The 26th Minami Cherry Blossom and Rape Blossom Festival 2/17 Night Cherry Blossom Light Up, Night Cherry Blossom Bamboo Light Photo by Otsuka Tokiya

The 26th Minami Cherry Blossom and Rape Blossom Festival 2/18 (Sun) Flowering Information Overall, it is still in full bloom. * Where it blooms first, the petals are dancing with the wind.

Photographed in Oshima, Kushimoto Town, Wakayama Prefecture. Seagulls and dragonflies that come to feed the fish farm for spillage, and they are full without much effort.

It is Daimonzaka of Kumano Kodo in Wakayama Prefecture. Rain-soaked cobblestones are good. Am I the only one who thinks that rain looks good on Kumano Kodo?

This is the view from the inside of the "Shihara Cave" in the Nanki-Kumano Geopark area.

Spring is just around the corner

Kure Volcano, Hiroshima (Recommended spots in Hiroshima) #Kurahashi Volcano ? 1 from ? the volcano on Kurahashi Island It is a superb view spot overlooking the 360° Seto Inland Sea. There are various climbing routes here, and there are many scenic points. I want to go again! It's a wonderful mountain that makes you think! ? ◾️ Currently, the road that can be reached near the summit is closed due to falling rocks, and you will have to climb from the middle of the mountain. It takes about 40 minutes from the road and about 1 hour from the mountain trail, but I definitely recommend the mountain trail! (The stairs are a little tough, but...) ?

Kaiomaru Park, Imizu City, Toyama Prefecture The Kaio Maru just after the sunset was beautiful

【大阪城 梅林公園】 2024年2/16 現在 開花情報：中咲きが咲いてるなぁ samuraihonor.com Osaka Castle Umegorin Park As of 2/16/2024 Flowering information: I see the middle blooms are blooming.

In the midst of the lack of snow, snow was carried from the mountains to the side of the kamakura. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the local people for their hard work and hospitality. It is a snow festival that I hope will continue for future generations.

Aqua was ? eating salmon while lying down

First solo trip to Kyoto! It was a weekday morning, so there were few people and I was able to take a beautiful picture!

Sunny weather in winter Lake Nakazenji in Nikko was dyed a dark blue. It shows a different look depending on the season and time of day. It is a fascinating attraction that will not let you get bored no matter how many times you visit.

Matsukawa, Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture The pink of the cherry blossoms and the red of the sightseeing boat were beautiful, and I thought it was wonderful that all the people on the sightseeing boat were looking at the cherry blossoms.

Ocean Spa Fuua Overlooking Sagami Nada, one of the largest day-trip hot spring facilities in Atami, "Ocean Spa Fuua". At Japan's largest open-air hot spring with a total length of about 25 meters, where you can enjoy the feeling of floating as if the sea and sky are one, you can enjoy the blue sky and sparkling Sagami Nada during the day, and the sparkling night view of Atami City at night. The "Atami Living", a fulfilling relaxing space with various healing and tastes under the theme of "seaside villa life", has 8 types of lounges and terraces, as well as a bedrock bath, a café, and treatments & beauty. Among them, the spacious Ocean Lounge with high ceilings is a popular area where you can relax while looking at the sea in front of you. In addition, the hot sleep bath Torukka has a special sofa and the scent of natural aromas that invite the finest healing in the moonlight. There is also a restaurant next to the restaurant where you can enjoy a resort-like menu, and we promise you a relaxing time to forget your daily life both physically and mentally. * Use by guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian (20 years old or older). ※ Use for children aged 4 ~ elementary school students must be accompanied by a guardian of the same sex, and mixed bathing is not allowed. In addition, some facilities cannot be used for safety management. * For safety reasons, children aged 0~3 years old are not allowed to enter. * The "open-air standing hot spring" is not Use for customers with a height of less than 135 cm. * Admission may be restricted depending on the congestion situation. * Business conditions are subject to change, please check the official Home page of "Ocean Spa Fuua" for details. Address: 〒413-8626 Shizuoka Prefecture Atami City Wadahama Minami-cho 10-1 Phone number: 0557-82-0123 Access/ 　■ About 10 minutes by free shuttle bus from JR Atami Station 　■ From JR Atami Station, take a bus bound for "Atami Port / Korakuen" for 10 minutes → get off at the last stop. Business hours: 10:00~22:00 (Last admission 21:00) Closed/Not opens Price (including consumption tax) < Basic fee> 3080 yen for adults, 2310 yen for children < After 5 Fee (admission after 17:00) > 2310 yen for adults, 1760 yen for children * A separate bathing tax of 150 yen will be charged only for adults. * On Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and certain days, an additional fee (330 yen for adults and 220 yen for children) will be added. * Please check the official page for specific dates. Parking lot: 230 cars

Masahiro Sawada Memorial Museum of Art It is a museum that collects representative works of Masahiro Sawada, a recipient of the Order of Culture from Atami, and exhibits works of art that span all fields such as paintings, inks, ceramics, prints, and calligraphy, as well as many wood carvings. It is popular that if you hold hands under the stained glass "Hiten" on the ceiling of the entrance, you will be happy forever. The "flying sky" reflected in the red granite floor is also beautiful, and you can enjoy the stained glass both overhead and underfoot. ●Masahiro Sawada(1894~1988) Real name, Torayoshi. Recipient of the Order of Culture, Honorary Citizen of Atami City. Growing up on the seaside of Atami, he aspired to become a sculptor at the age of 19 and studied under Yamamoto Zuun, a younger brother of Koun Takamura. Until his death at the age of 93, he created many wood carvings, paintings, ceramics, prints, calligraphy, and other works of art in a variety of artistic fields. His works, which are powerful, full of life and poetry, speak a lot of romance to people's hearts. Address: 〒413-0032 Shizuoka Prefecture Atami City Ume Plum Sono-cho 9-46 (next to Atami Ume Plum Garden) Phone number: 0557-81-9211 Access: From JR Atami Station, take a bus bound for Ainohara for about 15 minutes → get off at the Sawada Memorial Museum of Art. Business hours/9:00~16:30 Closed on Mondays (open on public holidays) Price: Adults 380 yen (250 yen for groups), junior high and high school students 250 yen (120 yen for groups), elementary school students and younger free Parking lot / 10 cars (free) * Parking is not possible during the Ume Plum Festival

Himenosawa Park Himenosawa Park, a famous flower spot in Atami, is full of seasonal flowers! It is a natural park where you can enjoy full-fledged athletics. There are about 600 species of plants that can be found in the park. In an environment like a botanical garden, a variety of flowers are in bloom, from flowering trees such as azaleas to wildflowers. (The photo shows the azalea flowering in late April ~ early May) It takes about one and a half hours from Himenosawa Park, and you can also trek to Jukoku Pass while enjoying nature. "No matter when you visit, you will be greeted by flowers" Please enjoy the impressive flower scenery to your heart's content. Address: 〒413-0002 Shizuoka Prefecture Atami City Izuyama Himenosawa 1164 Phone number: 0557-83-5301 (Himenosawa Park Management Office) Access: About 30 minutes by bus bound for Motohakone from JR Atami Station→ get off at Himenosawa Park Admission: Free Parking: Free (Sazanka parking lot: 46 cars, 3 buses), etc.

Imamiya Shrine Imamiya Shrine, located in the western district of Atami, has been revered since ancient times as a shrine of wish fulfillment. The gods of the festival are the chief god of things and the chief god of the great country. It was founded very old, more than 1700 years ago, and is said to have been the reign of Emperor Hitoku. The legend of Minamoto no Yoritomo is also well known. When Minamoto no Yoritomo was exiled to Izu, when he wandered into the mountains of Atami, he prayed to the shrine under the camphor tree and was able to escape from his pursuers safely. Every year on October 19th and 20th, we hold a grand festival. Address: 〒413-0028 Shizuoka Prefecture Atami City Sakuracho 3-29 Phone number: 0557-81-4232 Access: About 15 minutes by bus bound for Momijigaoka from JR Atami Station→ get off at Koarashi → 3 minutes on foot Parking lot / Nearby paid P available

Marine Spa Atami At Marine Spa Atami, an all-weather health exercise facility where anyone can easily enjoy the hot springs of Atami, you can enjoy the ocean view unique to Atami. The blue sea spreads out in front of you, and not only the comfort of the hot spring itself, but also the wonderful nature that Atami is proud of will heal those who visit. It is a facility where you can enjoy the hot springs while wearing swimsuits, so families, couples, friends, etc. can have a good time together without being intimidated by men and women. Elevation difference of about 8 meters You can actively move your body on a water slide or hot spring pool, or you can relax and heal your body in a healthy hot spring bath or bathing facility. There are many ways to enjoy it. Address: 〒413-0023 Shizuoka Prefecture Atami City Wadahama Minami-cho 4-39 Phone number: 0557-86-2020 Access: From JR Atami Station, take a bus bound for Atami Port and Ajiro for about 10 minutes → get off at Marine Spa Atami (Please contact us for shuttle bus service) Business hours: 10:00~19:00 (Admission until 18:30) * During the year-end and New Year holidays and summer, business hours may change. Closed: Every Thursday (see the official page for other closed days) Price: Adults 1360 yen, elementary and junior high school students 680 yen, 3 years old ~ preschool 420 yen, under 3 years old 310 yen (see the official page for other fee settings) Parking lot: 125 cars in the adjacent municipal Wadahama parking lot (110 yen for 30 minutes: 2 hours discount if you bring your parking ticket) * Admission may be restricted during busy seasons such as summer * There is a temporary closure, so please check the official page in advance

Atami Gigi Kenban 【Dance of Flowers in Yumemachi】 A place where geisha practice rigorously, geigi kenban. The current building was completed in 1954 (Showa 29)). It was a magnificent building at the time, and it was said to be the best geisha union in the Tokai. Currently, this is the venue for the "Yumemachi no Dori Flower Dance" every Saturday and Sunday. Please enjoy professional dances that you can not usually see. It is the beauty of the way the kimono is dressed, the way it behaves, and the sighs. Address: 〒413-0015 Shizuoka Prefecture Atami City Chuo-cho 17-13 (along Hatsukawa) Phone number: 0557-81-3575 (Atami Gigi Kenban) Access: From JR Atami Station, take a bus bound for Momijigaoka for about 10 minutes →Shimizu Town get off Date & Time: Every Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. ~ (about 30 minutes) 1 performance only Price: 2500 yen (tax included) * Free for elementary school students and younger Parking/None (there is a municipal toll P nearby) * Reservation priority * For rehearsal tours other than Saturdays and Sundays, please contact us. * There is a temporary cancellation

Jacaranda flowers Have you ever heard of Jacaranda, a member of the family Honeysuckle from South America? As you can see in the photo, it is a deciduous tree with purple flowers blooming in bunches like grapes, and the green leaves and purple flowers are very beautiful. In Atami City, there are tall trees (looking up height) and shrubs (eye level) along National Route 135 (sidewalks between East Kaigan Town "Jacaranda Promenade" ~ Nagisa Town "Shinsui Park" and in Shinsui Park). It is said that the flowering period in Japan is June, but due to the climate, it is very rare for flowers to bloom on the mainland (planted in open ground), and there were years when they did not bloom at all in Atami, and there are trees that bloom for the second time not only in June but also in September and October. Not all trees bloom when they bloom, and some years only a few bloomed. Some trees bloom a lot, some bloom only one bunch, and some don't bloom at all... How much will it bloom this season? * Bougainvillea is also in full bloom at the same time in Itokawa, so please visit it as well. [Main jacaranda planting locations and number] ● Jacaranda promenade (along Route 135, next to the sundeck) ・・・ 1 tall tree of about 10 m, 4 trees of 3 ~ 5 m, 100 shrubs of 1 ~ 2 m ●Along National Route 135 downhill (Chuo Police Box ~ Shinsui Park No. 2 Construction Zone) ・・・ 20 trees of 5~6m ●Shinsui Park 3rd Construction Zone: 1 tall tree about 2m tall around the pedestrian bridge, 5 shrubs on the slope of the Wada River Total of the above: 25 tall trees (other than shrubs), 105 shrubs [History] ・Planted a tree in July 1990 to commemorate the international sister city partnership with Cascais, Portugal (one of the green spaces in the palace) ・In 2000, trees were planted along the national highway (in front of the central police box diagonally ~ in front of the Shinsui Park event plaza) (24 trees) 　(Some have since been transplanted, others have been newly planted.) ） ・In April 2013, trees were planted in Shinsui Park No. 2 (in front of the Tourism Association) and No. 3 (3 trees in the 2nd construction zone, 2 trees in the 3rd construction zone) ・On June 1, 2013, the "Jacaranda Promenade" was completed in the Omiya green area (east side) (45 young trees were planted). ・September 2013 ~ June 2014 (Heisei 26) 2013: Maintenance (tree planting) in the Omiya green area (west side), transplantation of several trees from along the national highway ・June 2014: Completion of "Jacaranda Promenade" Address: Shizuoka Prefecture Atami City East Coast Town ~ Nagisa Town Phone number: 0557-86-6218 (Atami City Parks and Green Space Division) Access: Jacaranda promenade (Omiya pine tree) ■About 20 minutes on foot from JR Atami Station ■ From JR Atami Station, take a bus bound for Atami Port for about 5 minutes → get off at "Omiya pine tree". Parking lot / Municipal toll P (East Parking Lot, Shinsui Park, etc.), etc.

Nishikigaura One of the scenic spots in Atami. It is a scenic spot that stretches for about 1 kilometer from the south of Uomizaki, the entrance to Izu, and the cliffs continue. (Uomizaki ~ Nishikigaura ~ Sogaura is about 2 kilometers) When the sun rises, the light shines as a dazzling five-colored light in Ura, so it came to be called "Nishikigaura" after the brocade weaving of Kyoto. It retains the remnants of the Atami Taga volcano, and legends derived from historical figures such as Minamoto no Yoritomo and Kato Kiyomasa have also been preserved. The height of the cliff is 80 meters. Strange rocks such as Kabuto Rock, Foundation Rock, Karasuhat Rock, and Benten Rock carved by rough waves are lined up, and Hatsushima and Oshima float on the sea. It is recommended to look at this superb view from the vicinity of Hotel New Akao ~ Cafe "Flower Fairy". * Entry to the Hotel New Akao "Rooftop Garden" is limited to guests staying at the hotel's lodging. Thank you for your understanding. Address: 〒413-0033 Shizuoka Prefecture Atami City Atami (near Hotel New Akao) Access: From JR Atami Station, take a bus bound for Ajiro for about 15 minutes → get off at Nishikigaura. Parking/None

I photographed a landscape shrouded in early spring morning haze.

【大阪城 梅林公園】 2024年2/16 現在 開花情報：中には全部咲きも samuraihonor.com Osaka Castle Umegorin Park As of 2/16/2024 Flowering information: Some of them are all in bloom.

It is a Yutachi Shinto ceremony at Ishishimizu Hachimangu Shrine, and it is a Setsubun event that calls for spring, which is held at 10 o'clock on January 28 2024 (Reiwa 6). This year, it was sunny and strongly backlit, so I used strobe photography to highlight the steam and drops.

Winter Traditions Tokachi Ranch Horse Chase Movement It is done to eliminate lack of exercise in winter and to prevent difficult births of pregnant horses. You can see the horses up close, so it's impressive! It is open to the public only on weekday mornings. *2024 ended on February 16.

The 34th Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival in 2024 will be held until Thursday, February 29! Every night during the exhibition period, the cherry blossoms are lit up at night and you will be enveloped in a fantastic scenery. This time, we will introduce the lodging facilities that you want to visit when sightseeing at the Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival. Have a blissful time with hot springs and fresh cuisine from Kawazu! The lodging I would like to introduce this time is "Shakunage". ・In a quiet environment surrounded by nature, you can relax with the sounds of birds and the greenery of trees. The open-air bath, where you can hear the murmur of the river, has a stylish atmosphere where you can take a bath while watching the stars shining in the sky at night. Meals are mainly wild vegetables and seafood. ◆ Detailed information ◆ 【Spot name】Shakunage 【Address】Shizuoka, Kamo-gun Kawazu Town Nashimoto 1127 Phone number: 0558-35-7657 Check-in/Check-out is 3:00 p.m. and check-out 10:00 a.m. [Total number of rooms] 8 No shuttle service [Parking lot] 8 cars ◇ ◆ ◇ Parking information for those who come to the Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival by car ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ About the parking lot ◆ Business hours:8:30~21:00 ・Regular car ●Regular car 4~13 parking lot to Ekimae Venue about 700~800m, to Mine Onsen Venue about 700~800m [Daytime] 8:30~17:00・・・1 car / 1,000 yen [Night] 18:00~21:00・・・1 car / 200 yen ・Large vehicles ●Large 1 and 2 parking lots to the Ekimae Venue about 700~800m, to the Mine Onsen Venue about 700~800m [Daytime] 8:30~17:00・・・1 car / 5,000 yen [Night] 18:00~21:00・・・1 car / 1,000 yen

Former Hyuga Family Atami Bettei (Former Hyuga Bettei) Toshibei Hyuga, who was active in Asian trade, completed the construction in 1936 (Showa 11) as a separate residence. The design of the wooden two-story main house is by Hitoshi Watanabe, who is known for his designs for Wako in Ginza, Tokyo, the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno, Tokyo, and the Aichi Prefectural Office. The basement was designed by Bruno Taut, a world-renowned German architect, and is the only surviving architectural work left by Taut in Japan. It consists of three rooms: a social room with plenty of bamboo and paulownia, a Western-style room with a staircase as part of the room, and a Japanese-style room, and is designed with the beauty of Japanese style such as Katsura Imperial Palace and Ise Jingu Shrine in mind. After Mr. Hyuga's death, it was carefully used as a recreation center for a private company, but in 2004 (Heisei 16), when it was facing the danger of demolition, it was acquired by Atami City with a donation from a philanthropist living in Tokyo. In 2006, it was designated as an important cultural property of Japan. More than 80 years have passed since its completion, and there has been an urgent need for repair projects to improve damage and earthquake resistance due to deterioration over time, and a large-scale conservation and repair project was carried out from FY2018 (Heisei 30) to FY2021 (Reiwa 3). In August 2022, it was reopened to the public with as much preservation and reproduction as possible of the condition it was in at the time of construction. * The tour is a complete advance reservation system (online reservation only). For details and reservations, please check the Atami City Office website. Address: 〒413-0005 Shizuoka Prefecture Atami City Kasuga-cho 8-37 Phone number: 0557-86-6232 (Cultural Exchange Office, Lifelong Learning Division, Atami City: Weekdays only) Access: About 10 minutes on foot from JR Atami Station Open: Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 9:00~17:00 shift system *Online reservation required Price: 1,000 yen for adults, 700 yen for junior high and high school students Parking/None

2/16 The early-blooming "Atami Sakura" is over, and the "Oshima Sakura" is in full bloom! In the seaside park by the sea (next to "Marine Spa Atami"), white cherry blossoms are blooming.

? Nara / Rika Shrine A little-known shrine in the depths of Nara Park. The autumn leaves were in full bloom and surrounded the entire shrine. I was able to take one picture that is typical of Japan. In today's world, the traditions of the past are gradually fading, but I would like to preserve this kind of scenery.