I took a picture of the famous Sarutsubo Falls in Hyogo Prefecture lit up at night, but I was taking pictures while being wary because the new hot spring town bear would appear.

It was lit up without permission by Kurotaki called Miniature Niagara in Yoshikawa, Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture.

There is also a park children's playground in Ishigaya Park in Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture, which families visit every year with their own lunch boxes, and it is the best lunch box to eat while being enveloped in the scent of plums.

I was impressed by the sight that I was finally able to see on my third climb. The sea of clouds and light awn shah of Takarayama in Fukuchiyama City, Kyoto Prefecture, which is now becoming famous You can climb to this place by car, and there are several places to stop, but there is no sense of accomplishment even if you enjoy watching it, and recently there are more photographers and I stop my car in a place that is not a parking lot, so I dare to park my car in the parking lot below and climb the mountain with my own feet. When you see this scene after you are sweaty, you will be fascinated by the viewer with a sense of accomplishment and emotion.

Tottori Sand Dunes in winter I have visited the Tottori Sand Dunes many times, but on this day it was difficult due to the bad weather and snowstorm, but unlike the usual sand dunes, the pure white sand dunes were a wonderful sight.

edgeworthia chrysantha group in Shiso City, Hyogo Prefecture edgeworthia chrysantha was also the raw material for banknotes and was truly a golden forest. Shot at a wide angle from below.

edgeworthia chrysantha group in Shiso City, Hyogo Prefecture edgeworthia chrysantha was also the raw material for banknotes and was truly a golden forest.

A group of edgeworthia chrysantha in Shiso City that I went to see with my family for the first time It was awesome. When I saw the sparkling gold in the dim forest, I was moved and amazing. It was fantastic, like a firefly, and it was just sparkling as if I had entered a fairytale world.

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!