Announcements of two events from Shintoku Town📣 1️⃣ ‘Tomuraushi Onsen 60th Anniversary Festival’ Tomuraushi Onsen celebrates its 60th year since opening this year with a gratitude festival where visitors can enjoy the gifts of Shintoku Town and the hot springs as a thank-you for long-standing patronage. 📍Dates: September 27, 2025 – September 28, 2025 📍Free hot spring bathing: Both days, September 27 and 28, 12:15–19:30 📍Events: One-day event on September 28, 12:00–16:00 📍Venue: Tomuraushi Onsen Tōtaisetsusō Bathing is free on September 27 and 28. On the 28th we will hold many activities including a fill-your-bag event of Shintoku-grown vegetables, food stalls and sales featuring Tomuraushi Jersey beef, a mini concert by MAKICOM MINAMI, outdoor games, and a nostalgic Shintoku photo exhibition. Free day-trip shuttle service is also available, so please come and enjoy Tomuraushi Onsen this autumn. 📌Free day-trip shuttle (approx. 90 minutes each way) 📍September 27 Outbound: departs Shintoku Station 11:00 Return: departs the onsen 15:00 📍September 28 Outbound: departs from the Shin-Soba Festival venue 12:30 Return: departs the onsen 16:30 *Phone reservation required: Tomuraushi Onsen Tōtaisetsusō TEL: 0156-65-3021 2️⃣ ‘22nd Shintoku New Soba Festival’ The largest festival in Shintoku, the Shintoku New Soba Festival, is held every year on the last Sunday of September to coincide with the local soba harvest😊 📍Date: September 28, 2025 10:00–14:00 📍Venue: Parking lot in front of Shintoku Town Health and Welfare Center Nagomi The highlight of the Shintoku New Soba Festival is tasting the four-fresh soba: freshly harvested, freshly milled, freshly made, and freshly boiled noodles.🎵 This year eight vendors from around town, including soba shops and volunteers, will serve flavorful soba grown on the foothills of the Daisetsu mountain range, each offering their signature broths and toppings to showcase the new soba. Beyond soba, there will be many local specialties such as charcoal-grilled Shintoku jidori chicken and grilled shiitake mushrooms grown on logs, plus sweets like soba crepes and rich soft-serve ice cream to enjoy.😍 Also, the long-running wanko-soba eating contest returns for the first time in six years!! There are two categories: parent-and-child pair and adult pair, and applications require teams of two. Pairs of two will compete to see how many bowls of soba they can eat within the time limit. Applications open at 11:00 on the day of the festival (about 30 minutes). 📞Contact Shintoku New Soba Festival Executive Committee Office (Shintoku Town Industry Division) TEL: 0156-64-0525 *On the day, vendors will do their best to serve soba, but supplies may run out earlier than expected. Thank you for your understanding in advance. https://shintoku-town.net/spot/#event...

Event Announcement📣 On September 28th, “2025 Onneto Stories” will take place 😊 This event invites you to immerse yourself in Onneto’s primeval forest and enjoy its charms with all five senses. There will be a variety of activities, including campfire and wood-splitting workshops focused on wood learning (mokuiiku), and a nature interaction class where you can enjoy forest bathing while learning about the trees and the mysteries of the Yuno Falls. After refreshing yourself with forest bathing, relax at a forest concert while enjoying delicious local food 🎵 Spend a leisurely autumn day in this richly natural setting 🤗 On the day, a free shuttle bus will run from Roadside Station Ashoro to the Onneto campsite. 📍Outbound: Roadside Station Ashoro departs 8:30 → Onneto Campsite arrives 9:30 📍Return: Onneto Campsite departs 14:00 → Roadside Station Ashoro arrives 15:00 *Please note that due to recent heavy rain, the Onneto lakeshore Yuhodo trail course of the nature interaction class has been canceled.* 📞Inquiries Ashoro Tourism Association Office TEL:0156-25-6131 https://www.town.ashoro.hokkaido.jp/kanko/news/2025/onneto_2025.html...

Introducing the Tokapuchi 400 PASSPORT 😊 The Tokapuchi 400 is a 403 km long-distance cycling route that starts and ends in Obihiro and links Tokachi from south to north in a figure-eight loop 🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️ The passport features highlights, gourmet spots, shopping, and map information, making it recommended for those traveling Tokachi by bike 🎵 The route is split into southern and northern halves, with four stamp points in each half for a total of eight sections. Collect stamps placed at each location and enter the draw for a chance to win an original furoshiki wrapping cloth—30 winners will be selected!! You can enter even with just one stamp! 😍 All applicants will receive a Tokapuchi 400 original sticker!! Tokapuchi 400 PASSPORT (includes entry postcard) Price: ¥1,100 Please fill in the date the stamps were affixed and the required information on the designated entry postcard and send it in. ※Entry deadline: Must arrive by Wednesday, December 31, 2025 📍List of outlets selling the Tokapuchi 400 PASSPORT Tokachi Tourist Information Center, Eco Bus Center Rikuru 📍South Route Roadside Station Nakasatsunai, Activity Center ANDOOR, Roadside Station Churui, Roadside Station Cosmall Taiki, Cocoro Co Terrace 📍North Route Tokachigawa Onsen Tourist Guide Center, Roadside Station Garden Spa Tokachigawa Onsen, Roadside Station Otofuke Natsuzora no Furusato, Roadside Station Urimaku, Lake Shikaribetsu Nature Center https://www.ctjguide.com//

Introducing Takushoku Kinokotan, located inside Takushoku Bus’s Shintoku Office 😊 This tourist farm reuses sites once used by Hokkaido Takushoku Railway for its headquarters, rolling stock depot, and company housing on the line that ran between Shintoku and Kamishihoro. The name Takushoku Kinokotan is a coined word combining Takutetsu (short for Hokkaido Takushoku Railway), “kinoko” (mushroom), and the Ainu word kotan, meaning village. It reflects the desire to bring new life back to this once-bustling place. You can enjoy a hands-on shiitake harvesting experience grown carefully on logs using timber felled in Hokkaido. At the farm shop you can buy log-grown shiitake, Hokkaido Takushoku Railway and bus merchandise, and mushroom goods. There is also a display corner exhibiting historical materials related to Hokkaido Takushoku Railway 😍 Look for the red roof! The building’s motif is the former Shikaoi Station building 🎵 📍Hours: 10:00–15:30 (last shiitake harvest admission at 15:00) 📍Closed: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and during the New Year holidays 📍Fees: Harvested shiitake are sold by weight. 📍Experience season: March–November — no reservation required on weekends and public holidays; reservations required on weekdays December–February — reservations required for both weekends, public holidays, and weekdays *For groups of five or more, please make a reservation at least two weeks in advance regardless of season or date.* Takushoku Kinokotan TEL: 0156-67-9105 📍Access: About 10 minutes from Shintoku Station by bus: take Route 53 via Shintoku Station bound for Minami-Shintoku and get off at Minami-Shintoku 20 minutes on foot from Shintoku Station About 5 minutes by car from Shintoku Station About 10 minutes by bicycle from Shintoku Station *Bicycle rentals are available at Shintoku Station.* Bicycle rental inquiries and reservations: 0156-67-7567 Shintoku Town Tourism Association (Regional Exchange Center “Tokutoku”, 2nd floor) https://t-kinokotan.com//

Event Notice📣 Tokachi Nakasatsunai Gourmet Ride 2025 takes place on Sunday, September 21! Nakasatsunai Village, blessed with beautiful nature, is a rich agricultural area with abundant food. 😊 The village offers countless picture-perfect landscapes, including views of the Hidaka Mountains, and is a member of the Association of The Most Beautiful Villages in Japan. This cycling event lets you savor the village’s charms at your own pace! Ride freely as you visit checkpoints and aid stations around the village. If you stay within the time limit, you may stop to sightsee or visit places you like along the way. The only condition is to finish at Nakasatsunai Village Hall by 2:00 PM. 🎵 Each aid station serves gourmet dishes made with local ingredients so you can enjoy Nakasatsunai’s flavors. 😍 Why not come cheer on cyclists from across the country on the day? Wave flags along the roadside to welcome them (cheering flags will be provided). Register via the QR code on the flyer or here → https://forms.gle/QMEeQC1PTjFBfoPu5... Meeting place: Nakasatsunai Village Hall headquarters Meeting time: 8:30 AM Inquiries Tokachi Nakasatsunai Gourmet Ride Executive Committee TEL: 0155-68-3390 (Secretariat: Nakasatsunai Village Tourism Association)

Event Announcement 📣 The 49th Kashirin Park Festival will be held on Sunday, September 21, 2025 😊 This autumn industry festival lets you savor the flavors unique to Taiki, a town with both mountains and sea!! This year’s HBC Radio live recording guests are Mariko Nagai and Shinya Kono and Hitoshi Fujio from Oklahoma 🎵 The program is packed with favorites like the annual Wagyu Festival and the Aki-aji (autumn salmon) Grab, food stalls featuring Taiki’s delicious offerings, dairy product sales from Snow Brand Megmilk, which has a factory in Taiki, and a fun raffle 😍 📍Note: Entry to the Aki-aji Grab is by lottery. Lottery tickets will be distributed between 9:00 and 9:30. Also, the event may be canceled depending on fishing conditions. Please understand in advance. There are kid-friendly activities too, including a stamp-art workshop to make a Taiki drawstring bag, a woodworking class, and a bounce dome ✨ Come enjoy Taiki’s seasonal flavors in Kashirin Park, surrounded by the town tree, kashiwa (oak)!! We look forward to seeing you 🤗 📍Date and Time: Sunday, September 21, 2025, 9:00 AM–3:00 PM 📍Location: Kashirin Park (held rain or shine) https://visit-taiki.hokkaido.jp/tp_detail.php?id=424...

Event Announcement📣 “Sea and Land Festival” and Toyokoro Industry Fair 2025 is coming 😊 Enjoy an autumn in Toyokoro filled with sights, tastes, and fun. This year, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the town’s establishment, the festival will be more lavish than usual, featuring special complimentary items like Toyokoro wagyu diced steak and Toyokoro autumn salmon chanchan-yaki available in limited quantities 😍 Onstage, you can enjoy drum performances by Toyokoro Taiko “Enyukai” and a concert by Toyokoro Junior High School Brass Band, plus a spectacular stage show featuring enka singer Junko Ishihara as a guest! Also returning by popular demand are the annual hits: the Otsu autumn salmon direct-sale event and the autumn salmon grab contest 🎵 There will also be a bounty of activities including a rice cake and sweets toss where you can win local specialties, various local product stalls, and food trucks—plenty to enjoy!! Toyokoro’s bounty is ripe for the picking—now’s the perfect time to taste it! We look forward to seeing you 🤗 📍Date and Time: Saturday, September 20, 9:40 AM–2:00 PM 📍Venue: JA Toyokoro Multipurpose Plaza https://www.toyokoro.jp/page/6325.html...

[Shimanto City, Kochi Prefecture] Feel secure with this! A Directory of Shimanto River River Activity Operators! ★The Appeal of River Activities★ You can enjoy the Shimanto River with your whole body in 360°, and nothing captures that feeling better than river activities! The Shimanto River has a gentle current, so beginners and children can take part. On canoe tours you can sometimes go where no man-made structures are visible, offering a true escape from everyday life. Shimanto City is home to many river activity operators, with a variety of options that let everyone from small children to seniors enjoy themselves with peace of mind. Take this chance to find an operator that interests you♪ 1. Shimanto Canoe and Camp Village Kawaracco Shimanto Canoe and Camp Village Kawaracco sits beside the Shimanto River, surrounded by rich natural scenery. In addition to campsite facilities, the site includes well-equipped bungalows and a Shimanto hinoki cypress house. It also serves as a terminal for the Rinrin Cycle rental service. Operating season: Year-round Closed: Mondays (if Monday is a public holiday, closed Tuesday) *Open during the period around Golden Week and from July 1 to September 30 Pets allowed to ride together (tandem kayaks). *Please bring a life jacket for your pet. Depending on size, joint riding may be unavailable. 2. withRIVER withRIVER is located at the foot of a Shimanto River chinkabashi (submersible bridge). The current is gentle here, so beginners and small children can feel safe. At the end of the tour you can even try jumping from the chinkabashi. In addition to canoe and SUP experiences, withRIVER offers horseback riding. Besides ordinary rides, there is a course that lets you ride within the Shimanto River. Because the horse stands where you can touch the bottom, children and non-swimmers can participate safely. Operating season: March to mid-November Dogs may ride along (on SUP or two-person canoe). Dog life jackets are available to rent (500 yen per jacket). Free photo sharing available 3. Shimanto River Lodge Yuubetei Shimanto River Lodge Yuubetei is a rented villa-style accommodation on a hill overlooking the Shimanto River, available to one group per day. Families, groups, and couples can relax here. Rooms include a terrace where you can barbecue while watching the sunset. River SUP experiences are available from Yuubetei. The owner customizes courses to match guests. SUP board rentals are also offered. Please request when booking your stay. *SUP experiences operate only in the summer season. 4. Okera Adventures Shimanto Okera Adventures Shimanto centers on “bikerafting,” a combination of cycling and packraft (inflatable boat) river descent. They are the only operator in Japan to run regular guided bikerafting tours. (*Survey by Okera Adventures, March 2022) They operate by private-group bookings only, so you and your group enjoy the tour alone. One appeal is that guides tailor the tour to participants, weather, and conditions. Operating season: Year-round Dogs may ride along (dog life jackets available for rent). Free photo sharing available 5. Shimanto – River Station Canoe Center Shimanto – River Station Canoe Center is known for the spectacular natural scenery in the latter part of its tours. The attached Shimanto Hiroba Auto Campsite offers toilets and barbecue sites so you can camp beside the Shimanto River. (Advance reservation required) There is a beginner-friendly canoe school where instructors lead basic half-day and full-day courses. You can paddle an 8 km canoe touring course to the famous Iwama Chinkabashi Bridge featured on TV and in magazines; the latter 4 km of the course shows almost no man-made structures, letting you fully enjoy the Shimanto River’s wilderness. The Canoe Center also serves as a river station exhibiting canoes from around the world and as a terminal for the Shimanto River Rinrin Cycle rental service. Operating season: Year-round Free photo sharing available 6. Shimanto Rakusha Shimanto Rakusha is a former school repurposed into a place where you can stay and play. The lodging uses spaces such as the school infirmary as bedrooms, and classrooms have bunk beds. You can even stay in the broadcasting room that still runs the school PA system or in the principal’s office. Because canoe experiences here do not involve long downstream runs, you can set your own experience time. Families can take turns, play in the river, and enjoy canoeing freely. In addition to canoeing, you can try stream trekking (shower climbing), raft play, and relaxed fishing in the Shimanto River. Closed: Every Wednesday *Open daily in July, August, and September Free photo sharing available 7. Canoe Shimanto Base Canoe Shimanto Base runs tours using sit-on-top canoes that you sit on the deck rather than inside. You can choose a half-day course with a 3 km downstream stretch (morning or afternoon) or a shorter course without downstream paddling. All canoes are single-person, and two sizes are available so you can pick the right fit. The half-day course is available from third grade elementary school and up; the short course is available from first grade elementary school and up. The short course is a private booking for groups of 1–10 people. Operating season: March to November Dogs may ride along. *Please be sure to bring a life jacket that fits your dog’s body size. Free photo sharing available 8. Good River Shimanto At Good River Shimanto you can enjoy a full Shimanto River canoe tour. They instruct you from canoe boarding and paddle technique to how to enjoy canoeing. The downriver course follows the river current and reveals little in the way of man-made structures, letting you relax in expansive nature. You can take commemorative photos at the popular Iwama Chinkabashi Bridge. They also run rafting tours, letting you drift downstream in a raft boat on the gentle Shimanto River in relaxed comfort. Guests from age three through seniors can participate. Operating season: Mid-March to early November Children and dogs may ride along Free photo sharing available How was it? Try experiencing Shimanto City’s river activities!

Event Announcement 📣 On Thursday, October 30th this year, the Doto Expressway will mark its 30th anniversary since opening, and we will hold a commemorative event for the Tokachi-Shimizu IC to Ikeda IC section 😊 The event will feature stage shows by local groups along the route, character greetings, a photo panel exhibition covering the 30 years since opening, and a grand lottery with prizes for 30 winners, including accommodation vouchers for Tokachigawa Onsen!! 📌Stage Shows by Local Groups Along the Route 📍10:10–10:30 Calligraphy performance by the Calligraphy Club of Obihiro Hakuyo High School 📍10:50–11:20 Local hero show of Obihiro City 📍11:30–11:50 HIP HOP dance show by the JOYFIT Dance Circle 📌Special Guest: Talk Session with Hiroyuki Morisaki 📍13:00–14:00 We invite Hiroyuki Morisaki, a member of the theater unit TEAM NACS, for a talk session themed “30 Years Since Opening: Toward the Future.” 📌Character Greeting 📍NEXCO East Japan’s manners-promotion characters Manaty and Ikanzame will appear, along with Ushikun, the mascot of the Obihiro Tourism & Convention Association, and Onigiri Shian, a local VTuber from Kushiro who also serves as a COOL Kushiro City tourism ambassador. They’ll be visiting—please take photos with them! 🎵 📌Grand Lottery with Luxurious Prizes 📍Among visitors on the day, 30 winners will be chosen by lottery to receive luxurious prizes. 🔸Tokachigawa Onsen accommodation voucher (worth 50,000 JPY) 🔸Tokachigawa Onsen day-use bathing tickets 🔸Pair tickets to see the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (for the game on September 22, 2025) Other regional gourmet items from along the Doto Expressway will also be available 😍 *Lottery participation tickets will be distributed on the day.* 🎵 Date and Time: Monday, September 15, 2025 (public holiday) 10:00–15:00 Venue: Tokachi Plaza, 1st Floor Atrium and Large Assembly Room Please come with your family and friends!! We look forward to seeing you 🤗 https://www.e-nexco.co.jp/pressroom/hokkaido/2025/0808/00015203.html...

Annual family trips. I forced myself to travel to Hiroshima, Shimane, and Okayama But new townscapes, Spots There is still a lot to be seen in the three prefectures. It was a trip that made ✈️ me feel the breadth and depth of Japan

Event Announcement 📣 On Sunday, August 17, 2025, the “Shihoro 7,000-People Festival” will take place 😊 The festival is packed with attractions, including food stalls, the Shihoro Highlands Taiko drum performance, hot-air balloon trial rides, and stage events. On stage you can enjoy a variety of performances, from a baton routine by the Shihoro Baton Mates and dance shows to Shihoro Ondo and Gujo Odori folk dances, yosakoi dance performances, and a calligraphy performance 🎵🎵 Don’t miss the spectacular “flower mikoshi” made with Mino washi paper, a specialty of our sister city, Mino in Gifu Prefecture! 🤩🤩 There are plenty of hands-on activities too, such as a tractor display, rainbow trout fishing, calf petting, fire truck rides, ranger experiences, and water-spraying demonstrations. On August 20, there will also be a children’s bon odori and a costume bon odori for individuals and groups. 😍😍 Join the unique local festivals in each area and enjoy the summer 🤗🎶🎶 📌 Main Festival 📍 Date and Time: Sunday, August 17, 2025, 10:30–16:00 📍 Location: Around Shihoro Town Community Plaza *The festival will go ahead in light rain; in heavy rain it will be held at the Comprehensive Training Center* 📌 Costume Bon Odori 📍 Date and Time: Wednesday, August 20, 2025, 18:00–21:00 *In case of rain the event will be postponed to the backup date, August 21* 📍 Location: Nishi 2-sen, Shihoro Town https://www.shihoro.jp/tourism/detail.php?content=126...

Event Announcement📣 The Ashoro Furusato Bon Odori and Ryogoku Fireworks Festival is coming😊 About 8,000 fireworks will light up the night sky at Ashoro’s summer festival🎵 The program is packed with events like costumed Bon Odori, a comedy live show, a kayōkyoku (popular Japanese ballad) performance, and a magic show!! There will also be a beer garden and a children’s festival, making it a fun day for everyone. This year, starting at 10:00, Ashoro High School Brass Band and high school bands will present a music event called “Ashorock.”😍😍 Bring your family and friends and come make summer memories together🎶🎶 📍Date and Time: Friday, August 15, 10:00–21:00 (Fireworks launch time: scheduled 19:30–20:10) 📍Location: Riverbed south of Ryogoku Bridge over the Riberetsu River (fireworks launch site) Green space and parking in front of the Townspeople Center (vendor stalls and Bon Odori event site) https://www.town.ashoro.hokkaido.jp/kanko/event/event-2.html...

Event Announcement📣 The 29th Churui Furusato Bon Odori Festival will be held 😊 Along with the dancing, you can enjoy costumes filled with many creative ideas at this Bon dance event 🎶🎶 Luxurious prizes await the winners 🎁🎁🎁 On the day, children’s Bon Odori and the Churui Ondo are open to everyone, so why not take this chance to join in and dance? 🤗 Also, this year there will be a fish-catching event for elementary and junior high school students before the festival, so please join enthusiastically 🎵 📍Date and Time: Thursday, August 14, 2025, from 6:00 PM ※ The event will go ahead in light rain. It may be canceled in severe weather depending on conditions. 📍Venue: Churui Fureai Center, Fukujyu Special Event Area 📍Event Schedule 5:00 PM – Fish catching (for elementary and junior high school students) ※ Those wishing to participate should come to the main tent between 4:30 PM and 5:00 PM. 6:00 PM – Food and stall area opens Distribution of fun raffle tickets begins (one per person, first 1,000 people) 6:30 PM – Children’s Bon Odori (participation prizes available) 6:45 PM – Churui Ondo 7:00 PM – Solo dance performances (general participation) Costume contest (individual and group categories) 8:20 PM – Fun raffle Bread toss http://www.makubetsu.jp/kankobussankyokai/?p=8557...

Event Announcement 📣 The 78th Obihiro Plain Festival will be held from Thursday, August 14 to Friday, August 15, 2025 😊 The festival features a variety of events, including a drum festival, Bon Odori dances, a Tokachi Kouta singing contest, and street performances by buskers 🎶🎶 This year, marking the 80th anniversary since the end of the war, high school students will present a "Postwar 80th Anniversary Peace Concert." The concert blends poetry readings and other elements to express hopes for a peaceful, war-free world. 📍Yumefuri-ya Thursday, August 14, 7:00 PM–8:00 PM This festival aims to have young people give thanks for nature’s bounty and the achievements of their predecessors, pray for a bountiful harvest, foster love for their town and homeland, and inspire dreams and energy for tomorrow. Men’s and women’s portable shrines will parade through the streets, and performers will march while playing four-person taiko drums. The festival’s climax includes the offering of golden ears of grain and the throwing of dream breads. The soft glow of the mikoshi lights will color Obihiro’s night streets 😍😍 📍The 27th Obihiro Taiko Festival Friday, August 15, 3:20 PM–5:10 PM *Official start time is 3:20 PM* *In case of rain, the event will be held at Obihiro Civic Cultural Hall from 1:30 PM* Taiko teams from across Hokkaido will gather, filling the air with powerful drum sounds 😍😍 📍Obihiro Bon Odori Friday, August 15, 7:00 PM–8:45 PM *Canceled in case of rain* Dancers will perform to live music of "Hokkai Bon Uta." Watch for the creative costumes and choreography from each participating team 👘👘 Please check the flyer or the official website for other events. Make summer memories by visiting the Obihiro Plain Festival, one of Obihiro’s three major summer festivals 🤗 https://obikan.jp/page-7621/page-7623/...

Event Announcement📣 'Yukata Night' will be held at Tokachigawa Onsen Yunosato Hall on Sunday, August 10th😊 This is a renewed version of the annual Tokachigawa Onsen Summer Festival🎵🎵 The main events are the Log-Sawing Race and the Yukata Contest!! The winner will receive a 20,000-yen accommodation voucher for Tokachigawa Onsen!! We have other fabulous prizes prepared as well, and we look forward to everyone joining us🤗 📍Entry for the Log-Sawing Race is 500 yen (a bath salt gift is provided as a participation prize) ※Limited to the first 18 men and 18 women 📍The Yukata Contest is free to enter!! There are couple and married-pair categories👘 There will also be a children’s festival corner, food trucks, and vendors so you can fully enjoy the summer festival😍😍 Wear a yukata to the festival and make the most of the summer celebration🎶🎶 Let's go to Tokachigawa Onsen Yunosato Hall!! https://www.tokachigawa.net/news/detail/230...

Event Announcement📣 August 11 is Mountain Day!!🗻 This year, to celebrate the first anniversary of designating the Hidaka Mountain Range, Erimo and Tokachi as a national park, we are holding an outdoor music festival to introduce the charm of the Hidaka Mountain Range to many people while promoting safe mountain climbing🎵🎵 Performances by the Nakasatsunai Junior High School Wind Ensemble, the Obihiro Symphony Orchestra, and the Hokkaido Police Band will be joined by a Hidaka Mountain Range panel exhibition and a VR mountain-climbing experience, so you can enjoy the Hidaka Mountain Range along with the music🎼🎼🎼 Relax and enjoy a peaceful moment with music and the beauty of nature🤗 Date and Time: Monday, August 11, 2025, 11:00–14:30 Location: Front garden of the Nakasatsunai Cultural Creation Center (special venue) and Harmony Hall https://kankou-nakasatsunai.com/information/information-5836/...

Event Announcement📣 On Saturday, August 9, 2025, Bakkansai returns to Otofuke, the town that leads Japan in wheat production, bringing another celebration of the new harvest 😊 This is Otofuke’s wheat harvest festival, where you can enjoy the year’s freshly harvested wheat “earlier, tastier, and more joyfully” than anywhere else. The festival takes place across three spots along the town road known as the Otofuke Melody Line, running from Otofuke-Obihiro IC to Tokachigawa Onsen!! 📍Michi-no-Eki Otofuke Natsuzora no Furusato 📍Miura Farm 📍Tokachigawa Onsen Garden Spa Local eateries and famous restaurants traveling from Osaka, a culinary hub, will offer one-day-only menus using freshly harvested wheat! Families can also enjoy plenty of activities, including a balloon ride that offers panoramic views of a giant wheat art installation 🎵 A stamp rally that visits all three venues will also take place!! Collect stamps for a chance to win prizes on a first-come, first-served or lottery basis 😍 ※Please note that prizes are limited and may run out. Finish your day by relaxing in the mall hot spring at the Michi-no-Eki Garden Spa and soak in the soothing waters 😊 Bakkansai is an event where you can experience Otofuke’s deliciousness, fun, and warm hospitality through wheat 🎵 Bring your family and friends and come join the fun 🤗 Date and Time: Saturday, August 9, 2025, 10:00–15:00 Venues: Michi-no-Eki Otofuke Natsuzora no Furusato Miura Farm Michi-no-Eki Garden Spa Tokachigawa Onsen https://tokachibare.jp/event/xo_event-22310/...

Event Announcement📣 On Sunday, August 3, 2025, the town of Taiki will host the 34th Rekifune River Clear Stream Festival 😊 The Rekifune River Clear Stream Festival began after the Ministry of the Environment praised the Rekifune River flowing through the town as "Japan’s cleanest river." The festival celebrates the gifts of nature and invites everyone to enjoy a summer day by the clear stream in a major seasonal event!! Date and Time: Sunday, August 3, 2025 Location: Riverbed upstream of Taiki Bridge on the Rekifune River During the day you’ll find plenty of stalls and hands-on activities for children!! 📍Bouncy dome 📍Firefighting experience 📍Yamabe fishing 📍Gold panning experience (fee required) ※The gold panning takes place in the river, so we recommend bringing boots, water shoes, sandals, or other footwear that can get wet, plus a towel. There’s even more to enjoy, including dance and live performances, a PET bottle rocket contest, the Tokachi Blue Sky Lady talk show, and a fun prize lottery 🎵 In the evening, the festival reaches its climax with the Perpune Fire Festival, where towering pillar torches seem to reach the sky, followed by an impressive fireworks display. 📍Perpune Fire Festival: from 6:00 PM Legend says that if a pillar torch falls toward the mountain side it brings a bountiful harvest, and if it falls toward the sea it brings abundant catches. 📍Fireworks Display: from 7:30 PM (postponed to August 4 in case of rain) Join this summer tradition, shake off the heat, and enjoy a wonderful time😍😍 https://visit-taiki.hokkaido.jp/tp_detail.php?id=419...

Event Notice📣 On Saturday, August 2, the Otofuke Town Chamber of Commerce Summer Festival Cooling Fireworks Display will take place 😊 A beer garden and festival stalls line the grounds, with performances including Otofuke Town Komadaiko drumming, Studio ZERO dance, Otofuke Dream Rhythmic Gymnastics Club, Kenji Nanda impersonation show, and a karaoke contest, creating a varied stage program!! Because the terrain is flat, you can see the fireworks up close for an impressive experience!! About 1,000 fireworks will light up the town’s night sky😍😍 Date and Time: Saturday, August 2, 2025, from 3:00 PM ※In case of severe weather, the event will be postponed to August 3 Location: Special venue in front of Shintsu Community Hall Enjoy beer and the stage shows as we cheerfully get through summer together🎵🎵🎵 http://www.otofuke.jp/news/news-4242.html...

Event Announcement 📣 The Hirosaki town summer sea fireworks festival that symbolizes Hirosaki’s summer will be held again this year 😊 About 7,000 fireworks, including star mines and underwater fireworks that bloom from the water’s surface, will lavishly light up the night sky. Various events will be held during the day!! 📍The hugely popular children’s show “Number One Squadron Gojuja” First show: 13:00–13:30 Second show: 15:00–15:30 *A signing session will be held after the stage shows!! 📍Sauna and fireworks collaboration!! “Sea Breeze Sauna Fest” ・12:00–20:30 Why not enjoy the fireworks while relaxing in a sauna? There will also be performances by the Hiroo Folk Performing Arts Jinya Taiko Preservation Society’s Jinya Taiko and YOSAKOI Soran dance!! At the Port Bazaar you can taste Hiroo’s seafood such as grilled whelk and atka mackerel 🎵 Date and time: Saturday, August 2, 2025 Location: Tokachi Port, Pier No. 4 *Fireworks launch: 19:30–20:30. Enjoy the brilliant fireworks display reflected on the sea 😍😍 Expect heavy traffic on the way home, so please check alternate routes and travel safely to your destination. *Please note that the Tokachi Port Festival sea fireworks will take place once any tsunami advisory is lifted. If the event is canceled or postponed, announcements will be made on the Hiroo Town Office and Hiroo Tourism Association websites and social media. https://hiroo-kanko.jp/2025/07/08/35th-tokachiport-fireworksfestival/...

Event Announcement📣 From August 1 to August 3, the Hokkaido Balloon Festival takes place in Kamishihoro Town😊 This hot air balloon competition was first held in Japan in 1974!! A colorful array of balloons gathers from across the country to compete🎵 You can also enjoy tethered balloon rides, live music, and local gourmet food😍 On the experience flights, you can ride the balloon of Horon-chan, Kamishihoro Town’s character, the fairy of sky and land!! 📌Date and Time: August 1–August 3, 2025 📌Location: Kamishihoro Town Aviation Park and surrounding areas 📌Hot Air Balloon Competition Flight Schedule 8/1 → Morning competition 5:30, Afternoon competition 15:30 8/2 → Morning competition 5:30, Afternoon competition 15:30 8/3 → Morning competition 5:30, Flight curtain call (free flight) 15:30 📍On the night of 8/2 at 19:00, enjoy the balloon glow, where burners light up the balloons!! A rainbow of balloons will color the summer sky🎵 For details, please see the official Hokkaido Balloon Festival website. 📍On 8/1, a summer evening fireworks show will be held in Kamishihoro Town from 20:00😍 Bring your family and friends and come join us🤗 Other event information is posted on the Tokachi Hare website event page, so please check the homepage. https://hbf.jp//

Event Announcement📣 The annual beer garden “Tarunama Beer Aya” returns to Honbetsu on Saturday, July 26th 🍺 Along with beer, a wide selection of alcoholic drinks such as chu-hai and sake will be available 😊 Local foods will be lined up so you can enjoy gourmet bites with your drinks 🎵 The program is packed with attractions, including a performance by the Yoshitsune Taiko drummers and a HIPHOP dance show by local children!! A raffle may award luxurious prizes like travel vouchers and hot-spring hotel stays 🎁🎁 Grab a beer and beat the summer heat with us～🎵🎵🤗 Date and Time: Saturday, July 26, 2025, from 15:00 Venue: Parking lot in front of Honbetsu Town Hall Contact: Honbetsu Chamber of Commerce and Industry TEL: 0156-22-2529 https://www.town.honbetsu.hokkaido.jp/sightseeing/fes/details/beerfes.html...

Event Announcement 📣 On Saturday, July 26, Tokachi–Shimizu Town will host the Seiryu Festival 😊 This beloved event returns for its 47th year!! The stage program is packed with YOSAKOI dance, jazz dance, and performances by Shimizu and Mikage Middle School brass bands, among others!! A bingo tournament and a fun prize drawing could award luxurious prizes!? You can also ride in and see working vehicles such as aerial work platforms and patrol cars on display!! The Chamber of Commerce Women’s and Youth Divisions, the Shimizu High School Sanroku Club, and local restaurants will host booths so you can enjoy regional gourmet treats 🎵 📌Date and Time: Saturday, July 26, 2025, 12:00–20:30 📌Venue: Event plaza next to JR Tokachi-Shimizu Station *In case of severe weather, the event will be postponed to the following day 📌How to participate in the prize drawing Only those who purchase the advance “Lucky Coupon with Lottery Ticket” usable at the Chamber of Commerce Youth Division booth are eligible. 📌Inquiries Seiryu Festival Executive Committee (Shimizu Town Chamber of Commerce) TEL: 0156-62-2208 It’s been hot lately, so please take care of your health and enjoy the summer festival 🤗 https://www.town.shimizu.hokkaido.jp/section/08/details/47.html...

On June 15, 2025, the Community Exchange Center “Tokutoku” opened in front of JR Shintoku Station 😊 On the second floor, the railway heritage exhibition room “Poppo” displays dioramas and the history of railways. When you view the dioramas, try crouching so your eye level matches the models—you’ll see them in a different way 🚂 On the first floor, the cafe and shop Kotoise offers railway-themed goods, cow-pattern cups and ornaments made from Shintoku-yaki pottery, handmade items by local artists, and specialty products from Shintoku Town. On the second floor, the information center (Shintoku Town Tourism Association) also rents bicycles, so you can explore the town by bike and enjoy the scenery and local food. Please consider visiting the Community Exchange Center “Tokutoku” sometime 🤗 https://shintoku-town.net//

Event Notice📣 On Monday, July 21, the "Mikage Festival" will take place 😊 Also known as the Beer Festival!! Enjoy handmade flavors from local shops, sirloin-cut steaks, and grilled Wagyu ribeye together with beer 🎵 The program includes Flahibiscus Mikage, Cheer Angel Baton Twirlers, and a bingo tournament!! The festival ends with a grand fireworks display that will color the summer night sky!! Relax and enjoy summer with a beer🍺 📌Date and Time: July 21, 2025, from 15:00 (will proceed even in rain) 📌Venue: Mikage Community Center 📌Parking: Mikage Improvement Center 📌Fireworks start at 20:00 [Requests] 📍Seating at the venue is limited. Please bring your own tables and chairs. 📍If you use the lawn, please bring a ground sheet. 📍There is no garbage station. Please take your trash home with you. 📍Please refrain from parking on the street as it will inconvenience nearby residents. https://www.shimizu-hokkaido-ta.jp/cont8/49.html...

Event Announcement📣 The "Furusato Ginga Line Rikubetsu Railway Festival" will be held on Sunday, July 20.😊 After the railway first reached Rikubetsu in 1910 (Meiji 43), it was abolished in April 2006 (Heisei 18). In April 2008 (Heisei 20), it was reborn as the operational "Furusato Ginga Line Rikubetsu Railway." Hoping to welcome more riders, we hold the "Furusato Ginga Line Rikubetsu Railway Festival."🎵 On Saturday, July 19, the eve festival features stage shows and local food stalls!! About 1,500 fireworks will be launched, and a special fireworks train will run so passengers can watch the display from the train (capacity 32 people, 1,500 yen, includes Rikubetsu town specialty products).😍 Eve Festival 📌Date and Time: Saturday, July 19, 2025, from 18:00 📌Venue: Midorimachi Soccer Field 📍Fireworks launch at 20:00 On Sunday, July 20, the main festival is packed with activities, including special train rides, dance and street performances, horse riding experiences, a big lottery, and mochi throwing!! Rikubetsu town’s mascot character "Shibare-kun" and his bouncy dome are a big hit with children!! 📌Date and Time: Sunday, July 20, 2025, from 10:00 📌Venue: Station Front Multipurpose Plaza 📍A comedy stage by Yoshimoto comedians will be held at 14:30😁 Contact Rikubetsu Town Tourism Association Office (Rikubetsu Town Hall, Industrial Promotion Division, Commerce and Industry Promotion Section TEL:0156-27-2141) Enjoy the three-day weekend—bring your family and friends to the event and make lots of great memories🤗 https://www.rikubetsu.jp/kanko/event/tetsudoumatsuri/...

Event Announcement📣 How are your plans for this weekend? Makubetsu Summer Festa 2025 will take place on Sunday, July 20th🎵 Alongside dance, light rock music, and taiko drumming, there will be games for children and food stalls serving delicious local treats from Makubetsu😁 A grand lottery offers luxurious prizes, including paired travel vouchers!! The festival’s climax will be about 3,000 fireworks that will fill the night sky with brilliant gold😍 Come enjoy the summer festival with friends and family🤗 📌Date and time: Sunday, July 20th, 2025, 1:00 PM–9:00 PM 📌Location: Makubetsu Town Sports Park, special event area 📌Notes * Bringing pets is prohibited. * The entire sports park is smoke-free (including electronic cigarettes). * Grilling and BBQ inside the sports park are prohibited. http://www.makubetsu.jp/kankobussankyokai/?p=8545...

Event Announcement 📣 July 13 (Sunday) Memuro Fireworks Festival "Kanon" will be held 😊 In 2014, the long-running local fireworks festival that had continued for 28 years ended. A group of volunteers in their 20s and 30s, who grew up watching Memuro’s fireworks, organized this festival so today’s children can also come and enjoy that beloved celebration 🎵 The venue offers a variety of events and attractions, and a food area brings together more than 60 popular shops from across Hokkaido!! Fireworks will be launched from 8:00 PM 😍 📌Location: Memuro Park special venue 📌Hours: 11:00 AM–9:00 PM Have a wonderful weekend, everyone 🤗 https://www.memuro-hanaoto.com//

Event announcement📣 July has arrived, and summer is here in earnest — a season full of festivals and events. If you’re free this weekend, why not drop by one of the events taking place? 🤗 📌Saturday, July 5 — Shirohebi-hime Festival at the shore of Lake Shikaribetsu in Shikaoicho. This theatrical folk performance, created from Ainu traditions, features a 13-meter white snake and a princess dancing in a dreamlike spectacle. ■Time: 17:30–21:15 ■Free shuttle bus to the venue: A free shuttle will operate from Kanda Nissho Memorial Museum in Shikaoicho to the lakeside venue using the regular bus route. 📌Sunday, July 6 — The 52nd Pyotan Falls Yamabe Release Festival at Satsunai River Park in Nakasatsunai Village. The day starts with the release of yamabe (a local trout), followed by a Poroshiri drum performance, hands-on workshops, food trucks, and ends with a stage-side edamame toss featuring the village’s specialty edamame. ■Time: 10:00–14:00 ■Access: About a 60-minute drive from Obihiro Station Find other summer events on the Tokachi HARE website under “Events.” Please check the homepage at the URL below 😊 It’s been hot every day, so please take care to avoid heatstroke and enjoy a pleasant weekend 🎵 https://tokachibare.jp/event/...

📣 Held again this year! Announcement for the Sakai Great Fish Night Market and Fireworks 🎇 What is the Sakai Great Fish Night Market (Sakai Oo-uo Yoichi)? It is a fish market festival held every late July at Ōhama Park in Sakai, Sakai Ward, Osaka Prefecture ✨ Said to have begun in the Kamakura period, it boasts about 700 years of history and has become a summer tradition in Sakai 🎐 🐡The highlight is the spectacular nighttime fish auction! There are also food stalls and corporate PR booths on display, making it a historic festival closely tied to the local community♪ This year’s event is on Saturday, July 26! Continuing from last year, there will also be fireworks launched from the sea 🎇 Enjoy the beautiful fireworks lighting up the shore! Don’t miss this summer’s annual event—everyone is welcome! We look forward to seeing you! 🎉 “Sakai Great Fish Night Market” 🗓️Date: Saturday, July 26 📍Venue: Ōhama Park ⏰Time: 11:00–21:30 “Senshu Yume Fireworks: Shakunetsu no Hanabi 7 I Love Sakai” 🗓️Date: Saturday, July 26 📍Venue: Sakai Old Port ⏰Gates open: 16:30 / Start: 20:20 / End: 20:50 (scheduled) 🔎For details, please see the official Sakai Tourism Guide website