【Cotton Cafe】Relaxing, yarn spinning experience 🧶 Today, I would like to introduce ☺️✨ the "Cotton Cafe" held on the third Saturday of every month at the former Kuraoka junior high school "Kuraokakura" Feel free to Use the café only.☕💕 You can 😌 order delicious homemade cakes and drinks Today's cake was a cake with kumquat jam and a cake 🍰✨ with apple jam (I had a lot of it, but it was 🤤 insanely delicious) Everyone was having a relaxing time 🫶 while enjoying reading and chatting Of course! There is a fee, but you can 🧶✨ also experience yarn spinning Pick up cotton seeds with a "cotton gin" ↓ Use a tool called a "hand carder" like a large slicker brush to adjust the stream of fibers. ↓ When wrapped around a winding stick, a bundle of cotton called a "pony" is formed 😌☁️, which looks like a fluffy cocoon ↓ If you pull this out little by little with a tool called a spindle and twist it, you will get 😳👏 a magnificent thread as shown in the first photo It seems that 💡 you can adjust the thickness of the finished yarn by twisting the fiber and the amount of force You can make it thinner or thicker, or try to spin a single yarn with various thicknesses... There are There are fun of spinning your favorite yarn If 🤗✨ you are interested, please try 💪 it When you visit Cotton Cafe, you don't need to make a reservation or anything, so 👌 please feel free to stop by and enjoy 😌🌿 your own time 【Date & Time】3rd Saturday 13:00~15:00 【Place】Kuraoka Kurara (Staff Room) 〒882-1201 5929 Kuraoka, Gokase-cho, Nishiusuki-gun, Miyazaki Prefecture 【Reservation】Not required 【Fee】Yarn spinning experience 1,500 yen, cotton (with seeds) 400 yen

❄️ "Winter Gokase 2025" Voting Now Open ❄️【Until Sunday, March 16, 2025!】 Thank you all for entering "Winter Gokase 2025"! We have conducted a careful first-round selection by the tourism association staff and chosen ten entries from all submissions.🙏✨ From these ten entries, we will ask everyone to vote to decide the prize winners.🤩👏 Among those who vote, ten people will be randomly selected to receive specialty products from Gokase Town as a gift.🎁💫 We appreciate your participation.🙇‍♀️ How to vote is explained below.💡 [Voting period: Until Sunday, March 16, 2025] ⚠️ Voting is limited to one method per person and one vote per account or individual. <To vote via Instagram> https://www.instagram.com/gokase_kanko/... ・Follow the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account. ・From the posts marked with the hashtag "#Winter Gokase 2025 Vote," choose one of the ten featured entries and comment the photo number in that post's comment section.✍ ⚠️ If you are not following the account, message exchanges may be unreliable and you will be excluded from the gift drawing. Please be aware. <To vote via Facebook> https://www.facebook.com/gokase.kanko/?locale=ja_JP... ・Choose one of the ten featured entries in this post and comment the photo number. ・Voting is limited to one vote per account. ⚠️ If you win the gift drawing, we will contact you via Facebook Messenger. If there is no reply within two weeks, the prize will be forfeited. <To vote via the website> ・Go to the "Winter Gokase 2025 Vote" page from the Gokase Tourism Association website's news topics (https://www.town.gokase.miyazaki.jp/kanko/ivent/1994.html...） ・Click the URL on the "Winter Gokase 2025 Vote" page to open the voting form. ・Enter your email address. ・Choose one of the ten entries, check the box for that entry, and submit your response. ⚠️ If you do not enter an email address, you will be excluded from the gift drawing. Please be sure to view the original posts by the applicants before voting.🤗 1. @yamabico_san (photo 2) 2. @gokase_entertainment (photo 3) 3. @photo_ay_umi (photo 4) 4. @mgm_1228 (photo 5) 5. @eco9syu_sekiryo (photo 6) 6. @goto0619 (photo 7) 7. @fowafuwarin5 (photo 8) 8. @thusandleavis (photo 9) 9. @mas8787a (photo 10) 10. @photo_ay_umi (photo 11) We look forward to receiving many votes from everyone 🥰

🎿 Ski Resort Final Event 🏂 Sunday, March 9 was the last day of operations for Gokase Highland Ski Resort ❄️ Under a clear sky, a big prize drawing took place from 11:00 AM 🎁 Cheers erupted each time the winning numbers for lavish prizes were announced, and the drawing ended in great excitement 😆✨ After the drawing, visitors immediately enjoyed the last runs of the season on the slopes 🎿 Gokase Highland Ski Resort, revived this season ❄️ Thanks to everyone, we were able to operate safely through today 😊 Thank you very much 🥰 We look forward to seeing you again next season!!

Inochi no Hi Project in Gokase Town On Saturday, March 8, I visited the "Inochi no Hi Project in Gokase Town" held at the Gokase Town Welfare Center 🤗 Although the event took a four-year pause during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has continued since the year after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake 😌 The beautiful event invited people to remember those affected by earthquakes and other disasters across Japan, to keep those memories alive, and to cherish life ✨ A donation box to raise funds for disaster recovery was placed at the venue, and visitors kindly contributed what they could ☺️ There were stalls selling tasty snacks and cute crafts, and the venue was lively 🥳 On stage, hosted by members of the organizing G Ongakutai, a full program of singing and dancing entertained the audience 🤩✨ Many songs in the lineup carried messages for disaster-hit areas, creating a program unique to a charity event 😌👏 The finale featured everyone joining in to sing "Hana wa Saku" together 🎶 At the end of the event, children lit wax balls in a lighting ceremony, and wrapped in gentle light, all attendees observed a moment of silence. May the thoughts from Gokase Town reach those in the disaster-affected areas…🙏

[❄️ Introducing photos submitted to Winter Gokase 2025 — Final installment ❄️] The Gokase Tourism Association held the “#Winter Gokase 2025” photo event on its Instagram account through February 28. This is the final showcase of the entries we received.🥹✨ @fowafuwarin5 @mas8787a @mgm_1228 (in no particular order) Making its long-awaited debut is Unoko Falls✨ These lovely photos capture the ski area where snow still lingers and the surrounding great outdoors.👏 Thank you all for so many submissions.😭 It was a harsh winter, but many of the winter photos felt warm and heartening.😊☀️

【❄️Introducing Photos Submitted for Winter Gokase 2025 — Part 6❄️】 Although days have warmed noticeably, mornings and evenings remain bitterly cold in Gokase Town 🥶 We’re grateful that entries for the “#Winter Gokase 2025” campaign on the Gokase Tourism Association’s Instagram have been accumulating, so here are some of the submissions 🙌✨ @donguri223103 @xitiannaiyang4 @goto0619 @irnoarkoa @yamabico_san @satoshi.misaki @thusandleavis @fowafuwarin5 (in no particular order) While many winter scenes come from the Kuraoka area, this time we received a snow photo of Josenji Temple in the Sanko area as well 👏✨ Even within snowy landscapes, the lively atmosphere of the ski resort, the calm winter mood of Kuraoka, and the sacred, quiet presence of Josenji each have their own charm — they’re all wonderful ☺️💫 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- There’s only a short time left before this campaign closes ✨ Please feel free to enter with any small winter photo — we’d love to see your submissions 🤗🎶 How to enter (deadline: Friday, February 28, 2025) Follow Gokase Tourism Association on Instagram (@gokase_kanko) and post with the hashtags “#Winter Gokase 2025” and “#photo location (for example: #Unoko Falls)” 📸 Gokase Tourism Association Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gokase_kanko/... ※Snow accumulation and icy roads can be dangerous. Please prioritize safety and take care to avoid accidents when photographing⚠️

Mystery-Solving Event at Gion Shrine On Saturday, February 22, a mystery-solving event took place at Gion Shrine in the Kuraoka district 👏 The event was titled “Gion Shrine Real Mystery: ‘As the Gods Say’” 💡 Local high school students from Gokase Secondary School led the planning, collaborating with local company Gokase Entertainment and the Kuraoka Lovers Women’s Group to prepare the event 😳✨ Participants of all ages gathered, and the shrine grounds rang with lively voices 🤗🎶 The puzzles were quite difficult until a spark of insight or a discovery occurred… I tried hard to solve them but couldn’t in the end 🤣 I had to borrow the children’s wisdom, haha As we solved the puzzles, we learned the correct way to worship at Gion Shrine 😯💡 I had no idea about those customs, so the many new discoveries were great fun 🤩 After finishing the puzzles, participants faced a two-part showdown with the gods played by Gokase Secondary School students ⚔️ The first part, “Sengoku Gokase Town,” was a game in which players spent their held points to approach the god; the winner was the one who first knocked the bead off the god’s shoulder with a sword 💪 In the second part, the winning prize from part one, a rope, was formed into a circle on the ground as a ring, and contestants challenged the god in a hand-push sumo match 👐 Both games excited adults and children alike, and smiles filled the event from start to finish 😆 After completing all stages, participants received a “Mystery Completion Certificate,” but looking closely revealed the certificates came in different colors…🤔? It turned out the hand-push sumo in part two mirrored the ceremonial sumo offered to entertain the gods during the Morimaki ritual held at Gion Shrine. Since the tradition holds that “the one who loses to the god is correct,” the completion certificates of those who lost the hand-push sumo gleamed in gold🤣 You could feel the students’ attention to detail throughout the setting, and it was wonderful 🥹✨ At the end, participants and students took a commemorative photo together, and warm tea provided by Yukihoshien was served as a participation prize, bringing the lively, friendly event to a close 😌👏 Seeing Gokase Town come alive through events created by students, local businesses, and community groups working together is truly moving 🥹 We hope the whole town continues to join forces to keep Gokase Town thriving ✨

Shirataki in Winter Look at this 😳! Thanks to the recent cold snap, Shirataki has been cloaked in snow and ice, creating a stunning sight ❄️✨ Pale blue-tinted pillars of snow and ice line up into a breathtaking scene 👏 If possible, we’d love for you to see it with your own eyes! …That said, the path to Shirataki is coated in snow and ice and is extremely dangerous ⚠️ This time, specially trained staff from the tourism association risked their lives to climb up, so please enjoy the photos instead… 🙏🙏🙏 The trail to Shirataki is already hazardous, so we ask for your understanding 😭 Still, nature’s artistry is truly beautiful… I’d grown tired of all the snow, but it turns out it’s not all bad ✨ Let’s stay positive and enjoy ourselves 💪❤️‍🔥

Gokase Specialty Center Snow Play The special cold snap that began this Tuesday has left the Gokase Specialty Center covered in snow☃️ Is everyone safe and free from injury or accidents?💦 To lift the spirits of customers who braved these harsh roads to visit the shop, the staff at the Gokase Specialty Center made a Totoro snowman to bring a little brightness and warmth 🥰👏 It’s big and adorable😳✨ While it was being made, children who had come in for lunch kept asking, “Is Totoro finished yet!?” as they eagerly waited🤣💕 Please stop by and take a commemorative photo when you visit📸！ There are also impressive icicles hanging from the shop eaves😮💡They glittered beautifully as they caught the light✨ The tips are sharp, so be careful—they could be dangerous if they fall on your head⚠️ With persistent bad weather making movement difficult, it might be nice to take a moment to enjoy the snow like a child again🤭 Our association’s Instagram photo campaign “Winter in Gokase 2025” is still accepting entries📸✨ Please consider applying during this opportunity🤗 ※See the pinned post on our Instagram profile page for details🙏 https://www.instagram.com/gokase_kanko/... Everyone, please stay safe and stay alert for the rest of the day🙇‍♀️

【❄️ Winter Gokase 2025 Photo Submissions — Part 5 ❄️】 Today we continue to showcase photos submitted to the Gokase Tourism Association’s Instagram event “#Winter Gokase 2025” 🙌✨ @photo_ay_umi Here is another photo taken at Gokase Highland Ski Resort ⛷️💫 The subject and photographer were perfectly in sync, producing images that look like scenes from a commercial—simply wonderful 🤗💕 Thank you for your submission 🙇‍♀️ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gokase Town is covered in a snowy landscape this morning ☃️ The wind is howling and it’s really cold 😂 Road conditions are poor, so when you head out to shoot photos please use proper studless winter tires or chains and take care to stay safe and enjoy yourself without overdoing it 🙏 How to enter Follow the Gokase Tourism Association on Instagram (@gokase_kanko) and post with the hashtags “#Winter Gokase 2025” and “#location of the photo (e.g., #Unoko Waterfall)” 📸 Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account→https://www.instagram.com/gokase_kanko/... ※There is a risk from snow accumulation and icy roads. When taking photos, secure your safety and take care to avoid accidents ⚠️

【❄️Introducing Photos Submitted to Winter Gokase 2025 — Part 4❄️】 Today we present photos submitted to the Winter Gokase 2025 contest, currently running on the Gokase Tourism Association’s Instagram account 🫡🎉 @_aymiii_photo @eco9syu_sekiryo @photo_ay_umi *Order is random* From Gokase Highland Ski Resort we received delightful, humorous shots and beautiful images that convey the joy of snow 😆🎶 Thank you for your submissions 😌💕 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gokase Town has seen a touch of snow again since yesterday ❄️ It’s cold and icy roads are worrying, so going out can be daunting, but we also welcome photos taken in your own yard — capture a lovely winter scene and feel free to submit it 🤗✨ <How to Enter> Follow the Gokase Tourism Association on Instagram (@gokase_kanko) and post with the hashtags “#Winter Gokase 2025” and “#Photo location (e.g., #Unoko Falls)” 📸 Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account → https://www.instagram.com/gokase_kanko/... *There are risks such as heavy snow and icy roads. Please ensure safety and take care to avoid accidents while shooting⚠️

【❄️Winter Gokase 2025 Photo Contest — Featured Entries Vol. 3❄️】 This is the third installment of our series showcasing entries posted to the Gokase Tourism Association’s Instagram for the “#Winter Gokase 2025” contest.💡 We’re excited to share more photos today!😆👏 @yamabico_san @aiaiaiaiaiaiai77 @conne.hikariconect @gokase_entertainment ※In no particular order Many submissions captured the quiet atmosphere and beautiful snowy scenery.😌❄️ Thank you for your entries.👏 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re delighted to see the number of entries steadily growing.😊✨ Thank you all so much for your continued support.🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️ With about one month left until the entry deadline, please feel free to photograph any winter scenes you love and submit them.🤗💕 How to enter Follow the Gokase Tourism Association on Instagram (@gokase_kanko) and post your photo with the hashtags “#Winter Gokase 2025” and “#photo location (for example: #Unoko Falls)”.📸 Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account → https://www.instagram.com/gokase_kanko/... ※There may be hazards such as deep snow or icy roads. Please ensure your safety and take care to avoid accidents when photographing.⚠️

[❄️ Introducing Photos Submitted to Winter Gokase 2025 — Part 2 ❄️] Today we continue showcasing photos submitted to the Winter Gokase 2025 campaign, currently hosted on the Gokase Tourism Association’s Instagram account 🤩🎉 @moko.m This entry, like the others, captures everyday winter life in Gokase Town. Each warm photo seems to carry the cheerful voices of children, and viewing them brings joy 🥰✨ Thank you for your submission 👏 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- We have more submissions to share, so we’ll introduce them little by little 🤗 When submitting, a few people posted using the kanji “五ヶ瀬” for the title “Winter Gokase 2025.” We wondered if those were intended as entries, but please be careful when submitting in the future ⚠️ Use the hiragana “ごかせ”! The correct title is “Winter Gokase 2025” written as 「冬のGokase 2025」!! How to enter (Submission period — through February 28) Follow the Gokase Tourism Association on Instagram (@gokase_kanko), and post with the hashtags “#冬のごかせ2025” and a tag for the photo location (for example: #Unoko Falls) along with your photo 📸 ※Snow and icy roads can be hazardous. Ensure safety when shooting and take care to avoid accidents ⚠️

❄️ Introducing Photos Submitted to Winter Gokase 2025 — Part 1 ❄️ We are showcasing photos submitted to the Winter Gokase 2025 contest, currently running on the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account 🤩🎉 @goto0619 @thusandleavis *Order is not indicative of ranking* These shots capture everyday moments in wintertime Gokase Town with a nostalgic feel 😌✨ Thank you for your submissions!! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Over the past few days, daytime temperatures in Gokase Town have often felt mild ☀️ But it is still winter! In the mornings frost has turned gardens completely white. Here are places that froze over. You can even see animal tracks in the remaining snow! Please feel free to share any simple winter discoveries with us in the same easygoing spirit — we look forward to your entries!!! How to Enter (Submission Period through February 28) Follow the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account (@gokase_kanko) and post with the hashtags "Winter Gokase 2025" and the name of the shooting location (for example: Uno no Ko Falls) along with your photo 📸 ※Snow accumulation and icy roads can be dangerous. When taking photos, please ensure your safety and take care to avoid accidents ⚠️

Welcome to Gokase Town in winter ✨ Answer our survey and get local specialties 💪 (Response deadline: Friday, February 28 ⚠️) A notice from Gokase Entertainment Co., Ltd. 💡 Right now, visitors to Gokase Town who complete a short survey will be entered into a drawing. Fifteen winners will receive local specialties from Gokase Town 🤩✨ This survey aims to make Gokase Town an even more attractive tourist destination, so we would greatly appreciate your cooperation 🤗 Here’s your chance to win a set of wine and kama-iri tea (pan-roasted tea) 💪❤️‍🔥 The response deadline is Friday, February 28 ⚠️ When you stop by Gokase Town, we look forward to your visit 🥺🙏

【Ski Resort Photos】 Today in Gokase the sky is overcast☁️ and it’s been raining and snowing since morning, so it’s still cold🥶 By the way, Gokase Highland Ski Resort finally opened the Paradise Course for a 1,000 m run the other day⛷️✨ Unfortunately, only a 500 m run is available right now due to a lift malfunction, but repair work is underway, so please wait for its reopening 🥹🙏 I took some photos at the ski resort the other day, so I’ll share them here📸💫 The blue sky and pure white rime are incredibly beautiful😳 This season the ski resort’s conditions are excellent compared with usual years, so please come and visit Gokase Highland Ski Resort 🤗 Also, the Gokase Tourism Association is collecting winter photos of Gokase as “Winter in Gokase 2025” on its Instagram account❄️ Photos of the ski resort are welcome, and any snapshots of winter scenes are fine📸 For details, please see the pinned post on our profile🙏 We look forward to many submissions ✨

Gokase Highland Ski Resort I climbed up to Gokase Highland Ski Resort today to shoot some material📸❄️ At 7:00 this morning the temperature was a whopping -14°C🤣 It was such an odd kind of cold that it made me laugh🤷‍♀️ lol That said, the slopes were in perfect condition ⛷️✨ The wind was light and the snow was powdery and dry 🤩 Local junior high students were here today as part of their school activities, and they were happily enjoying skiing and snowboarding 🥰 The view of the ski area under the blue sky is truly beautiful 🥹✨ It feels like another world, and staring at it makes you feel drawn in…😳 You can see the distant mountains stretching far away, and the view from Gokase Highland Ski Resort is exceptional 👏❗ Tomorrow, Saturday, January 11th, at 10:00 the long-awaited Paradise Course 1,000 m run finally opens 🤩 Can’t wait 💪 The Gokase Tourism Association is currently running the "Winter Gokase 2025" campaign on their Instagram account and collecting winter photos from the area 🤗 There are prizes, so when you visit the ski resort or travel there, please take lots of winter photos within safe limits and enter the contest 🙏✨ For details, see the post pinned to the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram profile page 💡

[🍁 Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024 🍁 Results Announcement] Thank you for waiting‼️ Here are the results of “Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024” 🥳🎉 This time, the winners were chosen by votes from followers of the Gokase Tourism Association’s Instagram account 👏✨ Thank you to everyone who voted 🙇‍♀️💕 Now, let’s announce the results👇👇👇 [🥇 Gold Prize] Unoko Falls Instagram: @san.shimako.1105 (second photo) [🥈 Silver Prize] Josenji Temple Instagram: @gokase_pan (third photo) [🥉 Bronze Prize] Shirataki Instagram: @niidome2110 (fourth photo) Unoko Falls, Josenji Temple, and Shirataki… these representative Gokase autumn-leaf spots each took home an award 👏❗ Each entry highlighted the beauty of the scenery and revealed expressions different from usual—truly wonderful work 🥹✨ Congratulations to all the winners㊗️🥳🎉 And to everyone who submitted entries, voted, and took part—thank you so much😭❤️‍🔥 The campaign is still ongoing as “Winter in Gokase 2025,” so please join us 🥰 We appreciate your participation 💫

Fire Department New-Year Review Ceremony Today, Sunday, January 5, the fire brigade held its New-Year review ceremony at the Town Hall Parking Lot 🚒✨ The car thermometer read minus 4°C as we headed to the scene 😂 It was a freezing ceremony ❄️ Although I was fully bundled up and cheekily stood near the heater to take photos… The firefighters formed ranks with a poised, unfazed bearing that made them look truly impressive…👏 The squad training demonstration showed sharp, disciplined movements born of daily practice, which was extremely reassuring 🥹✨ The mass water discharge that followed sent colorful columns of water high into the sky and was incredibly powerful 🤩 They moved a fair distance to prepare before the discharge, and thanks to everyone’s perfectly synchronized, efficient actions it proceeded smoothly; I’m truly grateful for the fire brigade’s daily efforts 🙇‍♀️！ The ceremony concluded without issue after awards were presented to firefighting personnel, brigade members, distinguished contributors to firefighting, and families who support the brigade 🏆💫 To the fire brigade, who always protect our town and keep residents safe in their daily lives, thank you so much ✨

New Year Greetings Thank you very much for all your support last year. I look forward to your continued support this year. How did you spend the New Year? 😌 I hope the seasonal influenza and other circulating illnesses didn’t affect you. Wishing you a wonderful year ahead. 🙇‍♀️

[❄️ Winter in Gokase 2025 ❄️] Until Friday, February 28, 2025! Yes — winter too!! Instagram Campaign 🥳✨ After following the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account (@gokase_kanko), post a wintery photo taken in Gokase town on Instagram with these two hashtags: #Winter in Gokase 2025 and #Date and place of the photo (for example: #Unoko Falls) 🤳❤️‍🔥 One winner will receive a Gokase specialty product every day during the campaign period 🎁✨ Plus! The best entries will receive a gift set of Gokase specialties 🤩👏 Entries you post may be featured on the Gokase Tourism Association’s social media and other channels 💡 [Period] From Monday, December 30, 2024 to Friday, February 28, 2025 ⚠️ Other terms are posted on the Gokase Tourism Association website. Please be sure to read them before entering. https://www.town.gokase.miyazaki.jp/kanko/ivent/1962.html... ⚠️Please take care to avoid accidents while photographing. ------------------------------------------ …Actually, the voting period for “Gokase Autumn Foliage 2024” is still underway, so I thought mixing them might be confusing and planned to announce this after the New Year, but… I really want you to post New Year photos too 🥺🙏!!! I couldn’t wait and posted early 😂 We look forward to many beautiful winter photos of Gokase ☃️💕 Please keep the entries coming — thank you 📸🙏

Year-end Greetings Everyone, were you able to finish your work for the year safely😌? Some of you might not care about New Year’s at all😂 We at Gokase Tourism Association and the Gokase Specialty Center will, out of our own convenience, be closed for the year-end and New Year holidays as follows. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ <Monday, December 30> Cafeteria: closed Shop and produce: open mornings only <Tuesday, December 31 – Thursday, January 2> Closed <Friday, January 3> Cafeteria: opens at 11:00 Shop and produce: opens at 10:00 <Saturday, January 4 onward> Regular business hours resume ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Gokase Tourism Association will also be closed from Tuesday, December 31 to Thursday, January 2. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding. We have also compiled the January events we know about so far into a calendar to help you plan outings for next year🤗 And there’s more! We are accepting votes for “Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024” on the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account (@gokase_kanko ). We would be delighted if you and your family take your time over the New Year to pick photos and vote🥺✨ We truly appreciate your support🙇‍♀️‼️ We will be open tomorrow, so this is one day early, but… 🤣 Thank you very much for your support this year. We look forward to your continued support next year. Have a wonderful New Year’s Eve🤩👋✨ *We’ll say it again: we are open through tomorrow. Just kidding*

[Gokase Town, Miyazaki Prefecture — Accommodation] Potunto Detached House Kuraoka "An escape from the everyday that still lets you enjoy rural daily life" I want to try living in the countryside. I want to relax in a quiet place. I want to focus quietly on work for a few days. I want a day that makes me forget everything. A nostalgic place like the grandmother’s house I visited as a child. This is an accommodation where you can experience that kind of deep-mountain lifestyle. A home for lovers of mountains and rural life. From October 2024, a newly opened whole-house simple lodging, Potunto Detached House Kuraoka, is available for rent. Come and take a leisurely taste of country living! ↓For detailed rates and other information↓ https://potnt-kuraoka.com/#contents... Contact 3959-2 Kuraoka, Gokase, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki 882-1201 TEL: 0982-83-0522

Gokase Highland Ski Resort Reopens After Two Seasons 🎉 Today, December 20, Gokase Highland Ski Resort resumed operations for the first time in two seasons 😭👏✨ The road to the resort collapsed during the 2022 typhoon, making passage impossible and forcing a prolonged closure, but today it has safely reopened 🥹❤️‍🔥 A long-awaited grand opening saw the mayor’s remarks and a ribbon-cutting by honored guests, including Minami-chan, who returned to join the celebration, officially opening the slopes ⛷️✨ Eager skiers and snowboarders who had been waiting for the resort to reopen began to glide down the runs with style, and the landscape of old seemed to be restored once more 😭✨ It’s a deeply moving moment… We hope the resort, a winter symbol of Gokase, will continue to regain its bustle and flourish even more from now on 😌🙏 The season has only just begun! Please come visit Gokase Highland Ski Resort and enjoy the slopes 🤩💫 Gokase Highland Ski Resort Official Website http://www.gokase.co.jp/ski/#...

🍁Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024🍁 Please vote! [Until January 5, 2025!] Thank you very much for the many entries to the “Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024” contest held recently on the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account 🥹✨ We have taken the liberty of conducting a strict first-round selection by the tourism association staff and have chosen 12 entries from all submissions 🤔💡 From these 12 entries, we would like to decide the winners by asking followers of our Instagram account to vote 🤩👏 Please follow the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account (@gokase_kanko), then in the comments of a post with the hashtag #Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024 Vote, choose one of the 12 entries and comment the number of the entry you selected ✍ Voting is limited to one vote per account. [Voting period: Until Sunday, January 5, 2025] [Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account] https://www.instagram.com/gokase_kanko/... Please check the original posts by the entrants before voting 🤗 1 @gokase_pan 2 @kaaazuuu1123 3 @thusandleavis 4 @mitsu_yumi.0520 5 @san.shimako.1105 6 @hiroko.gf1 7 @kaaazuuu1123 8 @niidome2110 9 @sakai_0808 10 @sakai_0808 11 @thusandleavis 12 @naomin168 Ten winners who vote will be selected by lottery to receive specialty products from Gokase Town as a gift 🎁💫 We look forward to your many votes 🥰

Kurara Band Christmas Live 🎄 On Saturday, December 14th, Kurara Band Christmas Live took place at Gion Terrace Kuraraku Multipurpose Hall 😆 This was the third Christmas live, and once again a large crowd came to enjoy the show 😀 Despite the winter chill typical of Kuraoka, the venue buzzed with heat 🔥 as adults and children alike jumped and danced with excitement 😁🎵 It was a concert that brought smiles to everyone who attended, and we look forward to it happening again next year 🥰

Ginji Katsura Rakugo Performance Today, December 15, a rakugo performance by Ginji Katsura, who hails from Nobeoka and is also active in Tokyo, took place🪭✨ This event held the morning show at Kurun and the afternoon show at Kuraokakurara🤗 As a poster, this was my first time seeing live rakugo properly, and I was very excited to watch🤩✨ Rakugo uses almost no props! Performers remain seated, using only a tenugui (hand towel) and a sensu (folding fan), skillfully expressing characters through gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact😯 They make the audience imagine the scene, delivering stories that end with a punchline that makes you laugh out loud🤭 It was truly funny, and I listened with excitement wondering how each punchline would land🤣💫 The scene of eating soba was especially striking. It was incredible—he really made it seem like he was eating. It looked delicious🤤💕 lol In the afternoon, students from Gokase Secondary School also came to watch, and the venue filled with laughter✨ A boy of around five laughed out loud too, and I felt rakugo is a wonderful art that transcends gender and age😳 He kindly agreed to commemorative photos, and both the morning and afternoon shows provided a consistently enjoyable time🥹👏 I hope he will hold another rakugo performance in Gokase soon🤗✨ Thank you very much for today, Ginji Katsura👏👏👏

Ceremony for the Opening of Prefectural Route Taketa–Gokase, Habu Section Today, Friday, December 13, the opening ceremony for the Habu section of the Taketa–Gokase Line took place in the Kuwanouchi area 🤩👏 The Taketa–Gokase Line is an important road that starts in Taketa, Oita Prefecture, passes through Takamori and Takachiho, and ends in Gokase Construction on the Habu section, a part of that route, has been completed, and today’s ceremony marked its opening 👏 First, a Shinto ritual was performed by the priests of Kuwanouchi Shrine and Futono Shrine to celebrate the road’s opening and pray for safety going forward 😌🙏 After that, distinguished guests cut the ribbon, and all the students of Kamigumi Elementary School opened a decorative paper ball, officially opening the road 🎊 Next, as a ceremonial first passage, Kuwanouchi kagura was performed 👹✨ This special kagura is said to be danced only at ceremonies 😳 During the kagura performance, participants released balloons, and many balloons colored the wide blue sky over Kuwanouchi 🎈👋 By the time the rituals concluded, the cold wind that had blown since morning had died down and the sun brought warm, calm weather for the opening ceremony ☀️ We hope the remaining construction is completed smoothly and that everyday life and transportation become more convenient ☺️

Gokase Highland Ski Resort Safety Prayer Ceremony Today, Thursday, December 12, a safety prayer ceremony was held at Gokase Highland Ski Resort, which is set to reopen in eight days for the first time in three years. 🙏✨ Around 60 people boarded shuttle buses from the base to gather, and amid heavy media coverage, a Shinto ritual took place inside the ski center. 😌 The ritual proceeded smoothly, and after offering prayers for the resort’s safety and success, participants toasted together. 🍻 At the post-ceremony gathering, everyone spent a relaxed time, eagerly anticipating the ski area’s opening. 🤗 Along the road up to the resort, snow had accumulated in places, and the slopes were adorned with frost-covered trees that created a magical scene. ❄️✨ When the wind blows, it really is cold, isn’t it? 🥶 I came fully bundled up today, but cold is cold. 🤣 Still, a ski resort should feel like this! Right? 💪❤️‍🔥 Only a little time left until opening. 🤩 Let’s hold on a bit longer and wait with excited anticipation. ✨

[e-Sports Trial Event 🎮] Today (December 10) an "e-Sports Trial Event" took place in the Sakamoto area.💡 At first, many faces looked tense—perhaps from unfamiliar games and the cold—but as the rounds went on people relaxed and smiles grew.😁✨ Some teams shone with individual skill, others with outstanding teamwork, and each team had its own style. The crowd cheered loudly whenever other teams played, creating a lively atmosphere.😆 Hearing comments like "That was fun!" and "Let’s do it again!" made us very happy.😄