Autumn in Taiki Town 2024 At this time of year, you can see beautiful autumn foliage throughout Taiki Town. Top recommended spots include Keiseki Bridge, Sakashita Senkyo, and Kashiwa Park in the town center. ★Kashiwa Trivia The town tree of Taiki, the kashiwa (oak), is a symbol of Tokachi. Once, kashiwa groves spread across Tokachi, but they gradually disappeared as development advanced. Many kashiwa trees that remain here are large and impressive; the kashiwa in Kashiwa Park are said to be between 100 and 200 years old. By the way, even after kashiwa leaves turn color and wither, they often stay on the branches through winter and only fall when spring brings new green leaves.

Title: Paddling the Valleys I photographed a small boat going down the Hozu Gorge from the Hozukyo Observation decks in Kyoto. Shot with a telephoto 400mm, further cropped and enlarged. Shooting date: September 13

I took this photo in mid-August in the nearby river Nakasu! The model is also me! I used a slow shutter to stop the stream of the river and reflect it further.

Saturday, August 17 — National Mountain-Stream Fishing Tournament 🎣🔥 Here’s another fishing tournament story 💪 Today the National Mountain-Stream Fishing Tournament took place on the Mikasokawa tributary of the Gokase River 🤩 This was the second time, following last year 👏 About 70 children and around 100 adults gathered at Mikasokawa — a great turnout 😚 Like at the Kuraoka fishing tournament, I was reminded that fishing is an activity for all ages and genders. So many people were enjoying themselves — it was wonderful 😳✨ This time the children also had a fish-catching event where they grabbed fish by hand 😆 Surprisingly, eels were mixed in, so both kids and the adults watching were fired up 🔥🔥🔥 The vibe was “Bring one back for sure!” 🤣 haha After the excitement there was weighing and an awards ceremony 🏆✨ There were awards for highest total catch from 1st to 3rd place, plus a separate big-fish prize 🙌 The 1st-place total-catch winner landed 4.16 kg of fish 🎉👏 That’s a bit more than two 2-liter PET bottles worth of fish 😲‼ Amazing 👏 Congratulations to the champion 😆💕 The big-fish prize went to a second-year junior high student who caught a hefty 34 cm fish and placed admirably 🤩 Where could such a big fish have been hiding?! Congratulations 🥳👏 The raffle afterward featured a row of luxurious prizes 🫢 With kids and adults smiling, the fishing tournament wrapped up 🙌 Now that Obon and the fishing tournament are over, the weather is slowly starting to cool… When it’s hot you want summer to end quickly, but once you sense its end you feel a bit wistful 😌 Let’s stay well and keep going strong despite Obon fatigue and the heat 🕺✨

Thursday, August 15 — Fishing Tournament in Kuraoka District🎣🔥 Today, Thursday, August 15, a fishing tournament took place in the Kuraoka district👏 About 350 kg of yamame and rainbow trout were released into the river🐟 The event opened with a fishing class for children🥳 The kids picked things up incredibly fast, and the adults watching around them kept saying, “Wow, this isn’t just ‘they’re good’… their casting spots are perfect…” in amazement🤣🤣🤣 The fish the children caught were grilled and eaten right away, just enough for each family🤤💕Fresh fish they had caught themselves must have tasted extra delicious🥰 After that came the adult fishing tournament💪! Veterans who know all the best spots and techniques kept reeling fish in one after another😯👏Truly impressive… They put away the caught fish so quickly that it was hard to capture good photos😂 While the adults fished earnestly, there was also a grab-and-catch contest for children…🫳🐟 Kids grabbed the slippery fish non-stop until there were none left, and some families ended up taking home full plastic bags of fish😂 Older elementary and middle school kids seemed put off by the sliminess, so the smaller children fearlessly caught the most — which was amusing to watch🤭✨ By midday, even the adults had nets full of fish🤣 The day ended with a raffle for luxurious prizes like sweets, daily necessities, and sake👏 This summer event, a family-friendly fishing tournament at the end of Obon, must have given participants a wonderful summer memory😌🌻

Miyazaki Prefecture Gokasecho Experience: Rental Tent Sauna Enjoy Gokase’s nature in a tent sauna!! You can rent a tent sauna in Gokasecho. Would you like to enjoy a sauna whenever you want, wherever you want, with whomever you choose? Assembling the tent sauna is simple! The stove is iron, so the temperature rises in no time! You can even do löyly (steam poured on hot stones), leaving your mind and body refreshed! Detailed instructions for assembling the tent sauna are on Instagram at @kikor_i78. Come experience the ultimate relaxation, or “totonou,” in Gokase! Fees: Tent and stove rental ・Weekdays 10,000 yen / Holidays 12,000 yen ・Relaxation chair 500 yen Contact ・Instagram: @kikor_i78 ・Phone: 070-2381-0320 (available only from 5:00–7:00 p.m.)

Miyazaki Prefecture, Gokasecho Experiences: Soyokyo Lake SUP Half-Day Tour Enjoy a half-day SUP tour around the scenic reservoir framed by the green slopes of Soyokyo. This plan is suitable even for first-timers and includes a coffee break along the way! Note: Available from April through October Price Adult (junior high school and older) 6,000 yen Elementary school student 4,500 yen Dog 1,500 yen Note: Elementary school students must be accompanied by a guardian Participation fee includes accident insurance and SUP equipment rental Meeting point and times Meeting times Session 1: Meet at 9:30 — Finish at 12:00 Session 2: Meet at 13:00 — Finish at 15:30 Meeting place Soyō Branch Office, Yamato Town, Kamimashiki District, Kumamoto Prefecture Address: 500 Ima, Yamato Town, Kamimashiki District, Kumamoto Prefecture Reservation Contact: Shizenya Kawajin (email: ag1967@gray.plala.or.jp)

Miyazaki Prefecture Gokasecho Experience: Soyokyo Canyon Canoe Tour This half-day plan lets you leisurely paddle a canoe around the scenic reservoir surrounded by the green of Soyokyo. It’s suitable for first-timers and includes a coffee break along the way! ※Season: March to November Price ・Adult (junior high school and older) 6,000 yen ・Elementary school student 4,500 yen ・Toddler 2,500 yen ・Dog 1,500 yen ※Toddlers from around age 2; toddlers and elementary students must be accompanied by a guardian ※Participation fee includes accident insurance and canoe equipment rental. Meeting place and time ・Meeting times [1st session] Meet 9:30 — End 12:00 [2nd session] Meet 13:00 — End 15:30 ・Meeting place “Yamato Town Soyou Branch Office,” Yamato Town, Kamimashiki District, Kumamoto Prefecture (500 Ima, Yamato Town, Kamimashiki District, Kumamoto Prefecture) Booking Shizenya Kawajin (email: ag1967@gray.plala.or.jp)

August 4 (Sunday) Rekifune River Clear-Stream Festival takes place! The summer highlight of Taiki Town, the Rekifune River Clear-Stream Festival, will be held on August 4. During the day, enjoy a character show, prize draws, food stalls, gold panning experiences, yamabe (landlocked salmon) fishing, and many other fun activities! In the evening, the festival builds to its climax with the Perpune Fire Festival, where towering columnar bonfires seem to reach the sky, followed by an impressive fireworks display. Date and time: Sunday, August 4, 11:00– Venue: Rekifune River, riverbank upstream of Taiki Bridge Stage event schedule 11:00–11:10 Opening ceremony 11:20–11:50 Taiki Town street dance circle 12:00–12:50 Kamen Rider Gatchard & Geats 13:00–14:10 Taiki Town Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association Lychee Seed Spitting Contest 14:20–15:10 Kamen Rider Gatchard & Geats 15:40–16:20 Keishi Tanaka acoustic live performance 16:30–17:30 Prize draw 18:00–19:10 Houto (ceremonial lanterns) and Perpune Fire Festival 19:10–19:20 Hikata River Taiko drumming 19:30–21:00 Doshin Fireworks Display

It is a hankai grass that blooms in a mountain stream. I tried to express the stream of water with a slow shutter.

[Cycling Guided Tour – Night Tour 1‑Night Plan & Forest Road Activity Plan] On Day 1, cycle to a farm and harvest vegetables. Hand the vegetables you harvested to a BBQ specialist. Enjoy drinks at your accommodation, Toyo Terrace, while savoring an exquisite barbecue course dinner. On Day 2, base yourself at Nodataira Campground for activities. Walk to Daimyōjinbuchi (a pothole) and enjoy grown‑up riverside fun. After that, return to Nodataira Campground for a paella cooking experience. Fill a large pot with plenty of seafood and cook it together with rice. Relish the superb paella and spend a relaxed time at the campground. Over the two days, this guided tour lets you fully enjoy Toyooka Village’s food, scenery, and activities. Toyooka Travel Time accepts bookings for tours like this at any time. We will create a custom tour that combines Toyooka Village’s offerings to suit each guest, so please consult with us! Contact Toyooka Travel Time 0265-49-3395 (9:00–18:00)

IZU GLAMPING RESORT Ishiki 385 It is a luxury Restrooms available glamping facilities that suddenly appears in the Nature of Nishi-Izu. A 500-year-old Yoshino cedar sacred tree sits on the main deck, where you can enjoy private BBQ and bonfires. The internet environment is also in place, so it is ideal for workation. Plunge into the Clear streams on the premises in the 100°C Sauna and adjust your body while admiring the starry sky. We will provide you with the best extraordinary space. ■Address 385 Isshiki, Nishi-Izu Town, Kamo-gun, Shizuoka ■ Phone 0558-36-4200

WASABI VILLAGE - Adult's Secret Base It is a glamping facility where you can enjoy the four seasons and the starry sky in Nature with the theme of "Secret Base for Adults". Accommodating up to 6 people, the mobile House has a wooden deck, BBQ grill and Swedish wood-burning open-air bath. ■Address Ukusu, Nishi-Izu Town, Kamo-gun, Shizuoka 2745-1 Sagano ■ Phone 0558-36-3773

Mibusawa Fudo Falls A beautiful waterfall with a drop of about 17 meters that plunges in a straight line. Revered as sacred water since ancient times, it has long served as a place for ascetic training and ritual purification. The Fudo Myoo statue standing to the left of the falls is said to have been invited from Naritasan in Shimousa Province in Kyōhō 18 (1733). Along with the waterfall, it drew the devotion of many people, and festivals once attracted large numbers of worshippers from nearby villages. A rainmaking legend is also associated with the site. The two stone Buddhist figures standing in front of the Fudo Myoo statue are Kongara Doji (left) and Seitaka Doji (right). They were erected in Shōwa 9 (1934) to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the statue’s enshrinement. At the same time, a silkworm-dedication deity (Kintama-hime), a stone monument inscribed with a poem by Matsuo Taseko, and a commemorative monument engraved by Chizan Kitahara were also installed. A gift of Senior Fifth Rank: a poem by Matsuo Taseko Manse mo taenu nagare ya Mibusawa no Taki no shiraito kurikaeshitsu (The river’s flow goes on through the ages; the white threads of Mibusawa Falls repeat themselves) Details for Mibusawa Fudo Falls Parking A few cars can park on the roadside shoulder Toilets None Other It is about a five-minute walk along a footpath from the parking area. Contact Toyooka Travel Time (0265-49-3395)

Nishina River It is known as a clear streams that preserves nature, and during the season, it is crowded with anglers such as Yamame and sweetfish fishing. It can be purchased at fishing tackle stores in In the town. In addition, during the season when sweetfish fry go upstream, you can also enjoy Sea bass fishing near the mouth of the Nishina River. How do you like it? a challenge? 【Fishing Information】 03/01~10/31 Mountain stream fishing Yamame, Amago 06/01~12/31 Sweetfish fishing bait fishing 8/10~ 06/01~09/30 Eel 06/01~03/31 Squid * If you want to fish, you need a recreational fishing license. 【Ayu Fishing Recreational Fishing Fee】 One-day ticket: 1,000 yen / One-year: 6,000 yen 【Mountain stream fishing bait fishing, tenkara, lure fishing recreational fishing fee】 One-day ticket: 1,000 yen / One-year: 6,000 yen 【Squid Fishing Recreational Fishing Fee】 One-day ticket: 300 yen / One year: 2,000 yen ■Address Nishina, Nishi-Izu Town, Kamo-gun, Shizuoka

\Canoeing experience in Nayoro City, Hokkaido/ Nayoro City is streamed by the Teshiogawa River, which is a Hokkaido heritage site. The Tenshio River, which is the fourth longest river in Japan, is one of the attractions of the magnificent scenery surrounded by untouched nature. Why don't you take a relaxing canoe ride on the Tenshio River? It's a guided tour with rental items, so both beginners and kids can enjoy it! Period: June ~ September For inquiries, please contact: NPO Nayoro Sightseeing & Town Planning Association 01654-9-6711 If you want to enjoy the outdoors and activities, please come and visit!

The Hidaka River, which streams through the Dragon God district of Wakayama Prefecture, and hydrangeas added color.

I went to photograph the waterfall, but I couldn't help but be fascinated. The moss and greenery that are densely attached to the entire tree are easy on the eyes and soothing.

It is the morning of the Koza River in Wakayama Prefecture. It was a quiet time with fresh greenery and morning haze.

Nayoro Tourism Volunteer Association Workshop 【Exploring the mountains and Sansai in spring】 At the Nayoro Sightseeing volunteer Association, we will hold a workshop to take a walk in the forest of the city with a guide and collect Sansai and cook it during this Spring season! The participation fee is 1,500 yen and the capacity is limited to 25 people, so if you would like to participate, please ♪ apply as soon as possible Applications can be made by e-mail. MAIL:nayoro-volunteer@nayoro-kankou.com * When applying by e-mail, please enter the following information. 1 Name furigana 2 Date of birth 3 Phone number 4 Address 5 Allergies, etc. ◆Notes◆ 1 Sansai harvesting baskets, scissors, and cooking utensils are available for rent. 2 Please dress according to the weather. It is desirable to wear clothes that cover the skin. 3 We do not provide dishes other than Sansai, so we recommend that you Bring your own with light meals such as rice balls. 5 Reception on the day of the event will be held from 8:45 a.m. Hot spring in front of the Sun Pillar Barbecue House. For more information and to apply, please see the flyer!

Clear streams in Wakayama Prefecture were canoeed down the river, and many people were enjoying the fresh green season.

The remaining snow Zao mountain ranges and Ichimoku Senbonzakura It is a famous place for cherry blossoms that has been selected as a "100 best cherry blossom viewing spots land" in Japan. About 1,200 cherry blossom trees stretch along the banks of the Shiroishi River for about 8 km, and in 2023 Reiwa 5, we were able to celebrate exactly 100 years since the tree was planted. I took this photo in the same place last year, and no matter how many times I visit, the scenery is still exciting.

Shiraishi River Embankment Ichimoku Senbonzakura Rows of cherry blossom trees along the Shiroishi River and the Zao mountain ranges with residual snow I have seen various rows of cherry blossom trees, but the cherry blossom trees that stretch for 8 kilometers along the Shiroishi River were a masterpiece.

It starts from the J raft descent in Kitayama Village, an enclave in Wakayama Prefecture, from Golden Week. Please enjoy this spectacular view and thrill.

There were many carp streamers raised in the Tanyu River, which flows through Kudoyama Town, Wakayama Prefecture, and they were swimming comfortably in the spring breeze.

- Outdoor Field in Taiki Town - A video showcasing Taiki Town’s natural beauty and outdoor activities, produced mainly by the local revitalization team in charge of outdoor promotion, has been completed! It introduces a variety of activities you can enjoy in Taiki Town year-round, including birdwatching, fishing, gold panning, and wakasagi (pond smelt) fishing. The video is posted on Taiki Town’s official YouTube channel, so please search for it!

It is a western mustard that blooms along the embankment of the Kino River, a first-class river in Wakayama Prefecture.

Spring MAX! This one captures the dynamic sky, cherry blossoms, reflections, and flower rafts on a spring day in the best location last year. Uda City, Nara Prefecture April 2023

Nestled along the banks of the Arashiyama River in Kyoto, a scene unfolds that whispers of Japan's timeless beauty and rich heritage. Here, where the past meets the present, the leaves of the trees sway in the breeze and gently cascade onto the water's surface like delicate memories. The river, a silent witness to centuries gone by, reflects the vibrant hues of the foliage and the graceful curves of the ancient bridge of Togetsu-kyo. This photograph is not just a snapshot in time but a promise to preserve these views of Japan's serene landscapes for the future, ensuring that the essence of this magical place endures for generations to come..

Tateyama Town, Toyama Prefecture The yellow and red autumn leaves, the blue sky, and the crystal clear white waterfall were very beautiful