Today I attended the Tencho Festival at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. The plum trees were beginning to bloom.

Today I went to KAWAGOE COFFEE SELECTION. I was there for LEC COFFEE. At the top is a cafe latte, bottom left shows a canelé and an espresso financier, and bottom right shows a top-down view. It was very busy. 😊

Photographed on February 17, 2014. This is the lunch plate from Brasserie CATHERI near Kawagoeshi Station. They will be participating in today’s KAWAGOE COFFEE SELECTION.

Photographed on February 15, 2014. This is LEC COFFEE’s chocolate Basque cheesecake and a black latte. I’m looking forward to the Kawagoe Coffee Selection. 😊

Photographed on February 15, 2014. This is a black latte from LECCOFFEE. The latte art is lovely. 😊🩷 LECCOFFEE will be exhibiting at KAWAGOE COFFEE SELECTION tomorrow, February 22.

Photographed on February 15, 2014. This is a chocolate Basque cheesecake with strawberries from LEC COFFEE.

Photographed on February 15, 2014. This is a quiche plate from LEC COFFEE. It includes a shrimp, spinach, and onion quiche, homemade ham with salad, a white vegetable potage, and homemade bread.

Isehara Market Celebrates Its 100th Edition! On Sunday, February 22, 2026, the Isehara Market finally reaches its 100th event. This popular gathering, always bustling with food trucks, flea markets, and stage performances, draws a lively crowd each time. To mark this milestone, original novelty goods will be given away! Make the most of the three-day weekend and come with family and friends. Date and Time: Sunday, February 22, 2026, 10:00–15:00 Venue: Isehara City General Sports Park Access: From Isehara Station North Exit, Platform 3 (bound for Nanasawa), about 10 minutes

Photographed on February 11, 2014. A cafe latte from cafe andon and a carrot cake with figs and prunes. They will be setting up a stall at KAWAGOE COFFEE SELECTION this Sunday.

Photographed on February 11, 2014. This is cafe andon’s carrot cake with figs and prunes.

Photographed on February 11, 2014. This is a cafe latte from cafe andon. The mug bears cafe andon’s logo.

Photographed on February 11, 2014. This is Andon Chicken Curry from cafe andon. It's a delicious curry I find myself craving regularly. 😊🍛

Photographed on February 15, 2014. This is Hara Florist’s Valentine’s Day hanachozu (floating flower basin). 🩷🌹

Photographed on February 17, 2014. After visiting Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, I relaxed at the Starbucks Kanetsuki‑dōri Store. I had a chocolate mousse latte and a chocolate tart. SAKURA starts today. 🌸

I joined an exchange event at Hachioji Municipal Fifth Elementary School! It turned into a very enjoyable day with activities for the second graders and shared lunches with each grade. 😊✨

Today I attended the Kinen-sai (Prayers for a Good Harvest) at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. These are the lanterns of Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. Kinen-sai is a ritual to pray for a bountiful harvest that year, national peace, and the well-being of the people.

Photographed on February 15, 2014. The 4th Koedo Imo Park was held at Kawagoe Castle Honmaru Goten. On the left is Matcha Arata’s hojicha koguma latte. On the right is IMOS cafestand’s baked sweet potato sugar-butter crepe. I enjoyed it thoroughly. 😊🍠

Photographed on February 15, 2014. After visiting Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, I relaxed at Starbucks Kanetsuki‑dōri Store. I had a chocolate mousse latte and a chocolate babka. Yesterday, I chatted with the people I always meet at the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine monthly festival, and it was fun. 😊

February 14th I went to Okunikko’s Lake Chuzenji to photograph the splash ice. These strange formations are nature’s artworks! I found myself chuckling as I shot them—such amusing splash ice. In the past, the cliffs at Utagahama froze like Niagara Falls, and every year I come back, hopeful, to photograph the splash ice, but that breathtaking display has only happened once and I haven’t seen it for years. Is it the effect of global warming? I’ll keep coming without giving up!

Today I attended the monthly ritual at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. This is the shrine precincts at about 7:30 a.m.

Photographed on January 13, 2014. Kawagoe Kumano Shrine presents a New Year–style koi temizu (love hand-washing basin).

Photographed on February 7, 2014. This is the hanachōzu (flower water basin) at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

Photographed on February 7, 2014. This is the hanachozu (flower-filled ritual water basin) at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

The illumination event “Yoritomo Cherry Blossoms and Bamboo Lights” has begun at Sakuma Dam Hanami Hiroba. The glow of the bamboo lanterns is truly magical. The bamboo lanterns were handmade by the Hotagawa Yoritomo-zakura no Sato-zukuri Jikkou Iinkai (Hotagawa River Yoritomo Cherry Blossom Village Development Committee), a group of local volunteers, and we hope you will come see them. On the 21st, the committee and our association will jointly run a sweet sake stall from 3:30 PM after the lighting ceremony, so please drop by. It gets especially cold after dusk, so be sure to dress warmly. The illumination runs until March 14th, from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM.

Come and visit Ootadai this spring.

Photographed on February 7, 2014. This is the hanachōzu (flower basin) at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine. 🌸

Photographed on February 11, 2014. This is the hanachozu (flower basin) at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine’s omikuji distribution counter.

Photographed on February 11, 2014. After the Kigen Festival at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, I relaxed at the Starbucks Kanetsuki‑dōri Store. I had a chocolate mousse latte and a chocolate babka. It was very cold yesterday. 🥶

Today I attended the Kigen-sai at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. Kigen-sai is a festival that celebrates the accession of Emperor Jimmu, considered Japan’s first emperor, in 660 BC.

Photographed on January 23, 2014. Omiya Hikawa Shrine, an ema (votive plaque) for the Year of the Horse. 🐎 I enjoyed the winter break to the fullest. 😊