Photographed on January 20th: Atami cherry blossoms are in full bloom at several spots 🌸 (Kamanariya Heishichi Statue · Itokawa Promenade · Shinshui Park Third Section · Sanremo Park · Kaihin Park · Nagisa Koen Park) Itogawa Cherry Blossom Festival runs until February 8th https://www.ataminews.gr.jp/features/59...

This is a photo of the Atami Cherry Blossoms along Itokawa Promenade illuminated on January 17th 🌸 https://www.ataminews.gr.jp/features/59...

Good morning! The blooms are advancing! What will this week's cold snap do?! Tsukigase Plum Valley Plum Festival February 14, 2026–March 29, 2026

Gonbe Pass (Gonbee Toge) When transporting Ina rice to Kiso, the routes over Shiojiri Pass or Ushikubi Pass were fine up to Narai, but Torii Pass lay beyond and made the journey inconvenient in terms of days and rice prices. To solve this, cattle driver foreman Furuhata Gonbei spent two years opening a route through this pass, 1,523 meters above sea level, to reach Ina. Afterwards, rice flowed from Inadani Valley to Kiso Valley, while lacquerware, bentwood items and other woodcraft traveled from Kiso to Ina. In recognition of this achievement, the pass came to be called Gonbe Pass. As the watershed between the Shinano River system and the Tenryu River system, the views from this pass are superb: you can look down over Inadani Valley and enjoy a sweeping panorama of the Southern Alps. In spring’s fresh buds, summer’s deep green and mountain streams, and autumn’s foliage, the scenery delights travelers through every season. The pass is designated as part of the Shinanoji Nature Trail Gonbei Pass Route, where you can fully savor the great outdoors.

A Slightly Snowy Gujo Hachiman Castle Date: December 2025 Location: Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture * Flight application for Gujo Hachiman approved * Comprehensive unmanned aircraft flight permit obtained from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism * Flight plan submitted and flight log prepared

Minami-izu Town, located at the southern tip of the Izu Peninsula, is dotted with a wealth of geosites that give a sense of the workings of the Earth, including a complex coastline and dynamic cliffs created by undersea volcanic activity. Additionally, Mikomoto Island in Minamiizu Town is a world-famous diving spot where you can see schools of hammerhead sharks. Due to the influence of the Kuroshio Current, the area is extremely dense with fish, and there is a high probability of encountering large schools of fish (hammer rivers) from summer to autumn, attracting many experienced divers from both Japan and abroad. Located in the open ocean, you can enjoy drift diving (diving while being carried away by the current) and it boasts one of the world's highest concentrations of fish. -- For more information about tourism in Minamiizu Town, Minamiizu Town Tourism Association【official】 WEB：https://www.minami-izu.jp/?p=we-page-entry&spot=596705&cat=18711&pageno=3&type=spot...

🌼✨【Tomorrow, Sunday 1/18】Daffodil Festival × Food Truck Info✨🌼 On January 18th, food trucks will appear at Cape Tsumeki, the site of the Daffodil Festival 🚚✨ You’ll find warm comfort foods, coffee, and an all-you-can-pack tangerine offer 😋🍊 Plus, for every 500 yen you spend, you can join a raffle to win kinmedai (splendid alfonsino) goods or pair admission vouchers for local tourist facilities Everyone wins something—there are no losing tickets 😲✨ From 10:00 a.m., enjoy the regular Shimoda Taiko performance and complimentary Ikenodan simmered miso hotpot! Please enjoy the event alongside the daffodils in full bloom 🌼🌈 👉 Check the images for details on vendors and times 📸👀

Hello 😃 This is the main building of Yamanashi Wine Kingdom. This time we present “A View You Haven’t Seen Yet!” ✨ Shosenkyo Gorge has a ropeway that rises to the summit, where a panoramic spectacle unfolds on clear days. What the view looks like… come and find out for yourself 😊 You’ll also find an owl sculpture somewhere and artwork made by affixing stones together 🎨 If you look closely at this artwork, you’ll see words written on each stone. It’s fun to stroll around searching for the sculptures and art 🔍 And Valentine’s Day is coming soon 🍫 Why not toast with wine with a close friend or partner once in a while 🥂 You might discover a wonderful wine that makes a perfect gift 🎁 It’s still a cold season, so please dress warmly when you visit 🧣❄️

The time has finally come!! Tsukigase’s major event that draws about 200,000 visitors over roughly three weeks!! The Tsukigase Plum Grove Plum Festival!! Tsukigase Plum Grove was designated as Japan’s first nationally recognized Place of Scenic Beauty!! We look forward to welcoming many visitors again this year!!

January 11th MtJonen summit sending up plumes of drifting snow Around noon today a trough of low pressure began passing over Azumino, turning a calm morning into fierce winds… The ridgeline of the Northern Alps visible from Azumino also turned white as snow plumes rose.

Morgenrot over the Northern Alps Scenery to behold in Azumino during winter Azumino, a town that makes you love mornings—this view is the best!!

From Hakuba Mountain Harbor, you can see breathtaking views of the Northern Alps on clear days. The first time I saw them, I was so captivated by the scenery that I lost myself for a while.

🚨Deadline Approaching🚨 The 15th Teshikaga Photo Contest is now open📸💡 This year’s theme is “Volcanoes, Forests, and Lakes: Experience Teshikaga Through the Seasons.” Thanks to support from local businesses, there are many luxurious supplementary prizes. See the details below. We look forward to your wonderful entries📸✨ 15th Teshikaga Photo Contest Submission Period Valid postmark from Saturday, November 1, 2025 to Thursday, January 20, 2026 Categories Spring / Summer / Autumn / Winter / Open Prizes Grand Prize 1 entry…30,000 yen + supplementary prizes (accommodation vouchers, Mashu melon, etc.) Excellence Prize 3 entries…10,000 yen + supplementary prizes / Honorable Mentions 5 entries…supplementary prizes / Special Prize and Tourism Association Prize: several winners ■ With cooperation from local businesses, many supplementary prizes are available, including accommodation vouchers, meal vouchers, and local products.   Organizer: Mashu-ko Tourism Association (regional DMO) Supported by: Teshikaga Town, Teshikaga Town Board of Education, Mashu-ko Agricultural Cooperative, Teshikaga Town Promotion Corporation, Teshikaga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kawayu Onsen Ryokan Association, Mashu Onsen Ryokan Association, Mashu Melon Producers Association, Hokkaido Shimbun, Akan-Mashu National Park Management Office (Ministry of the Environment), Kushiro Shimbun https://www.masyuko.or.jp/news/15photocon/...

Happy New Year from Gen at Shosenkyo Gorge. I look forward to your continued support this year. The 8th year of Reiwa has begun, and a week has already passed. The weather in Yamanashi’s Shosenkyo has been fine every day, with no snow, making for very pleasant days. Kanazakura Shrine, famous as the birthplace of crystal, has been welcoming visitors for New Year’s prayers from all over the country every day, creating a lively atmosphere. Kanazakura Shrine is also well known as a place to improve your financial luck. Why not pay a visit sometime? Gen has been open without a break since New Year’s Day on January 1st. We have also received a steady arrival of new power stones. If you have time, please feel free to drop by. All of our staff are sincerely looking forward to your visit.

Yesterday it dropped to minus 26 degrees, so the water vapor in the air froze on the tree branches, creating beautiful hoarfrost. Hokkaido, Sarabetsumura.

A runway-like single road leading to MtJonen With its pyramidal shape, this beautiful peak is Azumino’s symbol!! A Northern Alps mountain that is unmistakable when viewed from Azumino

January 6th This morning in Azumino is clear and sharply cold Last night’s snowfall lightly dusted the countryside white The Northern Alps, lit by the morning sun, look magnificent!!

[About the operation of tourist and bathing facilities] Information on the New Year operating status of tourist and bathing facilities is available at the linked "Teshikaga Navi". Please note that hours and days of operation may differ from the usual schedule. Some bathing facilities may be temporarily closed, so we recommend contacting each facility directly before you go. https://www.masyuko.or.jp/news/20251226/...

Would you like to try a refreshing totono experience?🧖‍♀️ At the spectacular outdoor sauna SHIMODACCI SAUNA, where you can enjoy Shirahama’s sea right before your eyes, we will hold a totono trial on January 11 and 12🌿✨ (Please check the images for event details.) You can enjoy the sauna at a much better rate than usual, and savor the hot springs too😌💭💙 Seats are limited, so we recommend booking in advance⚠️☝️ I actually tried it myself before, and the outdoor cool-down while gazing at the sea felt incredibly good… Even sauna beginners will think, “This is addictive!”✨ I wrote about my experience on my blog, so please give it a read👇 https://www.shimoda-city.info/post/20250915...

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.

Happy New Year! This is the first sunrise of 2026 as seen from Bansei Onsen. May many people visit Taiki Town again this year!

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.

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

Melted Gouda cheese served right before your eyes 🧀 Thanks to the open kitchen, you can enjoy it freshly made. You may find yourself reaching for another plate… You might feel that way. Of course we offer Hokkaido’s signature soup curry. Kussharo Prince Hotel makes food as much a star as its natural setting. 【Instagram】 https://www.instagram.com/kussharo_ph/...

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

Happy New Year! This year I again photographed the first sunrise from the waterfront park. There was no wind and it was not as cold as in past years, but a warm layer of clouds on the horizon kept the sky dull and dim even after the scheduled sunrise time of 6:51. Around 7:05 the edges of the clouds began to glow, and just after 7:20 the sun finally appeared! As every year, many residents and tourists gathered early at the waterfront park to watch the first sunrise of Reiwa 8. May Reiwa 8 bring you a year full of happiness. We appreciate your continued support of Atami Onsen this year as well.

New Year shrine-visit guide 🎍 This time we introduce Kikuchi Shrine, Hokumiya Aso Shrine, Hachidai Ryuo Shrine, and Mt. Kuradake. Kikuchi Shrine The shrine approach glows with warm lights at night, making for great photos. The "New Year Fortune Fukumikji" features luck-bringing prizes, including a Kikuchi Shrine award of an ever-growing half-sho of sacred sake and a grand prize of a zodiac ornament. Amazake is also available on the grounds, offering a relaxing warm break. Hokumiya Aso Shrine Hokumiya Aso Shrine sits right beside the gentle flow of the Kikuchi River. "Free Amazake Distribution" ・From New Year’s Eve, amazake will be distributed for free (while supplies last). "New Year Limited Goshuin" ・A limited goshuin stamp will be offered for the New Year. If you plan to watch the first sunrise, consider the views from Mt. Kuradake 🌄 Mt. Kuradake has a route that starts from the ninth station, so why not try a sunrise ascent to greet the first sun of the year? #Kikuchi Shrine #Mt. Kuradake hike #Kikuchi City, Kumamoto Prefecture https://kikuchikanko.ne.jp/archives/22620... https://kikuchikanko.ne.jp/archives/22679...

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