Miyazaki Prefecture Gokasecho Gourmet: Bar EL CAMPO (Bar Eru Kanpo) A hidden retreat in the forest: Bar EL CAMPO You can unwind in a log-house venue surrounded by mountains and enjoy a slow pace of time. The owner’s carefully crafted cocktails and the wide selection of whiskies are a highlight. Try the unique “El Campo Burger,” made with deer meat and available only here. Hours: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays 3:00 PM–12:00 AM Note: Monday–Thursday are by reservation only. Please consult us by the day before. Contact: 872-1 Kuraoka, Gokasecho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki Prefecture 882-1201 Phone: 080-9799-0094

Miyazaki Prefecture Gokasecho Gourmet — Enoha no Ie Enoha no Ie sits right beside the clear stream where yamame trout thrive. Here you can enjoy yamame dishes made from Gokase’s pure water. Alongside grilled salt-roasted yamame and sweet-simmered yamame, you can also taste yamame sashimi, which requires the freshest fish. A yamame fishing pond nearby lets you try yamame fishing casually. Hours: 11:00–17:00 Closed: Open daily Contact: 4615 Kuraoka, Gokasecho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki Prefecture, 882-1201 Phone: 0982-83-2321

Miyazaki Prefecture Gokasecho Gourmet: Shoku no Sato Gogo At lunch, enjoy hearty, filling meals; in the evening, the restaurant fills with locals at Shoku no Sato Gogo. You can dine while looking out over the upstream of the Mikasho River. The house specialties are charcoal-grilled local chicken and kama-age udon. Hours: Lunch 11:00–13:30 (last order 13:15) / Dinner 17:30–21:30 (last order 21:00) Closed: Monday Contact: 1287-3 Mikasho, Gokasecho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki Prefecture 882-1203 Phone: 0982-82-0635 (Reservations are recommended for dinner)

Miyazaki Prefecture Gokasecho Gourmet: Cloud Above the Grapes Cloud Above the Grapes is a restaurant located on the grounds of Gokase Winery Enjoy a buffet of dishes made with local ingredients and freshly caught yamame trout. The curry made with Gokase wine is also popular. Help yourself to a wide selection of dishes from salads to desserts as much as you like! Hours: 11:00–15:00 (last order 14:30) Closed: Wednesday and Thursday Contact: 4847-1 Kuwanochi, Gokasecho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki Prefecture 882-1202 Phone: 0982-73-5470

Gokasecho, Miyazaki Prefecture Gourmet Restaurant Gose (Itsuse), located inside Gokase Onsen Mori no Yado Kijiya You can enjoy a variety of seasonal dishes. Using 100% Gokase-grown grapes for Gokase Wine, the locally acclaimed Takachiho Beef—a brand honored at the National Wagyu Ability Competition—salt-grilled yamame (mountain trout), tempura of wild mountain vegetables, and other carefully chosen seasonal ingredients, the restaurant offers a menu that highlights the best flavors of each season. Hours: Lunch 11:00–15:00 / Dinner 17:00–21:00 Closed: Every Tuesday. Please check the official website for holiday closures. Contact: 9223 Mikasho, Gokasecho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki Prefecture 882-1203 Phone: 0982-82-1115 Fax: 0982-82-1145

Miyazaki Prefecture Gokasecho Shopping & Souvenirs: Yuuhi no Sato Local Products Center Yuuhi no Sato Local Products Center sits on the grounds of Gokase Winery In addition to freshly harvested morning vegetables brought in by local residents, the center offers a wide selection of kamairi tea and processed goods Hours: 9:00–17:00 Closed: Thursdays Contact: 0982-73-5471

Photographed on July 6, 24. It is a wind chime at the edge of Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. We are exorcising the wind chime shelf.

Hiraide Ruins The nationally designated Hiraide Ruins rank among Japan’s major archaeological sites. They lie about 2 kilometers southwest of JR Chuo Line Shiojiri Station on the vineyard-covered Kikyogahara plain. The site stretches in a belt along the Shibukawa stream flowing from Hiraide spring, extending roughly 1 kilometer east to west and 300 meters north to south. Full-scale excavations begun in 1950 revealed that people lived at Hiraide from the Jomon period through the Heian period. Numerous dwelling remains and associated artifacts were unearthed. These rich finds formed a fundamental body of material for studying prehistoric and ancient culture in this region, and the site was designated a National Historic Site in 1952. Subsequent excavations have uncovered more than 290 dwelling and building remains to date. ◇Hiraide Museum The museum displays clay figurines, pottery, stone tools, and iron implements excavated from the Hiraide Ruins, along with artifacts from other local sites. Highlights include prefectural treasures such as the green-glazed water jar, the Shibamiya bronze bell, the Irisawa tile tower, and distinctive Jomon pottery from Shinshu. ◇Historical Park Around the museum lies the Hiraide Kofun Group, three burial mounds thought to belong to powerful local leaders who once governed the Hiraide settlement. You can also see a pit-dwelling reconstruction that was the first of its kind restored anywhere in Japan. ◇Hiraide Archaeological Park Hiraide Archaeological Park reconstructs villages from the Jomon, Kofun, and Heian periods under the theme “Five thousand years of Hiraide.” Fifteen reconstructed dwellings and buildings stand in the park, and visitors can enter some of them. Recreations of Jomon, Yayoi, and Heian period dwellings let you experience changes in structure and building materials firsthand and feel how people’s daily lives evolved over time. ◇Guidance Building The guidance building houses a learning corner, rest area, and observation room, creating a relaxed space for visitors to learn about the Hiraide Ruins. Hands-on programs related to prehistoric and ancient life—such as fire making and magatama (curved bead) making—are offered and remain popular with local children. On the second floor, an observation room offers a panoramic view of the archaeological park. ◇Practical Information <Historical Park and Hiraide Museum> Address: 1011-3 Soga, Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture Phone: 0263-52-1022 Hours: 9:00–17:00 (last admission 16:30) Closed: Mondays, the day after national holidays, and during the New Year holidays (December 29–January 3) Parking: Cars 50 spaces / Large buses 10 spaces (free) Admission: Adults 300 yen / Elementary and junior high school students free / Groups of 20 or more 240 yen per person Access: 15-minute walk from JR Shiojiri Station or get off at Hiraide Museum on the Soga community bus line <Archaeological Park and Guidance Building> Address: 388-2 Soga, Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture Phone: 0263-52-3301 Hours: 9:00–17:00 Closed: Mondays, the day after national holidays, and during the New Year holidays (December 29–January 3) Parking: Available (free) Reception hours: 9:00–11:00 and 13:00–15:30 Admission: Free (materials fees may apply for some activities) Access: 15-minute walk from JR Shiojiri Station or a 6-minute walk from Hiraide Gate on the Soga community bus line

Today, we visited LEC COFFEE Mr./Ms.. It's chai and matcha tiramisu. It's so delicious that I look forward to it every time. It was very hot today, so I was healed. Thanks to you, I was able to take a photo of the illumination of the rim musubi wind chime. Thank you. 😊

Summer lurks in everyday life

Summer Traditions Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine with the sound of wind chimes Photo taken on July 6, 2024

July 7 (Sunday) Sunset Village Kids Festa – Tanabata Festival– On Tanabata day, July 7, the Sunset Village Creation Promotion Council and the Childcare Support Center teamed up to hold the Sunset Village Kids Festa – Tanabata Festival – in the Wind Hall at Gokase Winery👨‍👩‍👧‍👦🎋✨ True to the Wind Hall’s name, the wind blew strongly, but the sky was perfectly clear and blazing sunny—a day with no better weather🥵☀️ That didn’t bother anyone: the children were full of energy💪✨ A water play area was set up at the venue! Kids blasted water pistols in the pool, sent all kinds of bubbles into the air, and played with water-balloon yo-yos… the fun continued from morning until the event ended, always packed and lively🔫👏 On stage, children moved their bodies to music in a rhythmics session, sang together at a mini concert, and listened intently to picture-book readings and a panel theater. A special collaboration with the local wind ensemble, G Music Band, brought an electrifying hula dance that thrilled the crowd🥳🙌 There were also hands-on experiences with wind and percussion instruments and the koto, and the children were ecstatic to touch live instruments they rarely get to try🎺🎶 Vendors lined up, including BLANCO Ice Cream from nearby Yamatomachi, offering drinks and treats for kids and adults and fun lottery games. The place was bustling🌭🥤🍧 Upstairs in the cool Wine Hall, Midori Kakuda’s photo exhibition and photo session were held, capturing many lovely and new scenes of Gokase in beautiful shots📸✨ On the same floor, a nursing room and a rest area provided considerate support for visitors with small children🍼💕 In the afternoon, everyone wrote wishes on tanzaku and tied them to the bamboo. The once bare bamboo became brightly decorated, creating a very atmospheric scene😌 The children’s heartfelt, unique wishes felt cleansing to the heart🥹✨ The venue was arranged with parents’ comfort in mind, and the children, who had played to their hearts’ content and ended up soaked from head to toe, left wearing satisfied smiles😊🥰👏 Places and opportunities where children can laugh and play freely are precious😳✨ It was a perfect day, and I hope many more wonderful events like this will be held in the future👍👍👍

The night at Mt. Takabocchi Highlands — famously known as "Japan's top photo spot" — feels different in a whole new way! Look at this photo!! What an utterly beautiful view You'd be missing out if you don't see it in person! Whether you go with family, friends, or a partner, an unforgettable moment awaits everyone! You just have to go now~

Although the rainy season makes the outdoors dark, the hydrangeas stand out brilliantly! This is Jokoji Temple in Kaminishijo, Shiojiri City, also famous as the rhododendron temple.

July 7th–July 9th Iwanai Shrine Annual Festival Now Underway The Iwanai Shrine Annual Festival, fondly known locally as the Iwanai Festival, is a beloved community celebration. The schedule runs with the Eve Festival on the 7th, the Main Festival on the 8th, and the Return Festival on the 9th; portable shrine processions take place on the 8th and 9th. For the rites honoring Sarutahiko no Mikoto and Uzume no Mikoto, attendants are chosen from the cohort facing their critical 42nd year. On the 9th, the national highway is closed to traffic so two portable shrines can charge up “Jinja-zaka” in one breathtaking dash. The town-designated intangible folk cultural asset “Akasaka Yatsu” is another festival highlight. For detailed schedules and information, please check the Iwanai Shrine website. Don’t miss this once-a-year opportunity!

Photographed on July 6, 24. It is the wind chime of Kawagoe Hachimangu. 🎐 The strips are also wonderful.

Photographed on July 6, 24. It is the wind chime of Kawagoe Hachimangu. 🎐

Photographed on July 6, 24. It is a wind chime on the edge of Kawagoe Ichiban Street.

Arch of the Milky Way Shot in Tsumekizaki 2024.07.05 The three images are combined into a panorama.

It is the Tanabata Festival of Hofu Tenmangu Shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The entire Tenmangu area is vividly decorated with strips of paper and wreaths, and at night, the "Hikari no Sai Garden" is set up to light up the umbrella artwork, and the corridor is enveloped in a fantastic atmosphere.

Photographed on July 6, 24. It is a wind chime on the edge of Kawagoe Ichiban Street.

Photographed on July 6, 24. Next to the Coedo Resona Terrace, there is also a rim musubi wind chime.

Today, Saturday, July 6, three bathing beaches in Atami City opened for the season simultaneously. At Atami Sun Beach, officials attended a safety prayer ceremony led by Kinomiya Shrine. After the safety prayer ceremony, swimming began at 9:00. Handheld fireworks were given as gifts to the children who gathered. Please enjoy the sea in Atami this summer as well! Beach opening period / Saturday, July 6, 2024 – Sunday, August 25, 2024 Atami Sun Beach: Higashikaigancho, Atami City Nagahama Beach: Kamitaga, Atami City Ajiro Onsen Beach: Shimotaga, Atami City * The Atami Sun Beach Water Park runs from Saturday, July 13, 2024 to Sunday, August 25, 2024.

Nishiki Onuma Park’s iris garden in full bloom ✨ Open until 7:00 PM through Monday, July 15 (national holiday) ✨

It is a wind chime at the edge of the ticket gate of Hon-Kawagoe Station. 🎐 From today, at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, the Rim Musubi wind chime has begun.

If you climb the hill in the cicada rain, drenched in sweat, the green carpet Unfolds below. Train in summer colors moves energetically through it. Come on! Train-kun! Shooting location: Ato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture "Funahira Mountain"　

Photographed 7/4/24. It is a Marriage Benzaiten Festival of Naritasan Kawagoe Betsuin. There are a wonderful relationship with all of you.

Fireworks at Nagashima Sparland Fireworks festivals in various places have a long interval between launches, but the fireworks here are intensive for about 30 minutes without a break, and I am always excited! Furthermore, since this is an amusement park, it is attractive to take pictures with Roller coasters. Mie Prefecture Kuwana City Nagashima Town

Summer 🇯🇵 in Japan

Visited the store on July 2, 24. After Prayer to Tokyo Daijingu Shrine, we visited Mr./Ms. want to mannma. This is a breakfast set of 鹹豆漿 soy milk soup, flea rice cakes, rice cakes Taiwanese-style rice balls, and pineapple cake.