Arao's Seven Stamina Gourmet Picks — No. 4 We introduce Arao City's delicious stamina-boosting dishes. From addictive popular flavors to hearty rice bowls! These outrageously tasty dishes will fill you with energy and pep you up for sure! 4. Momo Ju Bento — Hon-ten Toraiichi, Specialty Shop for Bone-in Chicken and Karaage The Arao main shop’s limited Momo Ju bento. It features a whole carefully selected chicken thigh, slowly and gently roasted in olive oil, creating a very hearty bento. The shop also offers karaage à la carte and a variety of other bento options. Hon-ten Toraiichi — Bone-in Chicken and Karaage Specialty Shop: Highlights! Founded in Marugame, Kagawa Prefecture, this shop serves bone-in chicken and freshly fried karaage made with a special method. The bone-in chicken uses tender, juicy young birds. The owner, a karaage fanatic, perfected his signature fried chicken—be sure to try it. There are also Omuta and Tamana branches. ◆ Shop name: Hon-ten Toraiichi — Bone-in Chicken and Karaage Specialty Shop ◆ Address: 813-1 Haramanda, Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture ◆ Phone: 0968-62-6268 ◆ Hours: 10:30 AM–7:30 PM ◆ Closed: Irregular holidays ◆ Seating: Takeout only ◆ Website: https://karaage-toraichi.com// ◆ SNS: Facebook

Photographed on March 10, 25. This is a hot sandwich set of avocado shrimp from CAFE ANDON. It's my favorite combination. 😊🦐🥑

🌸 Enjoy spring in Nobeoka! Spectacular spots colored by history and nature 🌸 📍 Gokase River Levee (south side) 🌿 Kawazu cherry blossoms × rape blossoms At the Gokase River levee, you can stroll along Konohana Road lined with 300 cherry trees and one million rape blossoms! Now in its 17th year, Konohana Road features Kawazu cherry trees, which have a long blooming period. To let more people enjoy the blossoms through the end of March 2025, the site (Gokase River levee) will be open as the Konohana Sakura Festival. 📍 Nobeoka Castle Ruins / Shiroyama Park ⛩️ History × cherry blossoms × illumination Some 300 Somei-yoshino cherry trees bloom around the 19 m-high “stone wall of a thousand slaughters.” At night, the illuminated stone wall and cherry blossoms create a dreamlike scene. During the illumination period from Thursday, March 20, 2025 to Sunday, April 6, 2025, various events will be held. On Saturday, March 22, the Waiwai Gourmet Expo offers a wide range of foods, character shows, and music and comedy performances. 📍 Nobeoka Castle Ruins / Shiroyama Park 🌺 History × one of Japan’s three great wild camellia groves Nobeoka Castle Ruins Park hosts 3,300 wild camellia (yabutsubaki) trees across 108 varieties, flowering from late October through late April, with peak season from December to March. Its standout feature is the full spectrum of flower colors—red, white, pink, variegated, and edged. You can also enjoy famous camellia varieties such as Nobeoka, Kamei, Mokusuï, Shiroyama, and Naito, plus rare trees that bloom in three different colors on a single trunk!

Seven Stamina Gourmet Picks in Arao — Part 3 Introducing Arao City's delicious stamina-boosting gourmet dishes. From addictive flavors to hearty rice bowls! These outrageously tasty dishes will fill you with energy and leave you feeling revitalized! 3. All-You-Can-Eat Ultimate Course — Yakiniku Nulbon Garden Arao Enjoy a thoroughly satisfying course at Nulbon Garden, which has devoted itself to meat for over 40 years, featuring carefully selected grilled meats and authentic Korean cuisine. From premium domestic sirloin and premium domestic short ribs to Korean dishes and desserts, this course is perfect for family dinners and banquets! Yakiniku Nulbon Garden Arao — Highlights! At this yakiniku restaurant you can enjoy an all-you-can-eat course with a wide menu that includes carefully sourced meats such as Kyushu-raised black Wagyu, as well as authentic Korean dishes like cold noodles and bibimbap. The spacious interior offers comfortable booth seating and private rooms. Takeout grilled meat boxes and bento meals are also popular. ◆Name: Yakiniku Nulbon Garden Arao ◆Address: 1518-90 Motoide, Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture ◆Phone: 0968-65-5333 ◆Hours: Weekdays 4:00 PM–10:00 PM (last order 9:30 PM); Sat, Sun, and holidays 11:30 AM–11:00 PM (last order 10:30 PM) ◆Closed: None ◆Seating capacity: 240 seats ◆Private rooms: Yes ◆Smoking seats: No ◆Website: https://www.nurubon.co.jp/tenpo/arao.html... ◆SNS: Facebook・Twitter

Arao’s Top 7 Stamina Dishes — Part 2 Here are Arao City’s delicious stamina-boosting dishes. From addictive signature flavors to hearty rice bowls! These insanely tasty plates will power you up and keep your energy high! 2. Kumamoto Horse Sashimi Assortment, Five Cuts — Rakusai Dining Kuito This Kumamoto specialty features five cuts—marbled, premium horse sashimi, lean red meat, kone (fatty mane), and futaego—each offering different sweetness and textures. Enjoy them with garlic soy, fresh grated ginger, or spicy miso, pairing each condiment to the cut. Rakusai Dining Kuito — Highlights Available only twice a month! Their rare raw horse liver sashimi, prepared with a focus on freshness, offers a unique taste you won’t find elsewhere. The izakaya also prides itself on daily-selected fresh fish from direct sources, Hinomoto pork from Nagomi Town in Kumamoto Prefecture, and premium binchotan charcoal skewers. Spend a fun evening that sparks lively conversation with someone special. *Arrival of horse liver sashimi will be announced on social media.* Name: Rakusai Dining Kuito Address: 1616-67 Shimoide, Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture, inside Green Smile Ichibankan Phone: 0968-66-0804 Hours: 11:30–15:00, 17:00–23:00 Closed: Thursdays, New Year’s Day Seating capacity: 100 seats Private rooms: Available Smoking: Outdoor smoking area provided Website: https://www.kuraudo.site// Social: LINE, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

Because the water is excellent, the eel tastes delicious. The secret to Mishima’s eel flavor is Mishima’s water. By keeping eels without feed for several days and immersing them in Mishima’s spring water, their true flavor is brought out. (There are more shops besides those on the map) #Mishima City #eel #Mishima is not a production area for eel

Seven Stamina Gourmet Picks from Arao — Part 1 Introducing Arao City's delicious stamina-boosting dishes. From addictive flavors to hearty rice bowls! These insanely tasty menu items will fill you with energy and never let you down! 1. Assorted Offal Platter — Wafu Yakiniku Barikiya Heart, senmai (third stomach), liver, red senmai, and tecchan — five parts with distinct flavors and textures. Each offers abundant nutrients such as B vitamins, vitamin E, minerals, and iron, making them ideal for replenishing stamina. Enjoy them with a garlic-rich soy sauce glaze! Wafu Yakiniku Barikiya — What makes this place special! This yakiniku restaurant offers many menu options, including great-value lunches. As a butcher-run shop, they purchase whole A5-grade Kuroge Wagyu cattle, so you can try rare cuts. They focus on freshness management to serve safe, high-quality, and delicious meat. ◆Name: Wafu Yakiniku Barikiya ◆Address: 1616-67 Shimoide, Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture, inside Green Smile Ichibankan ◆Phone: 0968-66-4129 ◆Hours: 11:30–15:00, 17:00–22:30 ◆Closed: Wednesdays (may change on holidays), New Year’s Day ◆Seats: 100 ◆Private rooms: Yes ◆Smoking seats: No ◆Website: http://www.barikiya.com// ◆SNS: Facebook・Instagram

Discover a new way to travel! 🚗💨 Special site now live 🎉 Let’s feast around Tanzawa, Ooyama, and Miyagase! 😋 "#Gourmet Guri" Ken-O Yamanami #Gastronomy Tourism The Ken-O Yamanami area—including Isehara, Atsugi, Hadano, Aikawa, and Kiyokawa✨—is rich in ingredients that have long been loved and that may stir your memories. How about a trip that’s different from the usual? 🍽️ "Gastronomy" means deepening your understanding of the relationship between food and culture 📚 Through this experience, ordinary places might become special to you…💎 Check the special site now! 👉 https://www.atsugi-kankou.jp/site/yamanami-gastronomy/... Atsugi City Tourism Association #Isehara #Atsugi #Hadano #Aikawa #Kiyokawa #Ken-O Yamanami #Tanzawa Ooyama Miyagase #Feast it all #Food travel #Local gourmet #Delicious discoveries #Taste of memories #Tourist information

📢 Locals’ Picks: Savory Eats in Sakai🍽️✨ Sakai offers not only tourist spots but also many local culinary delights unique to the area!😋🌸 We invited recommendations from residents for eateries so visitors to the Osaka-Kansai Expo can savor Sakai’s flavors!📍🍜🍣 Enjoy Sakai’s local cuisine along with the Expo!🎡✨ 🎁 Instagram posting campaign runs until June 30! Five winners will be drawn to receive Sakai specialty products🎊🎁 🔍 For details, search for “Locals’ Picks: Savory Eats in Sakai”!

Hello to everyone watching Cool Japan Video—nice to meet you! This is the Morotsuka Village Tourism Association. We will now share plenty of reasons to fall in love with Morotsuka Village in northern Miyazaki Prefecture. First, let us introduce Morotsuka Village. ◆◇◆About Morotsuka Village, Miyazaki Prefecture◆◇◆ Morotsuka Village, Miyazaki Prefecture, sits nearly in the center of the Kyushu Central Mountain Range. About 90% of the village area is forest. There is almost no flat land; 84 small settlements dot the mountain slopes. Under the slogan of building a forestry-centered village, Morotsuka has promoted village development by protecting mountains, creating forests, and living in harmony with nature while benefiting from the forest. This is a village that lives with the forest, thinking not only about themselves but also about one another and not only about the present but about children and grandchildren. ◆◇◆Access◆◇◆ * About two hours by car from Kumamoto Airport * About two hours by car from Miyazaki Airport * From Miyazaki Airport take the train to JR Hyuga City Station (limited express about 65 minutes), then a route bus runs from Hyuga City Station to Morotsuka Village. If you use train and route bus, take the JR Nippo Main Line to JR Hyuga City Station, then a Miyazaki Kotsu route bus to Morotsuka village center, "Morotsuka," which takes about 90 minutes. * Please board a bus bound for "Kamishiiba" or "Tsukahara." (For route bus details, check the Miyazaki Kotsu website.) ※For current traffic restrictions, please check the Morotsuka Navi Website. ◆◇◆Tourist Spots in Morotsuka Village, Miyazaki Prefecture◆◇◆ ■Ecomuseum Morotsuka Shiitake Hall 21 This facility houses the Morotsuka Village Tourism Association office and Restaurant Donkotei. It used to be a place to learn about shiitake, but it has been renovated as a tourist information and community space. Across the Hotaru Bridge, on the opposite bank, stands the main statue of Kunugi Jizo carved from a sawtooth oak more than 100 years old. You can walk down to the river to enjoy a boxed lunch or play in the clear stream. ◇◆◇Accommodations in Morotsuka Village, Miyazaki Prefecture◇◆◇ ■Tenku no Mori Ikenokubo Green Park Perched around 800 meters above sea level in nature-rich Morotsuka, Tenku no Mori Ikenokubo Green Park offers log houses and a campsite. From the Hyuga direction the road is a single lane each way, so drivers who are not used to mountain roads can still feel at ease. The park features an athletic course, grass skiing, and putter golf, so families with young children can enjoy themselves together. A scenic cross-country course nearby makes for a pleasant, leisurely walk amid nature. The popular Akimasa Observatory, known for its views, is about a five-minute drive. We recommend rising early to watch the sunrise; with luck you may see a sea of clouds. Spring bursts with flowers, summer brings lush greenery and cool highland air, autumn ignites in brilliant foliage, and winter offers quiet days with occasional snow flurries. It’s a place to savor the changing seasons and relax in nature. ■Morotsukayama Mountain Stream Village One of the village’s two campgrounds is Morotsukayama Mountain Stream Village. Morotsukayama, one of Kyushu’s 100 famous mountains, towers here amid rich nature. Nearby is a river park next to a water-rich gorge, where you can enjoy river play and fishing in summer (fishing requires a permit). ■Forest Folk House Yamashigi Forest The Forest Folk House consists of two historic houses: "Shitashigi," built in the Taisho era, and "Nakashigi," built in the Meiji era. You reach them by climbing a winding mountain road, yet these homes once served as a transportation hub before roads and cars existed. Today they serve as an experiential exchange facility where city visitors and mountain residents deepen ties through farm work. Perched high as if touching the sky, the site preserves nostalgic scenes such as an irori hearth, a goemon bath, and a wood-fired stove. ■Forest Folk House Series These traditional houses let you fully enjoy the breath of nature. Surrounded by mountains, with the warmth of wood, the scent of earth, and a communal irori hearth, Morotsuka’s forest folk houses offer a relaxed pace and a restful place to experience human–nature coexistence. [List of folk houses] ・Yamashigi Forest ・Heida no Sato ・Sakura no Tsubone ・Yoshiya ◇◆◇Local Specialties of Morotsuka Village, Miyazaki Prefecture◇◆◇ ■Shiitake Shiitake cultivated using 100% log-grown mushrooms from rich forests certified as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage. Morotsuka Village proudly offers these flavorful, aromatic log-grown shiitake—please savor them. ■Mori no Hyakkamitsu (Forest Wildflower Honey) This honey comes from Japanese honeybees cherished by Morotsuka’s honey hunters. Natural beekeeping in the mountains draws nectar from a wide range of flowers. The honey the bees diligently collect—called "mori no hyakkamitsu" or wildflower honey—is highly nutritious with a rich taste and aroma. A single bee produces only about a spoonful of honey in its lifetime, making it very precious. ■Yomogi Dango (Mugwort Rice Dumplings) Fresh yomogi gathered from the mountains, nurtured by clean air and water, are made into yomogi dango using traditional methods. These treats are a countryside-only luxury, full of yomogi fragrance and filled with expertly kneaded sweet bean paste. ■Mountain-Processed Foods Women’s associations active across the scattered mountain settlements prepare goods in local workrooms every day. They transform mountain-harvested ingredients into the village’s delicious products—miso, yuzu pepper, konnyaku, dressings, and more. We will continue to share the charms of nature-rich Morotsuka Village—stay tuned!

\Echizen Pottery Village Shidarezakura (weeping cherry blossoms) Festival held in! ／ Annual event, the "Shidarezakura (weeping cherry blossoms) Festival" will be Held in again this year at the Echizen Pottery Village in Echizen Town! In 2025, it will be held for two days on Saturday, April 12 and Sunday, April 13. There are many fun projects such as a craft market, stage performances, Stamp Rally, and a large lottery! There is also a night cherry blossom road with cherry blossoms Light up at night~! Full of excitement, let's go to the pottery Village in Spring! ◎The 13th Echizen Pottery Village Shidarezakura (weeping cherry blossoms) Festival https://www.town-echizen.jp/event/detail.php?id=518... https://www.town-echizen.jp/event/detail.php?id=518...

The 10th Nobeoka Flower Story 2025 Konohana Walk was held on Saturday and Sunday, February 22–23, 2025, on the riverside of the Gokase River! Although a nationwide cold snap delayed the cherry blossoms, the event was lively with Nobeoka’s proud local food, stage performances, outdoor tea ceremonies, rickshaws, workshops, hands-on booths run by the Self-Defense Forces and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and kids’ events. In addition, a "Saigo-don Bus Tour" led by Saigo Takao, a great-grandson of the historical figure Saigo, was held to great acclaim. Thank you very much to everyone who attended✨️ *You can see scenes from the event day on the official Nobeoka Flower Story website.* Nobeoka Flower Story 2025 continues with Waiwai Hanayoi Story at Nobeoka Castle Ruins Shiroyama Park from Thursday, March 20 through Sunday, April 6, and the Waiwai Gourmet Expo on Saturday, March 22. Here you can see Somei-Yoshino cherry trees and one of Japan’s three great wild camellia groves (yabutsubaki).🌺 Check the blooming status on the official Nobeoka Flower Story website or in this account’s stories! We look forward to welcoming you.

[Mori no Hall Final Event "Thank You. And Please Continue to Support Us."] Mori no Hall, a hugely popular cafe that draws devoted fans not only from the town but from across Japan, will close its doors on March 30, 2025. To celebrate the finale, shops and artists who have been involved over the years will come together for a two-day event!! ✴︎✴︎ Orchard Grass Venue ✴︎✴︎ On certain days (cafe): Masao Takahata (general goods), Chihiro Nishi (general goods), Ai Kawai (workshop “Draw Forest Animals in Chalk Art!” and general goods) The workshop costs 1,500 yen per session (about 30 minutes). Participants can sign up on site at any time. ✴︎✴︎ Mori no Hall Venue ✴︎✴︎ Mori no Hall (cafe and cakes), gusco (baked sweets), Tegamisha Zakkaten (handmade goods), Mawarimichi (bread and baked sweets), Yoroushi Yamamotobokujo (milk and baked sweets), TEGAMISHA CAFE & BREWERY (desserts and craft beer) Please come and enjoy the event with us! We sincerely look forward to your visit 🧸🍰🍬 Mori no Hall Final Event "Thank You. And Please Continue to Support Us." Saturday, March 22, 2025, 10:00–17:00 and Sunday, March 23, 2025, 10:00–16:00 Venues: Mori no Hall and Orchard Grass (Kawayu Onsen, Hokkaido), area around JR Kawayu-Onsen Station Address: 2-1-2 Kawayu Ekimae, Teshikaga, Kawakami District, Hokkaido Phone: 015-483-2906 (Mori no Hall) Note: Closed days in March are the 4th, 5th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 24th, 25th, and 26th. Please be aware these dates differ from the usual schedule. Illustrated by Masao Takahata

Celebrating the 40th Oyama Mountain Climb Marathon and *Ekimae Chuo Shopping Street* Welcome Event 2025 The Oyama Mountain Climb Marathon finally takes place on Sunday, March 9, 2025! A brutal course awaits: a one-way 9 km route with a 650 m elevation gain and 1,610 stone steps just before the finish line. Starting from Isehara Station North Exit, the course runs past Japan National Route 246 intersection, Shimehiki, Oyama Old Road, Afuri Bridge, Koma approach, Onna-zaka (women's slope), Daisenji Temple, and up to Oyama Afuri Shrine Lower Shrine ⛩️ *Star Guest Runners* 10:00 start: Men 50s and 60 and over Karen Michibata and Angelica Kayoko Fukushi and Ryoko Ichikawa 10:30 start: Men 40s; Women under 39 and 40 and over Mako Chiba, Zhao Youfeng, and Reiko Tosa 11:00 start: Men 30s and under 29 Yuriko Kobayashi, Mari Ozaki, and Kayoko Obata ※Please note that on the day of the event, Chuodori from Isehara Station North Exit to the Japan National Route 246 Isehara Crossing will be temporarily closed to vehicles except route buses, as traffic restrictions related to the climb will be in effect from 9:50 AM to 12:00 PM. At Isehara Elementary School, where the opening ceremony takes place (11:00 AM–4:00 PM), local specialties from Isehara will be on sale, and 100 blocks of Oyama tofu (enough for 900 servings) will be distributed free of charge, among other attractions! A grand welcome event will be held along Ryujin Street at Isehara Station North Exit✨ ※For details of the Ekimae Chuo Shopping Street welcome event, visit the Isehara City Tourism Association website https://isehara-kanko.com/news/9796/... You can run, of course, but also cheer on the runners and soak up the festival atmosphere at the welcome events and more Come on—let’s all get excited together🎉

On Sunday, March 9, the always-popular ISEHARA Bread Festival: Wheat Fest will take place! Many beloved bakeries will be attending, so please come and join us✨! For venue and schedule details, check the official Tourism Association website below https://isehara-kanko.com/news/9790/... #ISEHARA Bread Festival #Wheat Fest #Isehara Bread Festival #Bread Festival #Isehara #Isehara City #Isehara Tourism #Isehara Events #bread #bakery #bread lovers #bakery shop #gourmet #food stroll #event #outing

From Wednesday, March 5 to Monday, March 24, the 22nd Spring Hokkaido Products and Tourism Fair will take place at Tenmaya Okayama Main Store as part of Tenmaya Department Store’s 100th anniversary celebration. Jagachokotto makes its first appearance! It also makes a great White Day gift. Tenmaya Okayama Main Store Address: 2-1-1 Omotecho, Kita Ward, Okayama City TEL: (086) 231-7111

Hello! This is Koshu local cuisine Waraji. The weather has been mild these past few days, and you can already sense hints of spring at Shosenkyo Gorge. Still, the forecast still shows some snow days, and temperatures vary widely, so please go out dressed warmly. After strolling through the richly natural Shosenkyo Gorge, why not take a relaxing break with our specialty, the tororo soba set meal? Enjoy a blissful moment as smooth soba noodles meet richly flavored grated yam. With crispy tempura and small side dishes included, your body and spirit are sure to be satisfied. We look forward to your visit.

At Bibai Snowland @bibai_snowland, which is visit by many foreign visitors to Japan, we will Held in a sales event for companies in the city. Stalls of 14 companies have been decided this time. Please come and visit us on the day. Date & Time: Thursday, March 6, 2025 11:00~15:00 Location: Bibai Snow Land Organizer: Bibai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bibai Tourism and Products Association List of Stalls (in no particular order, honorifics omitted) Handmade Miscellaneous Goods / Dressing Hoshina Grill Stand, Key Chain / Doo Metal Yezo deer BBQ, Ghibier Ramen / Mt.inc Soap Loading Experience / Kyowa Automobile Maintenance Factory Reishi Products / Hokkaido Reishi Cheese Huttok / Sunflower Petit Gifts, Sashes / medokistore Puzzle French fries, croquettes / asombroso.hokkaido Sample Products, Candy / Bibai Automobile School Okonomiyaki / Teppanyaki Izakaya Konkon Lamb Menchi / Iishuya Boono Plush / ZOO Planning Bibai Yakitori / Daigo

★Lake Suwa / Kami-Suwa Onsen — A Ryokan with Delicious Food: Hama no Yu ※Kami-Suwa Onsen: The Yutama Legend At Kami-Suwa Onsen there is a “Yutama” legend that says the goddess of Suwa Taisha was carrying bathwater for her makeup on cotton as she moved from the Upper Shrine (Kamisha) to the Lower Shrine (Shimosha). Some of that water fell along the way and formed the hot spring known as Yutama. Now, in this cold season don’t we all want to soak in a warm onsen? Food lover Kasai turns into “steam-emitting Kasai” when he sweats in winter, with steam rising from his head, haha. Lately I’ve actually gotten hooked on onsens! First, I’d like to introduce the local Kami-Suwa Onsen!!! For the first feature, we received cooperation from Hama no Yu!!! Above all, Hama no Yu’s baths let you enjoy the garden view, and their baths are made from the now-rare black granite. And the ultimate feature is their heat retention!!! This heat retention is one of their strongest points in the whole country!!! Please stay with them and enjoy their baths, which are available 24 hours a day!!! • Men’s Bath There are four baths: a black granite bath, a cypress bath (bubble bath), a rock open-air bath, and a herbal bath. Men can relax and recover from fatigue in the herbal bath♨. A dry sauna and cold plunge are available. The large public bath is open 24 hours! • Women’s Bath There are four baths: a black granite bath, a cypress bath (bubble bath), a rock open-air bath, and a lavender bath. In the women’s bath you can especially enjoy the lavender bath♨, with its delightful fragrance and excellent relaxing effect. A mist sauna and cold plunge are available. The large public bath and the lavender bath are open 24 hours! ☆ Private Bath “Asa no Yu” A private bath is available where families can soak together in private, so if you have small children you can enjoy the onsen without worry, just like at home♨. Fee: 45 minutes / 2,200 yen (tax included) • Source: Nanatsugama Source (a mixed spring of Shin-Mitsugama No.1 source, Shin-Mitsugama No.2 source, Ayame source, and Yanaginami source) • Water Quality: Simple sulfur spring (weakly alkaline, hypotonic, high-temperature spring) • Indications: Neuralgia / Muscle pain / Joint pain / Frozen shoulder / Motor paralysis / Joint stiffness / Bruises / Sprains / Chronic digestive diseases / Hemorrhoids / Sensitivity to cold / Convalescence / Recovery from fatigue / Health promotion Everyone, please consider staying at Hama no Yu to enjoy this proud onsen and the ryokan’s pride—its delicious meals!!! https://www.hamanoyu.co.jp//

Photographed on 2/24/25. This is a hot tuna onion sandwich from CAFE ANDON. I visit you from time to time. 😊

Hello 😃🖐 The other day, I went to have lunch at the ramen shop "Menya Jentorumen" in Kyowa-cho 😋 I had miso ramen and fried rice, and the first thing that caught my eye when it arrived was the enormous chashu that covered about half the bowl! The rich broth clung to the noodles, and the taste was, needless to say, superb! Why not stop by and try it yourself? 😍 Menya Jentorumen Address: 246-1 Kunitomi, Kyowa-cho Hours: 11:00–15:00 Closed: Irregular holidays (please check the official Instagram @menya.jentorumen)

The 14th Teshikaga Photo Contest Winning Entries 1/5 This year marks the 14th Teshikaga Photo Contest. While digital submissions and entries via social media have become common in recent years, the Teshikaga Photo Contest follows a classic format by judging printed works. For this edition, we welcomed Takeshi Mizukoshi, an internationally known mountain photographer who lives in Teshikagacho, as a special juror to help select the winners. For the 14th contest, we accepted entries in four categories—Starry Skies, Sea of Clouds, Activities (Experiences), and Open—from November 1 to December 25, 2024. Out of 154 submissions, 20 works won awards. The Grand Prize went to Koshirou Murakumo’s “Enchanting Lake Surface.” Congratulations 🎊 We will present all the winning entries over five installments starting this week, so please look forward to them 📸♪ *Grand Prize* “Enchanting Lake Surface”: Koshirou Murakumo

Neighborhood Diving! 🚙✨ Enjoy it in Enoura! Today, I enjoyed diving in Enoura, the sea of Kanagawa, which is only 35 minutes away from the store! 🏝️✨ 📍 江之浦, 小田原市, Kanagawa I'm really happy 😊 that the sea is so beautiful even though it's so close 🏖️ < There are plenty of diving Spot that can be reached in less than 1 hour!> From the Hokule'a Shonan shop, you can access many dive sites such as Enoura, Iwa, Fukuura, Zushi, Shizuura, etc.! 🚙💨 Today's schedule is truly a luxurious day ✨ ☀️ Leisurely dive 🤿 in the morning 🍽 Enjoy a delicious lunch on the way back ⏰ Before you know it, it's only 14 o'clock! What to do after this? In this way, you can enjoy both diving and private time, which is the charm of neighborhood diving! 📍 < Transparency 15m> Today, we were divided into a fun dive team and an underwater mapping team! 🔦 Swim between tetrapods and feel adventurous! 📍 The underwater mapping team is also practicing on the surface of the water to improve their skills! 💪 Growing to become a Divemaster! Acclaimed, followed by ✨ the best seas Let's dive together! 🐠😊 📩 For reservations and inquiries, please contact DM! ---------------------- 😍 The ocean connects the 🌎✨ world Let's embark on a journey into a world that has not yet been seen! 🇯🇵🗻
 🤿 Dive Shop Hokule'a Shonan 🏝️ ⭐️ Experience Diving
 ⭐️ Snorkeling
 ⭐️ Sense acquisition
 ⭐️ Fun Diving

 We have a program that everyone can enjoy, from beginners to professional divers! 
 Small group size, so even beginners can feel safe and secure ✨ PADI 5-Star Certified Center🏅

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 🤿 Dive Shop Hokule'a Shonan 🏝️
 🏠1 hour from JR Tokyo Station + 30 seconds 🚶 ♀️ walk from JR Hiratsuka Station

Akindo City♪ Today (the 21st) and tomorrow (the 22nd) for two days Roadside Station Iwanai marks the Hina Festival with a special offer Beniko plush normally ¥2,100 is now ¥1,800! Beniko pudding (Fujita Confectionery Shop) Normally ¥200, now ¥180!! This pudding was recently enjoyed by Ichiyamamoto Seki on HBC’s Taku⭐︎Aki Bura Research We look forward to seeing you 😊

🌺 The 10th Nobeoka Flower Story 🌺 [Period] Saturday, February 1, 2025 – Sunday, April 6, 2025 The annual spring event “Nobeoka Flower Story” runs from Saturday, February 1 to Sunday, April 6, 2025! This event succeeds the former Tenkaichi Himuka Cherry and Rapeseed Blossom Festival. It was renamed “Nobeoka Flower Story” in 2014 and, though some years were canceled due to the coronavirus, we are grateful to celebrate its 10th anniversary this year. Local residents who wanted to beautify the Gokase River embankment, the event site, began planting Kawazu cherry trees and rapeseed flowers. Their efforts have created a spectacular display of blooms for everyone to enjoy. After a gourmet TV show featured the Kawazu cherry trees at the venue last year, we received many inquiries asking where that magical spot in Nobeoka City is located. [Main Events] 🌿 Hontoji Ei Nichiume (Eini-ume) The weeping plum known as “Eini-ume,” with a trunk older than 240 years, blooms splendidly each year. Fifty white plum trees and five red plum trees color the temple grounds this season.🌺 As of February 20, 2025, they are in full bloom and at their best! 🌸 Konohana Walk 📅 Saturday, February 22 and Sunday, February 23 Three hundred Tenkaichi Himuka cherry trees along the Gokase River embankment and one million rapeseed flowers will spread a carpet of spring color.✨ A special stage will showcase local performing arts and song acts, and the riverbed will host the Nobeoka Delicious Food Market.🌿 Local seafood and mountain produce from Nobeoka City will be on offer, and proud specialty vendors from Kumamoto and Oita prefectures will also attend. The popular annual Mini Sasuke Course Challenge will feature Sasuke Legend led by Makoto Nagano, a native of Nobeoka City. We will give a case of flowers used for the “flower lettering” to the first 200 visitors as a gift.🎁 There will also be seed-dumpling giveaways that kids and adults can enjoy! 💡 WaiWai Flower Story 2025 📅 Thursday, March 20 (national holiday) – Sunday, April 6 At Nobeoka Castle Hill and Shiroyama Park, enjoy Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms and one of Japan’s three great wild camellia groves. Highlights include the WaiWai Gourmet Expo on Saturday, March 22, and the enchanting WaiWai Hanayoi Story, which features beautiful illuminated cherry blossoms—this series of events brings the Nobeoka Flower Story to a close. Enjoy the magical atmosphere created by the night-lit cherry blossoms and the stone walls of Nobeoka Castle.✨ 📍 For bloom updates and event details, please see the “Nobeoka Flower Story 2025 Official Website.” *Images are from last year.* Inquiries ▷▶ 0982-29-2155 (Nobeoka Flower Story Executive Committee)

Kawayu Onsen Oyster Fair! An oyster fair featuring Akkeshi oysters will take place in Kawayu Onsen at Kawayu Kanko Hotel and O宿 Kinkiyu Bettei Suikazura, running for about one month from March 1. This is your chance to taste oysters shipped directly from the Akkeshi Fisheries Cooperative’s farm shop, a region renowned for its oysters. Enjoy their rich sweetness and plump, springy texture. During the fair, guests at Kawayu Kanko Hotel and O宿 Kinkiyu Bettei Suikazura will receive one original dish using oysters sent directly from the Akkeshi Fisheries Cooperative’s shop in addition to the regular dinner menu. Come and eat the delicious Akkeshi oysters (Tabete), soak in the strongly acidic hot springs (Tsukatte), and revive both body and spirit (Fukkatsu)! We look forward to your reservations!! Tabete Fukkatsu 2025! Akkeshi Oyster Fair in Kawayu Onsen ■ Period: Saturday, March 1, 2025 – Monday, March 31, 2025 * Please note that fair periods vary by facility. ■ Participating facilities: ・Kawayu Kanko Hotel (fair runs through March 31) ・O宿 Kinkiyu Bettei Suikazura (fair runs through March 29) ■ Reservations: Please contact each facility via their official website or by phone. (At Bettei Suikazura, oysters will be offered as part of the buffet plan.)

Would you like to try some craft beer? 🍺 From IWANAI BREWERY & HOTEL their craft beer “Malty” has a best-before date of March 20, so it’s available at a lower price than usual. 🙏 Why not take this chance to try some craft beer? 🍺 It’s on sale at the Roadside Station shop. 🙏🙏 Thank you!

The 27th Minami no Sakura and Nanohana Festival Period: Saturday, February 1 – Monday, March 10 About the event ◆Saturday, February 1 Opening ritual ◎Location: Hinona rapeseed flower field ◎10:00 — A Shinto ritual praying for the festival’s success and safety ◆Sunday, February 16 & Sunday, February 23 Spiny lobster miso soup service ◎Location: Shimogamo shopping street “Miro” parking lot ◎A generous serving of the local Minamiizu specialty, spiny lobster miso soup! ※Served twice per day (about 200 bowls per serving) ※First serving: 11:00 — Second serving: 13:00 ※Ends when supplies run out ※May be canceled due to rain or other conditions ◆Saturday, February 1 – Monday, March 10 Night cherry blossom illumination ◎Location: Around Maehara Bridge to Kujo Bridge ◎18:00–21:00 daily! ※This event runs daily even in rain ◆Saturday, February 1 – Monday, March 10 Minami night cherry blossoms and bamboo lanterns ◎Location: 1) Roadside Station Shimogamo Onsen Yunohana 2) Near Gin-no-yu Bridge ◎18:00–21:00 daily! ◆Saturday, February 1 – Monday, February 24 Lottery gachapon draw ◎Location: Roadside Station Shimogamo Onsen Yunohana (in front of the tourist information center) ◎10:00–15:00 on weekends and holidays! ◎Participation: If a group completes one questionnaire, the group may draw once per group member. ※Prizes are currently being decided ※Prize contents may change ◆Wednesday, February 5 – Friday, February 28 Cherry blossom rickshaw rides ※May end earlier than scheduled depending on bloom conditions. Time: 9:30–16:00 Fee: 20-minute course 3,000 yen per person Notes ・The schedule may change due to weather or bloom conditions. ・Each rickshaw seats up to two people. ・The event may be canceled due to severe weather (rain, strong winds, etc.). ・Due to rickshaw operation, a single rider may be required to ride alone in one rickshaw. ・The above fee is per person for single use; there is no separate pricing for children. ◆Sunday, February 2 – Around Saturday, March 15 Rapeseed flower door and rapeseed flower maze ※Although the pamphlet lists February 1–March 10, the correct period is the one above Announcements & notes ・The pamphlet states February 1–March 10 for the Rapeseed Flower Door and Rapeseed Flower Maze, but the correct period is Sunday, February 2 – around Saturday, March 15. ・The Night Sakura Marathon will not be held. Thank you for your understanding. ・The Minamiizu Town Hall (3rd-floor observation deck) is open during the festival. You can access it via the outside stairs. ・Some visitors step on the rapeseed flowers blooming on the riverbank slopes around Roadside Station Shimogamo Onsen Yunohana. Because illumination wiring and other hazards are present, please refrain from entering these areas for safety. Parking — Please use public transportation where possible, as parking is limited. Hours: 8:30–15:30 ・Passenger cars (500 yen per vehicle) ※Please cooperate with the environmental conservation contribution at the Roadside Station Shimogamo Onsen Yunohana parking lot. ※On weekends and holidays, including substitute holidays, the Minamiizu Town Hall parking lot is open free of charge. ・Buses (2,500 yen per vehicle) ※Includes medium-sized buses (including microbuses) and large buses ・Motorcycles (200 yen per vehicle) ※If staff are not present due to rain or other reasons, parking may be free. ※During the period February 1–March 10, the Roadside Station Shimogamo Onsen Yunohana parking lot requests cooperation with an environmental conservation contribution. ※Total parking capacity across locations is approximately 200 vehicles. ※Because parking is limited, please use public transportation whenever possible.

Wednesday, February 19 — Minami no Sakura (Kawazu cherry) blooming status 🌸The reference tree near the town hall (upper reaches of the Aono River) is in bud. 🌸The area near Roadside Station Shimogamo Onsen Yunohana (middle reaches of the Aono River) is from bud to 20% bloom. ❁Rapeseed flowers are at their best. Overall, the trees are mostly in bud, but blossoms have begun and some trees have reached about 20% bloom!! ⁡ 🌸The 27th Minami no Sakura and Rapeseed Flower Festival 🗓️Held February 1, 2025 (Saturday) to March 10, 2025 (Monday) 📍Along the Aono River, Minamiizu Town O-hanami rickshaw rides available Food trucks will be on site. ※Operations may be suspended in strong winds or severe weather.

[Notice from Ekinaka Kururin House] 2025 ✨Oyama pickled greens sold out—thank you for your support✨ Our seasonal favorite, "Oyama pickled greens," has sold out due to popular demand. We sincerely thank you. We were delighted to hear so many people say, "I want to eat this again!" Look forward to the next sale♪ At Ekinaka Kururin House, we also offer many other popular Kururin goods you can only find in Isehara, along with local delicacies and souvenir items. We are open every day all year round, so please stop by. [Open through the New Year holidays] On the stairs at the north exit of Odakyu Line Isehara Station Ekinaka Kururin House (Isehara Station Tourist Information) OPEN 9:00–17:00 Tel/Fax 0463-95-5333 https://isehara-kanko.com/shop-kururinhouse/... #Gift #Kururin #Ekinaka Kururin House #Isehara Station #Tourist Information #Oyama pickled greens #Sold out—thank you #Kururin goods #Souvenirs #Isehara #Sightseeing