 😆

Autumn Scenery in Nagawacho Mountains in the Wada area, Nagawa Town, and scenes from Nagakubo-juku. These are the autumn leaves you should see and feel in person at the spot. The Wada area has two campsites. Camping here in autumn feels especially wonderful 🍂⛺!! Miyashita Hills Auto Campsite http://www.miyashitahills.jp// TEL 0268-88-2915 Akakura no Mori Auto Camping Ground https://akakuranomori.sakura.ne.jp// TEL 0268-88-3126 Nakasendo Wada-shuku and Nagakubo-juku are particularly charming at this time of year. Please come and visit 😊❤️

Kakurogaki Making Diary 4 ✨ They are gradually starting to look like dried persimmons 😀 This is my first time making them so I don't know the timing for the next step I'm asking someone who lists kakurogaki through the hometown tax program 😅

Northern Alps, MtJonen and the Great Ginkgo The bright yellow ginkgo leaves stood out against Azumino’s clear blue sky!! You can see it as you drive up to the Central Entrance Parking of National Alps Azumino Park, Horigane-Hotaka Area.

November 9th The Bell Ringing Hill Assembly Hall in Azumino is a historic building that served as the setting for the NHK radio drama "The Bell Ringing Hill." The autumn leaves were just at their peak!

Enjoy great value gourmet treats with the Zenkoji Omotesando Tasting Ticket✨ 1. “Nori-wrapped Yaki-musubi” Suyakame Zenkoji Store Suyakame Zenkoji Store sits just past the Zenkoji Niomon Gate at the start of the cobbled Nakamise-dori Street. Their freshly grilled rice balls wrapped in nori and their miso soft-serve pair perfectly with a stroll around the temple approach. Phone: 026-237-2239 Hours: 9:00–17:00 Closed: Wednesday 2. “Handmade Oyaki” Maruhachi Takiya The first floor offers many original souvenirs, and the second floor serves hand-cut soba made from locally milled flour. A parking lot that fits 13 large buses makes this a good stop for groups. Phone: 026-232-4424 Hours: 9:00–17:00 Closed: None (closed occasionally) 3. “Two Steamed Oyaki” Ogawanosho Daimon branch You can enjoy regional oyaki and roasted soba tea by a rustic irori hearth, a sight that’s becoming rarer. The dishes highlight the natural flavors of local ingredients—the taste of Nagano home cooking. Phone: 026-232-5786 Hours: 9:00–17:00 (irori open 10:00–15:00) Closed: Wednesday (subject to change) Zenkoji Tasting Ticket This value ticket lets you choose and purchase items from 19 shops, including Nagano specialties and sweets! ✨How to use✨ 1. Buy a ticket (700 yen each, tax included) 2. Redeem the sticker coupons on the ticket at listed shops (five 100-yen stickers and four 50-yen stickers) for products 3. Exchange the used ticket for a prize (receive an original bag!) The ticket is cheaper than buying items individually and lets you sample tastes from various shops—perfect for a food stroll✨ For more details, visit the Nagano Convention & Visitors Bureau HP. #Tasting walk #Oyaki #Gourmet #Nagano City #Nagano Prefecture #Nagano tourism #Nagano travel #nagano #naganocity

As November brings a gradual chill, the Imajo hung persimmon season arrives! Each Imajo hung persimmon is made entirely by hand. These hung persimmons from Minami-Echizen Town are distinct because they are smoked. The added smoky aroma gives them a unique flavor that pairs beautifully with alcohol.

Kiso is now at peak autumn color, and the scenery is truly beautiful. The mountains and roadside trees have turned vivid reds and yellows, creating landscapes that look like paintings. Be sure to experience this seasonal natural beauty while it lasts.

Fujikawa Town today📷✨ Here is Fujikawa Town from Yakumoike Park today😊 The autumn leaves are starting to change color (photo taken on October 30) You can relax and spend a quiet time here✨

On October 25, 202, Okusuzuhana Nature Garden in Kinasa, Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture A valley stretched from the far end of the park toward Myoko and Kurohime. The entire forest was painted in autumn colors and it was breathtaking. I enjoyed the beautiful fall foliage again this year. This place is a hidden gem!

How about a drive to the Echizen Coast with everyone? 🚙 I especially recommend the sunset viewed from the coastal road. It’s nice to share summer memories while watching the sunset.

Thanks to everyone’s support, donations have surpassed ¥1,000,000 (including town office contributions). The donation period runs until December 18, and our goal is ¥4,392,000. We appreciate your continued support! We would be grateful for your replies so more people will join us—please reply if you can! 🙏

Yuzu Picking Volunteers Wanted! We are recruiting yuzu picking volunteers in Fujikawa Town, Yamanashi Prefecture, one of the leading yuzu-producing areas in the Kanto region. Come and try it for yourself!

Panoramic view from the summit of Mount Nagamine The chilly Azumino valley lies under a sea of clouds, with the Northern Alps towering beyond You can only see a scene like this on an Azumino morning!

Azumino Full Moon This is the Harvest Moon setting behind the Northern Alps On cold mornings a sea of clouds spreads below, and the view of the Northern Alps from Mount Nagamine is spectacular!!

Shiojiri-juku Location: Shiojiri City, Shiojirimachi The old Nakasendo route that crossed Misawa Pass, Ono-juku and Ushikubi Pass from Shimosuwa-shuku was abolished in 1613 (Keichō 18). From 1614 (Keichō 19) the Nakasendo was rerouted via Shiojiri Pass and the new Shiojiri-juku was established. The town layout work was overseen by Ogasawara Hidemasa, lord of Matsumoto Domain. He laid out the new Shiojiri-juku in an east–west plan southwest of the old post town. The honjin was one of the largest on the Nakasendo, and the post town also featured a noticeboard area and a Matsumoto Domain checkpoint. Plots in the post town were typically three to four ken wide. By 1843 (Tenpō 14) the town had 166 households, including 75 inns — the largest number among the 26 post towns of Shinshu, due to its position at a road junction below Shiojiri Pass. Major fires in 1828 (Bunsei 11) and 1882 (Meiji 15) destroyed much of the town, but the Ono family house, a National Important Cultural Property, still evokes the town’s former appearance.

Why not try Koubai-eki (紅梅液) during the hot season? Takano Shoten (高野商店), which produces Koubai-eki, is a long-established store in the Imajo district dating back to the Edo period. It's the syrup that forms during the production of their popular sweet-syrup ume paste, and amazingly the only ingredients are plums and sugar! Ume is known to help relieve tiredness and guard against summer heat fatigue, making it a good choice in hot weather.

Nobeyama Highlands Today This morning the lowest temperature at Nobeyama Highlands was -7.0°C, the third coldest in the country. The sky has been clear since dawn, showcasing full Yatsugatake blue. Yatsugatake received its first snowfall of the season over this three-day weekend. The maple trees in front of Nobeyama Station are in peak autumn color, and along Route 141 through the village the yellow foliage is at its height.

Azumino was pleasantly warm, but a sudden passing shower arrived… When I looked up at the sky, there was a double rainbow

In Kono in Minami-Echizen Town, a summer fireworks festival is held every year. The dynamic sound that reverberates off the mountains is breathtaking!

You should definitely see the flowers on rainy days at Seumo Park! It is the droplets that have gathered on the lotus leaves. Lotus leaves are highly water-repellent, so they collect water neatly. The rainwater floating on the lotus leaves sparkles like a work of art.

From Saturday, October 18, the Wakasa Kuniyoshi Castle History Museum presents Castle Collection 2025 – Autumn: Colors of the Castle. Across Japan, surviving tenshu (main keeps) and reconstructed tenshu serve as castle symbols. At castles without a tenshu, yagura (watchtowers) and gates mark their identity. Enjoy various “castle forms” from papercraft and plastic models to figures and confectionery boxes. Castle Collection 2025 – Autumn: Colors of the Castle Exhibition period: Saturday, October 18, 2025 – Thursday, December 26, 2025 Note: November 15 and 16 are Kansai Culture Days, when admission is free. Venue: Learning Room and Entrance Hall, Wakasa Kuniyoshi Castle History Museum Opening hours: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM (through the end of November) 10:00 AM–4:30 PM (December onward) Closed: Every Monday (if a public holiday, closed the following day) 25-2 Sakaki, Mihama Town, Mikata District, Fukui Prefecture Phone: 0770-32-0050 Admission: Adults 100 yen, children 50 yen (junior high school age and younger) Group discount applies for groups of 20 or more.

Autumn colors in the satoyama and the JR Shinonoi Line The countryside of Azumino is beginning to show its colors.

Autumn colors of the Northern Alps viewed from near the No. 2 parking area at the Mitsumata trailhead Is that Choyari standing sharply in the distance…? The mountainside foliage was at its peak!!

Mayumi Pond in Fall Colors This pond lies along the Karasu River forest road heading to the Mitsumata trailhead Its name preserves the old name for Mt. Jonen, which used to be called "Mayumi-dake" Sitting at 1,170 meters, the autumn colors have descended noticeably toward the lowlands!

Hello from Crystal Sound 😃✨ The weather has been refreshingly pleasant, making this the perfect season for outings 🎶 The autumn colors are gradually advancing in Shosenkyo Gorge, and the mountains are turning brilliant hues of red and gold, creating truly beautiful scenery ✨ Bring your camera and you’ll capture many lovely photos 📸 The museum has also received many new items in stock ✨ The photo shows a dazzlingly gleaming pyrite specimen 💎 Please stop by when you go out 😊 All of our staff warmly look forward to your visit 🌈

The Sai River flowing through Azumino receives the Hotaka River and the Takase River here. This spot is the confluence of the three rivers. Many rivers that flow down from the Northern Alps merge into a single river at this point.

[Torii Pass - toriitoge-] Overview A roughly 6 km mountain trail linking Narai inn on the Kiso Kaido with Yabuhara inn. In the Edo period it was famous as one of the Nakasendo’s toughest stretches, a place that made straw-sandalled travelers limp with pain. Today it is a popular, atmospheric trekking route. Hikers from Japan and abroad walk this pass in large numbers. From the summit you can look west to Mitakesan and east to Kiso Komagatake. Along the old road you will find numerous haiku and waka monuments and stone Buddhas, including those honoring Matsuo Bashō. The pass saw battles between the Kiso clan and the Takeda clan in the Sengoku era, and in the late Edo period Princess Kazunomiya passed through here on her marriage procession. Free loan of hinoki conical hats and bear bells! This service lets walkers experience the look of Edo-period travelers, especially those walking between Yabuhara and Narai on the Nakasendo. The traditional original hinoki (cypress) hats, hand-painted with kanji, make perfect travel companions and evoke the spirit of Edo travelers. They’re great for the experience and for photo opportunities. What is a hinoki hat? A hinoki hat is one of Kiso region’s traditional crafts. It remains popular with locals and visitors as a practical fashion item and as a sunshade that traces its roots to the Edo period. How to try them You can try them at the tourist information centers listed below. We refund the full deposit when you return the items. ⚠ The deposit will not be refunded if the item is lost or damaged. (Items may be wet without issue.) Loan locations: ① Narai-juku Tourist Information Center ② Yabuhara-juku Nigiwai Hiroba Enkan ③ Kiso Village Tourist Information Center Addresses: ① 497-3 Narai, Shiojiri City ② 1019-1 Yabuhara, Kiso village ③ Lot 196, Yabuhara, Kiso village TEL: ① 0264-34-3160 ② 0264-36-3020 ③ 0264-36-2543 Opening hours: ① 9:00–17:00 ② 8:30–17:00 ③ 9:00–17:00 Closed: ① During the New Year holidays ② Every Tuesday ③ Every Monday Refundable deposit: 2,000 yen per item Payment method: Cash only

Shiojiri’s Two Signature Local Dishes: Sanzoku-yaki and Shinshu Soba ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sanzoku-yaki Actually born in Shiojiri! The bold, dramatic sanzoku-yaki that’s a hit on social media Sanzoku-yaki, a whole fried chicken thigh served with theatrical flair, actually traces its roots to a restaurant called Sanzoku in Shiojiri City. After much trial and error, the founding couple perfected the cooking method. They named the shop “Sanzoku” (bandit) and the dish “sanzoku-yaki” because a scene in the then-popular film Seven Samurai showed bandits tearing into a chicken, the shop stood near a mountain pass, and—believe it or not—the couple themselves looked like bandits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Soba For soba lovers: the birthplace of “sobakiri” (cut soba) — Motoyama-juku in Shiojiri In earlier times, “soba” referred to a dumpling-like food similar to what we now call sobagaki. The long, thin noodles we picture today are called sobakiri (cut soba) and were distinguished from the dumpling form. The place where sobakiri first appeared is Motoyama-juku in present-day Shiojiri City. As a post town on the Nakasendo, Motoyama-juku welcomed many travelers, and sobakiri born there is said to have spread across the country along those routes. Shiojiri’s climate, with large daily and seasonal temperature differences, has long suited high-quality buckwheat cultivation, so soba has been grown here for ages. The oldest written reference to Motoyama-juku’s sobakiri appears in the haibun anthology Fuzoku Bunsen compiled by Morikawa Kyoro in Hōei 2 (1705). It records: “Soba-kiri originally came from Motoyama-juku in Shinano Province and was widely popular throughout the provinces.”

This is a photo taken of the Ono turtle on Sado Island in June. It was the time of year when the flowers called daylilies were in full bloom, and it seemed to be one of the most beautiful seasons of the year. I Outbound it for the first time, but just taking a walk makes me feel happy, I highly recommend it! The weather was great on this day and it was and to drive the Car to go. I would like to outbound in another season.