Event Announcement📣 On Sunday, July 19th, the "Makubetsu Summer Festa 2026" will be held to celebrate summer in Makubetsu Town😊 At the venue, you'll find fun attractions, a bouncy dome, and stalls offering delicious local gourmet food🎵 Additionally, the Chamber of Commerce Youth Division will host a grand lottery with luxurious prizes, including JTB pair travel vouchers🎁🎁 The festival will conclude with approximately 3,000 beautiful fireworks lighting up the night sky🎆 Bring your family and friends and come join us at the venue🤗 🔶Date: Sunday, July 19, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM *In case of rain, the event may be postponed to Monday, July 20th (holiday). 🔶Venue: Makubetsu Undo Park Special Venue 🔶Contact: Makubetsu Town Office Economic Department Commerce, Industry and Tourism Division TEL 0155-54-2111 (Weekdays 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM) http://www.makubetsu.jp/kankobussankyokai/?p=8782...

Mr. Takuya Kurose, a Kumamoto Prefecture employee from Reihokumachi, and the experiential content production group MATH GAME from Saitama Prefecture have created a game called "One Step to Sky Blue: At the End of the Ripple" that is enjoyable with books. This work was produced as a sequel to "Beyond the Ripples," which was announced last May. On July 14, a trial play event conducted by Takushin High School students was held and received great acclaim. The game aims to convey the charm of Reihokumachi, and it is planned to be utilized for raising awareness of Reihokumachi as a tourist destination and creating a related population. 【To actually play "One Step to Sky Blue: At the End of the Ripple"】 Adjustments are underway so that it can be experienced within the town in the future, so stay tuned! Additionally, the previous work "Beyond the Ripples" is already available to play on the smartphone app "uzu," so please try to prepare before the sequel!

Taken on July 1, 2014. This is the love fortune slip from Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine.

Taken on July 1, 2014. This is the Aitai fortune slip from Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine.

Photographed on July 15, 2014. These are the matchmaking wind chimes from Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. Yesterday was the annual festival at Yasaka Shrine. We prayed for good health, had our heads bitten by the lion's head, and were fanned by Tengu-sama with a fan. We received cucumbers and amulets.

Today, I visited Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. The wind chime for tying bonds on the bench has changed to a sky blue color. I was in high spirits because Spain won.😊🎐

Event Announcement📣 On July 19 (Sunday), the 15th Furusato Ginga Line Rikubetsu Railway Festival will be held😊 For nearly 100 years since 1910, this public railway has been running through Rikubetsu Town. After its closure in 2006, it was reborn in April 2008 as a tourist facility where visitors can experience actual train operations! To promote this historic "Rikubetsu Railway" and encourage more people to ride and experience it, we are hosting this event🎵 On the evening of July 18, about 2,000 fireworks will light up the summer night sky🎆 In conjunction with this, a special fireworks train will be operated, allowing passengers to enjoy the fireworks from inside the diesel train!! Passengers will receive local specialty products from Rikubetsu Town as a gift. Reservations are currently being accepted🚂 (Note: Fireworks train → Capacity 32 people, 1,500 yen) Additionally, stage shows featuring street performers and music performances by Backyard Music are also planned‼ During the stage event on July 19, we will welcome the popular Yoshimoto Kogyo comedians "Slim Club and Denjin Band" for a comedy stage performance. Moreover, in the "Special Train Experience Ride," we will extend the ride experience, which is usually limited to the station premises, as a special train for this event to Koi-yamagata Station in the suburbs. Those wishing to ride can register on the day of the event. (Note: Special train → Adults 500 yen, Elementary school students 300 yen) Don't miss this rare opportunity for a unique experience😍 Other activities include horseback riding experiences, a bingo tournament with a chance to win a Nintendo Switch 2, and dance performances by elementary school students from Rikubetsu, among various programs planned🎁🎁 Many vendors will also be present, so we invite everyone to come together and join us🤗 🔶 Date and Time <Pre-festival> July 18, 2026 (Saturday) 18:00–20:30 <Main Festival> July 19, 2026 (Sunday) 10:00–16:00 🔶 Venue <Pre-festival> Midori-machi Soccer Field <Main Festival> Inside Rikubetsu Railway Station & Multipurpose Square in front of the station 🔶 Fireworks Train Applications & Inquiries Furusato Ginga Line Rikubetsu Railway Festival Executive Committee Office (Rikubetsu Town Hall, Industrial Promotion Division) TEL: 0156-27-2141 https://www.rikubetsu.jp/kanko/event/tetsudoumatsuri/...

Taken on July 1, 26. Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, this is a wind chime symbolizing the connection of the engawa (veranda). I'm curious about 🇪🇸🆚🇫🇷.

Taken on July 1, 2014. This is the matchmaking wind chime from Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. I found a red thread wind chime.

The "2026 Artisan Summer Asparagus Fair" starts on Tuesday, July 21! This year, 26 restaurants will participate!! Using the summer bounty of Engaru Town, "Engaru Nyokki-zu Summer Asparagus," participating restaurants will offer original dishes created with creativity and ingenuity at the "Asparagus Fair." This year, 26 restaurants are participating. Be sure to enjoy the original dishes at many establishments. When you order asparagus dishes, there will be special benefits at each restaurant, and you also have a chance to win "1 kg of Summer Asparagus" or "common meal vouchers for participating restaurants" for 30 lucky winners through a lottery! The event will be held from Tuesday, July 21, to Thursday, August 13! 🎶

Taken on July 1, 2024. These are the enmusubi wind chimes from Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. 🎐

Taken on July 1, 2014. These are the matchmaking wind chimes at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine.

Taken on July 1, 2014. These are the matchmaking wind chimes at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine.

Taken on July 1, 2026. Kawagoe Kumano Shrine features a summer prayer water offering for love.

Taken on July 1, 2026. This is the summer prayer water for love at Kawagoe Kumano Shrine.🌻🏮

Taken on July 1, 2026. This is the chawa (ring of reeds) at Kawagoe Kumano Shrine.

Taken on July 2, 26. This is the pudding and black latte from LEC COFFEE.

【Kasumigaura Comprehensive Park】 On a morning after the rain, I received information that the lotuses were blooming. I quickly set out. Being in a region famous for Hasune, many varieties were in full bloom.

After visiting Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, I stopped by LEC COFFEE. Their popular pudding is firm and very delicious. 🍮

Taken on July 2, 2014. These are the matchmaking wind chimes at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. I found a red thread wind chime.

The August issue of the magazine "Discover Japan" (Discover Japan Co., Ltd.) features our town's "Uchida Sarayama Ware" and "Tomioka Castle - Reihoku Town History Museum." It includes information about the kilns that have been passed down in this region for generations, as well as guides that convey the history of Reihokumachi. The content is filled with the rich history and warmth of craftsmanship from Reihokumachi. We hope you will take a look at it in bookstores or online stores and use it as a reference for your next visit to Reihokumachi. Featured Content Special Theme: To the Sea and Mountains Featured Facilities Uchida Sarayama Ware Tomioka Castle Reihoku Town History Museum About "Discover Japan" For more details, please visit the official website of "Discover Japan." We look forward to welcoming you along with the nature and culture of Reihokumachi. Amakusa Reihoku Tourist Association

Taken on July 2, 26. These are the matchmaking wind chimes at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. I visited around 3 PM. It was raining, and perhaps because of the dim light, the lanterns were lit.

Since today is a day off, I strolled from Kawagoe to Omiya. I relaxed at the Hikawa Satei in Omiya Hikawa Shrine. This is "Tsukikage Hotaru," inspired by Tanabata. 🎋🌌

Taken on July 2, 26. The limited-time floral water display at Tokyo Daijingu Shrine, Tanabata【Celestial Sparkling Floral Water】~ A prayer for falling stars. 🎋 I changed my icon, albeit a bit late. 🇳🇴

Taken on July 2, 2026. The limited-time flower water ritual at Tokyo Daijingu Shrine, Tanabata – a prayer under the falling stars. 🎋

Taken on July 2, 2026. The limited-time flower water display at Tokyo Daijingu Shrine for Tanabata, "Tenku no Kirameki Hanate-mizu" – a prayer for falling stars.🎋

Photographed on July 2, 26. This is the Tanabata Festival at Tokyo Daijingu Shrine.🎋

Taken on July 2, 26. I visited Tokyo Daijingu Shrine. The Tanabata decorations were splendid.🎋

Taken on July 7, 2014. I visited Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine. The grounds were beautifully decorated with Tanabata ornaments. 🎋

Taken on June 29, 26. This is the gateau chocolat and black latte from LEC COFFEE.