【Annual Spring Festival Hibita Shrine】 The Shinko Festival was held on Saturday, April 27, which was different from every year. This year, for the first time in five years, three Karakuri Dolls festival float toured, and there were many Mikoshi portable shrine Dedication of the and Sato Kagura, as well as a chimaki event and Gari many mock shops. Come next year!!

Folk doll museums around the world have started an exhibition of "May Dolls Irises Festival". May dolls are often decorated as a celebration of the "Tango Festival" on May 5, such as helmet decorations, armor decorations, and general decorations. It is a traditional event that has been cherished as part of Japanese culture since ancient times. In this May doll exhibition, 250 warrior dolls and a child general with a heroic expression are lined up in 15 Japanese dolls decorated in 30 tiers with a height of 6 meters and are overwhelmingly powerful. It is one of the largest in Japan and is worth seeing. On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays during the exhibition period, a Warlord experience is also held. Why don't you feel like a warlord? April 27, 2024 Sat ~ June 9, 2024 Sun Closed on Wednesdays after May 8 For more information, please visit the World Folk Doll Museum ☎026-245-2340

Hello! This is Agematsu Tourism Association. Agematsu Town, Nagano Prefecture, sits in the southwest of Nagano, at the heart of the Kiso Valley along the upper reaches of the Kiso River. The town boasts rich history and beautiful nature that continue to charm visitors. ◆◆History of Agematsu Town, Nagano Prefecture◆◆ During the Edo period, Agematsu Town was the 38th post town on the Nakasendo, which linked Edo and Kyoto. The stretch from Koumatsu-juku to Suhara-juku is the longest on the Kiso Road, and the area thrived as a rest stop for many travelers. You can still feel that history at sites such as the Kiso Plank and Nezame-no-toko Gorge. Guided Nakasendo walking tours led by veteran guides are available to help you create lasting travel memories. Agematsu Town has long prospered as a forestry town producing high-quality timber, notably Kiso hinoki (Japanese cypress), and is known as the “village of hinoki.” ◆◆Popular sights in Agematsu Town, Nagano Prefecture◆◆ ◇Nezame-no-toko Gorge The Kiso River has carved the granite into squared formations that look like large boxes lined up. A local legend says Urashima Taro opened his tamatebako (treasure box) here. ◇Akasawa Natural Recreation Forest This recreation forest features natural Kiso hinoki trees over 300 years old and was an early site of forest protection measures some 400 years ago. Seven walking trails wind through the forest, and paid experiences such as forest therapy are available. Akasawa Natural Recreation Forest is regarded as the birthplace of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing. The term “forest bathing” was coined in 1982, and that year the first national forest bathing event was held here at Akasawa. ◇Akasawa Forest Railway A 2.2-kilometer round-trip tourist trolley runs through Akasawa Natural Recreation Forest; it was once used to transport timber. You can enjoy forest bathing while riding the railway. The Forest Railway Memorial Museum displays a steam locomotive from the railway’s opening era. ◇Kiso Komagatake The highest peak of the Central Alps, Kiso Komagatake rises to 2,956 meters. A ropeway climbs to 2,612 meters, offering Japan’s greatest elevation gain by ropeway. ◇Kiso Old Road, a natural trail This route linked the north and south of Kiso before the Nakasendo was developed. A hiking course on the Kiso plateau at about 1,000 meters elevation offers expansive natural views. ◆◆Events and festivals loved in Agematsu Town, Nagano Prefecture◆◆ ◇Komagatake Shrine Annual Festival Held every year on May 3, the festival features the nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property performance “Daidai Kagura 13 Seats.” You can see pieces such as the four tengu dance “Shijin Gokae-hai” and the sword dance “Sanken no Mai.” ◆◆Local specialties of Agematsu Town, Nagano Prefecture◆◆ Local specialties include gohei-mochi, sunkki (fermented turnip), and hooba-maki (hoja leaf-wrapped dishes). These regional foods offer rich, distinctive flavors you can enjoy only here. ◆◆Why visit Agematsu Town, Nagano Prefecture◆◆ Agematsu Town charms visitors with its abundant nature and deep history. From the dramatic landscapes of Nezame-no-toko Gorge and Kiso Komagatake to the extraordinary forest bathing at Akasawa Natural Recreation Forest and the sense of history you feel walking the Nakasendo, Agematsu offers many attractions. Leave everyday life behind and enjoy a restorative trip filled with nature, history, and culture in Agematsu Town. Cool Japan Video will continue to share recommended information about Agematsu Town. Thank you for your support.

Photographed 4/20/24. It is a lion dance at Kannonji. Sasara is said to be a bamboo musical instrument that Hanagasa is holding in his hand.

Photographed 4/20/24. It is a lion dance at Kannonji. There are three lion heads: the first lion, the middle lion, and the second lion. The first lion and the second lion are the male lions, and the middle lion is the female lion. In the center is the god of the mountains.

Koi Dance 💃 Koi fish 🎏 dancing energetically in the wind This is my favorite place where you can enjoy various things such as carp streamers, cherry blossoms, trains, and reflections. Kanie Town, Aichi Prefecture Sayagawa Sogo Park April 2024

The storm passes, and the Sumida River in the spring. The late-blooming cherry blossoms, which withstood the wind and rain, bloomed and shone more and more. The sun is shining and the cherry blossoms are refreshing. I let my heart play with nostalgia and tried to pretend to be a Taisho romance. If you open a Japanese umbrella on the awning, it is as if the flag of the sun floats in the sky. On the other side of the river, there are rows of pink cherry blossom trees, and beyond that is the Sky Tree, which pierces the clear sky. The sailors seemed to be enjoying the unique scenery of Tokyo, where tradition and elegance are mixed. The spring breeze shook the cherry blossoms and gently caressed her hair and cheeks.

In an area where depopulation is progressing, many carp streamers were swimming comfortably. The wishes of the residents are conveyed.

We share a paper cutout shuin stamps with the motif of Kushiro Marshland. From April, the lower paper has been changed to a gradation.

【Yokohama City】 OTABISHO Yokohama Noh Theater opens at Landmark Plaza! ― Feel free to get acquainted with Noh and Kyogen, Gallery & Shop ー The Yokohama Noh Theater will be closed for two and a half years until June 2026 due to large-scale renovation work. During the closure, in order to let more and more people know about Noh and Kyogen, we will open a place "OTABISHO Yokohama Noh Theater" at the Landmark Plaza in Minato Mirai to introduce Noh and Kyogen. This is the first time in Japan that a facility introducing Noh and Kyogen has entered a shopping mall. At the Landmark Plaza, which has excellent access, please get close to Noh and Kyogen. 《Webinar Summary》 □ Date & Venue Sunday, April 14, 2024 Reiwa 6　 12:15~ Parade Toshi Ryugo Kagura, Raw Wheat DanceNamamugihayashi Preservation Society, Ushigome Lion Dance Preservation Society Route: Sakuragicho Station ~ Moving Sidewalk ~ Sakata's Seed Garden Square 13:00~ "Sanbasou（三番三,三番叟）"Sennojo Shigeyama, Mannnojyo Nomura, etc. Venue: Landmark Plaza 1st floor, Sakata's Seed Garden Square

There were many carp streamers raised in the Tanyu River, which flows through Kudoyama Town, Wakayama Prefecture, and they were swimming comfortably in the spring breeze.

This hanging chick is also decorated with the goten chick in the previous posted.

This splendid Gotenhina has been handed down to the old family of Katsuragi Town.

【Open to the public once every 33 years】Hattasan Choukokuji Temple 3 days from March 16 ~ 18, 2024. Once every 33 years, the secret Buddha, the eleven-sided Kannon statue, was opened to the public. Harashichigo Kanseon Bodhisattva, which was called the guardian Kannon of Hara Nanago, has been worshipped by people since ancient times. During the three days of the open to the public, many people crowded with prayers. In addition, the main hall has been designated as an important cultural property of Japan as a valuable building that preserves the architectural style of the Muromachi period. This year also marks the 500th anniversary of the reconstruction of the main hall.

Representative of the Kumano region, it is the Annual Grand Festival of Kumano Hongu Taisha. The expressions on the faces of everyone participating in the event were full of joy at the arrival of spring. It is held from April 13 to 15 every year.

It is a "Hinamatsuri" event in Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. At the former Yamamura family residence in the Hamasaki Denken district, a checkered doll called "Hoko-san" was also on display. "Hoko-san and Hoko dolls" are generally given to celebrate the first festival of a baby girl. In the past, they were dressed in maternity clothes, which were also given to the celebration, and decorated with Hina dolls. It seems like everyone is staring at you, and I'm a little intimidated.

It is a "Hinamatsuri" event in Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The Kubota House, built in the late Edo period, exhibited about 400 dolls, including Gotenbina and Yuso Kubina. It was a spectacular and fantastic space where the old chicks under Hagi Castle seemed to be playing a song at any moment.

🌸 Hinamatsuri 🌸 coming soon It's 🎎 March in the blink of an eye Toma Chop is transforming into a chick! 💖

I photographed Inuyama Castle on a summer night. The illuminated Inuyama Castle, the full moon, the lights of the buildings and towns, and the reflection of the water surface created a very beautiful scene.

Inside the venue of the Gion Festival The smoke of the stalls rises and is lit up by street lamps. A live feeling is created in the Yamaboko It turned out to be ♪ a fantastic view

【大阪城】日ノ本一の書道マスター教室を着物で体験 漢字には一文字一文字に意味が込められています。 外国の方のお名前も漢字にて。 またそれを扇子や掛け軸に書いてお土産にどうぞ Osaka Castle] Experience the best Japanese calligraphy master class in kimono. Each kanji character has its own meaning. You can write the name of a foreigner in Kanji characters. You can also write it on a fan or a hanging scroll as a souvenir.

Big Hinamatsuri 🎎 seen in Saitama Prefecture This is the Big Hina Festival held in Konosu City, Saitama Prefecture. Every year in the Emil shopping mall, the Big Hina Festival is created by volunteer people. This year, it will be held from February 16th ~ March 9th! Be sure to 😊 visit

Traditional Crafts Ryukyu Glass / Okinawa World It is a Ryukyu glass workshop located in Okinawa World in Nanjo City, Okinawa Prefecture. You can take a closer look at how craftsmen make Ryukyu glass. This is a process in which glass is placed in a kiln and melted at a high temperature. Ryukyu glass was first made after the war using discarded bottles of cola and beer that were drunk by the U.S. military stationed in Japan. It is characterized by air bubbles trapped in the glass and colorful colors. You can also experience glassmaking in this workshop. Traditional crafts that can only be found in Okinawa - I will experience them when I go there today.

【Ando Family Residence Hinamatsuri】 Designated as a National Important Cultural Property, more than 200 dolls from Edo to Showa are on display at the "Ando Family Residence". Yamanashi's unique hina doll, "Bina Yokozawa", is charming in its standing figure. You can also enjoy the architecture and gardens that are more than 300 years old suitable for the spring festival. During the period, a concert of songs related to spring will be held. In addition, the staff is giving a handmade miniature folded gift to those who come. Limited number Date and time: February 9 Fri ~ April 8 Mon, 2024 Reiwa 6 Time: 9 a.m. ~ 4:30 p.m. last admission 4 p.m. *Closed on Tuesdays Admission fee: Adults university students and older 300 yen Children elementary, junior high, and high school students 100 yen * Preschoolers free of charge Address Yamanashi Prefecture Minami-Alps City Seinan Lake 4302 Note: You may be required to use a temporary parking lot due to parking lot maintenance work. 3 mins walk Contact: Ando Family ☎Residence 055-284-4448 Cultural Properties Division, ☎Board of Education 055-282-7269

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

【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.

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

It is a fire festival at the southernmost tip of Honshu, "Watchtower Lawn Grilling" held at Shiocape, Kushimoto Town, Wakayama Prefecture. It is a lawn burning event to burn dead grass and promote the growth of new shoots.

An ancient style of swordsmanship that originated in the Warring States period, Hiten Goken-ryu specializes in one-on-one combat. Why don't you master the Hiten Goken-ryu, a killer sword of divine speed, which maximizes the speed of the sword, the speed of the body, and the speed of reading the opponent's movements to finish off multiple opponents simultaneously with a minimum of movement, under the supervision of Hiko Seijuro, the 66th successor of the style, and make your trip memorable? 60 min. 22,000 yen Inheritance of Hiten Goken-ryu Tensho Ryusen Professional Movie Shooting 戦国時代に端を発する古流剣術で、一対多数の斬り合いを得意とする流儀。 剣の速さ・体のこなしの速さ・相手の動きの先を読む速さを最大に活かし、最少の動きで複数の相手を同時に仕留める神速の殺人剣の飛天御剣流を第六十六代目の継承者である比古清十郎のもとで、極め、旅の思い出に残しませんか。 60分 22,000円 飛天御剣流 奥義継承 天翔龍閃 プロフェッショナルムービー撮影