What are you praying for? Hakusan Shrine in the Seto area of Minami-Echizen Town. It’s a place where you can feel a nostalgic atmosphere.

Photographed on December 13, 2025. This is the hanachōzu (flower basin) at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

Have you ever seen the many white flowers you spot around town? They are soba flowers! A field of soba blooms looks charming, a sea of white and green.

Photographed on December 15, 2025. After the monthly ceremony at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, I relaxed at Starbucks Kanetsuki‑dōri Store. I had a gingerbread latte and an Earl Grey scone.

Yesterday, Tuesday, December 16, the standard tree of the “Atami cherry blossoms” on the Itokawa Promenade was confirmed to be in bloom! These “Atami cherry blossoms” are a type of kanzakura (winter cherry) originally from India that normally bloom from early January through February. Around 1871, an Italian brought them to Atami along with lemon and date palm, and they were named “Atami cherry” during the Flower Everywhere campaign held in 1965. On April 10, 1977 (the 40th anniversary of the city’s founding), they were designated as the official tree of Atami City. Because the same branch develops two tiers of buds—some that bloom early and others that bloom later—the flowers can usually be enjoyed for more than a month each year. Starting the New Year, the Plum Festival and Cherry Blossom Festival will open together on Saturday, January 10! During the Cherry Blossom Festival, activities such as light-ups, servings of cherry blossom tea and tea, street performances, kenbu (sword dance), and band performances are planned, so please come and enjoy the blossoms. The 16th Atami Sakura Itokawa Cherry Blossom Festival: January 10, 2026 (Saturday) to February 8, 2026 (Sunday) *Regarding bloom conditions, the city hall’s survey data will be posted on the page below as it becomes available, so please refer to it.* https://www.ataminews.gr.jp/event/208...

Minami-Echizen Town Hot Spring Information ★Imajo 365 Onsen Yasuragi Hours: 11:00 AM–9:30 PM (last admission 8:30 PM) Closed: Tuesday . ★Hanahasu Onsen Somayama Hours: 10:00 AM–10:00 PM (last admission 9:00 PM) Closed: Tuesday . ★Kono Seaside Onsen Yubae Hours: 11:00 AM–9:00 PM (last admission 8:00 PM) Closed: Wednesday

Photographed on December 15, 2025. This is the koi-temizu (romantic hand-washing basin) at Kawagoe Kumano Shrine.❄️

MtAriake, known as Shinano Fuji a trapezoidal mountain you can spot easily from Azumino a scene from a clear, frosty morning♪

When Azumino is under high pressure, the temperature drops, but you can see stunning views of the Northern Alps through the clear air!! You can enjoy such beautiful scenery in Azumino in winter too This is a straight road known as Ohisama Road In the distance, the symbol MtJonen rises majestically!

Meigetsuin Temple, famous for its hydrangeas This temple in the historic city of Kamakura also offers spectacular autumn foliage. Especially from the Satori Window, the view of the autumn leaves captures a timeless sense of old Japan.

Christmas is finally just a week away 🎄 In Amakusa City, light-ups are taking place across the area under the name Amakusa Romantic Fantasy 2025, and here is information about the illuminations you can see in Reihoku ✨ This time we introduce Hama-yū Rehabilitation Center. The entire entrance to the facility is lit up as a Christmas illumination 💡 (remarkably, the staff made it by hand 👀) When you visit, be sure to take a look ☺️ Here is the place we introduced👇 Hama-yū Rehabilitation Center (1215 Shiki, Reihoku, Amakusa District, Kumamoto Prefecture 863-2503)

Korankei’s autumn leaves, said to be the best in the Tokai region. The view from the sanmon gate of Kojakuji Temple. I love this view and often linger, but when the light comes in it fills with many people. I waited until the crowd thinned to take these photos.

Photographed on December 15, 2025. This is the ai-tai omikuji at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine.

Autumn colors in Tokyo Metropolitan Mizumoto park. Where the autumn colors looks completely different than the other spots in Tokyo. The sunrise view from the metasequoia forest looks amazing.

Along the coast there are days so warm it feels as if winter has ended. The sea can be so calm that not a single wave stirs. When there are no waves, the deep blue of the Sea of Japan becomes even more striking. I love the contrast between this intense blue and the paler, greenish-blue. Even the Kitamaebune captains' ships look more lively.

Photographed on December 15, 2013. This is the Ichinen An-tai Omikuji from Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. The orange omikuji is vermilion.

Winter has finally arrived. This photo shows the snowy scenery at Hirono Dam. Heavy snow can be troublesome, but seeing a snowy landscape always makes me feel, “Ah—this season has come.”

Year-end and New Year Business Hours Notice: With just under three weeks left in 2025, we hope this message finds you well and prospering. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our members and the many others who have supported us this year. We ask for your continued patronage in the coming year and offer this as our year-end greeting. — Office Year-end and New Year Hours — Tourism Association Office and Tourist Information Center: Closed from December 29, 2025 to January 4, 2026. Normal business resumes on January 5. Please note that bicycle rentals at the Tourist Information Center will also be suspended during the period above. Thank you for your understanding. Sincerely yours.

Photographed on December 15, 2025. These are the autumn leaves at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. 🍁

Sunrise view of Mizumoto park in tokyo park. The metasequoia forest looks amazing during sunrise.

【Reihoku Town 70th Anniversary of Town Incorporation WEB Photo Contest Results Announcement🎊】 Thank you very much for the many entries to the “Reihoku Town 70th Anniversary of Town Incorporation WEB Photo Contest.” We received many stunning shots that captured the town’s scenery and charm, and this contest became a wonderful opportunity to highlight Reihoku’s appeal.🙇 From a total of 81 submissions, we carefully selected the following winners and are pleased to announce them! 📸【General Category】High school age and above The Grand Prize goes to the nickname “2984”! (second photo) The title is “Chasing the Ball,” taken at the Tomioka Castle Festival. The entrant commented, “The dragon dance that breathes smoke feels unique to Amakusa.”🎶 “2984” will receive a prize of 10,000 yen and Reihoku specialty products worth 5,000 yen at a later date.🎁 The following two entrants won Special Awards👏; each will receive 3,000 yen and Reihoku specialty products worth 5,000 yen.💝 First is nickname “Sora” (third photo), titled “Shining Tomioka Castle”🏯. This photo was taken at Tomioka Castle during the castle festival; the entrant wrote, “I climbed up during a break in the festival. The contrast between the white walls and blue sky was very beautiful.” Second is nickname “Green and White and Purple” (fourth photo), titled “Children of the Seaside Town”🌊. The entrant wrote, “Children working together and the glittering sea — it was the perfect moment.”🎶 The following four entrants received Honorable Mentions👏; each will receive Reihoku specialty products worth 5,000 yen.🎁 First is nickname “dSuke” (fifth photo), titled “Blooming at Tomioka Castle”🎆. The entrant described: “The sky shifts from dusk to night in a deep blue. Lights reflect on the sea surface, the castle ruins sit on the hill, and large fireworks bloom overlapping that scene.”👍 Second is nickname “Hijikata Tonza Buro” (sixth photo), titled “Mukaizuki Aoi,” and the entrant wrote, “I photographed the Kumamoto-maru docked at Tomioka Port against the background of the annual Jatto Festival fireworks I watch every year!”📸 Third is nickname “Manakan” (seventh photo), titled “Sunset Reflected in the Rice Fields Before Planting,” taken in the castle town. “Water fills the paddies before planting; with no wind the surface is calm. You only see this special scene on a day with a beautiful sunset when everything lines up. I look forward to seeing this view every year,” the entrant wrote.🎶 Fourth is nickname “Arisa” (eighth photo), titled “First Sunrise 2025,” taken at the Tomioka Marine Park observation area🌅. “I visit this spot every year to see the first sunrise. It’s not an exaggeration to say this light powers me through the year. It’s my power spot,” the entrant shared. 📸【Junior Category】Elementary and junior high school students Next are the winners in the Junior Category! The Grand Prize goes to nickname “Melon and Watermelon” with the title “Bustling Castle Festival”! (ninth photo) Congratulations on your win🎊 The entrant said, “I was chatting with friends at the castle festival venue when I suddenly noticed this scene.” “Melon and Watermelon” will receive a 5,000-yen book gift card.🎁 The following two entrants won Special Awards👏; each will receive a 3,000-yen book gift card.🎁 First is nickname “Haru” (tenth photo), titled “Beautiful Sunset,” taken on National Route 324 (Sakasegawa)☀️. “Riding home from cram school, I sat beside my driving mother and the sky was so beautiful I took a photo. I was happy when my mother said, ‘It’s beautiful,’” the entrant wrote.🎶 Second is nickname “Reo” (eleventh photo), titled “Godzilla,” taken on National Route 324 (Kozufukae). The entrant wrote, “Riding in my mother’s car, I saw clouds heading toward the sea that looked like Godzilla.”✨ After a rigorous screening, the works above were chosen as winners. We deeply thank everyone for so wonderfully expressing Reihoku Town’s charm! We appreciate your continued support of Reihoku Town.🙇 Also, the 4th Amashin Photo Contest is currently open! Please check the Notices section on our website for details.📸 🏯【Contact】Reihoku Jatto Festival & Tomioka Castle Festival Executive Committee, Photo Contest Section Address: 4535-2 Kamitsufukae, Reihoku Town, Amakusa District, Kumamoto Prefecture 863-2502, inside the Reihoku Chamber of Commerce TEL: 0969-37-1244 E-mail: pc@amakusa-kankou.com

The ginkgo avenue along Sakuradoori is one of Nagoya's most representative and beautiful street trees in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture. The entire street turns a glorious golden hue, creating a striking urban autumn scene. Sakuradoori stretches for several kilometers, but the best view is famously from the pedestrian bridge at Nisshin-mae Crossing (where Sakuradoori meets Fushimi-dori). It is widely known as the prime spot to take in the whole avenue.

The best season to visit Yōki-sō is unquestionably autumn. The maple trees in the garden turn vivid red, creating a striking contrast with the historic buildings; you can enjoy a unique autumn scene where the red of Taisho-era romantic architecture and the red of the maples come together.

Horyuin Temple is close to Higashiyama’s famous autumn foliage sites like Ginkaku-ji Temple, the Philosopher's Path, Anrakuji, and Eikando Temple, yet it sees few tourists; in the early morning you can enjoy quiet moments and even have this painterly gradation of autumn colors all to yourself.

The charm of Horyuin Temple lies in its moss and thatched gate. From the approach, the gradation of autumn colors seen beyond the thatched gate looks like a painting framed by the gate.

The highlight of autumn leaves at Daikakuji is undoubtedly the scenery around Osawa Pond. Around Osawa Pond, Japan’s oldest promenade-style garden, about 700 maple and cherry trees have been planted. At the peak of the fall colors, the pond’s surface becomes a beautiful mirror, vividly reflecting the red and yellow foliage and the vermilion Heart Sutra Pagoda floating on the water. This “water mirror” scene is Daikakuji’s most photogenic sight.

Gionji Temple is famous as a Kyoto spot for autumn leaves not because of the crimson beauty of the trees themselves, but for the way the fallen leaves form a truly red carpet across the moss as they drop.

Today I attended the monthly festival at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. I will be able to work in Kawagoe again next year. The practical exam I took in Tokyo last week ended with a disappointing result, but I will do my best again next year. Thank you for your encouragement. 😊

Photographed on December 12, 2025. This is LEC COFFEE’s Basque cheesecake inspired by tarte Tatin.

Autumn Colors on the Mountain Pass An aerial drone view of Onyu Pass in a sweeping composition. Be moved by the vibrant fall foliage and the winding snake road! Onyu Pass, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture November 2025