Fireflies are now at their best viewing season 🌌 Spots in Nobeoka City where you can enjoy fireflies include Kitagawa, Yoshino, and Maino Many locations seem to be reaching their peak viewing period✨ Let’s continue to protect this beautiful nature by observing proper manners while watching them😊 ◎Please avoid shining bright lights, littering, or damaging the natural environment. ◎Keep quiet so as not to disturb others nearby while viewing. ◎Do not use insect-repellent sprays at viewing sites; take precautions by wearing long sleeves instead. 🪄May the fireflies dancing in the night sky leave you with lasting memories.

Fresh green at Unoko Falls 🍃 It feels like May has flown by in no time 😅 Saturday, May 31 in Gokasecho was a delightfully clear day 🌞 At this time of year, Unoko Falls has plenty of water and brilliant fresh greenery ✨ I was soothed by birdsong, the sound of the water, and the breeze 🥰 The light was just right, so I got some great photos 📷 When you walk down to the plunge pool, be careful—wet spots can be slippery, so watch your step 👣

We present the official tourism association website that packs together the charms of Sakuhomachi in Nagano Prefecture—tourist information, access details, dining spots and more♩ It's convenient for checking before your trip! Be sure to take a look☺ ▶Visit the Sakuhomachi Tourism Association website here https://yachiho-kogen.jp//

[Hanakien Opens] Hanakien on Yachiho Kogen opens today, Saturday, May 10. 🌸 The garden is filled with blooming pink azaleas (rengetsu tsutsuji), Enkianthus (dodantsutsuji), and three-leaf azaleas (mitsuba tsutsuji), and in June the park will be dyed red with flowers. 💐💐 Come and visit us. 🌳🥰 Opening period: Saturday, May 10, 2025 – Sunday, October 5, 2025 Hours: 8:30 AM–4:20 PM (last admission at 3:30 PM)

Japan’s Most Beautiful Stand of Silver Birches✨ Slender silver birches reach up toward the blue sky🌳✨ The sky’s blue, the birches’ white, and the green sasa grass underfoot… Everything is so beautiful you’ll want to stare forever😌🌱 The atmosphere changes with each season, so you’ll want to return again and again! Come and visit Yachiho Kogen😸♡

Yachiho Kogen Natural Garden A nature garden that captures the natural beauty of Yachiho Kogen...😌🩷 At the garden, you can enjoy three walking courses suited to your available time♬ White Trail: 1 km, about 30 minutes Blue Trail: 1.5 km, about 50 minutes Green Trail: 2.5 km, about 80 minutes In spring and summer, the highland flowers bloom, and in autumn the leaves turn brilliant—there’s plenty to see!🍁 We hope you’ll come and visit😸✨✨

Yachiho Lake Yachiho Lake is a managed fishery where you can enjoy catch-and-release fishing 🐟🫧 Families can have fun together, and there is a Fishing Kids Land where baited rods are available for rent 😸 You can enjoy it surrounded by abundant nature 🌸 We hope you will come and visit ✨

Komadeike Campground is OPEN 👏 Komadeike Campground, nestled in the sublime natural beauty of Yachiho Kogen, opened for the 2025 season on Friday, April 18th, 2025! Komadeike Campground is a site embraced by what is said to be Japan’s finest birch forest, where people of all ages can enjoy truly comfortable, memorable moments. Choose from five free-site settings around the pond or along the stream, or relax in the spacious auto sites that offer sunny or shaded options. We also offer bungalows and cottages, plus a full lineup of day-trip activities. "We want you to enjoy a peaceful outdoor life with the people who matter most." This is the concept and heartfelt wish of Komadeike Campground. Come and visit us!

On Monday, May 5th, we will hold the 35th Rekifune River Clear-Stream Koinobori Children’s Day Mini Event! This year it will run alongside the Firefighting Festa! You can ride a ladder truck and try a water hose spray experience. In addition, Self-Defense Force vehicles and “Space Something Kotetsu-kun” will also come! Everyone, please come and join us! Date and Time: Monday, May 5, 2025, 10:00 AM–2:00 PM Location: Riverbed upstream of Taiki Bridge on the Rekifune River https://visit-taiki.hokkaido.jp/tp_detail.php?id=411...

The Rekifune River carp streamers have been put up! Today we installed carp streamers along the riverbank of the Rekifune River! They will stretch across the river and flutter until May 6. There are also smaller, low mini carp streamers, so we recommend taking photos with them ✨

Tour de Yatsugatake 2025 Concluded Two days have passed since the conclusion of Tour de Yatsugatake 2025. Despite course changes due to the weather, many riders gave their all, and thanks to the supporters and the staff who backed the event, we were able to finish the race safely. Going forward, the organizing committee will continue working to create an event that inspires people to take on a challenge and that draws them back again. See you again in Yatsugatake! 🚴‍♂️

Morotsuka-yama Keiryū no Sato Among the two campgrounds in the village, one is this Morotsuka-yama Keiryū no Sato (Morotsuka Mountain Stream Village). This nature-rich campground sits beneath Mt. Morotsuka, one of Kyushu’s 100 famous mountains. In spring, you can admire groves of Akebono azaleas about a 2–3 minute walk from the west trailhead of Mt. Morotsuka. Directly below the log cabins lies a riverside park adjacent to a valley with plentiful water. In summer, you can enjoy playing in the stream and fishing (a fishing permit is required). The campground features three five-person log cabins made from Morotsuka timber and a free campsite limited to three groups per day. It’s recommended for those who want a relaxed, peaceful camping experience.

The day before yesterday, the cherry blossoms on the banks of the Asakawa River near the Tama Imperial Tomb were just about to bloom and were very beautiful! There were many parents and children who seemed to be new first-year elementary school students and junior high school students, and they were photographed wearing brand new school bags. If it hadn't been scattered by the thunderstorm earlier, I think it will still be in full bloom on the weekend, so if you haven't enjoyed this year's cherry blossoms yet, do so as soon as possible!

◤Ushinokuchi Circular Diversion◢ One of Sakuhomachi’s hidden cultural treasures in Nagano Prefecture🕌 It was built to divide water equally so that disputes would not arise in the area. Before the circular diversion was created, locals used a custom called “vines diversion,” in which they cut vine tendrils and used them to decide each share of the water—a practice that seems to have been rare across Japan💭

Notice of Jikkokutoge Pass Reopening We are pleased to announce the reopening of Japan National Route 299. It reopened today, Friday, April 4, 2025, at 11:00 AM. Highlights include the viewing platform and Otome Falls. Please enjoy your visit!

2025 Shinshu Sakuhomachi Tourism Photo Contest Announcement! We are holding the "2025 Shinshu Sakuhomachi Tourism Photo Contest" again this year! 🌳 We are accepting photos that can be used for tourism posters, pamphlets, and similar materials. The application period is Tuesday, April 1, 2025 to Sunday, August 31, 2025. We look forward to your submissions! For details and the entry form, please visit the Sakuhomachi Tourism Association official website or see the second image. The forms are also available at the Roadside Station Yachiho Kogen Visitor Center, so feel free to stop by ✨

Taiki Town: Spring Is Coming It's the season when many migratory birds come to Taiki Town! The Rekifune River is beginning to thaw as well. https://visit-taiki.hokkaido.jp//

Hello to everyone watching Cool Japan Video—nice to meet you! This is the Morotsuka Village Tourism Association. We will now share plenty of reasons to fall in love with Morotsuka Village in northern Miyazaki Prefecture. First, let us introduce Morotsuka Village. ◆◇◆About Morotsuka Village, Miyazaki Prefecture◆◇◆ Morotsuka Village, Miyazaki Prefecture, sits nearly in the center of the Kyushu Central Mountain Range. About 90% of the village area is forest. There is almost no flat land; 84 small settlements dot the mountain slopes. Under the slogan of building a forestry-centered village, Morotsuka has promoted village development by protecting mountains, creating forests, and living in harmony with nature while benefiting from the forest. This is a village that lives with the forest, thinking not only about themselves but also about one another and not only about the present but about children and grandchildren. ◆◇◆Access◆◇◆ * About two hours by car from Kumamoto Airport * About two hours by car from Miyazaki Airport * From Miyazaki Airport take the train to JR Hyuga City Station (limited express about 65 minutes), then a route bus runs from Hyuga City Station to Morotsuka Village. If you use train and route bus, take the JR Nippo Main Line to JR Hyuga City Station, then a Miyazaki Kotsu route bus to Morotsuka village center, "Morotsuka," which takes about 90 minutes. * Please board a bus bound for "Kamishiiba" or "Tsukahara." (For route bus details, check the Miyazaki Kotsu website.) ※For current traffic restrictions, please check the Morotsuka Navi Website. ◆◇◆Tourist Spots in Morotsuka Village, Miyazaki Prefecture◆◇◆ ■Ecomuseum Morotsuka Shiitake Hall 21 This facility houses the Morotsuka Village Tourism Association office and Restaurant Donkotei. It used to be a place to learn about shiitake, but it has been renovated as a tourist information and community space. Across the Hotaru Bridge, on the opposite bank, stands the main statue of Kunugi Jizo carved from a sawtooth oak more than 100 years old. You can walk down to the river to enjoy a boxed lunch or play in the clear stream. ◇◆◇Accommodations in Morotsuka Village, Miyazaki Prefecture◇◆◇ ■Tenku no Mori Ikenokubo Green Park Perched around 800 meters above sea level in nature-rich Morotsuka, Tenku no Mori Ikenokubo Green Park offers log houses and a campsite. From the Hyuga direction the road is a single lane each way, so drivers who are not used to mountain roads can still feel at ease. The park features an athletic course, grass skiing, and putter golf, so families with young children can enjoy themselves together. A scenic cross-country course nearby makes for a pleasant, leisurely walk amid nature. The popular Akimasa Observatory, known for its views, is about a five-minute drive. We recommend rising early to watch the sunrise; with luck you may see a sea of clouds. Spring bursts with flowers, summer brings lush greenery and cool highland air, autumn ignites in brilliant foliage, and winter offers quiet days with occasional snow flurries. It’s a place to savor the changing seasons and relax in nature. ■Morotsukayama Mountain Stream Village One of the village’s two campgrounds is Morotsukayama Mountain Stream Village. Morotsukayama, one of Kyushu’s 100 famous mountains, towers here amid rich nature. Nearby is a river park next to a water-rich gorge, where you can enjoy river play and fishing in summer (fishing requires a permit). ■Forest Folk House Yamashigi Forest The Forest Folk House consists of two historic houses: "Shitashigi," built in the Taisho era, and "Nakashigi," built in the Meiji era. You reach them by climbing a winding mountain road, yet these homes once served as a transportation hub before roads and cars existed. Today they serve as an experiential exchange facility where city visitors and mountain residents deepen ties through farm work. Perched high as if touching the sky, the site preserves nostalgic scenes such as an irori hearth, a goemon bath, and a wood-fired stove. ■Forest Folk House Series These traditional houses let you fully enjoy the breath of nature. Surrounded by mountains, with the warmth of wood, the scent of earth, and a communal irori hearth, Morotsuka’s forest folk houses offer a relaxed pace and a restful place to experience human–nature coexistence. [List of folk houses] ・Yamashigi Forest ・Heida no Sato ・Sakura no Tsubone ・Yoshiya ◇◆◇Local Specialties of Morotsuka Village, Miyazaki Prefecture◇◆◇ ■Shiitake Shiitake cultivated using 100% log-grown mushrooms from rich forests certified as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage. Morotsuka Village proudly offers these flavorful, aromatic log-grown shiitake—please savor them. ■Mori no Hyakkamitsu (Forest Wildflower Honey) This honey comes from Japanese honeybees cherished by Morotsuka’s honey hunters. Natural beekeeping in the mountains draws nectar from a wide range of flowers. The honey the bees diligently collect—called "mori no hyakkamitsu" or wildflower honey—is highly nutritious with a rich taste and aroma. A single bee produces only about a spoonful of honey in its lifetime, making it very precious. ■Yomogi Dango (Mugwort Rice Dumplings) Fresh yomogi gathered from the mountains, nurtured by clean air and water, are made into yomogi dango using traditional methods. These treats are a countryside-only luxury, full of yomogi fragrance and filled with expertly kneaded sweet bean paste. ■Mountain-Processed Foods Women’s associations active across the scattered mountain settlements prepare goods in local workrooms every day. They transform mountain-harvested ingredients into the village’s delicious products—miso, yuzu pepper, konnyaku, dressings, and more. We will continue to share the charms of nature-rich Morotsuka Village—stay tuned!

Announcement: Reservations Open for Komadeike Campground The cold days continue, but spring is just around the corner. Today reservations opened for Komadeike Campground, a campsite in Sakuhomachi. Reservations are currently accepted through the end of May, a brilliant time to see azaleas, fresh green birch and larch, and other highland plants. Information for the 2025 season is now posted on the Komadeike Campground website—please take a look. 🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🌸 Reservation Start March 5 at 10:00 AM (Reservations accepted for stays through May 31) Please note that phone reservations are not available until April 18. ⁡ Operating Period April 18–November 24 Some plans, such as cottages and bungalows, have shorter operating periods. Open dates: Friday, April 18, 2025 – Monday, November 24, 2025 (national holiday) The final day is for check-out only. Cottages and bungalows: April 21 – November 10 Showers (Green Tree / Auto Sanitary building): April 18 – November 3 The central shower building remains open through the final day. Reservation Windows March 5 at 10:00 AM — reservations accepted through May 31 April 5 at 10:00 AM — reservations accepted through June 30 May 5 at 10:00 AM — reservations accepted through July 31 June 5 at 10:00 AM — reservations accepted through August 31 July 5 at 10:00 AM — reservations accepted through September 30 August 5 at 10:00 AM — reservations accepted through October 31 September 5 at 10:00 AM — reservations accepted through November 23 Please refrain from tentative bookings. We will confirm with anyone booking two consecutive weeks or five nights or more. If we judge a reservation to be malicious, we may cancel it. Thank you for your understanding. Important Changes for the 2025 Season ☑️ Kayak events around Komadeike on weekends from July through September These events, which proved popular at last year’s KOMATSURI, will be held regularly. They offer a rare chance to leisurely tour Komadeike, which normally prohibits all activities. ☑️ Same-day check-in plan dedicated to solo campers introduced ☑️ Two-room tents added to rental tent lineup We will offer a limited number of Snow Peak Elfield tents. Try the now-common two-room tents at an affordable price. ☑️ Plans to build a walking trail that circles Komadeike (planned) ☑️ “Trip ’til You Get Home” service available at Yachi Cafe inside Roadside Station Yachiho Kogen We will offer Yachi coffee, an original Yatsugatake blend, at half price to one driver. Enjoy a good coffee before you hit the expressway and drive home safely. Other minor changes apply. 🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🌸🏕️🌸

Introducing the winter charm of the scenic spot "Tenryukyo" in Iida City, Nagano Prefecture! Snow piles up on the rock faces and trees, and the Silver World Unfolds. The contrast with the clear blue water of the Tenryu River is very beautiful, and you can enjoy the scenery like an ink painting. In winter, there are few tourists, and one of the attractions is that you can enjoy Nature quietly. Walking along the snow-covered Promenade and taking a deep breath in the clear air soothes the mind... There are also Hot Spring around Tenryukyo, which is perfect for warming up your cold body in winter. At Tenryukyo Hot Spring "Goyukkuri", you can soak in the hot water leisurely while looking at the beauty of the Valleys. In winter, Tenryu Gorge is a hidden famous landmarks where you can enjoy the beauty of nature in silence. Be sure to visit the fantastic Tenryukyo surrounded by snowy scenery. ♨ Tenryukyo Hot Spring Location: 4992-5 Kawaji, Iida-shi, Nagano Prefecture Phone: 0265-27-4011

Hello to everyone watching Cool Japan Video! This is the Sakuho Town Tourism Association in Nagano Prefecture. Sakuho, Nagano Prefecture, lies toward the eastern side of Nagano in the central part of Japan, spread out on either side of the Chikuma River like a pair of outstretched wings. We will introduce many attractions and recommended spots in Sakuho, Nagano Prefecture, so please enjoy. - - - - - - - - - - - Recommended sightseeing spots in Sakuho, Nagano Prefecture - - - - - - - - - - - - ◆Shirakoma Pond Nestled in the vast primeval forest of Kita-Yatsugatake, this mystical lake glistens with clear water. It is the largest natural lake in Japan located above 2,100 meters. The trail to the pond winds through virgin forest of Kometsuga, spruce, and Shirabiso that have stood for centuries, while the forest floor is carpeted with moss as if a green rug has been spread across it. You can easily see alpine plants and the seasonal changes of wild nature here, and the area is also famous as a gateway for climbing and trekking the majestic Yatsugatake peaks. ◆Moss Forest The "Moss Forest," home to 519 species of moss. It was designated a "Precious Moss Forest of Japan" by the Bryological Society of Japan. Step into the woods and you will be struck by an expanse of blue-green moss stretching as far as the eye can see. Around Shirakoma Pond, ten individual forests have been named. Each has its own character and different moss varieties. Be sure to visit the mysterious Moss Forest of Kita-Yatsugatake. ◆Shirakaba Gunseichi (Birch Grove) Regarded as the most beautiful birch grove in Japan, Yachiho Kogen to the northeast sits on a plateau formed by volcanic activity. Some 500,000 birch trees grow across approximately 200 hectares. The tall, pale trunks stand in vertical rows with light green leaves, and the sound of the wind makes this a bright, pleasant forest. The area is also famous for large colonies of Rhododendron kaempferi, mitsuba azaleas, renge azalea, and Enkianthus perulatus, which contrast beautifully with the birch trees to create a rich white woodland. ◆Yachiho Highland Natural Garden Within the expansive grounds, stands of birch, larch, and mizunara oak form varied natural woodland, while clear streams, two waterfalls, and a wide variety of alpine plants change their displays with the seasons to welcome visitors gently. Three walking courses of different lengths are available, and you can enjoy refreshing strolls while listening to the songs of wild birds. ◆Yachiho Highland Arboretum The arboretum sits at an elevation of 1,600 meters. As you walk the highland you can observe natural birch groves, stands of sasa grass, and wildflowers up close. The trails pass streams, ponds, and waterfalls, offering scenes woven from pure water and plants, and you may also spot birds drawn to the water. ◆Komadeike Campground A well-located campground surrounded by what is said to be Japan’s most beautiful birch forest. Komadeike, the pond that serves as the campground’s symbol, reflects the blue sky and trees like a mirror on clear days, and its beauty is breathtaking. ◆◆Tourist information for Sakuho, Nagano Prefecture◆◆ Sakuho, Nagano Prefecture, is an attractive destination where Shinshu’s beautiful nature and traditions thrive. Cool Japan Video will bring you plenty of sightseeing information packed with the charms of Sakuho, Nagano Prefecture, so thank you for watching!

[💧Icefalls are beginning to form❄️] I went to see whether icefalls might be forming at Yasaka Great Falls in the Yasaka area of Omachi and at Heno Falls, also called Kumaso Falls, in the Miasa area after several cold days in Omachi City 😌 Both falls were still developing, but I was able to see them❄️ Late January through early February is the coldest time of year in Omachi City❄️ They look likely to grow even more from now on 😊 ⭐️For sightseeing in Omachi City🔽🔽🔽 https://www.kanko-omachi.gr.jp//

[Winter on the Rekifune River 2025] The year 2025 has begun! Best wishes for the year ahead! This winter feels colder than last year, and the Rekifune River running through the center of Taiki Town has frozen over a larger area than before. Placed side by side with photos from the same time last year, it looks like a completely different river! Being able to enjoy the sight of the river freezing is a unique pleasure of such a cold region. Find Taiki Town tourist information here! ↓ https://visit-taiki.hokkaido.jp//

Here’s tourist information for Nagiso town! 📍 Kakizore Valley (Kakizore Keikoku) Among the many gorges along the Kiso Road, this one is said to be especially beautiful. Massive granite boulders that fill the deep valley create stunning waterfalls, rapids, and pools. The water’s beautiful emerald green never becomes muddy, even after rain. In spring you can enjoy azaleas and rhododendrons, and in autumn the leaves turn brilliant colors.✨ Generally, visitors start from JR Junikane Station and follow a nature trail for 4.5 km to Ushigataki Falls, then continue farther along a forest road. For a short walk, the roughly 300 m promenade from Koiji Suspension Bridge to Ushigataki is recommended. The view of Ushigataki, where the main flow of the Kakizore River plunges through carved granite, is spectacular. A 40-minute walk along the forest road brings you to viewpoints with refreshing views of Kirigataki, and you can also see Nijiga Falls and Kaminari Falls. We ask for your cooperation with a maintenance contribution. Please deposit it in the brown post box located at the entrance to Kakizore Valley. Access - By car: about 10 minutes from National Route 19 at the "Kakizore Valley Entrance" signal. Two free parking lots available. - By JR: Get off at JR Nagiso Station and take a taxi for about 25 minutes. Get off at JR Junikane Station and walk about 1 hour (taxis are not regularly available). Other information - Flush toilets are available at each parking area. - Vending machines are located near the parking areas. - You can download a brochure (map) from the Nagiso Town Tourism Association official website "Burari Nagiso." Requests - Camping, barbecues, and similar activities are prohibited within Kakizore Valley. - Please take your trash home with you. - Do not approach the river during rain or when water levels are high. - If you play in the river, please take every safety precaution and enjoy responsibly.

[Recent Taiki Town Report] Taiki Town is seeing fewer days with high temperatures above 0°C. Rivers are freezing and frost-covered trees are appearing as the season arrives! Snow is also beginning to accumulate little by little. For Taiki Town tourism information, visit Visit Taiki! https://visit-taiki.hokkaido.jp//

It is an icicle of thirty hammers in Saitama prefecture. I was fascinated by the sight of ice art.

It is an unnamed waterfall with a drop of about 3~4 meters, and fallen leaves are swirling, and I am looking for it while moving here and there in the Mountain stream.

I photographed fallen leaves in a mountain stream in Aridagawa Towns, Wakayama Prefecture. The fallen leaves, which rotate around while changing their shape from moment to moment, make you forget the passage of time and look at them.

On November 25, 2025, I took a picture of a row car with a maple near Hozukyo Station.

【 A town where you can meet the red-crowned crane, Taiki Town 】 Taiki Town is home to many red-crowned cranes, a species designated as a Special Natural Monument of Japan. The season when they are especially numerous is autumn, right around now. You can often see them searching for food in fields after the crops have been harvested. The cranes tend to appear more often on the seaside side than the mountain side. Give it a try and see if you can find them! By the way, the small bird in the center of the first photo is not a red-crowned crane but a hooded crane. Taiki Town is appealing because you can spot many different kinds of wildlife together ✨