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♪

Hinata Yakushi First Yakushi Notice Hinata Yakushi will hold the “First Yakushi” on January 8, 2026. On the day, the principal image will be publicly displayed and medicinal rice porridge will be served. Please visit to pray for a year of good health and the absence of illness. Date: January 8, 2026 Public display of the principal image: 9:00 – 16:30 Serving of Yakushi porridge: starts around 11:30 *Service ends when supplies run out / event held in light rain, canceled in heavy rain Inquiries: 0463-95-1416 (Hinata Yakushi) For more details, please see the official Hinata Yakushi website.

Happy New Year. I look forward to your continued support this year. This year’s NHK taiga drama, "The Toyotomi Brothers!", has begun, and I have a feeling it will spark an even bigger castle boom. The Wakasa Kuniyoshi Castle History Museum will open the Fiscal Year Reiwa 7 Winter Special Exhibition "The Toyotomi Brothers and Mihama: The Truth of Kanegasaki’s Retreat" from Saturday, January 10. This exhibition covers the Echizen invasion, when the three great heroes Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu all gathered at Kuniyoshi Castle, and it focuses on "Kanegasaki’s Retreat," the turning point that launched Hideyoshi’s rise to prominence. Also, a special New Year edition of the castle stamp is on sale through the end of January. Please take this opportunity to visit the Wakasa Kuniyoshi Castle History Museum. The Toyotomi Brothers and Mihama: The Truth of Kanegasaki’s Retreat Exhibition period: Saturday, January 10, Reiwa 8 – Sunday, April 19 Venue: Wakasa Kuniyoshi Castle History Museum Opening hours: 10:00 AM–4:30 PM (through March); 9:00 AM–5:00 PM (from April) Closed: Every Monday (if Monday is a public holiday, closed the following day) 25-2 Sakaki, Mihama, Mikata District, Fukui Prefecture Phone: 0770-32-0050 Admission: Adults 100 yen; Children 50 yen (junior high school age and younger) ※Group discount for 20 or more people

Happy New Year This year is the Year of the Horse (Hinoe-Uma) and the auspicious eighth year of Reiwa, a year of expanding opportunities. Let us step forward toward the new era one step at a time. I humbly ask for your continued support this year as well. Photo: Irozaki Lighthouse

📣 Recruiting Sakai Tourism Concierges for Fiscal Year R8! 🎉 Applications are now open for the Sakai Tourism Concierge program for Fiscal Year R8! Share Sakai’s attractions at events across Sakai City and on the official website and Instagram of the Sakai Tourism and Convention Bureau Public Interest Incorporated Association, and help boost tourism in Sakai.✨ 📅 The application period runs from Sunday, February 1 through Wednesday, February 25; postmarks on the final day are accepted.☺ We look forward to receiving many applications.✨ 🔍 For details, search for “Sakai Tourism Guide”! https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/news/detail/20251225133158...

🌼Updated the daffodil bloom status🌼 Some areas are already at their peak but overall the best viewing time seems a little farther away💭🌟 Here is today’s (January 5) condition👇 https://www.shimoda-city.info/post/20260105...

Even after Lake Akanko begins to freeze, the ice remains very thin! It can be hard to see, but hot springs bubble up from the lakebed in places, making the ice dangerously thin. When people work on the ice, they do so only after taking safety precautions. Even with warning signs and ropes to keep people out, local residents sometimes report those who try to venture onto the ice. Going onto the ice at this time of year is a life-threatening risk. Do not go onto the ice under any circumstances.

Happy New Year! I look forward to your continued support this year 🎍✨ We sincerely thank you for your warm support for Shobara’s town development and tourism promotion over the past year. Shobara is a town where nature changes with the seasons and local culture and everyday life thrive. Last year many people visited to enjoy Shobara’s signature scenes: the verdant terraced rice fields, autumn foliage, and MtHibayama dusted with snow! 😍 This year we will continue to carefully uncover the unique charms of Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture, and, together with the local community, cultivate experiences that will remain in visitors’ hearts ✨ We will keep taking on challenges and trying new ideas so that the warmth of Shobara—its nature and people—reaches even more visitors, and we humbly ask for your continued support and cooperation. May this year bring you abundant blessings…✨ We offer our heartfelt prayers. Shobara Tourism Promotion Organization (Shobara DMO) [Winter Highlights! Read the article here 🔽] Winter is here—let’s enjoy winter sports! Top 3 recommended ski resorts in Shobara https://www.shobara-info.com/report/5444...

Happy New Year Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu I look forward to your continued support this year I pray that this year will be a wonderful one for everyone.

Hello everyone♪ How did you spend the New Year holidays? Miyoshi Tourist Information Center reopened for 2026 on Sunday, January 4th. The Miyoshi Tourist Information Center offers city circulation maps and tourism brochures for Miyoshi City. Maps, brochures, and apps make exploring attractions easier. We also offer guidebooks in foreign languages (English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese)! When you are near Miyoshi Station, be sure to stop by the Miyoshi Tourist Information Center♪

Photographed on January 2, 2014. After visiting Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, I relaxed at the Starbucks Kanetsuki‑dōri Store. I had a honey ginger komekoji milk latte and an Earl Grey pound cake. To everyone at the Bell Tower Street Store, I look forward to your continued support this 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 1, 2014. This is Kawagoe Kumano Shrine around 6:00 a.m.

Roadside Station Iwanai Happy New Year, and best wishes for 2026 🐴 We look forward to your continued support this year 🎍 Roadside Station Iwanai is open from today, Sunday, January 4th! We look forward to welcoming you 😆 Please note that we will be closed on Monday, January 5th This year we tried letting the trendy AI generate images for us 🐟

Happy New Year. We look forward to your continued support this year🙇! The Otaya Festival will be held on January 14–15✨ What is the Otaya Festival…? It is the annual festival of Furumachi Toyoke Grand Shrine in Furumachi, Nagawacho, where float displays are dedicated at five locations. A distinctive feature is that the floats on display remain fixed in place. They depict famous scenes from historical tales and Japanese folktales, as well as themes related to the zodiac. This year (2026) we are also holding a float tour digital stamp rally and a letter-collecting walk! Visit the floats and join the stamp rally and letter-collecting event✨ ★ Digital Stamp Rally and Letter-Collecting Walk Application Period ★ Wednesday, January 14, 2026 3:00 PM–9:00 PM Thursday, January 15, 2026 10:00 AM–2:00 PM For information about Otaya Festival 2026 (Nagawacho Tourism Association website) 👇 https://www.nagawa.info/news/3246/... There will be a Tourism Association booth and an entry box near the First venue✨ At the Tourism Association booth we plan to serve coffee and offer a Nagawacho gachapon (capsule toy) among other activities! Please come and enjoy the event!

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

I watched a hayashi (festival music ensemble) performance at Koedo Kurari.

A modern lounge floating on a pond. A romantic evening at La Gloriette. Enjoy renowned spirits from around the world and original cocktails. Hours: 6:00 P.M. – 9:45 P.M. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kussharo_ph/...

New Year Greetings and Information on the Operating Status of Tourist and Bathing Facilities Happy New Year. I pray that 2026 will be a wonderful year for everyone. We will continue working to ensure that everyone spending time in Teshikaga this year can enjoy memorable moments, and we appreciate your continued support. (New Year’s Day, 2026) Information about the operating status of tourist attractions and bathing facilities during the New Year period is available on Teshikaga Navi. Please note that hours and opening days may differ from the usual schedule. Also, some bathing facilities may be closed temporarily, so we recommend contacting each facility before you go.

Happy New Year. For Hokulea Shonan, this year is a year of “brush up.” We believe the future lies in steadily building careful work. We will further hone our skills and thinking, and bravely take on new challenges. We will not forget our gratitude to everyone who supports us, and we will continue to grow while honoring the sea and nature. We look forward to your continued support this year. Hokulea Shonan Representative Terushige Koike --- 🌈Hokulea Shonan is a diving shop in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. Under the theme “Let’s set out for an unseen world!”, we offer experiences that let you discover the wonder and joy of nature through diving. We hold courses and tours year-round in Izu, Okinawa, and overseas. With small group sizes, beginners can join with confidence. We also respond flexibly to requests tailored to each person. Now, let’s set off together for a new world.