(2026-01-30) Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo Forest Aurora I posted earlier about the Tokyo sea of clouds Actually, this event upgrades at night the :40 hourly show by adding colored LEDs and lasers onto the sea of clouds to create the “Forest Aurora” ※From last November until this Wednesday 18:10 Sea of clouds 18:40 Forest Aurora (sea of clouds + laser projection) 19:10 Sea of clouds 19:40 Forest Aurora : : and so on Not the “Tokyo sea of clouds” but the “Forest Aurora” This was my first 2026 challenge of catching moments I might otherwise miss in life Even a slight breeze can send the mist rushing toward us or drifting off in unexpected directions, constantly changing its appearance by the minute So I take many shots and then pick a few that feel right.

Come and see! We received pamphlets from two elementary schools in Kushiro City ☺ ★ The sixth graders of Shiroyama Elementary School created a pamphlet about the Shiroyama area. They walked the neighborhood themselves and conducted on-site interviews at various facilities, producing very in-depth content. This booklet tightly captures the students’ feelings and the charms of Shiroyama! ★ The fifth graders of Kushiro Elementary School produced a Kushiro tourism pamphlet. Each student researched and reflected on Kushiro’s attractions in their own way, resulting in a collection full of personality. With 31 different entries covering sightseeing spots, recommended shops, information on wildlife, and more, there’s plenty to explore! You can take any pamphlet you like home. Come see the children’s wonderful work (^_^)/ We look forward to your visit. 📍 KKS Convention Center (Kushiro City Tourism and International Exchange Center) 3-3 Saiwaicho, Kushiro City The pamphlets are available at the Tourism Concierge counter.

Delicious and fun! Sneaking into the Shobara Fan Festa! Fans from Shobara City in the nature-rich Hiroshima Prefecture gathered at Hirogin Holdings, Inc. "Tomorrow Square" in Naka Ward, Hiroshima City! We report on tastings of Hiba Beef and Yukiko (cheese), plus local sake sampling ✨ Read the article here🔽 https://www.shobara-info.com/report/5555...

Setsubunso in Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture is now in full bloom! 🌼💛 Setsubunso, a wildflower that heralds spring in Soryo town, Shobara City. It is said to be named because it begins to bloom around Setsubun, which corresponds to the lunar calendar’s New Year’s Eve.✨ Its small white blooms look charming, and it gives off a citrus-like fragrance. That sweet, refreshing scent is even called the "scent of first love"! 📌The public viewing period for the natural habitat runs until Sunday, March 8. For more details, see below🔽 https://www.shobara-info.com/event/5451... Please come and visit Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture✨ (Fukujusou, seribaouren and other flowers are also in bloom)

This is a spring scene viewed from Motohakone in Kanagawa Prefecture. The combination of Mount Fuji, Lake Ashi, fresh green foliage, and a torii (shrine gate) looks like a painting.

❄️Mori no Snow Park 2026❄️ Here is a brief look at the recent “Mori no Snow Park 2026 in Kawayu Onsen.” There were plenty of activities, including cross-country skiing, a tipi bonfire, an Akaezomatsu (Siberian fir) distillation workshop, slide talks, snow candles, and a variety of delicious foods!! This winter event is now an annual tradition, so if you couldn’t attend this time, please come next year. Look forward to it!

My first visit to Japan turned magical when I found a lone Sakura at the entrance to Ueno Park, blooming early on the first day of March. Locals, tourists, people of all ages, and even birds were enjoying the symbol of Spring. To immortalize their joy, I simply had to photograph the birds enjoying the blossoms. I feel proud of this photo, and very lucky to have witnessed such a magical Spring moment in the heart of Tokyo.

Tabete Fukkatsu 2026 - Kawayu Onsen Akkeshi Clam Fair Enjoy Akkeshi clams raised in Akkeshi's rich seas - large, plump clams packed with concentrated umami! Tabete Fukkatsu! This March, three inns belonging to the Kawayu Onsen Ryokan Association will host the "Tabete Fukkatsu 2026 - Kawayu Onsen Akkeshi Clam Fair"! We've also featured this in our "Information Bulletin" section, so be sure to check it out ✔︎✨ Let's enjoy lots of big, plump Akkeshi clams! 🌊

16:55 Today’s sunset in Kushiro 🟠 What a beautiful color!

Mount Fuji as seen from Kawaguchiko Bridge over Lake Kawaguchi on a certain day

Two patches of the native spring flower setsubunso, which signal the arrival of spring, are now in full bloom in Soryo Town, Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture! 🌼 Other spots are progressing and are about 30% in bloom, too—so come and see! The Setsubunso Festival will be held on Sunday, March 8, 2025. We hope you can join us! ▶ Event details here https://www.shobara-info.com/event/5451... ▶ Setsubunso bloom updates (updated regularly) https://www.shobara-info.com/special/4467... ▶ Featured in our editorial report! Published 2025.03.06 “The Scent of First Love” Visiting Setsubunso: Exploring the wild colonies and nearby lunch spots https://www.shobara-info.com/report/4967... Access: About a 15-minute drive from Shobara IC on the Chugoku Expressway 🚗

🔥 Kawayu Snow Park 2026 is now underway 🔥 We offer a wide range of activities, including cross-country skiing, campfire gatherings in tipis, Siberian fir (Akaezomatsu) distillation experiences, slide talks, snow candle making, and many more — ⋆⋆✶ There are delicious food and drinks, so it’s great for families to join! This is a one-day-only event, so please come and take part today‼︎ ☃️💕 Time: 10:00–21:00 Location: In front of Kawayu Visitor Center We look forward to welcoming you.

Kawayu Snow Park 2026 is underway. We offer many activities, including cross-country skiing, campfires in tipis, Siberian fir distillation workshops, slide talks, snow candles… and much more— ⋆⋆✶ There are tasty food and drinks, so it’s great for families to join! This is a one-day-only event, so please come and take part today‼︎☃️💕 Time: 10:00–21:00 Location: In front of Kawayu Visitor Center We look forward to welcoming you.

■ A video posting feature has been released on COOL JAPAN VIDEOS, an social media specialized in inbound measures. It supports MP4, MOV, and WebM, and allows posting videos up to 60 seconds long. This feature is available to accounts that have applied for an official account. You can deliver the "atmosphere," "sense of presence," and "story" that photos alone cannot fully convey directly to the world. This feature is available exclusively to Official Accounts. ▼Details about Official Accounts are here https://cooljapan-videos.com/service... ■ Other features for Official Accounts are as follows. ・Bulk multilingual posting to Facebook, Instagram, X, and others using AI ・Schedule posts and manage simultaneous posting destinations all at once ・Embed Google Maps in post content 　※Please see this post for the Google Maps embed. ・Include external links in post content 　※Please see this post for the external link. ・AI automatically generates SNS post text (reducing the work required to write posts) ・AI automatically summarizes for X within 140 characters ■ Unique strengths of Cool Japan Video not found on other SNS ・Automatic generation of search engine–optimized pages in other languages ・Compatibility with AI search result displays ■ Latest news from Cool Japan Video ・Over 200 participating tourism associations and DMOs ・Access from over 220 countries and territories ・AI translation feature further improved (supports over 130 languages) Please try this new publishing experience.

Mount Kaikoma in winter The dawn atmosphere and the faint mist created a magical scene.

Notice on the reopening of the MtPonpon trail. The MtPonpon trail, which is currently closed, will reopen on Saturday, February 28, 2026. Please note that Doba, which connects to the trail, will remain closed to general vehicle parking until December 30, 2026, because it is being used for forest maintenance work. Please check nearby public parking and use those facilities. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. Contact: Kushiro Western Forest Management Office, Kawayu Forest Office Tel:015-482-2469

🎎 Mini Exhibition at the Local History Museum: Hina Doll Festival The Local History Museum presents a full display of its hina dolls collection. With support from the Michikusa Tsurushi Hina Group, hanging tsurushi hina will also be exhibited. Please come and see for yourself 🎎݁˖ . ݁✶ Dates: Saturday, February 14, 2026 – Tuesday, March 2, 2026 Hours: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM Closed: Tuesdays Venue: Local History Museum inside the Kushiro Area Mashu Tourism and Culture Center Admission: Free; no advance reservation required

🏅 The winners of the 15th Teshikaga Photo Contest have been announced!! We accepted entries from November 1, 2025 through January 20, 2026, and this year’s contest attracted more submissions than last year. A panel of 15 judges, including contest chair Takeshi Mizukoshi and Takayuki Watanabe, President of the Lake Mashu Tourism Association, reviewed the entries and selected the winning works 📸🖼️ [Grand Prize] "Colors of the Earth" Etsuko Yamamoto [Excellence Awards] "Listening to Ice Patterns" Shinmen Yasushi "Bare Mountains and the Milky Way" Yoshikazu Jimbo "The Cosmos of Lake Kussharo" Daisuke Utsumi [Tourism Association President’s Award] "Capturing Sheer Impact" Isao Nagaya See other winning entries and details on Teshikaga Navi. (Check the link in our Stories‼︎🔗) Starting today, we will gradually share the winning photos on Instagram and X (Twitter), so look forward to it 🤩 *This post’s fifth image: Grand Prize "Colors of the Earth" by Etsuko Yamamoto* Congratulations to all the winners‼︎ Thank you to everyone who entered‼︎ We appreciate your continued support for the Teshikaga Photo Contest and for Teshikaga Navi 🙇❣️

Onsen website “From the Information Desk” updated 📝🆙 Announcement from the Tourism and Commerce Division, Kawayu Onsen District Development Office: We will hold open-house style briefings about the Kawayu Onsen district redevelopment. The sessions will take place at Kawayu Furusato Hall on March 1 and March 2. No specialized knowledge is required. Feel free to join us! Location Kawayu Furusato Hall 2-3-40 Kawayu Onsen Date and Time Sunday, March 1, 2026 — 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday, March 2, 2026 — 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM No prior registration is required; please come directly to the venue if you wish to attend. The content will be the same on both days. Organizer Teshikaga Contact 015-482-2940

[Gems Found in Kushiro💎] While the "jewelry ice" seen in Toyokorocho, Tokachi is very famous, you can find similar ice on Kushiro’s shores during the bitter cold from late January through February. These photos were taken last week at Otanoshike Coast. The light brings out even more beauty, making it truly lovely✨ By the way... can you read the name of the beach? It’s pronounced "Otanoshike" 😙 Not "Dairakke"!

Introduction to hot spring inns in Teshikaga ♨️ Teshikaga has two hot spring areas, Mashu Onsen and Kawayu Onsen. The water quality and healing benefits vary by spring and by inn, so be sure to explore a variety of ryokan and hotels. 😉🔥 Next time, we will introduce an inn located in Mashu Onsen—stay tuned!! *Services and offerings may change depending on the season. Please check directly with the accommodation before booking.*

-11°C early morning walking tour on February 16! With winds of 5 m/s, the perceived temperature fell below -15°C, offering an extreme cold experience. Pale morning sunlight peeked through the clouds, and a magical view unfolded from the hot spring pools where steam rises. You can reserve the early morning walking tour from the URL below. 　　↓ https://ja.kushiro-lakeakan.com/things_to_do/19977/... ※This winter has been unusually warm, and for safety reasons due to lake ice conditions the tour route or end time may be changed. ※Depending on temperatures and other conditions the day before the tour, we may cancel the tour for safety reasons. Thank you for your understanding.

A very warm early-morning walking tour on February 15 at −5°C! (A wild world where subzero temperatures feel warm 😆) I was able to see Unryu for the first time this season. The inverted frost flowers forming in the cracks of the ice were in top form again today ❄✨️ You can book the early-morning walking tour from the URL below. 　　↓ https://ja.kushiro-lakeakan.com/things_to_do/19977/... ※Because this winter has been unusually warm, please understand that the tour route and end time may change depending on lake ice conditions for safety. ※Please also understand that we may cancel the tour for safety reasons depending on temperatures and other conditions the day before the tour.

A walk tour on the early morning of February 14 under thin clouds with drifting snow! Through gaps in the clouds we saw the rising sun, creating a magical view♪ It was a relatively mild −13°C, but we still observed rime ice and red fox paw prints 🐾🦊♪ We even spotted an inverted frost flower emerging from a crack in the ice ❄ You can book the early morning walk tour from the following URL. 　　↓ https://ja.kushiro-lakeakan.com/things_to_do/19977/... ※This winter has been warm, so for safety reasons the tour route or the tour finishing time may change depending on the condition of the lake ice. Please understand. ※Depending on temperatures and other conditions on the day before the tour, the tour may be canceled for safety reasons. Please understand.

On Saturday, February 21, the Forest Snow Park 2026 in Kawayu Onsen will take place in front of the Kawayu Visitor Center. With the theme "Play in Kawayu's Winter," a variety of activities and events will be offered again this year. There are plenty of experiences for adults and children alike, including cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, campfires in tipis, Sakhalin fir (akaezomatsu) distillation workshops, wooden coaster making, and slide talks. Hot milk and homemade cookies prepared by students from Teshikaga High School will be available in the tents on site. Please come with friends and family. Forest Snow Park 2026 in Kawayu Onsen (Event Overview) Date and Time: Saturday, February 21, 2026, 10:00–21:00 Venue: Kawayu Visitor Center and surrounding area (Kawayu Onsen 2-2-6, Teshikaga) Admission: Free (All programs are free to enjoy.) ※ Food and drinks are sold separately. Activities <10:00–16:00> ● Cross-country skiing　● Ski-shoe experience　● Snowshoe experience <Ongoing> ● Snow play area　● Campfire in a tipi Events ● Forest stories and a forest walk　13:00–14:00 ● Sakhalin fir distillation experience　10:00 / 11:00 / 12:00 / 14:00 / 15:00 ● Wooden coaster making　10:00 until supplies run out ● Slide talk "With Reverence for the Brown Bear"　15:30–17:00 ● Free talk session　17:30–19:00 ● Stargazing　18:45–19:30 ● Snow candles　17:00–21:00

😉Come hear presentations by high school students from Kyoto😉 Students from Ritsumeikan High School in Kyoto will visit Kushiro next month, March☺ They will present what they felt while touring and learning about Kushiro over several days! How does Kushiro look through the eyes of high school students from outside Hokkaido? These students, who study in a completely different environment, investigated Kushiro’s tourism and industries and will offer proposals for Kushiro’s future as the result of their findings. ✨ This is a very valuable opportunity, so please come and join us(^^)/ ● Date: Sunday, March 8, 2026 ● Venue: Kushiro Lifelong Learning Center meeting room 705 and 706 ● Time: Registration 9:00, starts 9:15, ends 10:45 No prior registration required ・ Free admission

Everyone, come on over! Teshikaga⭐️Fireworks Village On Sunday, February 22, 2026, Teshikaga⭐️Fireworks Village will take place on the grounds of Teshikaga Junior High School! The event runs from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM and features endless handheld sparklers, hot-air balloons, food trucks, and more. Some activities have limited spots depending on the program, so please join early⌚️💦 At the same time, the downtown venue will host the Teshikaga Downtown Photo Gallery! Enjoy a collaboration between Teshikaga High School and Miyazaki Flower Shop, food trucks and Teshikaga Marche vendors, and a small snow slide! Come and join us☃️🎆✨ Check the flyer for details!! We look forward to seeing you☃️💕

●Lotus Leaf Ice on the Kushiro River● On the Kushiro River today, many lotus leaf ice floes were drifting. This phenomenon occurs when several conditions line up, so you might not see it at certain times of day, and finding it always brings a smile☺ It feels like I’ve seen more of it this year than usual. You’re more likely to spot it on cold mornings. You might see it around Nusamai Bridge, Kusuri Bridge, and Asahi Bridge. The beautiful scenery makes the cold disappear‼ Enjoy the magical winter of Kushiro in February to the fullest✨

A chilly 1°C yet unusually warm for Akanko in February in the early morning It was cloudy, but that very cloudiness made the scene—snow and the dark-looking conifer forest—resemble an ink-wash painting as I walked across the surface of Lake Akan Today was warmer than yesterday daytime, so the lake ice softened and water rose in places; for safety we altered part of the route and ended the tour 30 minutes early, but everyone enjoyed Akanko’s nature You can reserve the early-morning walking tour from the URL below 　　↓ https://ja.kushiro-lakeakan.com/things_to_do/19977/... *Because this winter has been mild, please understand that, depending on lake ice conditions and for safety reasons, the tour route or tour end time may change.

🖼️Onsen website 'From the Information Distribution Bureau' updated📝🆙 The 16th Gokkan Art Festival, a winter event at Kawayu Onsen, opened on February 2. This annual festival takes place around the same time each year and draws many visitors. Event period: From Monday, February 2, 2026 to Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Venue: Around ARtINn Gokkan Art Transmission Device (Kawayu Onsen 3-2-40) The festival offers a delightful space filled with beautiful art. Come and visit🧑‍🎨🎨