Every February I go to Kushiro to see red-crowned cranes and the SL Winter Shitsugen train. The courtship dance of the red-crowned cranes, especially visible at the feeding grounds in Kushiro Shitsugen, reaches its peak in February. In the harsh winter snowfields I was able to see the males and females leap and spread their wings in a courtship dance that truly looks like dancing once again this year.

Today I attended the Kigen-sai at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. Kigen-sai is a festival that celebrates the accession of Emperor Jimmu, considered Japan’s first emperor, in 660 BC.

Event Announcement📣 On Saturday, February 14th, Roadside Station Ashoro Galaxy Hall 21 hosts "Wood Candle Night 2026" 😊 The day features wood education workshops such as ogacolor and deer-hide leather craft, plus a wooden toy corner where visitors can touch, play with, and make wooden items 🎵 You can also enjoy a food area, chocolate fondue with toasted marshmallows and strawberries, a collaboration café by Coffee Zamaya and an antique shop, and a mini concert by the duo Liricamente 😍 On this sacred night—Valentine’s Day—come to Roadside Station Ashoro Galaxy Hall lit by ice candles and illuminations 🤗 ❤️ At the Youth Section booth of the Town Employees’ Labor Union, donors will receive a complimentary cocoa. https://www.town.ashoro.hokkaido.jp/kanko/news/2026/wood2026.html...

2026 Ice and Snow Lantern Festival February 7, 2026 Nakatsugawa City, Magome inn (Magome-juku) Within the Magome post town, around Fujimura Memorial Hall

2026 Ice and Snow Lantern Festival February 6–7, 2026 Kiso town Fukushima inn, from Kisofukushima Station to the former Nakasendo area

2026 Ice and Snow Lantern Festival February 3, Shiojiri City, Narai inn (Narai-juku) Entire Narai-juku

2026 Ice and Snow Lantern Festival February 1, 2026 — Niekawa-juku, Shiojiri City (within the Niekawa post town)

2026 Kiso Road Ice and Snow Lantern Festival January 24, 2026 Kiso town Hiyoshi Miyanokoshi Around Miyanokoshi-shuku Honjin

Photographed on January 23, 2014. Omiya Hikawa Shrine, an ema (votive plaque) for the Year of the Horse. 🐎 I enjoyed the winter break to the fullest. 😊

Photographed on January 23, 2014. I moved from Kanda Myōjin Shrine to Taiwan Tea House e‑one in Omiya. The Friday lunch menu is the Taiwan Railway pork cutlet bento. Paigu refers to a pork cutlet, and bok choy 🥬 sits atop the rice. The meal includes a salad, soup, and Tieguanyin tea.

Photographed on January 23, 2014. This is a lucky beckoning cat talisman from Kanda Myōjin Shrine. 🐈

Event Announcement 📣 From February 11 to February 14, 2026, Nakasatsunaimura will host “Snow Art Village Nakasatsunai 2026” for four days 😊 You can view the expansive snow art that local snow artist and AOILO Inc. representative Tomohiro Kajiyama creates on the snowy plain from a special 8-meter-high yagura viewing platform 🎵 Please enjoy this snow-made art that you can only see in the art village of Nakasatsunai 🤗 📍Dates: Wednesday, February 11, 2026 ▶ Saturday, February 14, 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM *Canceled in severe weather; event dates may change depending on snowfall conditions 📍Venue: Nakasatsunai Cultural Creation Center and surrounding special event sites 🔶 Indoor Event Venue (Nakasatsunai Cultural Creation Center) 📍 Snow Art Video Screening We will screen past snow art works and footage of the making process. 📍 Snow Art Panel Exhibition (Entrance) A collection of past works shot by drone will be on display 🎶 Explore the history of Snow Art Village Nakasatsunai! https://kankou-nakasatsunai.com/event-list/page-3619/...

Photographed on January 23, 2014. This is the Shishiyama at Kanda Myōjin Shrine.

Photographed on January 23, 2014. This is Sukuna Hikona, the enshrined deity of Kanda Myōjin Shrine.

Photographed on January 23, 2014. I visited Kanda Myōjin Shrine during the winter holidays. Akari Jinba looked sleepy. 🐴

Photographed on February 6, 2014. These are the red plum blossoms at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.🌸 Spring is approaching, but it is snowing today and quite cold.

Photographed on February 7, 2014. The 19th Koedo Kawagoe Amateur Chindon Festival took place.

Photo taken on February 2, 2014. This is a hanachōzu (flower basin) from Hara Florist.

Photographed on February 1, 2014. This is a black latte from LEC COFFEE and a chocolate Basque cheesecake.

Photographed on February 1, 2014. This is a black latte from LEC COFFEE. It features very beautiful latte art.☕️✨

Good morning ☀ #This morning in Tsukigase Tsukigase Plum Valley Plum Festival February 14, 2026 to March 29, 2026

Photographed on February 1, 2014. This is a chocolate Basque cheesecake from LEC COFFEE.

Reihoku Sunset Marche — February Announcement📣 Hello everyone! With the season full of events like ehomaki and Setsubun, here is the announcement for the Reihoku Sunset Marche in February♪ 👀 Highlights of this Sunset Marche 👀 ❣ Reihoku Sunset Marche will offer agricultural products, processed goods, and prepared foods from Reihokumachi, including bagged mikan (tangerines) for sale🍊. This time, a kitchen car from Ninoya Amakusa will also be on site offering ikinari dango❣ We look forward to seeing you 😊 Don’t forget to bring your own shopping bag🛍✨ Items expected for sale ・Cauliflower ・Pumpkin🎃 ・Cabbage ・Cucumber🥒 ・Rice🌾 ・Taro ・Shiitake (log-grown) ・Potatoes🥔 ・New onions🧅 ・Tomatoes (Aiko, mini) ・Broccoli🥦 ・Green peppers ・Beni Haruka (sweet potato variety) ・Ponkan ・Mikan🍊 (bagged) ・Lettuce (sunny) 🥦🍅🥕🍠🥬🧅🫑🌽🌶🫛🍆🫚🥔 Reihoku Sunset Marche Date: Sunday, February 8 — 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM Location: Amakusa Reihoku Tourist Association (reihoku town products hall facility, 4535-1 Kamitsufukae, Reihokumachi)

Photographed on February 1, 2014. This is the quiche plate from LEC COFFEE. It features a spinach, chicken, and basil quiche, homemade pork ham with salad, a white vegetable potage, and homemade bread. The basil gives off a lovely aroma. 😊

Photographed on January 31, 2014. This is the hanatemizu (flower water basin) at the omikuji distribution booth of Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

Event Announcement 📣 On Saturday, February 7, 2026, Memuro Town’s big winter event, Ice Candle Night, welcomes visitors 😊 About 2,500 ice candles will light up Meimuro Park, creating a soft, glowing atmosphere 😍 The venue offers a variety of attractions, including Tokachi Pro Wrestling, a strike-out game, footbaths, and handheld fireworks. Fireworks will be launched from 7:30 PM to brighten the winter night sky ✨ Enjoy a space shaped by winter’s cold, where beautiful ice and warm light come together 🤗 📍Date and Time: Saturday, February 7, 2026, 1:30 PM–8:30 PM 📍Location: Meimuro Park 📞Contact: Memuro Town Roadside Station TEL: 0155-66-6522 https://town.tonxton.com/event/hyotoya2026/...

"Come to Miyoshi Town and stop by ‘Yorinsai♪’" Let us introduce Yorinsai, a diner on Miyoshi-machi Ishidatami Street. The name uses a dialect often heard in Miyoshi. It means "feel free to drop in." 😊 This cozy spot welcomes not only locals but also visitors touring the area.✨ It is run by members of the Miyoshi City Silver Human Resources Center. The menu features home-cooked set meals, noodles, and prepared dishes made largely with seasonal vegetables from Miyoshi. Daily side dishes offer a comforting, nostalgic home-cooked taste.😋 Child-friendly tableware is available, and on sunny days the outdoor tables are recommended. The signature "Spicy Udon" is a one-of-a-kind creation born from a collaboration with Egusa Store.✨ Its vivid red broth leaves a strong impression, with savory flavor and lingering heat. Orders are taken by hand and payment is cash only. 💰 "You may have to wait a little sometimes, but we do our best—relax and take your time." Warm, personal interactions between people are a special part of this place’s charm.😊 "Hearing customers say, ‘That was delicious! I’ll come again,’ is our greatest encouragement." This is a place where you can feel the warmth and spirit of the people of Miyoshi. When you visit Miyoshi Town, be sure to stop by Yorinsai! Yorinsai @yorinsai12_sc Address: 1550-2 Miyoshi-machi, Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture Open: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday Hours: 10:00–14:00 Phone: 0824-63-8500 Other: Payment is cash only. *The dishes shown were available at the time of posting."

#021 [Tourist Spot Feature Part 4 ✨] Introducing one of Tsunocho’s landmarks, Roadside Station Tsuno! Roadside Station Tsuno sits along Route 10 in Tsunocho and buzzes with visitors every day. Look around the parking lot and you’ll be surprised to see mostly out-of-prefecture license plates on the cars and trucks. Although it fills with travelers and drivers, the station is actually still relatively new. Roadside Station Tsuno opened on July 31, 2013, the day before Tsuno Shrine Summer Festival, the town’s signature celebration. From the moment it opened, it welcomed many guests and contributed greatly to Tsunocho’s growth. Its location on National Route 10 helps draw crowds, but there are other reasons too. Those reasons are its low prices and its facilities. Roadside Station Tsuno has even ranked third in past Miyazaki Prefecture roadside station listings, a sign of its strong reputation. First, about the low prices: items are noticeably cheaper than usual. That’s because products come straight from local producers. Skipping middlemen lets vendors sell at lower prices. By the way, I also buy vegetables and fruit at Roadside Station Tsuno. Next, the facilities. While they haven’t changed much since opening, the station offers a well-equipped product area, a food court, an information and rest corner, a nursing room, and restrooms with diaper-changing stations. Having diaper-changing tables is especially helpful for families with young children. The information and rest corner holds flyers and posters about Tsunocho and attractions across the prefecture. In the food court you’ll find Fukuura Cafeteria, famous for its seafood bowls; Osuzu‑an, serving jidori chicken soba; Ichido ramen; and a soft-serve ice cream stand. I love ramen, so I often eat here. The product area is naturally very popular, offering seasonal vegetables and fruit. At this time of year you’ll see many mandarins, strawberries, and cabbage on display. Isn’t having well-equipped facilities something very important for visitors? Whether you’ve never been to Roadside Station Tsuno or you’ve visited before, please come and see it for yourself.

Photographed on January 31, 2014. These are the floral water displays at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

Photographed on January 31, 2014. This is the hanachozu (flower water basin) at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.