Every February I go to Kushiro to see red-crowned cranes and the SL Winter Shitsugen train. The courtship dance of the red-crowned cranes, especially visible at the feeding grounds in Kushiro Shitsugen, reaches its peak in February. In the harsh winter snowfields I was able to see the males and females leap and spread their wings in a courtship dance that truly looks like dancing once again this year.

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.

Event Announcement📣 On Saturday, February 14th, Roadside Station Ashoro Galaxy Hall 21 hosts "Wood Candle Night 2026" 😊 The day features wood education workshops such as ogacolor and deer-hide leather craft, plus a wooden toy corner where visitors can touch, play with, and make wooden items 🎵 You can also enjoy a food area, chocolate fondue with toasted marshmallows and strawberries, a collaboration café by Coffee Zamaya and an antique shop, and a mini concert by the duo Liricamente 😍 On this sacred night—Valentine’s Day—come to Roadside Station Ashoro Galaxy Hall lit by ice candles and illuminations 🤗 ❤️ At the Youth Section booth of the Town Employees’ Labor Union, donors will receive a complimentary cocoa. https://www.town.ashoro.hokkaido.jp/kanko/news/2026/wood2026.html...

The Nobeoka Toka Ebisu Festival takes place on February 10th and 11th!! Held each year on February 10th and 11th, the Nobeoka Toka Ebisu welcomes many worshippers from Miyazaki Prefecture and beyond. On the first day, visitors came to pray for business prosperity and the fulfillment of various wishes under pleasantly mild weather with no chill 😊 Tomorrow features a lucky rice cake toss and a Nobeoka kagura dedication, so bring friends and family and join us for worship!! ⁡ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 🗓️Date and time: Tuesday, February 10th and Wednesday, February 11th (national holiday) 📍Address: 3875 Yamashitamachi 1-chome, Nobeoka City, Miyazaki Prefecture (Imayama Ebisu Shrine) 📞Contact: 0982-21-4525

2026 Kiso Road Ice and Snow Lantern Festival January 24, 2026 Kiso town Hiyoshi Miyanokoshi Around Miyanokoshi-shuku Honjin

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. 😊

Photographed on January 23, 2014. I moved from Kanda Myōjin Shrine to Taiwan Tea House e‑one in Omiya. The Friday lunch menu is the Taiwan Railway pork cutlet bento. Paigu refers to a pork cutlet, and bok choy 🥬 sits atop the rice. The meal includes a salad, soup, and Tieguanyin tea.

Photographed on January 23, 2014. This is a lucky beckoning cat talisman from Kanda Myōjin Shrine. 🐈

🖼️Onsen website 'From the Information Distribution Bureau' updated📝🆙 The 16th Gokkan Art Festival, a winter event at Kawayu Onsen, opened on February 2. This annual festival takes place around the same time each year and draws many visitors. Event period: From Monday, February 2, 2026 to Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Venue: Around ARtINn Gokkan Art Transmission Device (Kawayu Onsen 3-2-40) The festival offers a delightful space filled with beautiful art. Come and visit🧑‍🎨🎨

Event Announcement 📣 From February 11 to February 14, 2026, Nakasatsunaimura will host “Snow Art Village Nakasatsunai 2026” for four days 😊 You can view the expansive snow art that local snow artist and AOILO Inc. representative Tomohiro Kajiyama creates on the snowy plain from a special 8-meter-high yagura viewing platform 🎵 Please enjoy this snow-made art that you can only see in the art village of Nakasatsunai 🤗 📍Dates: Wednesday, February 11, 2026 ▶ Saturday, February 14, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM *Canceled in severe weather; event dates may change depending on snowfall conditions 📍Venue: Nakasatsunai Cultural Creation Center and surrounding special event sites 🔶 Indoor Event Venue (Nakasatsunai Cultural Creation Center) 📍 Snow Art Video Screening We will screen past snow art works and footage of the making process. 📍 Snow Art Panel Exhibition (Entrance) A collection of past works shot by drone will be on display 🎶 Explore the history of Snow Art Village Nakasatsunai! https://kankou-nakasatsunai.com/event-list/page-3619/...

Everyone come! Teshikaga ⭐️ Fireworks Village — Downtown Venue Teshikaga Downtown Photo Gallery on Display! On February 21 and 22, 2026, a photo gallery will be held on Teshikaga Chuo-dori Shopping Street (the street in front of the former Kushiro Shinkin Bank). A collaboration between Teshikaga High School and Miyazaki Flower Shop, food trucks and the Teshikaga Marche, and a small snowy slide for children are also planned. There will be a fireworks display on the night of February 22, so please enjoy both days. [Event Schedule] 2/21 (Sat) 3:00 PM–9:00 PM Photo Gallery / Illumination 2/22 (Sun) 10:00 AM–3:00 PM Photo Gallery / Illumination / Otochu Shoten / Teshikaga High School x Miyazaki Flower Shop / Food Trucks / Camp Meals / Pop-up Marche / Mini Slide Please see the flyer for details. Note that the photo gallery and the fireworks venue are at different locations, so be careful‼︎🚨We look forward to seeing you!

✨We will hold an art tea gathering in collaboration with Takahiro Koga✨ The art tea gathering that received high praise at the Osaka-Kansai Expo event hosted by Sakai City will be held at Sakai Risho no Mori! The venue is Muichian, a reconstructed four-and-a-half-mat tea room that Sen no Rikyu used for tea service at the Grand Kitano Tea Ceremony hosted by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Surrounded by works from ceramic artist Takahiro Koga, active both in Japan and overseas, you can enjoy a special experience of actually using his pieces to prepare and taste tea. We will also offer a guided tour of Sakai Taian, the tea room that reproduces the National Treasure Taian—Sen no Rikyu’s only surviving work—in its original form. Seats are limited and accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, so please make your reservation early. 📅 Date: Saturday, March 7 📍 Venue: Sakai Risho no Mori 💰 6,600 yen (includes admission to the permanent exhibition) 👥 30 people (first-come, first-served) 🔍 For details, search for "Sakai Risho no Mori Art Tea Gathering"! 🔗 https://sakai-rishonomori.com...

Akanko in the early morning of February 9th chilled down to −16°C! Despite the heavy clouds, we were still able to catch a clear sunrise☀ The wind was a bit strong, but in spots where the trees sheltered us, frost flowers appeared❄✨️ You can book the early morning walking tour from the URL below. 　　↓ https://ja.kushiro-lakeakan.com/things_to_do/19977/... Please note that the tour route and start time may change depending on ice conditions on the lake and the weather.

📣 Morning Sumo Practice Observation at Ohtori Taisha and a Shinto Lecture “Shinto and Sumo” ✨ One day only: Wednesday, February 25! With the Grand Sumo Osaka Tournament in March just around the corner, Arashio-beya will stay at Ohtori Taisha and hold morning practice sessions. You’ll see rikishi training up close, sweaty and covered in clay as they clash seriously. It’s a different tension and power from the tournament itself. We’re also holding a special lecture by a Shinto priest on “Sumo and Shinto.” Learning about the relationship between Shinto and sumo will make watching the sport even more enjoyable ✨ 🔹 Participation gifts: commemorative items from Arashio-beya and a limited-time goshuin (temple seal) from Ohtori Taisha 👀 Highlights 🔹 Watch Arashio-beya’s morning sumo practice from front-row seats 🔹 Shinto priest’s lecture “Sumo and Shinto Rituals” 🔹 Shrine visit and a brief introduction to the shrine by a Shinto priest 📅 Date and Time 🔹 Wednesday, February 25, 2026 — 7:20 AM to 11:00 AM 📍 At Ohtori Taisha 💰 Participation Fee 🔹 ¥7,000 (includes a commemorative gift 🎁) 📌 Application deadline: up to 7 days before the event (first come, first served) 🔍 For details and to apply, search “Morning Sumo Practice Observation at Ohtori Taisha and a Shinto Lecture ‘Shinto and Sumo’.” 🔗 https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/tourism/detail/192...

2026 Sapporo Snow Festival 8-chome Hiroba! At the Akan Tourism Association booth, our beloved Marimokkori from Lake Akan is making an appearance!! Our association staff are sharing the charms of Lake Akanko together with it♪ Please come and see us 🟢

Photographed on January 23, 2014. This is the Shishiyama at Kanda Myōjin Shrine.

Early morning walk tour on February 8! It was forecast to be cloudy, but the sky cleared beautifully. Though small, we saw frost flowers and caught MtMeakan and the moon together♪ I couldn’t capture it in photos, but diamond dust also appeared. We tried freezing soap bubbles in subzero temperatures, poured hot water into the air to watch it freeze, and enjoyed full-body winter fun at Lake Akanko with Nordic-style snow angel play♪ You can book the early morning walk tour from the URL below. 　　↓ https://ja.kushiro-lakeakan.com/things_to_do/19977/... Please note that the tour route and start time may change depending on lake ice conditions.

Photographed on January 23, 2014. This is Sukuna Hikona, the enshrined deity of Kanda Myōjin Shrine.

We visited the Otaru Snow Festival on a day when the snowfall felt almost unreal, layers upon layers of snow covering everything in sight. The cold was intense, yet the spirit of the people was even stronger—unshaken, cheerful, and welcoming. Despite the heavy snow, they warmly invited us to become part of the festival, as if we belonged there all along. Though the air was biting, the kindness and smiles around us filled the atmosphere with joy. As evening fell, the sight of countless candles glowing softly along the canal was nothing short of magical—the gentle light reflecting on the snow and water turned Otaru into a living winter dream.

Photographed on January 23, 2014. I visited Kanda Myōjin Shrine during the winter holidays. Akari Jinba looked sleepy. 🐴

Photographed on February 6, 2014. These are the red plum blossoms at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.🌸 Spring is approaching, but it is snowing today and quite cold.

Photographed on February 7, 2014. The 19th Koedo Kawagoe Amateur Chindon Festival took place.

Photo taken on February 2, 2014. This is a hanachōzu (flower basin) from Hara Florist.

Photographed on February 1, 2014. This is a black latte from LEC COFFEE and a chocolate Basque cheesecake.

🏖️ Third Shimoda City Beach General Election Results Announced! 🏖️ Thank you for all your votes ✨ Here are the results 👇 🥇 1st place Shirahama Ohama Beach 🥈 2nd place Shirahama Central Beach 🥉 Tied for 3rd Kujuppama Beach · Tatadohama Beach · Nabetahama Beach · Iritahama Beach We have already shipped prizes to the five winners 🎁 They should be arriving at your door soon…? 📮✨ And the Fourth Shimoda City Beach General Election is 🗓️ Held from February 16 to June 30! Whether you voted before or haven’t joined yet, please cast your vote for your favorite beach 🌊💙 We look forward to your participation 😊✨

Photographed on February 1, 2014. This is a black latte from LEC COFFEE. It features very beautiful latte art.☕️✨

Good morning ☀ #This morning in Tsukigase Tsukigase Plum Valley Plum Festival February 14, 2026 to March 29, 2026

Photographed on February 1, 2014. This is a chocolate Basque cheesecake from LEC COFFEE.

Event Announcement 📣 From Saturday, February 7 to Monday, February 23, Roadside Station Pia 21 Shihoro will host a "Korea Fair" 😊 In 2025, a direct flight from Tokachi Obihiro Airport to Korea began, making access to Korea more convenient ✈️ This is a collaboration between JAL and Roadside Station Pia 21 Shihoro, designed so those who can’t travel right now can still enjoy the feeling of being there 🎵 You can taste "Korean gourmet and sweets" recommended by Korea-loving staff, and try a cabin crew role-play experience where you perform in-flight announcement practice and drink service like a JAL flight attendant. Take this chance to enjoy the atmosphere of a trip to Korea 🤗 https://tokachibare.jp/event/xo_event-22980/...

Suishinin Temple Suishinin Temple Hana no Ma Kyoto Yamashina Suishinin Temple Hana no Ma♪ Let's go to Kyoto. (February 2, 2026 – March 13, 2026) 35 Ono Goryo-cho, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture The "Hana no Ma" at Suishinin Temple transforms a space usually used as the Noh room into a vivid floral display for a special event. Held annually in honor of Ono no Komachi, a Heian-period poet often counted among the world’s three great beauties, the display offers visitors soothing beauty and moving impressions.