Photographed 10/26/24. It is Hanachozu of Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine. Pumpkins are Halloween-like. 🎃👻👿

Hello to everyone watching Cool Japan Videos! This is the Kikuchi Tourism Association in Kumamoto Prefecture! Kikuchi City in Kumamoto Prefecture sits upstream along the Kikuchi River in the northern part of the prefecture, surrounded by clear river waters and lush green scenery. With a population of about 45,000, Kikuchi City attracts many visitors with its hot springs, beautiful gorges, and long-standing historic sites. Known as a “town of water,” its pure spring water supports the production of many local specialties. [History of Kikuchi City, Kumamoto Prefecture] Kikuchi City has a long history: during the Sengoku period (1070–1532), the Kikuchi clan flourished in the region for roughly 450 years. Saigo Takamori, a statesman from the late Edo to early Meiji period whose statue stands in Uenokouen, is said to be a descendant of the Kikuchi clan. At their height, the Kikuchi clan controlled much of Kyushu and made their name known across the country. [Popular Tourist Spots in Kikuchi City, Kumamoto Prefecture] ■Kikuchi Gorge Kikuchi Gorge is one of Kumamoto Prefecture’s most beautiful natural attractions. You can enjoy pristine streams and seasonal scenery, with refreshing summers and autumn foliage as particular highlights. The gorge has earned recognition such as Japan’s Top 100 Forest Bathing Sites and Japan’s 100 Remarkable Waters. It’s ideal for forest bathing and hiking, offering a soothing experience on every visit. ■Kikuchi Shrine Kikuchi Shrine honors the famed warrior Kikuchi Takemitsu and lets visitors feel the depth of the city’s history. You can worship amid a beautiful shrine building and a solemn atmosphere that conveys historical weight. At the history museum, you can view cultural artifacts such as ancient documents related to the Kikuchi clan. ■Kikuchi Park Perched on a gentle hill, Kikuchi Park offers panoramic views over the city. It’s one of the city’s top cherry-blossom viewing spots, where around 3,000 cherry trees bloom in spring and draw many hanami visitors. ■Ryumon Dam Ryumon Dam ranks among the largest dams in Kumamoto Prefecture. This multipurpose dam on the Kikuchi River created Lake Hanjaku, which is maintained as a boating site. The lakeside plaza is set up for camping and events. Dam tours are also available. ■Kikuchi Onsen Kikuchi Onsen, discovered in 1954 (Showa 29), is famed for its smooth water, earning it nicknames like “bathing spot for beautiful skin” and “cosmetic bath.” A variety of facilities offer day-use baths and overnight stays for full relaxation. You can enjoy the hot springs alongside dishes made from local ingredients. ■Mt. Kuradake Mt. Kuradake rises to 1,118 meters and is popular for mountain climbing and hiking. From the summit you can take in spectacular views of Aso Mountain and the Kumamoto Plain, with panoramic scenery stretching far on clear days. It is listed among Kyushu’s 100 Famous Mountains and chosen for the National Top 100 Walks. ■Roadside Station Kyokushi Roadside Station Kyokushi, located along National Route 325, is a popular stop where you can buy fresh local produce and processed goods. A restaurant using Kyokushi beef and locally grown vegetables also offers takeout. [Local Specialties and Gourmet Foods of Kikuchi City, Kumamoto Prefecture] ■Kikuchi Rice Kikuchi City is also famous for its delicious rice. Kikuchi Rice, grown with abundant water and fertile soil, is known for its large grains and pronounced sweetness. It has earned high acclaim nationwide, including a gold prize at a past competition. ■Kikuchi Paddy-grown Burdock The popular local specialty “Kikuchi Paddy-grown Burdock” is cultivated in rice paddies, giving it a tender texture and strong sweetness. It tastes great simmered or as tempura and adds a distinctive touch to dishes. [Events and Festivals in Kikuchi City, Kumamoto Prefecture] ■Kikuchi White Dragon Festival The Kikuchi White Dragon Festival, traditionally held in August, was moved to October in 2024 due to warming temperatures. Two white dragons—the adult dragon and the young dragon—are carried by many bearers in a powerful performance. The festival culminates in a fireworks display that colors Kikuchi’s night sky. [Tourist Information for Kikuchi City, Kumamoto Prefecture] Kikuchi City in Kumamoto Prefecture is a charming area of rich natural scenery and deep history. With beautiful gorges, hot springs, and historic shrines, the city offers diverse attractions and fresh discoveries in every season. It is easily accessible—about 60 minutes from kumamoto station and about 30 minutes from Aso Kumamoto Airport. We will continue to share recommended information full of Kikuchi City’s attractions, so please follow us!

Photographed 10/26/24. It is Hanachozu of Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine. It's Halloween 🎃👻👿.

Photographed 10/14/24. This is Kawagoe Hachimangu on the day of the Annual Grand Festival.

At Fushimi Inari.

Searching for Autumn in Gokase While taking photos for foliage updates, I went looking for autumn in Gokase🍁 Today I visited Gion Shrine in Kuraoka and three locations at Josenji Temple⛩️✨ ...but the leaves hadn’t changed color at all😂 Perhaps the lingering summer heat damaged the leaves and the small temperature differences are to blame🤔 Some maple-type trees showed partial color, but on closer inspection most leaves were blackened and withered in places😣 The maples at Josenji looked relatively pretty, but only in a few high-up sections, so overall it still feels like it’s just getting started💡 Josenji’s bamboo fence was repaired and looks fresh and neat👏 You can’t help but want to see that restored bamboo fence paired with beautiful autumn colors😭 Let’s pray the foliage progresses from here and keep watching over it🙏🙏🙏 The "Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024" event is also underway, so if you spot autumn colors in Gokase, please submit your photos🍁📸 For details, please see the pinned post titled "Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024" 🤗✨

The autumn beauty of Toji temple in Kyoto. With illumination and reflection in water the scenery becomes more beautiful. One of my favorite tourist spots in Kyoto. The tradition and beauty truly reflects here.

2024/10/18At Takayama Inari, Aomori Prefecture Title: Takayama Inari Senbon Torii (shrine gate)

A park in Tatsuno City, Hyogo Prefecture It was an old-fashioned small park, but it was a charming park with two large ginkgo trees on either side and seesaw

Shinyu Onsen L.P. has released “Suwa Taisha Navi,” an app for foreign visitors and domestic tourists. This in-shrine interactive app supports English, French, Traditional Chinese, and Japanese, and highlights the attractions of the four shrines of Suwa Taisha. The navigator is Suwahime, Suwa City’s official character, who introduces 84 monuments and buildings across the four shrines. Download the app and launch it on site to hear the explanations; locations you’ve heard are marked with a folding-fan icon. It makes a great travel memory. Shinyu Onsen L.P. launched the Suwa Taisha Navi app for foreign visitors and domestic tourists. The app supports Japanese, Traditional Chinese, French, and English and introduces the four shrines (Honmiya, Maemiya, Harumiya, Akimiya). The navigator is Suwahime, Suwa City’s official character, who explains 84 monuments and buildings across the four shrines. First, download the app and visit any of the four Suwa Taisha shrines. Enable GPS and go to a spot; Suwahime will begin the explanation. After a spot’s explanation, it is marked with a Japanese folding-fan stamp. It’s a lovely way to remember your trip to Suwa and Suwa Taisha—please give it a try!

Behold the eternal autumn within a window. Enkoji a perfect destination for autumn viewings. You will receive a warm welcome by the tradition and beauty.

Photographed 10/19/24. It is the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine Shinko Festival. Hiko Saruta is waving his hand. 👋

Photographed 10/14/24. It is the Annual Grand Festival of Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. It is held as the Minamoto of the Kawagoe Festival.

It is the second day of the Kawagoe Festival. It is a festival float of the Senba Jiro Yasu family in Senba Towns. At the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, I had an exorcism.

Photographed 10/19/24. It is the Shinko Festival.

Photographed 10/19/24. It is a festival float of Suzume in Ote Towns.

Today and tomorrow is the Kawagoe Festival. Prayer at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine, I heard a congratulatory song. It was a place where the people of Nantong Towns were being exorcised.

The Way of the Brush For those of us living in today's busy world, learning about the samurai spirit can give us insight into our attitude, attention, and focus, and foster the determination needed to achieve our goals to the fullest.

Photographed on 10/5/24. It is Hanachozu of Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

Photographed on 10/5/24. It is Hanachozu of Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

The red spider lililies blooming on the side of the stairs are wonderful. It blooms later every year, doesn't it? Ogaki City, Gifu Prefecture "Meiseirinji Temple"

Photographed 10/7/24. They are Kawagoe Hachimangu's Hanachozu, Yo-Yo Omikuji, and Rice Isehikari. 🌾

Gion Shrine Autumn Festival “Okunchi” Today, Wednesday, October 9, the Gion Shrine in Kuraoka District held its autumn festival “Okunchi.”🤗 The light rain that fell until yesterday felt like a distant memory under a clear, delightful autumn sky.☀️ Gion-san’s power is truly amazing.👏✨ Even though the festival fell on a weekday this year, visitors from outside the prefecture and local children gathered from the start of the ceremony.😊 We were allowed into the main hall and were able to see the “Urayasu no Mai” dance.🥹 It was a beautiful dance that radiated tradition.✨ The Gion kagura also came with detailed explanations about how it differs from other kagura, which made it even more enjoyable.🤩 The Usu-daiko drum dance invited everyone, including the general public, to join in lively dancing, and the playful exchanges of the Yamaboshi question-and-answer skit added a comedic touch that made people chuckle.🤣 Traditional events can sometimes seem formal and stern, but this festival was anything but that—it was a truly entertaining celebration.💫 After the Usu-daiko dance there was a mochi-throwing event, and the festival concluded with a dedication of the Gion kagura, keeping the atmosphere lively from start to finish.🤗🎉

Torch Festival The "Torch Festival" is Dedication to Misya Shrine, the guardian shrine of Asama Hot Spring. Misya Shrine has two shrines, Okumiya (Autumn Shrine) and Asama Shrine (Spring Shrine) in Asama Hot Spring, a few kilometers away in the mountains of Mt. Sansai, and has been revered as the god of hunting and agriculture as the Shintai Shrine, with the same three gods as Suwa Grand Shrine: Takeminakata Mikoto, Yasaka Sword Selling Life, and Kotoshironushi no Mikoto. In order to protect the safety of the lives of the inhabitants and the bountiful harvest of the five grains, the god descends from Okunomiya to Asama Shrine at the end of every year Village and at the end of the autumn harvest, he is placed by the flame of torches Dedication by people, and returns to the Okusha Shrine in the mountains with smoke wafting all over the sky. About 50 torches are dedication. It is a bundle of "mugiwara", and some of them are large, more than 3 meters long and more than 2 meters in diameter. In the Hot spring resort that line the eaves, several young people Parade shout with blazing torches, and when the majestic flame Drum rings out in flames and smoke, the excitement Gari of the hot spring town of Asama Hot Spring reaches its climax. At the end, the celebration of the Festival is a heroic one worthy of the name of Fire Festival. Accommodation guests can also participate in the walk-in, so please feel free to contact us. (Asama Hot Spring Tourism Association: 0263-46-1800) 2024 Annual Grand Festival of Misya Shrine Spring Shrine (Asama Hot Spring Torch Festival) Held in : Saturday, October 12, 2024 Festival Torch Festival Sunday, October 13, 2024 Festival * Torch Festival departs at 7 p.m. on the 12th The torches start in front of the Minato no Yuzen and slowly parade through the Hot spring resort of Asama. At the end, a lit torch is thrown at the Misya Shrine and Dedication is made.

Honoring the Samurai girl The more onago is bullshit, the more the world will be bullshit. The stronger you are, the calmer you will be.  The more you can hang your head and bow low, the more genuine nobility and strength you will acquire.

Photographed 9/28/24. This is Hanatetsu's Hanachozu.

A long time ago at a news station The Chicken Foot Temple was televised. . Neither after nor before "One Night Only" Light up of Chicken Foot Temple It was a very nice and fantastic space. . It was about 5 o'clock when I went. The person who is being photographed There was no one there. News Station's I got the OK from the photographer I took a picture. . It was really beautiful. It's a good idea ☺️

Night Drum (Niihama Drum Festival) It is a type of festival float that is offered to the portable shrine at the time of the festival portable shrine and at the time of the passing, it participates in the procession and solemnly offers, and is Dedication to the Ujigami（clan deity） in gratitude for the autumn of the Harvest Festival. It is often found in shipping hubs along the coast of the Seto Inland Sea. Among the Drum Stands, they are said to be nearly 3 tons in size, and the appearance of the Niihama Drum Stand, which is presented by more than 150 men and dances in the clear autumn sky, is nicknamed the "Oto's Festival" because of its gorgeousness and grandeur. The photo is not of a blue sky, but of a drum stand illuminated by lights in the pitch black darkness. The gold and silver threads shine and the tassels sway violently, which is truly gorgeous and magnificent.

Doudan Azalea of Ankokuji. It is a memorable place that I visited before I got married.

Reflection using a marble table Ogaki City, Gifu Prefecture "Meiseirinji Temple" 2024/9/29