Isehara Daijingu Wakaba Festival — Held in light rain Sunday, May 5 (Children’s Day) 10:00 AM–around 2:00 PM The Wakaba Festival is held with the wish that children will grow strong like young bamboo shoots. * Children’s Health Prayer Ceremony (on the plaza in front of the kagura stage) A prayer at the shrine for children’s safe growth. Time changed from 10:00 to 11:00 since last year. Please note this ceremony is held only once at 11:00. * Bamboo Toy Making 10:30 AM–around 2:00 PM Try making nostalgic bamboo toys such as bamboo helicopters, bamboo flutes, and roly-poly dolls. * The flea market held before the COVID-19 pandemic and the semi-kite painting experience will not be held. Carp streamers will also be flown, and food and game stalls will be set up. Contact: Isehara Daijingu Shrine Office (0463-96-1611)

Tsuchizu Shrine in Inawashiro Town, Fukushima Prefecture, the white Torii shrine gate gate and snow are very beautiful. I always come to Tsuchizu Shrine, which is famous for its children's gods, to pray for the growth of children.

Sannomiya Hibita Shrine Spring Grand Festival On Saturday, April 27, the divine procession was held with great fanfare on a date different from usual. This year, for the first time in five years, three mechanical puppet floats paraded, accompanied by the mikoshi procession, local kagura performances, a chimaki ritual, and numerous food stalls and booths, creating a lively atmosphere. Be sure to join us 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 Theatre Opens at Landmark Plaza! — A gallery and shop to enjoy Noh and Kyogen casually — Yokohama Noh Theatre is closed for a major renovation and will remain closed for two and a half years until June 2026. During the closure, to introduce Noh and Kyogen to as many people as possible, we are opening a space introducing Noh and Kyogen, OTABISHO Yokohama Noh Theatre, at Landmark Plaza in Minato Mirai. This is the first time in the country that a Noh and Kyogen introduction facility has been located inside a shopping mall. Visit the easily accessible Landmark Plaza to experience Noh and Kyogen up close. Event Overview Date, Time and Venue Sunday, April 14, 2024 12:15 — Procession (Haji-style Satokagura, Namamugi Hayashi Preservation Society, Ushigome Lion Dance Preservation Society) Route: In front of Sakuragicho Station — moving walkway — Sakata Seed Garden Square 13:00 — “Sanbasan / Sanbaso” starring Chiyonojō Shigeyama and Mannojō Nomura, among others Venue: Landmark Plaza 1st floor, Sakata 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.

🌸 Hina Matsuri is coming soon 🌸 March has arrived in the blink of an eye 🎎 Tomachop has transformed into a hina doll! 💖

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 Jinja) Located in the western district of Atami, Imamiya Shrine has long been revered as a place where heartfelt wishes are granted. The enshrined deities are Kotoshironushi no Kami and Okuninushi no Kami. The shrine’s founding dates back more than 1,700 years, traditionally said to have been during the reign of Emperor Nintoku. The legend of Minamoto no Yoritomo is also well known. When Yoritomo was exiled to Izu and became lost in the mountains of Atami, he prayed at a small shrine beneath a great camphor tree and was able to evade his pursuers safely. Afterwards, he showed his gratitude by contributing to the shrine’s buildings. The annual Grand Festival takes place every October 19 and 20. Address / 3-29 Sakura-cho, Atami City, Shizuoka 413-0028 Phone / 0557-81-4232 Access / From JR atami station, take a bus bound for Momijigaoka for about 15 minutes → get off at Koarashi → 3-minute walk Parking / Paid parking available nearby

【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 Hinata Family Atami Villa (Former Hinata Villa) Rihei Hinata, who prospered in Asian trade, completed this detached villa in 1936 (Showa 11) as an annex to his main residence. The two-story wooden main building was designed by Jin Watanabe, known for projects such as Wako in Ginza, Tokyo, the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno, and the Aichi Prefectural Office. The basement’s interior was designed by the world-renowned German architect Bruno Taut, making this the only surviving architectural work he left in Japan. The villa comprises three main rooms: a social room richly furnished with bamboo and paulownia wood, a Western-style room with an interior staircase as part of the room, and a Japanese-style tatami room. The design consciously reflects Japanese aesthetic traditions such as the Katsura Imperial Villa and Ise Grand Shrine. After the death of the Hinata family head, the villa was carefully used as a corporate retreat. Faced with the threat of demolition in 2004 (Heisei 16), Atami City acquired the property thanks to a donation from a philanthropist living in Tokyo. In 2006 (Heisei 18), it was designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. More than 80 years after its completion, deterioration and the urgent need to improve seismic performance made repairs critical. From fiscal 2018 (Heisei 30) to fiscal 2021 (Reiwa 3), large-scale conservation and repair work was carried out. In August 2022, the villa reopened to the public after preserving and reproducing its original condition as much as possible. ※Visits require advance reservation only (online reservations only). For details and reservations, please check the Atami City official website. Address／8-37 Kasuga-cho, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture 413-0005 Phone／0557-86-6232 (Atami City Lifelong Learning Division, Cultural Exchange Office: weekdays only) Access／About a 10-minute walk from atami station Opening days／Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays 9:00–17:00, shift schedule ※online reservation required Admission／Adults 1,000 yen; junior and senior high school students 700 yen Parking／None