Princess firefly at Jomaru Shrine in Tamba, Hyogo Prefecture There are many spots to shoot fireflies in Tamba, but I had never seen many fireflies on the water and there were many other photographers, but I wanted to shoot in front of the waterfall, so I crossed the river alone and came closer, but on the way back, I groped in total darkness and couldn't use any lights, so it was difficult to turn back. And although I managed to get back to the way I came, I was bitten by a leech and bloodied.

It was taken at Naritasan Shinshoji Temple.

Spring is definitely coming.

[Englsh/Japanese] It's March from today. Restrictions on the entry of new foreign nationals into Japan will be greatly eased from March 1. Foreign students who have been waiting to enter Japan for the past two years will finally have a chance to come to Japan. This is a great thing for both international students and Japanese language schools. Even though the restrictions on new arrivals have been eased, there are still rules regarding vaccines and quarantine. In this article, I will briefly introduce the rules. (*This information is current as of March 1 and may be subject to change in the future. Please check the website for details.) (1) People who have completed their third vaccination (people entering the country from designated countries or regions) People who have completed three doses of vaccination with the types of vaccines designated by Japan are subject to a seven-day voluntary waiting period. However, if you take a PCR test on the third day of the waiting period and it is confirmed negative, you will be exempted from the voluntary waiting period. (2) People who have completed their third vaccination (people entering Japan from countries and regions other than those designated) Those who have completed three vaccinations with the types of vaccines designated by Japan are exempted from the waiting list. (3) People who have not completed their third vaccination (people entering from designated countries/regions) You wait for three days in accommodations provided by the quarantine office. If the PCR test is negative on the third day, you will be allowed to leave the accommodation and will not be required to stay at home. (4) People who have not completed the third vaccination (people entering the country from outside of the designated countries and regions) You will be placed on voluntary standby for 7 days. However, if you take a PCR test on the third day of the waiting period and it is confirmed negative, you will be exempted from the voluntary waiting period. If you are on voluntary standby, you can use public transportation within 24 hours of your arrival. In addition, waiting at the quarantine station can be done by public transportation if the PCR test is negative on the third day. I think it has been a difficult two years for the students who were planning to study in Japan. We are looking forward to seeing you all soon. It's March from today. Japan, restrictions on new entry of foreigners will be greatly relaxed from March 1. For the past two years, international students who have been waiting to enter the country have finally had the opportunity to come to Japan. This is great for international students and Japanese schools. Even though the restrictions on new entry have been relaxed, there are rules such as vaccines and quarantine. In this article, I will briefly introduce the rules. (*This information is current as of March 1 and is subject to change in the future.) For details, please check the website. ） (1) Those who have been vaccinated for the third time (those who entered the country from designated countries/regions) Those who have completed three vaccinations of the type specified by the Japan have a voluntary quarantine of 7 days. However, if you take a PCR test on the third day of waiting and are confirmed negative, you will be exempted from voluntary waiting. (2) Those who have been vaccinated for the third time (those entering the country from outside the designated countries / regions) Those who have been vaccinated three times with the type of vaccine specified by the Japan are exempt from waiting. (3) Those who have not been vaccinated for the third time (those entering the country from designated countries/regions) Wait for 3 days at the accommodation provided by the quarantine station. If the PCR test is negative on the third day, you will be allowed to leave the accommodation and you will not have to wait at home after that. (4) Those who have not been vaccinated for the third time (those entering the country from outside the designated countries/regions) We will voluntarily wait for 7 days. However, if you take a PCR test on the third day of waiting and are confirmed negative, you will be exempted from voluntary waiting. If you are waiting voluntarily, you can use public transportation within 24 hours of entry. In addition, if the PCR test on the third day is negative, you can use public transportation to wait at the quarantine station. Japan I think it was a difficult two years for the students who were planning to study abroad. We look forward to meeting you.

It is a photo where you can feel the change of seasons in Japan, where the cherry blossoms at the foot of the mountain are about to reach full bloom as the cold of winter gradually warms up.

It's still chilly, but the plum blossoms are beautiful.

Beautifully decorated Yokohama China town during chinese new year using red lantern, chinese hoardings and lantern dragons.

At my home. hinamatsuri (doll festival) ? of the first verse Katya ? with the Hina doll I got from Jitoba in the background May ❣️ you spend every day with a smile

Location Nagasaki Event "Spirit Boat Procession" Put the deceased's favorite things and photos on the spirit ship An event that is poured into rivers and seas. At that time, firecrackers are set off grandly on the way.

This photo was taken at Naritasan Shinshoji Temple. ? When I visited for the first time, I was attracted by the beauty of the five-storied pagoda on the site and took this photo. We were able to get a glimpse of 1500 years of history.

Mr. Mejiro today. It was through the screen door, but I was able to take a good picture.

There is a climbing kiln that bakes pottery in Awaji City, Awaji Island. Only once a year in February, firewood is put in for 4 days without sleeping, the temperature is raised, and a large flame burns from the kiln in the back. Many works by potter Koichi Maeda are born in this kiln. There is such a scene in the morning drama Scarlett, and a time full of passion is wonderful, and slowly cools down over time, and a new work is born. The attitude of sparing no effort and working hard towards the goal was cool, and I learned a lot from it because I keenly realized that I have to face various things and work hard. I am very grateful that I made an appointment last year and had a valuable experience.

The title is "Dancing Yosakoi Flag" I hope that one day there will be a special four days where you can feel the enthusiasm of the dancers and the audience again.

[English/Japanese] February 22 is "Cat Day" in Japan. In Japan, February 22 is "Cat Day", and there is a lot of excitement as people upload pictures of cats on social media. Do you like cats? Or do you prefer dogs? In this article, I would like to talk about the pet situation in Japan. 1) Cat boom In Japan, many people have always owned dogs, but in 2017, the number of cat owners surpassed the number of dog owners. The reason for this is that Japan is an aging society. Dogs have to be accompanied on walks, and elderly people who are worried about their physical strength tend to choose cats that don't need to be walked. Also, more and more people are keeping pets because they are spending more time at home due to the influence of Corona. I wonder if it's the same in your country? 2)Can international students have pets? Very few international students have pets. To own a dog, you have to pay several hundred thousand yen at a pet store and also have to get shots. In addition, most apartments in Japan do not allow pets. However, sometimes people keep hamsters, which are relatively cheap and do not have as long a life span as dogs and cats. I heard a story about a Japanese language school that had a problem with a student who suddenly decided to return to his home country and asked them to take in his turtle. Pets are life. It is important to keep them responsibly. 3) If you miss your pet... Some people who used to have pets in their home countries may become stressed out because they cannot interact with their pets during their long stay in Japan. Recently in Japan, there has been an increase in the number of cafes with cats and dogs, where you can casually interact with cats and dogs for just a fee and a drink. In addition to cats and dogs, some of these animal cafes also have birds and reptiles. Please try to use them. Our school does not allow pets in the dormitories. However, there are cat cafes and dog cafes around the school. There is also a zoo just a few stops away from the school. If you are an animal lover, I think you will enjoy your study abroad experience at our school. February 22 is "Cat Day" in Japan. At general stores, products with pictures of cats are on sale, and people are excited to upload them on SNS. Do you like cats? Or do you like dogs? This time, I will talk about the pet situation in Japan. (1) Cat boom Many people have been dog owners in Japan for a long time, but in 2017, the number of cats bred exceeded the number of dogs. The reason is that the Japan is aging. Dogs have to keep up with walks, so elderly people who are worried about their physical strength tend to choose cats that do not need to be walked. In addition, due to the influence of Corona, the time spent at home has increased, so the number of people who have pets is increasing. Is it the same in your country? (2) Can international students have pets? Very few international students have pets. In order to get a dog, you have to pay hundreds of thousands of yen at the pet store and also give injections. In addition, most Japan apartments prohibit keeping pets. However, sometimes there are people who get "hamsters" that are relatively cheap and their lifespan is not as long as that of dogs and cats. At one Japanese school, I heard that a student who was suddenly returning to Japan asked me to take a turtle and had a problem. Pets are life. Be sure to keep them responsibly. (3) If you miss your pet... Some people who had pets in their home countries cannot interact with pets during their long study abroad life, which can be stressful. In Japan, the number of cafes with cats and dogs has been increasing recently, and you can easily interact with cats and dogs with only the usage fee and drink fee. In addition, some cafes where you can interact with these animals sell not only cats and dogs, but also birds and reptiles. Please take advantage of it. Pets are prohibited in the dormitory. However, there are cat cafes and dog cafes around the school. The zoo is also a few stops from the school. I think animal lovers can enjoy studying abroad at our school.

It is said that the Hinamatsuri began about 1,000 years ago among the aristocrats of that time during the Heian period. At that time, on the day of the snake at the beginning of March, the "Kamimi no Setsuku" is held to pray for a disease-free life, and on this day, an onmyoji (fortune teller) They called and prayed, and they put simple dolls made of paper and plants with alcohol and offerings and threw them into rivers and the sea on their behalf. At that time, the dolls were called "Hiina", and it is believed that this "Kamimi no Setsuku" and "Hiina Play" came together to form the Hinamatsuri as it is today. In this way, I would like to decorate the peach festival that has been handed down for a long time with the children and pass on to future generations a meaningful event that wishes for the healthy growth of children.

The shrine and its nearby area at China town, Yokohama were well decorated with lights and lanterns before the Chinese new year. It looks very beautiful and charming.

Just some more photos to wrap up our trip to Nikko. I took a bunch of photos of different monuments and buildings that seemed important or had lavish decorations. I can't make out what the writing on the monument says but I can at least make out the kanji for heart (心). I also liked the golden palanquins inside the the building in the forth photo, although I'm not sure if they were used at some point or are simply for decoration. The other photos are from Futarasan Chugushi Shrine (二荒山中宮祠神社) located in front of Lake Chuzenji. Unfortunately we didn't have time to go inside the shrine but I was at least able to take some nice photos of the torii gate. Apparently it has a kagura hall as well and the entrance to Mt. Nantai is located inside the shrine as well. And finally, just an assortment of food that I haven't posted yet. All of it tasted great. It was definitely a trip I'm never going to forget!

It's a hina festival. At the former Yoshida residence.

Some more photos from our trip to Nikko. There were so many awesome monuments, landmarks, and buildings that it'd be impossible to fit it all into one post. I was so glad that I had my mobile battery with me because I was taking so many photos that I was just burning through my battery lol. I really liked how the incense burner looked and I tried looking up how old it was but I wasn't able to find anything about it, only the one in front of Tokugawa Ieyasu's burial site. I would have liked to use the chozuya as well, but unfortunately it was closed off due to covid. I also liked seeing the sake barrels as well as they always brighten up shrines. The "Ippon Toro" lantern was interesting as well. I'd never heard of Empress Tofukumon'in before either, so it gave me some interesting things to read about Japan's Edo Period. Apparently she helped rebuild prominent temple in Kyoto and collected art and pottery from famous artisans of the time and even those of the past. Some buildings I'd have to look at a map to know their names but there was definitely no shortage of decorations. Unfortunately we weren't able to take photos inside some of the main buildings, but a few of them had ceiling paintings done by famous painters. Many of them were birds, and I'm not an expert, but I think they were mostly cranes and they were all really beautiful.

Yangguji Temple Hanachozu When I came here two years ago, there was no "Yes, Kyoto, let's go" logo on the ladle, but in the past few years, it has become a hot topic on SNS and has changed. As usual, hydrangeas were laid out, and many tourists came. I shot simply with telephoto, compression effect, and no unnecessary objects.

Famous Dragon Dance during Chinese New Year Festival at Yokohama's famous China Town. The dragon dance is very cute, funny and interesting. It was a vibrant and colorful festival.

Continuing on from yesterday's post... On the second and final day of our trip we woke up and ate a light breakfast followed by some udon and soba at a nice little restaurant on the way to the Kirifuri Highlands (霧降高原). We were originally planning on hiking up to the observation deck around 880 meters up the mountain, but it proved to be a little farther than we thought it would be an had to stop at around 650 meters as there was a massive staircase to reach the observation deck and not everyone in the group was up for the challenge lol. Not having the proper gear didn't help much either. Most people had on snow shoes and they could easily trek through the snow but wearing just boots or tennis shoes we were a bit under-equipped and decided it'd be better not to overdo it. We got to see some really amazing views and talk to an 85-year-old man who told us what gear we should buy if we're planning on hiking in the snow, about how the dam located on the mountains across from us rises and falls during the day/night, and how this was his ~60th time climbing the mountain but the woman he came with has done it more than 300 times. She had to turn back early that day, but those are some impressive numbers! After enjoying the outdoors we headed over to Nikko Edomura/Edo Wonderland (日光江戸村) and had a blast exploring the theme park. We arrived at about 2pm so we got a nice discount on our all-day passes. Walking around we got to see all of the different buildings that gave the theme park its Edo-Period-feel. We also got to see the oiran procession (花魁道中) which was really awesome as well. It seemed like they tried to make it as accurate as possible too. The way the courtesan walked was in the traditional figure eight style which, from what I've read, is not easily done, so I assume that this is a sort of special type of profession as she was doing it (to my untrained eye) perfectly. One funny thing was that the girls in red in front of the courtesan had to slouch somewhat because they were too tall and the theme park obviously can't employ children to play the role like they would have traditionally. We also got some temporary "tattoos." They got some cute Nyan-mage tattoos and I got a Shinsengumi tattoo lol. After that we watched a really awesome performance inside of the ninja theater, but we weren't allowed to film or take photos so I don't have anything to post unfortunately. It was really cool seeing the ninja actors jumping off of rooves and fighting though. On top of that we also tried out the ninja maze where I was unfortunately the last one to make it out as I got unlucky and hit a dead end at the last part of the maze. This was a really fun experience as there were a lot of hidden and revolving doors that you had to find to escape the maze. We also did the shuriken experience and I managed to get 3/5 but I gave one of my shuriken to my girlfriend in the hopes that she would stick one in the target but unfortunately she wasn't able to lol. I guess I was technically 3/4 because of that. Overall the whole trip was a blast and we got to make some awesome memories out in Tochigi. I definitely recommend it as a travel destination!

I came to see the Hina Festival dolls at the Ono Private Kokokan, and quite a few of them were grandly lined up on the Hina altar and were in front of the entrance, which was a masterpiece.

Vibrant and colorful attire, graceful performers ,jolly faces .... Every good things were present during the 38th Samba festival of Asakusa.

Took a trip out to Nikko, Tochigi over the three day weekend and had an incredible time. The purpose of the trip was to celebrate my girlfriend's sister's college graduation so we wanted to make it as memorable as possible. I don't have enough room to fit this into one post so I'll post the rest throughout the week. We started out from Tokyo and had lunch somewhere Nikko Toshogu Shrine. I'm not sure if Yuba is a local specialty but it seemed like literally every single restaurant in the area was selling it so I'm assuming that was the case. It was my first time trying it and it was pretty interesting I guess you could say. It tasted alright with the soy sauce and radish but I think I prefer normal tofu instead. Either way it was a nice experience. After eating we headed out to Nikko Toshogu Shrine nearby and man was it amazing. Everything was so lavishly decorated that I couldn't stop taking photos. The pagoda was incredibly beautiful as well and the snow covering the Nikko area made everything even more beautiful. I was lucky enough to get a really nice shot of the corridor full of lanterns while no one was walking through the area as well. I also took a photo of the torii gate at the top of the steps as it had a very strong presence and signaled the end of the long journey up the steps to reach the inner shrine. Unfortunately the main gate was undergoing repairs so it was completely covered in tarp and surrounded by staging so I wasn't able to get a photo of it, but I did get some really cool shots of the main shrine. I tried as hard as I could to get some good photos of the grave of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and while I think the photo of the gate isn't bad, I think I'd need a better camera to get a good shot of the crane and his tomb. That being said it was still really awesome to see. After checking out the shrine we headed out to Kegon Falls and I managed to get some really nice videos and some decent photos as well. I can't post the videos or I would. It was really awesome seeing the icicles surrounding the waterfall and all of the frozen scenery as well. Even just taking the lift down to the waterfall was an experience. After we left the waterfall observation deck and went back up the elevator we got some suiton (水団, flour dumplings in soup) and shared it between the three of us as a light snack before dinner later that evening. We also visited Lake Chuzenji and admired the scenery there for a bit as well. We didn't spend a ton of time here so this photo was the best I could do. I like that I was able to get the sign in the shot though so I can't complain. After enjoying the view of the lake we headed to our hotel and ate dinner and had some wine. The place we stayed at was called "Lamb Chop" (ペンション・ラムチャップ日光). The food was great and service provided by the the owners was top notch, so I definitely recommend checking it out if you're looking for a place to stay in the area. After dinner we headed back to our room and I was so exhausted I fell asleep almost instantly. And that was the end of day 1! I'll post day two tomorrow since this post is getting quite long now!

[English/Japanese] Currently, most people are wearing masks due to the coronavirus, but since there have always been so many people in Japan wearing masks from February to April, all foreign tourists are surprised. The reason why they wear masks is "hay fever". Especially at this time of the year, people who are allergic to cedar are wearing masks. Many foreign students are suffering from hay fever. In this article, I would like to tell you about this hay fever. 1) One out of three international students has hay fever? According to some data, one out of every three international students will develop hay fever for the first time after coming to Japan. Also, the number of international students who develop hay fever in their third year in Japan is the highest, followed by those in their first year. International students may misunderstand that they have a prolonged cold at first because there are no hay fever sufferers around them in their country and they do not know what hay fever is like. Unlike a cold, hay fever has strong symptoms of runny nose, itchy eyes, and an itchy nose. If you have any idea what it is, please consult with your school teacher first. 2)Hay fever prevention goods So how do Japanese people get over the hay fever season? Most people take medicines prescribed by hospitals or over-the-counter medicines. In addition to medicines, there are many other goods that are sold on the streets to alleviate the symptoms of hay fever. For example, glasses for hay fever and high quality tissues that do not damage the nose. Sales of air purifiers also increase during this season. For those who don't have the money or the time to go to the hospital, there is a life hack that says applying Vaseline to the entrance of the nose can reduce the symptoms. Also, lack of sleep and alcohol consumption are said to worsen hay fever symptoms. Take care to delay your healthy lifestyle. ★Extras In Tokyo, one out of two people is said to have hay fever. The topic of hay fever is also an opportunity to get to know Japanese people. It is said that when a person who has never had hay fever before gets hay fever, the person who has had hay fever for many years will say "Welcome ☺". I urge you to talk to them! Currently, most people wear masks due to the influence of the coronavirus, but in Japan, there are so many people who wear masks from February to April that all foreign tourists are surprised. The reason why I wear a mask is "hay fever". Especially at this time of year, people with cedar allergies wear masks. Many international students suffer from hay fever. This time, I will tell you about this hay fever. (1) Is 1 in 3 international students with hay fever? According to some data, one in three international students develops hay fever only after coming to Japan. In addition, among international students who had hay fever, those who took it in their third year ranked first, followed by the first year. International students do not know what kind of symptoms hay fever is around in the country, so they may mistakenly think that they have a prolonged cold at first. Unlike colds, hay fever has strong symptoms of runny nose, itchy eyes and itchy nose. If you have any idea, please consult your school teacher first. (2) Hay fever countermeasure goods So how do Japan people get through the hay fever period? Almost everyone takes medications prescribed in hospitals and over-the-counter medications. In addition to medicines, goods that relieve the symptoms of hay fever are often sold in the city at this time. For example, glasses for hay fever and high-grade tissues that do not damage the nose. In addition, sales of air purifiers also increase during this period. For those who do not have money or do not have time to go to the hospital, there is also a life hack that says that applying petroleum jelly to the entrance to the nose will alleviate the symptoms. In addition, lack of sleep and alcohol consumption are said to worsen the symptoms of hay fever. Be careful not to delay your healthy life. Extra In Tokyo, it is said that one in two people has hay fever. The topic of hay fever is also a chance to make friends with Japan people. When a person who has not had hay fever before gets hay fever, it is said that people who have had hay fever for many years say "welcome ☺". Please talk to us!

Although the samba dance is from Brazil but I saw it 1st time in Tokyo at Asakusa area. It was from 38th Asakusa Samba carnival in 2019. I was really very excited and happy to see it. Unfortunately from 2020 because of corona the event is not happening but I wish this 2022 I could see it again.

This is a shrine visit at Ebisu Shrine in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture. We wish for the healthy growth of the baby and visit him around one month old. Even after that, there are many people who visit milestones in their lives, such as Shichi-go-san and adults. Visiting the temple is the first of them, the first appearance to God. It's kind of reassuring to think that there is a god watching over you.

Kawazu cherry blossoms have blossomed

Things made by humans from the past to the present Nature is all good I wish ☺️ I could leave it for the future