Mairi Sandera in Hida Furukawa 2022.01.15 In Hida Furukawa, the unique traditional custom "Sanji Mairi", which has been going on for more than 200 years, is a place to visit three temples in the In the town: Yen Temple, Shinshuji Temple, and Honkoji Temple on the night of January 15 every year in memory of the blessings of Shinran Saint. On this day, 1,000 candles are lined up along the Seto River, and the lights reflected on the surface of the river are very beautiful, and you can enjoy a heartwarming scene. In addition, snow sculptures and candles boasting a height of 2 meters are lined up in the town.

Did you remember how good it looked?

Call for participants for ♪ the "Yamahiko Falls Night Tour" The 28-meter-high Yamabiko Falls freezes in the middle of winter and becomes a huge icicle. Enjoy a Light up and fantastic figure. ◇Held in date and time Saturday, January 18, Saturday, February 1, Saturday, March 1 17:30~18:30 each day ◇ Meeting point Yamabiko Hot Spring Car Parking Lot *Please register at least 15 minutes in advance. ◇ Number of applicants and participation fee First 40 people each day, junior high school students and older: 2,000 yen, elementary school students: 1,000 yen (including guide fee and insurance fee) ◇ How to apply December 16 (Mon) 8:45 a.m. ~ Reservations start Please apply by Phone. ◇Other Please dress appropriately for the cold. There are cancellation in case of bad weather. Application / Inquiries Engaru Town Marusebu General Branch　 Phone: 0158-47-2211

"Hold on! Play! ｣

Mt. Fuji from Hirabayashi, Fujikawa Town The Hirabayashi area, where terraced rice fields spread, is one of the 100 views of Fujimi in the Kanto region Selected

Overnight Castle Snow Scenery Castles and snow look good Sumimata Towns, Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture

Asiri Rui: "Hooray! ｣ It is full of energy even in the snow!

The 13th Azumino Kamiakari Bamboo Lantern Festival Friday–Sunday, December 6–8, 2024 About 10,000 bamboo lanterns will be lit one by one, warming and brightening the cold winter nights The gentle glow of candles will warm your heart as well Lighting hours: 16:00–around 20:00 Venue: Hotaka Shrine Open lighting ceremony for everyone (Participants are asked to bring a lighter for lighting by 16:00.) *Lighters for lighting will be sold on site.* ● Kagura Hall Live Performance A lively live show will be held to energize the event ● Special Hotaka Ningyo Kamiakari Display A special stage unique to this year’s kamiakari will be exhibited in the Kita Shrine Garden ● Kamiakari Goshuin (Kamiakari commemorative seal) During the kamiakari event, from 16:00 to around 20:00, a special goshuin will be available only at this time. A customary offering of 500 yen is required. Concurrent Event / Azumino Terrace Dec 6–8 “Rice and Sake MARKET” 15:00–20:00 Food trucks and delicious-treat tents gather in one place! A warm rest tent with a stove will also be available.

Winter in Shirakawa Township Photo taken on 2022.02.26 Shooting from the Hagijo Observation decks Since it was free, chronic traffic jams began to occur due to Car parking for long periods of time, so parking spaces are currently Car Closed in Hagigi Observation decks. The usual parking lot near the Village Car closes in the evening, so I had to Accommodation to the Village and walk up to the Observation decks to take this view. You can also use paid coin parking, so it would be nice to be able to go by Car.

【Star Photography Workshop Held on November 30】 We held a star photography workshop again this year to introduce the villagers to the beautiful night sky of Minamimaki Village, one of Japan’s three top stargazing spots.📋✏️ We photographed the stars at the Nobeyama Radio Observatory, a facility that is usually closed at night.📡📷 Thanks to photographer Teruyasu Kitayama’s instruction on shooting techniques and the generous loan of a high-performance camera from OM Digital Solutions Corporation, even an amateur like me could capture beautiful images.😚 The air has turned clear and it’s the perfect season for star photography, but Minamimaki Village’s cold is on another level.🥶 Please dress warmly when you come.🧣🧤

Diamond dust Kirigamine seen for the first time The view seen in the temperature of -15 degrees Celsius. In Kirigamine, if the conditions are good, you can see "fog ice", "diamond dust" and "sun pillar". "Frost" refers to ice that appears white when supercooled fog or water vapor adheres to tree branches. "Diamond dust" is a phenomenon in which ice crystals formed by the sublimation of water vapor in the atmosphere fall. It is a view that can only be seen in the cold Squid.

Autumn in Gokase: Peak Season Now! Josenji With only one calendar page left and autumn foliage ending in most places, surprisingly Josenji is now at its peak 😳🍁 It was cloudy when I took the photos, but the deep, vivid reds stood out and looked incredibly beautiful 🥹✨ While leaves are fading elsewhere, are the trees at Josenji a late-foliage variety? Or is it due to local environmental factors? I’m not sure, as I don’t know the details… In any case, I never expected to see such stunning autumn colors in December 😳👏 Please stop by and enjoy them for yourself 🤗✨

Photo taken on December 1st The autumn leaves at Atami Plum Garden are now at their peak! The garden has about 380 maple trees, and perhaps because of the mild climate they usually change color from late November through December, earning the reputation of being "the latest autumn leaves in Japan." Early-blooming plum trees have already started flowering since mid-October, so searching for plum blossoms while enjoying the autumn foliage is a unique Atami experience. During the Momiji Festival, the annual footbath opens, the Atami Plum Garden Momiji Festival Photo Contest is held, and the Momiji Light-Up takes place, among other events. Event period / November 16 to December 8, 2024 Hours / Light-up (every night during the event) 4:30 PM–9:00 PM Venue / Atami Plum Garden (8-11 Ume-enzaka, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture) Phone / 0557-85-2222 Organizer / Atami City Tourism Association Access / ■ From JR Atami Station, take the bus bound for Ainobara Danchi for about 15 minutes and get off at "Ume-en" ■ From Atami Station, take the Ito Line about 3 minutes to Kinomiya Station, then walk about 10 minutes Admission / Free Parking / 100 spaces in front of the plum garden (open only during the event) (Weekdays) 9:00 AM–5:00 PM (Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) 8:30 AM–5:00 PM Standard car 300 yen · Motorcycle & bicycle 100 yen · Microbus 1000 yen

It was snowing and we were having fun!

Light up of Nagoya's Swans Garden I used white balance to create a refreshing blue photo.

Autumn leaves in Sorakuen Gardens

I took an aerial photo of Mt. Yoshino with a drone. Mt. Yoshino is famous for its thousand cherry blossoms. Autumn leaves are also beautiful in autumn. Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture "Mt. Yoshino" 2024/11

Minoh Waterfall Road to Minoh Oodaru

[🍁Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024 Photo Submission Showcase — Part 6—🍁] Here we introduce works posted to the “#Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024” contest held on the Instagram account of Gokase Tourism Association! @gokase_pan

【🍁Gokase Autumn Foliage 2024 Photo Contest Entries — Part 5🍁】 Here we showcase works posted to the “#Gokase Autumn Foliage 2024” held on the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account. @thusandleavis様

🍁 Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024 Photo Contest Entries — Part 4 🍁 Here we introduce works posted to the "#Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024" contest held on the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account! @mitsu_yumi.0520 @naomin168 @niidome2110 (in no particular order)

🍁 Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024 Photo Submissions — Part 3 🍁 Here we showcase photos posted to the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account for the “#Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024” event! @donguri223103 @san.shimako.1105 @kaaazuuu1123 @kickcamp_with_jimny (in no particular order)

[🍁 Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024 Photo Submissions — Part 2 🍁] Here are works posted to the “#Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024” event on the Gokase Tourism Association’s Instagram account! @hiroko.gf1 @gokase_pan @miyazaki_212449 (in no particular order)

🍁 Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024 Photo Contest — Featured Entries, Part 1 🍁 Here we introduce works posted to the Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024 contest held on the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account! @sakai_0808 @cycle_onlineshop (in no particular order)

⛩ Gion Shrine Niiname Festival and Final Kagura Performance 👹 On November 23rd, the Niiname Festival and the final kagura performance were held at Gion Shrine in the Kuraoka district.⛩ First a Shinto ceremony took place, followed by a kagura dedication at the kagura hall.👹 Today we welcomed visitors from overseas and guests who came from Tokyo.😮 The gingko trees at Gion Shrine had turned color, creating a carpet of yellow.😆✨ Gokase Town is getting colder, and it looks like winter is finally arriving.⛄

[Searching for Autumn in Gokase] November 19 A little late, but I went looking for autumn around Gokase and am sharing some photos📸✨ Photo 1 / Shirataki Falls Photo 2 / From the bridge on the way to Unoko Falls viewing point Photo 3 / From Yūhi no Sato Ohashi (Sunset Village Bridge) Photos 4 and 5 / Near the torii at Myoken Shrine

Ikuta Shrine. I found autumn.

Autumn leaves frame The thirteen-storied pagoda is surrounded by maples. Anyway, it's beautiful, so it's definitely a Spot you want to visit in autumn. Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture "Tanzan Shrine" 2024/11/28

On Thursday, November 28, the blooming of the "Himalaya cherry" in Shinsui Park was confirmed. (Photo taken November 29) Of the two trees, the one facing the sea has begun to bloom, and only the uppermost part is flowering. Other buds are swelling, so more blooms are expected soon. This cherry is a rare variety that typically blooms from late November through December, producing delicate pale pink flowers. In Atami City, the parent tree stands on a slope near Atami High School, and young trees are scattered around Shinsui Park, Tsukimigaoka Park, the Sakura Scenic Walk, Nagahama Seaside Park, and other locations. The parent tree originates from seeds of the “Himalaya zakura” that were presented to former Crown Prince (later King) Birendra of Nepal during his study at the University of Tokyo. In August 1967, when he visited Ito City, the Atami Botanical Friends Association offered seeds of Atami cherries and plums. In return, seeds of the Himalaya zakura were sent from Nepal in May 1968 and sown and grown in July of the same year at the municipal farm in Shimotaga, Atami City. Against the cold sky, the modestly blooming cherry is very beautiful. Himalaya cherry A deciduous tall tree that grows in temperate to subtropical zones around the Himalayas. It blooms in November–December with reddish flowers; petals measure 8–13 mm in length and the flowers are rich in nectar. Scientific name: Prunus cerasoides Family: Rosaceae Genus: Prunus Origin: Nepal Number of trees (as of November 2019): 49 in total ・Slope near Atami High School (parent tree, 1): Kamitaga, Atami City ・Tsukimigaoka Park (1): Shimotaga, Atami City ・Shinsui Park (2): beside the first parking lot of Shinsui Park, Nagisa-cho, Atami City ・Beside Taga Junior High School gymnasium (2): Shimotaga, Atami City ・Sakura Scenic Walk (14): Kamitaga, Atami City ・Nagahama Seaside Park (29): Kamitaga, Atami City Inquiries: Atami City Parks and Greenery Division Phone 0557-86-6218 At Atami Plum Garden, autumn colors will soon be at their peak, and early-blooming plums have been flowering since October, so right now you can see autumn leaves, plums, and cherries in Atami at the same time.

Have you all been feeling tired lately??? It may be a little early, but why not plan an evening with friends, partners, or family to see a nationally designated Important Cultural Property lit up? In December, we will illuminate Katakura-kan in Suwa for six days across three weekends (Dec. 7–8, 14–15, and 21–22, 2024)! Katakura-kan is a nationally designated Important Cultural Property and served as a filming location for the famous hot spring film *Thermae Ro◯e* (title partially obscured in the original). Wild eel is actually in season right now, and there is a traditional cold 'doyō' period in January (寒の土用), which locals note. Here’s a suggested plan: 1. Enjoy eel in the Suwa–Okaya area 2. See Katakura-kan illuminated 3. Unwind and refresh from everyday fatigue and stress at Kamisuwa Onsen. Oh—don’t forget to book your accommodation! ・Period: December 7–8 (Sat–Sun), December 14–15 (Sat–Sun), and December 21–22 (Sat–Sun), 2024. ・Time: 17:00–20:00 * Bathing hours at Katakura-kan end at 20:00. Last admission is at 19:30.