Photographed on February 23, 2014. After visiting Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, we hold a naorai at Starbucks Kanetsuki‑dōri Store. It's a Sakura Bloom Latte and a sakura matcha doughnut.🌸🍵

Drifting ice off the coast of Shiretoko (Rausucho) is home to drift ice and Steller's sea eagles. When dozens of Steller's sea eagles and white-tailed eagles gather, their large size creates a truly dramatic sight.

Off the coast of Shiretoko (Rausucho) Here are the drift ice and a Steller's sea eagle. This weekend it was warm in Hokkaido and a southerly wind blew, so I was worried the drift ice might be pushed away, but the ice band remained. The drift ice will be gone next month, and from late April you can see orcas and whales.

Mount Fuji Day 2/23 Today's temperature in Minami-Alps City is an astonishing 22°C Springlike weather 🌸 Unfortunately, Mount Fuji is hidden during the daytime today… In honor of Mount Fuji Day, please enjoy photos of Mount Fuji taken in the past as seen from Minami-Alps City 🗻

Today I attended the Tencho Festival at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. The plum trees were beginning to bloom.

Notice: Local junior high students made POP displays and recycled bags ✨ Second-year students from Iwanai Daiichi Junior High School brought handmade POPs, posters, and recycled bags to the Roadside Station as part of their Integrated Studies project — “A Plan to Revitalize Iwanai-cho.” For the POPs and posters, they asked themselves, “What information do customers really want?” They researched popular products and created the materials accordingly ✨ The illustrations and English labels show lots of thoughtful touches, and everything is very easy to read! And here’s a highlight 🐟 The Tarumaru illustration on the recycled bags is a work by Idobata, who won the Kida Kinjiro Prize at the ongoing “Hometown Children’s Art Exhibition” held at the Kida Kinjiro Museum of Art ✨ These limited special-design bags are not to be missed! 🎉 If you visit the Roadside Station, please pick one up and take a look 😊

The Otaru Canal in winter’s magic hour. On the right bank, stone warehouses weigh down with snow in silence, while on the left bank the warm glow of gas lamps lights the snow white. Countless candles floating on the water trail long tails of light across the cold surface, gently swaying. People strolling along the promenade, captured in long exposures, become blurred light afterimages, visualizing the dense passage of time within the still scene. The cold air and the fires that seem to melt it coexist, etched together in vivid contrast.

Today I went to KAWAGOE COFFEE SELECTION. I was there for LEC COFFEE. At the top is a cafe latte, bottom left shows a canelé and an espresso financier, and bottom right shows a top-down view. It was very busy. 😊

Photographed on February 17, 2014. This is the lunch plate from Brasserie CATHERI near Kawagoeshi Station. They will be participating in today’s KAWAGOE COFFEE SELECTION.

Photographed on February 15, 2014. This is LEC COFFEE’s chocolate Basque cheesecake and a black latte. I’m looking forward to the Kawagoe Coffee Selection. 😊

Mount Kaikoma in winter The dawn atmosphere and the faint mist created a magical scene.

Photographed on February 15, 2014. This is a black latte from LECCOFFEE. The latte art is lovely. 😊🩷 LECCOFFEE will be exhibiting at KAWAGOE COFFEE SELECTION tomorrow, February 22.

Photographed on February 15, 2014. This is a chocolate Basque cheesecake with strawberries from LEC COFFEE.

Photographed on February 15, 2014. This is a quiche plate from LEC COFFEE. It includes a shrimp, spinach, and onion quiche, homemade ham with salad, a white vegetable potage, and homemade bread.

On Saturday, February 28, 2026, Reihoku Town will be exhibiting at the Amakusa Fair 2026 held at HiRaKu in Tenjin, Fukuoka City! Fukuoka and Amakusa are connected by Amakusa Airlines (AMX) via the Mizoka service. This is a rare chance to bring the charms of Reihoku, located right next to Amakusa Airport, directly to the people of Fukuoka. 🍊 Reihoku’s seasonal best gathers in Tenjin! We will offer many of Reihoku’s proud local specialties on the day. 🎁 Fun activities At the venue, customers who spend 1,000 yen or more will be entered into a prize drawing! 📅 Event details Date and time: Saturday, February 28, 2026, 11:00 – 18:00 Venue: HiRaKu, Cultural Exchange and Creative Hub (Tenjin 2-chome 8-227, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka City) Program: Local specialty sales, tourism PR, public recording of AMX Radio “Mizoka Talk,” and more Organizer and planner: Amakusa Airlines A short 35-minute flight from Fukuoka Airport takes you to a different world of blue seas. We’ll bring you exciting information to make you think, “Maybe I’ll go to Amakusa on my next break,” and we look forward to seeing you in Tenjin! Please feel free to drop by and enjoy the event ✨

Hello, this is Ryūsuido 🌸 The birthstone for February, amethyst 💎, is one of the more powerful varieties of quartz, known for its mystical purple color. Known not only for bringing good luck and fortune, it also offers healing and protection from harm, and is celebrated as a guardian stone of love 😊 At Shosenkyo Gorge it has been mild the past few days, and you can begin to feel the first hints of spring. Clear skies, rugged rock faces, and sunlight spilling onto the water— that contrast is stunning and soothing to the soul ✨ One of Shosenkyo’s charms is the changing scenery each season brings ❗️ The Takinoue area offers many spots where you can forget everyday life and simply enjoy yourself 🌿 Please do visit when you can‼️ We truly look forward to the day we can see your wonderful smiles 😊✨

2026 Ice and Snow Lantern Festival February 15, Okuwa village Okuwa Village Sports Park

Photographed on February 11, 2014. A cafe latte from cafe andon and a carrot cake with figs and prunes. They will be setting up a stall at KAWAGOE COFFEE SELECTION this Sunday.

Photographed on February 11, 2014. This is cafe andon’s carrot cake with figs and prunes.

Photographed on February 11, 2014. This is a cafe latte from cafe andon. The mug bears cafe andon’s logo.

<Scenic Night 2026 in Kimobetsu is coming!> Scenic Night 2026 in Kimobetsu, an event that lights the town with snow candle glow, will take place. We have planned children’s games, snow candle making, and a midwinter fireworks display, so please come dressed warmly! At the midwinter food court we will sell pork miso soup and takoyaki, and at the midwinter beer garden we will offer draft beer, pork skewers, chicken skewers, and more. We look forward to seeing you. Date and time: Saturday, February 21, 2026 13:30 Children’s games registration 15:00 Snow candle making, midwinter food court, and midwinter beer garden open 17:00 Snow candle lighting 18:30 Midwinter fireworks display 20:00 Scheduled end (Program may change due to weather or other reasons) Location: Around Hotto Kimobetsu Roadside Station, Kimobetsucho Organizer: Kimobetsu Scenic Night Executive Committee, NPO Kimobetsu WAO

Photographed on February 11, 2014. This is Andon Chicken Curry from cafe andon. It's a delicious curry I find myself craving regularly. 😊🍛

Photographed on February 15, 2014. This is Hara Florist’s Valentine’s Day hanachozu (floating flower basin). 🩷🌹

A food-walking event, Nobeoka Tapas 2026 🍽️, will be held!! Nobeoka Tapas is an event for “food-walking” enjoyed while strolling through the town of Nobeoka. Visit participating shops and taste the tapas (small plates) and drinks each shop prepares, then move on to the next place, and the next. Hop between places that catch your eye and enjoy Nobeoka’s flavors and the town’s atmosphere. Discover new places you’ve never entered, see a familiar shop in a new light, and notice the faces of Nobeoka that only appear when you walk. Nobeoka Tapas is a townwide food culture. Please enjoy this special night, available only on this day, one plate and one drink at a time. ____________________________________ ■ Food-Walking Event Date and Time: February 27 (Fri) and 28 (Sat) Location: Various restaurants and eateries across Nobeoka City ■ Tapas Marche Date and Time: March 1 (Sun) 10:00–15:00 Location: Nobeoka Station West Exit Ekimae Building Around Waiwai Play Lab <Value Food-Walking Ticket> A value ticket that normally pays for 600 yen × 5 plates for 2,500 yen goes on sale from Monday, February 2, 2026!! ⁡ <How to Purchase Tickets> Advance in-person sales (cash only) ▶︎ ① Higashi Kyushu Basque Vision Promotion Office, 3rd floor, Nobeoka City Hall ② Onokobo Design LLC ⁡ Online reservation ▶︎ Purchase via “Nobeoka Tapas 2026 Tickets – Online Advance Sales” and receive by mail, or exchange for tickets at the information desk on the day of the event. Please note that refunds are not available after payment. ⁡ Same-day sales ▶︎ Purchase at the City Information Center or at the Marche Information Desk ※ If advance tickets sell out, same-day sales will not be available. If you can’t use all your tickets during the event period, you can use each unused ticket as a 600-yen voucher at participating shops, so there’s no need to worry! (Valid March 2–22) Tickets are sold until they sell out, so please get yours early ☺️💚

Photographed on February 17, 2014. After visiting Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, I relaxed at the Starbucks Kanetsuki‑dōri Store. I had a chocolate mousse latte and a chocolate tart. SAKURA starts today. 🌸

A fire lookout tower and MtJonen together!! Nagano Prefecture apparently has a lot of fire lookout towers…

Jikkasegi Irrigation Canal flowing beside the Northern Alps An irrigation waterway built in the Edo Period Now it serves as a resting spot for ducks

February 17th Yesterday Azumino was mostly cloudy, but today it’s clear Mt. Jonen appears in a dignified, striking view

Expo Memorial Park Plum Festival Senri Expo Park, Suita City, Osaka Prefecture Schedule: From Saturday, February 7, 2026 to Sunday, March 8, 2026 ※Closed on Wednesdays ※Open on Wednesday, February 11 (a national holiday); closed the following weekday, Thursday, February 12, as a substitute holiday Time: 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last admission at 4:30 p.m.) Venue: Natural and Cultural Garden Umebayashi, Japanese-style garden Umebayashi, and other locations The Umebayashi in the Natural and Cultural Garden spans about 5,500 square meters and features approximately 120 varieties and 600 plum trees, while the Umebayashi in the Japanese-style garden contains about 40 varieties and 80 trees, offering visitors a chance to enjoy a wide range of plum blossoms.

📺 A special TV program about the Amaichi Gran Fondo will air on TV Kumamoto (TKU)! Last winter, the cycling event “Around Amakusa! Amaichi Gran Fondo” took place across the entire Amakusa area. Cyclists from around the country raced along Amakusa’s stunning routes, and the excitement of that ride is now being broadcast as a TV program! 🚴‍♂️💨 The program will show participants cutting through the wind, the warm hospitality at aid stations, and, above all, plenty of footage of the beautiful coastline of our town, Reihoku. This is a must-see for those who actually took part, those who cheered along the route, and anyone who dreams of riding here someday. Please tune in and feel the breeze of Amakusa and Reihoku through your screen! 📅 Broadcast details Broadcaster: TKU TV Kumamoto Program title: Around Amakusa! Amaichi Gran Fondo Air date and time: Saturday, February 21, 2026, 11:00 AM–11:30 AM 👉 For more details about the program, please visit the TKU official website. ※Program content is subject to change.