At a quiet temple in Kawagoe, piles of weathered Daruma rest in one place, their wishes fulfilled. Each New Year, people return their old Daruma here, a ritual of gratitude and release. In the frame, an elderly woman gently places hers atop the others, bowing slightly—an act she learned as a child. Once, her parents brought her; later, she brought her children. The Daruma come and go, but the tradition remains, passed patiently from old to young, year after year. Location: Kitain temple, Kawagoe, Saitama.

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Sun pillar and diamond dust at Kirigamine, Nagano Prefecture The 1/3 weather forecast predicted a temperature of −8°C and 80% humidity. Since snow had been forecast until 21:00 the night before, I thought it might appear and drove out. By the time I arrived at 21:00, the snow had already stopped, but a light dusting of powdery snow had settled. At 22:00 the car’s outside thermometer read −12°C, so I went to bed hoping the temperature would keep falling. I hiked 600 m along the snowy road from the parking lot to the shooting point just after 6:00 in the morning. The morning temperature was −12°C. Mount Fuji was clearly visible. There were clouds above Yatsugatake, but at 7:20 a sun pillar appeared above them. I silently wished for it to appear below as well, and from around 7:24 the diamond dust began to sparkle. The sun pillar lasted about 15 minutes, but the diamond dust continued to glitter afterward. I had visited several times last year without success, so I was delighted to see it this time.

Mount Fuji and morning mist This photo was taken at Lake Shojin at sunrise. I took it by chance on my first visit to see Mount Fuji! It looks like it will be a good year♪

Witnessing the first supermoon of 2026, I was unexpectedly lucky to see a plane crossing the radiant moon. it was a surreal moment that reminded me of how tiny our existence is in this vast galaxy, yet also how far we've come and how much further we'll go. happy new year! Location: Wakoshi, Saitama

Photographed on January 3, 2014. A performance of festival music (ohayashi) at Koedo Kurari.

New Year Greetings Happy New Year. We sincerely thank you for your warm support and cooperation in promoting the charms of Tsukigase over the past year. Tsukigase, which has grown alongside its plum trees, reveals a new face with each season and has nurtured itself as a countryside that quietly soothes the hearts of its visitors. This year as well, we hope it remains a place where nature and people live side by side and calm exchanges flourish. The annual Tsukigase Baikei Plum Festival, which heralds the arrival of spring, will be held again this year. Some 13,000 plum trees paint the mountainside, and with river mist rising in the valleys, a scene like a page from a picture scroll unfolds. During the festival, you can stroll the walking trails and enjoy locally made specialties for sale, savoring peaceful moments close to nature. The gentle scent of plum blossoms swaying in the breeze will quietly restore energy to bodies and minds that have passed through a long winter. This year, the Tsukigase Tourism Association will continue to cherish warm connections with visitors while protecting the region’s attractions. We ask for your continued support, and we sincerely pray that the coming year will be peaceful and fruitful for everyone. With that, we offer our New Year greetings. Chairman: Toshiaki Nishioka Photo credit: Kuraya eto Shuji

Snow Trees Rime ice covering the trees at Gozaisho Ropeway Summit. One of the few places in Mie Prefecture where you can see rime ice on trees. Gozaisho Ropeway, Komonocho, Mie Prefecture

A hidden flower field in Fukuoka that only those in the know visit. Many grandfathers and grandmothers from local day service providers came to see it.

I went to the Maebashi Autumn Festival. I took photos of the children taking a break from pulling the floats. They were making a big fuss, shouting, "Take a picture of me!"

Autumn in Ranzan, Saitama Prefecture. Here you can find a low-water bridge without railings, like the submerged bridges seen on the Shimanto River in Shikoku. It’s a rare sight in the Kanto region.

These are guests from abroad relaxing in the boat houses of Inecho, Kyoto Prefecture. You can also enjoy fishing from the inn's rooms. The photos were taken in September.

A shot at Misen Main Hall on the summit of MtMisen in Hiroshima Prefecture. I planned to walk to the top, but I ended up taking the ropeway. Even so, I’m smiling. Next time I’ll come by proper hike. This jizo statue is called "Gomen-ne Jizo" or "Negai Jizo." It’s a presence that accepts people’s regrets and wishes.

On a clear autumn day, a leisurely, blissful moment gazing out over Osaka Bay from Iwaya Beach on Awaji Island.

After the Nagasaki Kunchi ended, a child walked home alone, still holding an umbrella as if lingering in the festival's afterglow.

In Saitama's Minuma Tambo, an annual rice-harvesting experience takes place. Everyone enjoyed the chance to connect with nature.

This is the famous stone bridge at Tokyo’s Rikugien Gardens. After the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign models began lining up to cross it.

The autumn Karatsu Kunchi floats have arrived. It is already evening. The children are starting to show their fatigue. "I want to go home already~"

I photographed a group of young people wandering the Tottori Sand Dunes in autumn, captured as silhouettes.

Rikugien Gardens in Tokyo has put on a spectacular display of autumn leaves. It was truly a full bloom of fall color.

I thought the autumn leaves were already over in mid-December, but when I went shopping in Chiba on the Boso peninsula, I stopped by a water mill while exploring the sights and found a beautiful display of autumn leaves. There was no parking lot, and the water mill caught my eye. The maple leaves were a vivid red, and the fallen leaves were beautiful too, so I enjoyed the last bit of autumn this year. Yoshii Ooido Water Mill

A photo taken during a trip to Shikoku. Taken on November 26 at Ritsurin Park in Kagawa. It was peak autumn foliage, and the contrast of red, yellow, and green looked wonderful. The weather was calm with no wind, and the trees reflected beautifully on the water. Once December arrives, it gets colder, and viewing night scenes becomes an experience of shivering in the cold. At the end of November, the temperature was pleasantly mild, so I enjoyed the autumn colors and took photos before the real winter set in.

On November 30, 2025, many monks gathered at Sumadera Temple in Suma, Kobe, and were singing in chorus.

On November 30, 2025, at Suma-dera in Suma, Kobe. The fall foliage and the red beneath the eaves were gorgeous.

I visited Izumo Taisha in Shimane Prefecture ⛩️ I love shrines in the early morning when no one is around ✨ I paid my respects during the sacred kamiari-zuki, when the eight million gods from across Japan gather at Izumo Taisha to hold meetings about matchmaking and bountiful harvests 😊

This is our family’s annual tradition. A praying mantis comes to lay eggs.

Toyama Prefecture Tateyamamachi Shomyo Falls Snow fell late at night, letting the autumn leaves and snow perform together Standing close to Shomyo Falls, Japan’s tallest waterfall by drop, the roar of the water is overwhelming

Tateyamamachi, Toyama Prefecture Akashiro no Kabe Snow fell late at night, and around Shomyo Falls I saw a duet of autumn leaves and snow I arrived early in the morning, and some forest roads were frozen I photographed Akashiro no Kabe with a fisheye lens

Kamiichimachi, Toyama Prefecture – Mount Sengokujōyama This spot is reachable by car via a forest road Photographed from the forest road up Mount Sengokujōyama The beautiful autumn leaves and the snow-capped Tsurugi-dake made a stunning sight

Kamiichimachi, Toyama Prefecture – Seseragi no Komichi I walked from Seseragi no Komichi to near the check dam Mt. Tsurugi was nearby, but clouds got in the way so I couldn’t see it clearly; I’ll get a better shot next time