Moncher × Gokase Grapes 🍇 I visited the Gokase grape collaboration now on sale at Moncher Seasons in Hakata Hankyu.✨ The cakes displayed in the showcase looked as delicious as they sounded… 🍰 A kind staff member showed me the cakes made with Gokase grapes. 👀 They said the collaboration has been widely promoted, and some customers come specifically for the cakes featuring Gokase grapes. 😆 I tried the soft-serve made with Campbell Early grapes. 🍦 The soft-serve wasn’t overly sweet, and the aroma of Campbell Early gently spread through it, making it perfect for this still-warm season. 😍 The cakes using Gokase grapes are scheduled to be sold through the end of September. 💡 Be sure to visit Moncher Seasons on the B1 level of Hakata Hankyu. 😊

#015 "Special Report" A new program sharing the charms and seasonal news of Tsunocho in Miyazaki Prefecture has launched! The first episode aired on Wednesday, September 10. It was broadcast on UMK Television Miyazaki, and the program is called Roadside Station Tsuno "Tsunocchao"!! The show is packed with Tsunocho’s many attractions and timely information! Program title: Roadside Station Tsuno "Tsunocchao" Air date: Every second Wednesday of the month, 21:54–22:00 Content: Promoting Tsunocho’s attractions and seasonal news MC: Reina Anai Reina Anai, a native of Tsunocho, appears on UMK Television Miyazaki’s Yokaban!! and 4ji doki! and on Miyazaki Sunshine FM’s Monday Pupupu and Keiichi Yamamoto’s Iyoiyo Desuyo. The show is guaranteed to be fun!! Please tune in!

[👒 Summer Gokase 2025 Entry Photo Showcase ④ 👒] Thank you for entering the “Summer Gokase 2025” campaign 😆 Thanks to you, we received many submissions ✨ Here are some of the photos submitted to “#Summer Gokase 2025”! @kakigoori2020 @gokase_pan @chika_narita @niidome2110 @tae_gerbera35 @narunaru918 @kokoyukeip There were many other wonderful entries besides the ones shown 😆 We will now begin judging! Please wait a little while for the announcement of the results 😁

[👒 Summer Gokase 2025 Photo Entries Spotlight ③ 👒] Thank you for entering the "Summer Gokase 2025" campaign 😆 Thanks to you, we received many submissions ✨ Here are some of the photos posted to "Summer Gokase 2025"! @kakigoori2020 @machieri9.3 @fouzan_839 @totalrelaxation_salon_spring @gokase_pan We will now begin the selection process! Please wait for the results to be announced 😁

Nukazuke Workshop🥕 A "Nukazuke Workshop" was held to showcase local ingredients and inspire new ideas for processing them.💡 Under the guidance of Rieko Teramoto, who is from Gokase, participants first tasted the nukazuke prepared yesterday.🥢 There were 18 varieties in total!! Familiar vegetables like cucumber, carrot, and daikon sat alongside new flavor discoveries such as dried shiitake, konnyaku, and myoga.👀✨ Next, Teramoto demonstrated how to prepare the nuka bed in front of everyone, teaching about moisture levels and other details.📝 She then shared ready-to-use nuka beds for participants to take home, and everyone immediately began pickling the vegetables they had brought.😊 They said the pickles should be ready in about 12 hours, and everyone left excited to eat their creations, carefully taking their own nuka beds home.🥰 I can’t wait to try the nukazuke made by the participants next time.😍

[Higashi Kyushu Spiny Lobster Road – The Spiny Lobster Festival Is Underway📢] What is the Spiny Lobster Festival?? The Spiny Lobster Festival is an event held at 29 coastal eateries across Saiki City in Oita Prefecture and Nobeoka City in Miyazaki Prefecture, timed each year to coincide with the opening of the spiny lobster season in September! For three months, you can fully enjoy fresh, lively spiny lobster dishes.🦐✨ The coastline stretching from Saiki at Oita’s southern tip to Nobeoka at Miyazaki’s northern edge enjoys a warm climate year-round. This sea faces clean Pacific currents, is rich in food, and provides an ideal environment for spiny lobsters to thrive. You can taste nature-grown, authentic spiny lobster at peak freshness! Event period: Tuesday, September 2, 2025 – Sunday, November 30, 2025 ⭐ Participating restaurants (Nobeoka City) ⭐ 1) Marukin (Marukin) Restaurant Address: 505 Ichiburi, Kitaura, Nobeoka City Hours: 11:30–14:00, 17:00–20:00 Closed: Irregular holidays Phone: 0982-45-2067 2) Rinkou Restaurant Address: 29-14 Ichiburi, Kitaura, Nobeoka City Hours: 11:30–13:30, 18:00–20:00 Closed: Irregular holidays Phone: 0982-45-3571 3) Sato Restaurant Address: 2501-23 Furue, Kitaura, Nobeoka City Hours: 11:00–14:00, 17:00–20:00 Closed: Thursdays (subject to change) Phone: 0982-45-2077 or 090-9570-3231 4) Sazareishi Takashima Seafood Inn Address: 2535-2 Furue, Kitaura, Nobeoka City Hours: 11:30–14:00, 18:00–20:00 Closed: Irregular holidays Phone: 0982-45-2268 5) Shioka no Yado Takahiraya Address: 2927-1 Tsuruyama, Furue, Kitaura, Nobeoka City Hours: 12:00–14:00, 18:30–20:00 Closed: Irregular holidays Phone: 090-5213-2027 6) Himuka no Yadori Shinonome Vacation Cottage (Shinonome) Address: Part of 2927-1 Tsuruyama, Furue, Kitaura, Nobeoka City Hours: 9:00–17:00 Closed: Irregular holidays Phone: 090-1824-8157 (phone reception 9:00–17:00) Note: This line is for incoming calls only; no callback will be made. 7) Michi-no-Eki Kitaura Restaurant Kaisenkan Address: 3337-1 Furue, Kitaura, Nobeoka City Hours: 10:30–16:00 (last order 15:00) Closed: Only during the New Year holidays Phone: 0982-45-3811 Note: Please make reservations at least three days in advance. 8) Minshuku Konpeki (Konpeki Guesthouse) Address: 1426-1 Sumiecho, Nobeoka City Hours: 11:00–14:30, 17:00–20:00 Closed: Irregular holidays Phone: 0982-43-0211 Reservations are required for all establishments. "Higashi Kyushu Spiny Lobster Road" official website https://higashi-iseebi.jp//

Gokase Winery's First Pressing of 2025!🍇 A new wine born from the blessings of Gokase is on the way🍷 This year too, winemaking has begun using grapes nurtured by Gokase’s fertile land💡 Every bottle from Gokase Winery uses only grapes carefully grown in Gokasecho😁 These grapes, which endured Gokase’s harsh winters and ripened under the summer sun, each offer a uniquely delicious flavor. This unwavering commitment to 100% locally grown grapes underpins the quality of Gokase Winery’s wines✨ The first-pressed Campbell Early this season features a fruity aroma and refreshing acidity🍇 A sweet, rich scent filled the winery, raising excitement for the new wine🎵 This year’s vintage is another wonderful result, filled with the producers’ love😆 New Niagara and Campbell Early wines are scheduled for sale on Saturday, October 18th🍷

#014 Roadside Station Tsuno 12th Anniversary Thanksgiving Festival!!✨ It has been 12 years since Roadside Station was built in Tsunocho, and to thank everyone who has visited so far, a gratitude festival will be held! Schedule: September 21–23, 2025 September 21 only: Spiny Lobster Festival From 10:00, limited quantities will be sold! There will be a direct sale of spiny lobster and spiny lobster miso soup for sale. *Sales end when supplies run out; miso soup is limited to one bowl per person.* September 23: Stage events and food trucks gather!! There will also be a booth offering vascular age measurement and internal sugar measurement by Meiji Yasuda Life! Three-day common programs 1. Sale of Roadside Station original lucky bags with a 12th-anniversary commemorative ticket 2. Follow Roadside Station Tsuno on Instagram to receive a “Prittsuno” gift 3. Various special offerings at the food and drink booths! Inquiries: 0983-25-5055 (Roadside Station Tsuno) Everyone, please come and check out the thanksgiving festival at Roadside Station Tsuno!!

#013 According to the calendar it’s already autumn! 🍂 But it’s still hot and humid. Introducing the “Saroma Great Harvest Festival,” planned to be held in Saroma, Hokkaido, a sister city of Tsunocho! First, let us explain that our town, Tsunocho, is home to a tire test course operated by TOYO TIRE Corporation. That test course exists in both Tsunocho and Saroma, Hokkaido. According to what we heard, summer tires are tested in Tsunocho and winter tires in Saroma, and then they become commercial products. This TOYO TIRE test course is what linked Tsunocho and Saroma as sister cities. [Saroma Great Harvest Festival] This harvest festival gives thanks for the year’s bounty and lets visitors enjoy seafood and mountain produce, including a direct sale of farmed scallops from Lake Saroma and special-price meat sales. There is a grand lottery with a total prize pool of 1,000,000 yen and stage events by well-known artists, drawing about 10,000 visitors each year. Date: Sunday, October 5, 2025 Location: Toyo Tire Saroma Test Course Our town, Tsunocho, will also have a booth at this event. We’ll be grilling local free-range chicken, its charcoal aroma whetting your appetite—come and enjoy! *We had no photos. Sorry (´;ω;｀)*

📢 Announcement: “Miyazaki Kagura” at the National Noh Theatre — Katsura Kagura Performance On Wednesday, October 29, 2025, the National Noh Theatre (Sendagaya, Tokyo) will host a performance of Katsura Kagura, a traditional performing art handed down in Morotsuka Village. Kagura is offered as a prayer to the gods. Please take this opportunity to experience its mysterious dances and sounds. 📅 Event Details ・Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2025 ・Doors open: 12:30 / Performance starts: 13:30 (scheduled to end around 17:40) ・Venue: National Noh Theatre (4-18-1 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo) ・Admission: Free (advance application required; if applications exceed capacity, attendees will be selected by lottery) 📖 Program 1️⃣ Keynote lecture (about 30 minutes) 2️⃣ Katsura Kagura performance (about 3 hours) 📝 How to Apply ・Application period: Thursday, August 14, 2025 – Monday, October 6, 2025 ・Lottery results notification: Scheduled to be sent around Friday, October 17, 2025 📞 Contact “Miyazaki Kagura — National Noh Theatre Performance” Office TEL: 0985-22-1122 (Mon–Fri) 10:00–17:00 (excluding public holidays) 🔍 About Katsura Kagura Katsura Kagura is a kagura tradition from the Katsura settlement in Miyazaki Prefecture, preserved as an offering to Katsura Shohachiman Shrine. The shrine is said to have been established in the Nanbokucho period through a dedication from the Kanto region, and it preserves a mysterious history and long-standing traditions. ⛩️ Timing of Offerings ・Major kagura (night kagura) are offered irregularly for shrine relocations, shrine rebuilding, or when prayers are answered. ・Normally, the three-part kagura is offered during the spring and autumn grand festivals.

★☆★Announcement: Gyaana Festival 2025★☆★ That hot summer festival that colors the end of summer in Morotsuka is back... ＼“Gyaana Festival 2025 – Matsuri Kyo”／ This year it will be held on Saturday, September 13th! 📅 Date and time: Saturday, September 13th, 4:00 PM–8:00 PM (scheduled) 📍 Venue: Morotsuka Village Sports Park, Yu Yu Playland and the baseball field 💰 Admission: Free Field attractions ・Morotsuka Gourmet Food Court ・Kids’ fish-catching event ※ If you join the fish-catching event, please bring your own bags or cooler boxes. Program ・Local performing arts show ・Performances by village elementary and junior high students ・Stage performance by Tatsuo Kamon ・Grand raffle ・Fireworks finale 👘 Special perks for visitors wearing yukata or traditional Japanese clothing! 🎟️ Raffle tickets will be handed out at the reception desk on the day, one per person. 🌦️ The event will go on in light rain. In severe weather, the scale will be reduced and the event will be held at the Central Community Center. 🌀 If typhoon effects are expected, the event may be canceled. The final fireworks burst close to the venue for a spectacular view 🎆 Let’s enjoy the end of summer together with energy and smiles 😊 “Gyaana” is a Morotsuka dialect word meaning “energetic”!

📢 Reservation starts for Himuka no Kuni “Enpaku” from 10:00 on Monday, August 25! ＼ Reservation for Himuka no Kuni “Enpaku” opens! ／ 🌲 Morotsuka Village will host two nature-based hands-on programs! 1. One-of-a-kind Wooden Amulet Accessory Workshop Tour💍 Use the village’s abundant woods to handcraft your own wooden accessory✨ The finished piece will be blessed by the deputy chief priest of Kinkei-ji Temple. You will complete a unique “amulet accessory” made just for you! 📅 Dates: Saturday, September 27 and Sunday, October 5, 10:00–15:00 📍 Venue: Shiitake no Yakata 👥 Capacity: 10 participants (minimum 5 to run) 💰 Fee: ¥3,000 (materials charged separately) 👕 Bring: work gloves, towel, apron (if concerned about wood dust), drinks, parts fees 2. Autumn Mountain School “Platto” Yuzu Picking & Yuzu Kosho Making Experience🍊 Harvest fragrant yuzu and make the versatile seasoning yuzu kosho that goes with everything! Why not make one of Morotsuka’s staple condiments, alongside miso, with your own hands? 📅 Date: Saturday, November 22, 9:30–16:00 📍 Venue: Shiitake Hall 21 👥 Capacity: 10 participants (minimum 5 to run) 💰 Fee: Adults ¥5,000 / Children ¥4,000 👕 Bring: comfortable clothes for moving around, water bottle 🌿 Come and craft while feeling the season in nature. We look forward to your participation 🥰 📱 For details and application, visit the Enpaku official website! ※ “Himuka no Kuni Enpaku” is an exchange event where you can experience the nature, history, culture, food, and craftsmanship of northern Miyazaki Prefecture.

The 3rd National Mountain Stream Fishing Tournament 🎣 Today (August 23rd) the 3rd National Mountain Stream Fishing Tournament took place 🐟 Despite worries about the weather due to typhoons, the day turned out fine and more than 170 people attended the venue 😊 The event that drew the loudest cheers from many children was the fish-catching game limited to elementary school age and younger Some large cherry trout and eels were included, and while the children were completely absorbed, the surrounding parents were excited too 🔥 In the fishing competition, the person who caught a total of more than 8 kg won the large haul prize and took first place 🏆 The biggest fish measured 28 cm 💡 Thank you to everyone who took part in the fishing tournament 🎣 We hope to care for the river environment so this tournament can continue for many years 🥰

🍂Autumn Mountain School “Platto” — Now Accepting Participants🍁 ~Harvest Summer Vegetables & Make Homemade Pizza~ Harvest fresh summer vegetables grown in Mr. Shinka’s field with your own hands, then try your hand at making pizza using those vegetables! Enjoy authentic, wood‑fired pizzas baked in a homemade pizza oven for a toasty, savory finish🍕 After the harvest experience, enjoy a delicious lunch♪ Savor the tastes of summer with hot, fresh pizzas topped with just‑picked vegetables🍅 This event is perfect for families with children and anyone who wants to connect with nature. Participants coming from afar can stay overnight starting the day before (Saturday). Create an end‑of‑summer memory and relax in the beauty of nature. 📅 Date: Sunday, September 14 — 10:00 to 15:00 📍 Meeting place: Shiitake no Yakata 21 🌲 Venue: Farmer’s Guesthouse Shinka 👥 Capacity: Minimum 4 — Maximum 10 per session 💰 Fee: ・Adults: ¥5,000 per person ・Children (age 3 and up): ¥4,000 per person ※Village residents receive a ¥500 discount ※Includes experience fee, guide fee, lunch, and consumption tax 🧤 What to bring: An apron (please wear clothes that can get dirty) 📝 Registration deadline: Sunday, September 7 🚶‍♀️ Accompanying staff: A tour leader or local guide will accompany participants 📲 For applications and more details, check Morotsuka Navi!

#012 Tsunocho is home to about fifty restaurants and confectioneries. This is the third installment in our gourmet series! Here we introduce a long-established Japanese and Western confectionery shop loved both inside and outside the town. ~Founded in 1950, a taste that recalls Tsunocho~ Kashiho Kikuya Kikuya is a long-standing Japanese and Western confectionery shop founded in 1950 by the family of my childhood friend. It continues to be loved by both local residents and visitors from outside the town. Kikuya makes many well-known sweets. First is the wagashi called “Ichinomiya,” which people associate with Kikuya. The name comes from the town’s representative sightseeing spot, Tsuno Shrine, formally the ichinomiya of Hyūga Province. The moist cake contains white bean paste and cream, combining the best of Japanese and Western tastes. Other confections that remind people of Tsunocho include Tsuno Station, Tsunayahime, and Kinfugu Monaka. Why use names derived from Tsunocho? The owners say they want recipients to think, “This is from Tsunocho,” or “How nostalgic.” Indeed, someone who left the prefecture and receives one of these sweets after years would likely feel nostalgic. Such treats exist in Tsuno. These days, customers come from within the town, from other towns, and even from other prefectures specifically to buy these sweets. In addition to regular items, Kikuya also makes custom birthday cakes featuring character designs. That, too, is one reason the shop remains beloved. Kikuya’s confections are also sold at the station café inside the tourism association office. They make excellent gifts for loved ones or people who have helped you. Hours 9:00–18:00 Sundays 14:00–17:00 Closed Irregular holidays Parking About 10 spaces Phone 0983-25-0127 Address 〒889-1201 4939 Kawakita, Tsunocho, Koyu District, Miyazaki Prefecture (in front of Akagike Residence)

#011 Tourist Spot Feature Part 3✨ Introducing a little-known Tsunocho attraction: Fudo Park!! Fudo Park, on the left side of the hill leading to Tsuno Winery, sits within the precincts of the Fudo Myo-o and is a spot to enjoy cherry blossoms and azaleas in spring. The cherry trees peak from mid-March to early April, drawing visitors from both inside and outside the town for hanami, and a flower festival has been held there in the past. It’s a minor location, but a well-kept local secret!! When I was in kindergarten the park was large enough to hold our sports day. Nearby parking holds about 50 cars, and both the park and the parking lot are free and accessible 24 hours a day. The park has a stairway that leads up to Taki Shrine, a subordinate shrine of Tsuno Shrine, the ichinomiya of Hyūga Province. The enshrined deity is the water god Takaokami no Kami, who is said to grant relief from ear ailments and bring peaceful ears. When you visit Tsunocho, why not stop by once? Access: About a 10-minute drive from tsuno station Nearby building: Nursing home Aijuen Tsuno Winery Address: 11592-1 Kawakita, Tsunocho, Koyu District, Miyazaki Prefecture (address of Aijuen)

【👒Summer in Gokase 2025 Photo Submissions — Spotlight 1👒】 We are featuring photos submitted to the "#Summer in Gokase 2025" contest currently running on the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account! @goto0619 @niidome2110 @sakai_0808 Thank you for your submissions 😆✨ We are still accepting entries!! How to enter (Submission period — through September 15) Follow the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account (@gokase_kanko) and post with the hashtags "#Summer in Gokase 2025" and "#Gokase" 📸 We look forward to your entries 🙇‍♀️✨

#010 Long time no post!! Today I’ll introduce Tsuno Town’s fireworks display and river festival, held on Friday, August 22. Tsuno Citizens’ Fireworks Display Organized by the Tsuno Citizens’ Fireworks Display Executive Committee, this show launches from rice fields where the harvest is finished. No specific viewing areas are designated, so many watch from the concurrently held river festival site, while others enjoy clear views from farther away. The fireworks look different depending on where you watch, and about 3,000 shells will light up the night sky over Tsuno. The highlight is that you can look down on the fireworks from the hillside parking lot of Tsuno Winery. Why not come for a fireworks experience you can’t usually have? Date: Friday, August 22, 2025 Time: From 8:00 PM TEL: 0983-25-5501 (Tsuno Winery) If it rains, the event will be postponed to Sunday, August 24. Tsuno Town River Festival Held at the same time as the Tsuno Citizens’ Fireworks Display, this river festival is organized by the Tsuno Chamber of Commerce and Industry Youth Division. Food stalls line the Tsuno River Fureai Street beside Tono Shrine, and the event features plenty of fun stage programs for children. Date: Friday, August 22, 2025 Time: 3:00 PM–9:00 PM TEL: 0983-25-0200 (Tsuno Chamber of Commerce and Industry) Parking: Please use Roadside Station Tsuno. On the day of the event, Tsuno Winery and the area around Tono Shrine are expected to be crowded with cars and visitors from about one hour before the fireworks launch. Please take care when you come.

A Long-Awaited Hike up Mt. Shiraiwa 👟 From the 13th to the 17th, the town road Hon’yashiki–Hagisen reopened to regular vehicles, so I left my car at Gokasecho Highland Ski Area’s Ski Center and hiked up Mt. Shiraiwa 💪 Because the management road up to the ski area still prohibits ordinary cars, I first headed on foot for the Gobobatake trailhead ✨ About 30 minutes after starting, I reached the Gobobatake trailhead 💡 From there I set off on my long-awaited hike up Mt. Shiraiwa 😊 The trail was rough at first, but it was generally easy to walk and the cool weather made the climb comfortable ✨ At the summit I exchanged valuable information and learned about conditions on nearby peaks 👍 The photos show an asagi-madara butterfly and alpine wildflowers I encountered along the way 🥰 It felt great to hike Mt. Shiraiwa again and it was a refreshing experience 😆

✨A Three-Day Holiday Packed with Events✨ The three-day holiday starts tomorrow 😁 Gokasecho is full of events 🎆 "Yaki Happy Fest" 🎤 Set in a hall styled after the Gokase Winery, this festival brings together delicious food, wine, and live music! Celebrating the connection between Osaka and Gokase, the excitement begins with a pre-festival night. Come enjoy a relaxed, joyful time amid Gokase’s rich nature and a refreshing breeze. Date and Time Pre-festival: Friday, August 8, 2025, 5:00 PM–9:00 PM Main festival: Saturday, August 9, 2025, 11:00 AM–5:00 PM Location Hall styled after Gokase Winery "Gokase Festival" 🎆 An annual celebration that colors the summer in Gokasecho! Held in the Gokase Town Hall parking area, the festival draws large crowds with food stalls, stage events, and more. The finale lights up the night sky with fireworks. Let’s enjoy a summer evening in Gokase together! Date and Time Sunday, August 10, 2025, 3:00 PM–8:00 PM (fireworks start at 8:00 PM) Location Visitor parking lot at Gokase Town Hall "Tenohira Gion Market" 👐 A heartwarming handmade market born from the idea that you can make a living doing what you love, even in the countryside. Set around Gion Shrine, more than 20 unique stalls will offer handmade goods and tasty food. This year, artists who regularly sell at Kyoto’s "Hyakumanben Handmade Market" will make a special appearance! Come to Gokase’s natural setting and find pieces that make your heart flutter. Note: The venue may change in case of rain. Date and Time Monday, August 11, 2025 (public holiday), 9:00 AM–3:00 PM (postponed to August 12 in case of rain) Location Gion Shrine (Kuraoka, Gokasecho)

🍂Autumn Mountain School — Casual Participants Wanted🍁 🌰—Get a Head Start on Autumn Flavors! Chestnut Gathering Experience—🌰 Step on the spiky chestnut burr with your shoe and a glossy chestnut will pop out. Pick it up with tongs and drop it into the basket. You’ll get lost in the satisfying rhythm of the whole process. Would you like to enjoy chestnut gathering while soaking up autumn nature? 🍱Lunch includes a Donkotei special menpa bento♪ 📅 Date: Sunday, September 7 — 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM 📍 Meeting place: Shiitake no Yakata 21 🌲 Venue: Old Forest House “Sakura no Tsubone” 👥 Capacity: 4 people minimum to 10 people maximum per day 💰 Fee: ・Adults: ¥5,000 per person ・Children (age 3 and over): ¥4,000 per person *Village residents receive a ¥500 discount *Price includes experience fee, guide fee, lunch, and consumption tax 📝 Registration deadline: Sunday, August 31 🚶 Accompanying staff: A tour attendant or local guide will accompany the group 🧤 What to bring and what to wear ・Work gloves ・Towel ・Water bottle ・Hat ・Long pants ・Long-sleeve shirt ・Sturdy, easy-to-move-in shoes that can get dirty *For applications and details, please check Morotsuka Navi. Spend a day filled with autumn flavors and hands-on experiences to satisfy both your heart and your stomach. We look forward to your participation!

Sunset Village Sculpture Symposium This year again, works by Yoichi Okumura, who lives in Miyazaki City, have come to Gokasecho✨ These gentle pieces reflect Okumura’s warm personality😊 Although stone is usually thought of as hard, he can express it so softly😲 Looking at the works gives you a cozy, warm feeling🥰 A picture book about a snowman was also placed there to help visitors feel a little cooler⛄ You could also watch the creation process👀 The stone’s sheen is different before and after, isn’t it!? (Maybe it’s the photographer’s skill…😅) By the time he arrived in Gokasecho, he had already created about seven pieces✨ He is expected to dedicate a work to Furudono Shrine again this year, which is something to look forward to🎵 You can see the exhibition and Okumura’s working process below Furudono Shrine💡 He is scheduled to stay in Gokasecho until September 3, but since there will be tidying up and other tasks, it might be best to visit in August😊 *Note: Okumura will be absent on August 7.*

📣 Announcement: Pottery Exhibition 📣 From Saturday, August 2, a pottery exhibition will be held on the first floor of Shiitake no Yakata 21. 🎨 Exhibition Details 🎨 📅 Dates: Saturday, August 2, 2025 – Saturday, August 30, 2025 🕙 Time: 10:00 AM–5:00 PM 📍 Venue: Shiitake no Yakata 21 (1st floor) ❌ Closed: Every Wednesday 👤 Profile Name: Yoshiyuki Nakamura (Nakamura Yoshiyuki) Born 1947, from Miyazaki City (age 78) Since 2009, he studied under Hisayoshi Ikeda at the Morotsuka Village Pottery Class. After working as an assistant at the class, he has been teaching there since 2017. His hobbies are pottery, photography, gardening, computers, and watching his grandchildren play baseball⚾ 🏺 Message from the Morotsuka Village Pottery Class It has already been eight years since we happily began creating works together in the pottery class. This exhibition mainly features pieces we made as reference works, but recently our students have been making wonderful pieces that impress us greatly. In this exhibition, we hope you will take a relaxed look back over our journey so far. Please feel free to drop by ✨

🫐【Notice: Kurohara Blueberry Farm Opening】🫐 The blueberry season has arrived ✨ Kurohara Blueberry Farm will be open for a limited time from July through August! Would you like to pick the forest’s blue jewels, blueberries, with your own hands? Inside the farm, freshly picked blueberries are available for you to eat as much as you like! Enjoy fruit grown above 600 meters in elevation, soaking up the sun’s generous blessings 🌞 【Opening Hours】 9:00–17:00 (advance reservation required) ※Please make a reservation by phone at least one week before your visit. 【Fees】 💰Admission: 500 yen per person for elementary school students and older (no time limit) 🧺Takeaway: 1,500 yen per kilogram ※For reservations and details, please see Morotsuka Navi.

Summer has arrived 🌻 Last week Gokasecho saw many rainy and cloudy days, but this week the weather has been pure summer ✨ with the sun dazzling every day 😎 I drove out to Shirataki to look for a bit of cool air 🚗 Just watching the water fall from a drop of about 20 meters felt refreshing 😊 Along the way there was a sunflower field in full bloom 🌻 It was a spot I’d never known about before, so I felt like I’d discovered a great treat 🎵 People often picture Miyazaki Prefecture as hot, but Gokasecho sits surrounded by high mountains ⛰ Because of that, average summer temperatures are a few degrees lower than other parts of the prefecture, and mornings and evenings can be chilly enough to need a light blanket. Many nights you can sleep soundly without air conditioning 😉 (Last night was actually quite cool and I slept under a blanket 😅) Escape the summer heat and come refresh your body and mind in Gokase this summer ✨

＼Announcement: Original Morotsuka Village T-Shirts👕 Now on Sale／ Every year Morotsuka Village hosts the Morotsuka Cross-Country Race and the Kyushu Ball-Toss Championship. To commemorate these two events, a local designer living in the village has created a limited-edition original T-shirt collection! 👕 All designs are original They express the joy of sport and the lush nature of Morotsuka Village with playful, creative touches✨ 📌 T-Shirt Features ・Lightweight fabric with good breathability ・Back made with quick-dry mesh for comfort in hot weather ・Stretchy material and a relaxed fit around the shoulders and neck These shirts are perfect for everyday wear and recommended as activewear for walking or outdoor events♪ 🛒 Quantities are limited, so act quickly if you’re interested. Grab a special piece for this summer👕 ※ T-shirts are available from the Morotsuka Village Tourism Association and Morotsuka Store.

🎨 Announcement: The Late Sukenori Miroku – Exhibition “Morotsuka Kagura, the Forest’s Gifts, and Its Spirits” 🌲✨ From Friday, July 18, the Library Corner at Shiitake no Yakata 21 will host an exhibition by the late Sukenori Miroku (Miroku Sukenori) titled “Morotsuka Kagura, the Forest’s Gifts, and Its Spirits.” This exhibition presents nine works in total, including two paintings depicting kagura that are planned to be donated to Morotsuka Village. Please take this rare chance to see these precious pieces that are not often on view 👀🍃 📅 Exhibition period: Friday, July 18 – Tuesday, July 29 🕙 Opening hours: 10:00–17:00 (※Last day closes at 15:00) 🏛 Venue: Shiitake no Yakata 21, Library Corner 🎟 Admission: Free ❗️Note: Closed on Wednesday, July 23. 📞 Inquiries: Morotsuka Village Office, Board of Education, Education Division TEL: 0982-65-0072 👤 About Sukenori Miroku Mr. Miroku was an artist who expressed local spiritual culture through motifs of kagura and nature-based faith. He continued to render the forest’s resident spirits and his respect for Morotsuka Village’s nature and kagura with a delicate touch. This exhibition offers a valuable opportunity to encounter his artistic legacy and spirit 🖌️🌿 👣 Spend a peaceful moment in a space where nature and art resonate together 🍀 We warmly look forward to your visit!

Gion Shrine Summer Festival July 15 was the Gion Shrine’s summer festival⛩ We covered the Morimaki ritual held before the ceremony📷 They shaped the makaya grass gathered that morning into the form of Yamata no Orochi💪 Makaya is stiff, and twisting large amounts at once is a real challenge😅 Still, the Morimaki Ritual Preservation Society finished it with impressive skill✨ The amazake prepared overnight also turned out exceptionally tasty this year😆 There were many more visitors this year, which made us happy😁 The local community cherishes their “Gion-san” It will surely continue together with the community going forward🥰

Sunset Village Marche & KIDS Festa On Sunday, July 13th, Sunset Village Marche & KIDS Festa took place in the wine hall at Gokasecho Winery. Rain fell while we were setting up, and the weather caused some worry, but though there were occasional heavy showers, we also saw sunny spells. With many stalls and stage events, the place buzzed with families and visitors. The water play area was a huge hit with the children. Kids went wild with the full-scale water guns and pools. Huge numbers of soap bubbles floated out from the bubble booth, too. Seeing so many children smile made this a day that brought smiles to all of us.

Today (July 10) I covered a hop harvest 😆 It was my first time seeing this year’s hop field... and it was spectacular✨✨ Straight-reaching vines, healthy dark green leaves, and clusters of hops hanging like little bells…!! “It’s a shame this view will be gone after today!” I said as I gazed with the grower 👀 With preparations complete, it was time to harvest 💪 There were so many cones that even removing the supporting wires was a struggle 💦 We filled bags with the harvested hops, and I worried they might not all fit on the truck we were loading back with today 😂 These hops will be processed into beer with a fresh, lively aroma 🍺 I tasted last year’s brew too — it had a refreshing scent and went down easy 😆👍 I can’t wait to try this year’s beer 😍