Event Announcement 📣 From February 11 to February 14, 2026, Nakasatsunaimura will host “Snow Art Village Nakasatsunai 2026” for four days 😊 You can view the expansive snow art that local snow artist and AOILO Inc. representative Tomohiro Kajiyama creates on the snowy plain from a special 8-meter-high yagura viewing platform 🎵 Please enjoy this snow-made art that you can only see in the art village of Nakasatsunai 🤗 📍Dates: Wednesday, February 11, 2026 ▶ Saturday, February 14, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM *Canceled in severe weather; event dates may change depending on snowfall conditions 📍Venue: Nakasatsunai Cultural Creation Center and surrounding special event sites 🔶 Indoor Event Venue (Nakasatsunai Cultural Creation Center) 📍 Snow Art Video Screening We will screen past snow art works and footage of the making process. 📍 Snow Art Panel Exhibition (Entrance) A collection of past works shot by drone will be on display 🎶 Explore the history of Snow Art Village Nakasatsunai! https://kankou-nakasatsunai.com/event-list/page-3619/...

The winter forest is muddy Miyanomori, which rings the ski area, can be climbed and descended in about an hour to the shelter at the summit. On a warm day with temperatures around 0°C, the old man who lives opposite Miyanomori says he sometimes climbs it twice a day. With that reliable old man, I climbed Miyanomori too. - Thanks to the previous day’s warmth, the snow had melted, and on the packed snowshoe tracks the snow seemed walkable in rubber boots. ※Snowshoe: a device attached under boots to prevent sinking deeply into snow. Also called kanjiki. Once I bravely started walking in rubber boots, trouble began. Looking sideways and up, my feet slipped off the packed tracks and I plunged into the snow. Apparently, when your feet get caught in snow it’s called “nukareru” (to sink in). Seeing me struggle so much, the old man walked ahead for me. He climbed at a surprisingly quick pace. Out of shape from lack of exercise, I couldn’t catch up, so I climbed at my own pace without rushing. I snapped a photo of his back along the way. The old man would wait a short distance on and tell me things like, this tree died because deer ate its bark, or, it’s rare to see a vine this thick. Traces where deer had raced across slopes too steep for people, and deer prints beside the snowshoe tracks. It was a walk through this quietly snow-covered forest, feeling the presence of living creatures. 📷️ 📷️ 📷️ There are said to be over 30 stone monuments in Miyanomori. Even the old man doesn’t know why they’re there. Perhaps villagers once placed them to protect the forest. Snow perched atop a tree. Someone on social media had called a cornice “like braised pork,” and I remembered that. I saw several large katsura trees. Their branch tips twist and curl. Behind the direction signboard, the disturbed snow marks a deer trail. Something like a nut lay on the snow. From the shelter you can take in a panoramic view of the town. Just then, a ski class was in full swing at the ski area below. 📷️ 📷️ 📷️ Here are scenes from a winter walk in Miyanomori. #Miyanomori #Walk

Photographed on January 23, 2014. This is the Shishiyama at Kanda Myōjin Shrine.

Azumino’s breathtaking viewpoint – Mount Nagamine summit From here you can enjoy views of the Northern Alps♪ I gazed out over Azumino, dyed entirely in white!!

February 8th Snowy landscape at Daio Wasabi Farm Japan’s largest wasabi field is also wrapped in snow Perhaps because the snow absorbs sound, a quiet world spreads out

February 8th Snowy Scenery in Azumino The snow that fell steadily since last night has turned Azumino into a sea of white.

February 8th Hotaka Station on the JR Oito Line, the gateway to Azumino sightseeing It snowed last night, and Azumino is blanketed in white Visitors should take care with their footing!!

Photographed on January 23, 2014. This is Sukuna Hikona, the enshrined deity of Kanda Myōjin Shrine.

The Sagicho of Imao Winter Fire Festival "Sagicho" A rare start in falling snow? It was bitterly cold, but the festival burned bright. Imao, Kaizu City, Gifu Prefecture February 8, 2026

We visited the Otaru Snow Festival on a day when the snowfall felt almost unreal, layers upon layers of snow covering everything in sight. The cold was intense, yet the spirit of the people was even stronger—unshaken, cheerful, and welcoming. Despite the heavy snow, they warmly invited us to become part of the festival, as if we belonged there all along. Though the air was biting, the kindness and smiles around us filled the atmosphere with joy. As evening fell, the sight of countless candles glowing softly along the canal was nothing short of magical—the gentle light reflecting on the snow and water turned Otaru into a living winter dream.

Suisen Road in Minamiboso, Chiba Prefecture: a heartwarming flower field blooming along the narrow mountain village paths

Photographed on January 23, 2014. I visited Kanda Myōjin Shrine during the winter holidays. Akari Jinba looked sleepy. 🐴

Staying at Kussharo Prince Hotel, you hear the trumpeting calls of whooper swans at Lake Kussharo in the morning. In temperatures colder than −10°C, the fireplace crackles as the firewood pops. Listen to the clear surface of the lake and the quiet sounds spreading along the shore. This stay turns the solitude you can only experience here into sound. 📍Kussharo Prince Hotel https://www.instagram.com/kussharo_ph/...

The countryside has vast rice paddies, so when it snows they turn into a wide white plain. It’s three minutes from my home, and straight ahead at the end of the road is Lake Biwa.

Photographed on February 7, 2014. The 19th Koedo Kawagoe Amateur Chindon Festival took place.

The 60th Tomakomai Skating Festival is now open! The festival is packed with attractions, including the ever-popular ice mega-slide, snow sculptures, food stalls, and a lively stage program. Of course, the famous shibare-yaki is also available At the tourism association booth, we have a Tomachop lottery and drinks ready, so please stop by ⛸

Photo taken on February 2, 2014. This is a hanachōzu (flower basin) from Hara Florist.

Jewelry Ice at Otsu Coast in Toyokorocho, Hokkaido Ice that formed on the Tokachi River drifts out to sea and the waves polish it into transparent, jewel-like pieces of ice. Visitors aiming for standout photos select well-shaped pieces, carry them, pour hot water or rinse them to remove sticking snow and sand, and arrange the ice by stacking or standing it to create artworks for shooting, but they are beautiful just as they are in nature.

Photographed on February 1, 2014. This is a black latte from LEC COFFEE and a chocolate Basque cheesecake.

Photographed on February 1, 2014. This is a black latte from LEC COFFEE. It features very beautiful latte art.☕️✨

Photographed on February 1, 2014. This is a chocolate Basque cheesecake from LEC COFFEE.

Photographed on February 1, 2014. This is the quiche plate from LEC COFFEE. It features a spinach, chicken, and basil quiche, homemade pork ham with salad, a white vegetable potage, and homemade bread. The basil gives off a lovely aroma. 😊

Snowplow Dozer Has Arrived Around 4 a.m. on a winter morning. When I hear a loud peep, peep!, I groggily realize that a lot of snow has fallen. That loud sound is the warning signal a snowplow makes when it backs up. On days when snow piles up thick, snowplows start working before dawn. By the time many people head to school or work, both the roadway and the sidewalks have been cleared and look neat. The other day, during daylight hours, a snow-dozer arrived at the parking lot of the tourist information center the Rizumu. Because the parking spaces are smaller than usual, we asked them to shave down the snowbanks a bit, and they came the next day. Snow-clearing machines come in many sizes, but this snow-dozer was really huge! The bucket on the front was big enough for an adult to lie down in completely. The snowplow itself looked cool, (just seeing a big vehicle gets your spirits up), and the operator who handles such heavy machinery looks cool, too. If we had scooped and carried the snow with handheld shovels, it would have taken half a day, but the snowplow cleared it smoothly in about an hour. With the parking area widened, parking and turning around became much easier, and driving grew more comfortable. - In a post by the neighboring town Takinoue Town account "Takinoue Biyori," which shares the lives of local people, their interview with the town’s snow-removal center explains the snow-clearing system in detail. It was interesting to read about how they use technology to check roads in summer and how different snow-removal contractors coordinate with each other. - We are grateful to the snow-removal crews who support safe, comfortable winter living. Thank you always. #Snow removal #Snow-dozer

Lake Tanuki in Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture Mount Fuji around 5:00 PM on January 31 Bathed in the setting sun, the lake’s surface was relatively calm and the reflections were beautiful. It’s the classic upside-down Mount Fuji scene that makes you want to take a photo.

Photographed on January 31, 2014. This is the hanatemizu (flower water basin) at the omikuji distribution booth of Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

Event Announcement 📣 On Saturday, February 7, 2026, Memuro Town’s big winter event, Ice Candle Night, welcomes visitors 😊 About 2,500 ice candles will light up Meimuro Park, creating a soft, glowing atmosphere 😍 The venue offers a variety of attractions, including Tokachi Pro Wrestling, a strike-out game, footbaths, and handheld fireworks. Fireworks will be launched from 7:30 PM to brighten the winter night sky ✨ Enjoy a space shaped by winter’s cold, where beautiful ice and warm light come together 🤗 📍Date and Time: Saturday, February 7, 2026, 1:30 PM–8:30 PM 📍Location: Meimuro Park 📞Contact: Memuro Town Roadside Station TEL: 0155-66-6522 https://town.tonxton.com/event/hyotoya2026/...

Photographed on January 31, 2014. These are the floral water displays at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

February 3rd In the morning, snowflakes drifted over Azumino The sky cleared and the Northern Alps stretched into the distance as far as Hakuba The OitoLine runs toward Hakuba

The Karasukawa flows through Nagano Prefecture's Karasugawa Valley Green Space It carries snowmelt from Mt. Jonen in the Northern Alps As it flows, it nourishes Azumino

Photographed on January 31, 2014. This is the hanachozu (flower water basin) at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.