🍽️♨️🐚 Kawayu Onsen Akkeshi Clam Fair Starts in March At three ryokan affiliated with the inn association (Oyado Kinkiyu Annex Suikazura, Kawayu Kanko Hotel, KKR Kawayu), original clam dishes will be served at dinner or breakfast during the fair. Enjoy hearty, flavorful large clams and revive your spirits—eat clams to recharge! Soak in the hot springs to revive yourself, too♨️✨

[Held at Hakata Station] Announcing the Amakusa Reihoku “Area Dual Residency Experience Exchange Event” and the Ohisama Marche, packed with the charms of Amakusa Reihoku! On Sunday, February 8, 2026, the big event “Learn About Amakusa: Amakusa Reihoku Area Dual Residency Experience Exchange Event,” where you can experience the attractions of Reihoku with all five senses, will take place at Hakata Station Square, Fukuoka’s gateway! The Amakusa Reihoku Tourist Association will also bring our proud local specialties to enliven the Ohisama Marche booth. Feel the breeze of Amakusa Reihoku—less than an hour’s flight from Fukuoka—right at the venue. 🛍️ Ohisama Marche: Featured Lineup This time’s market carefully selects the best tastes from Reihoku! ⚪︎ Celebrating the Kumamoto-Oshi Dora Grand Prix 2025 award! “Salt Dorayaki” — a masterpiece from long-established local wagashi maker Kurose Seikaho. The just-right saltiness enhances the sweetness, creating a taste you won’t forget. ⚪︎ “Canned Fish from Amakusa Takushin High School Marine Campus” packed with youthful energy — these popular specialty cans were lovingly made by local high school students during practical training. ⚪︎ “Processed Seafood Products” — seaweeds and senbei (rice crackers) made with shrimp and octopus caught in Amakusa’s rich waters; perfect for cooking or snacking. ⚪︎ “Fresh Seasonal Vegetables” sold directly by local farmers — proudly grown under Reihoku’s abundant sun. 👓 Experience & Consultation Booths: Learn About and Get Close to Reihoku In addition to the market, we offer corners where you can learn more deeply about Reihoku. ⚪︎ Metaverse Reihoku Travel (VR experience) — Using VR, why not tour Reihoku’s beautiful sea and scenery in 360-degree video while staying in Fukuoka? ⚪︎ Migration and Dual-Base Living Consultation — Reihoku town staff and regional revitalization team members will staff a consultation corner. Let’s talk openly about daily life and work in Reihoku. ⚪︎ Tourism PR & Talk Events — We will share every last highlight of Amakusa Reihoku. We have lovely gifts prepared for participants, so please stop by. 📅 Event Details Name: Learn About Amakusa! Amakusa Reihoku Area Dual Residency Experience Exchange Event Date and Time: Sunday, February 8, 2026, 11:00–17:00 at Hakata Station Square Organizer: Reihoku, Amakusa District, Kumamoto Prefecture Contact: (Event planning and management) Parallab Co., Ltd. 📞092-986-9671 ✉️info@parallab.jp To everyone using Hakata Station and anyone with even a slight interest in Amakusa and Reihoku: we truly look forward to meeting you at the venue and sharing stories about Reihoku!

This is Shosenkyo Crystal Sound. How are you all doing? 😊 Winter at Shosenkyo Gorge is the season when the air is clearest and the landscape is wrapped in silence ❄️ Please enjoy the unique charm of this time of year, when you can have Shosenkyo all to yourself without interruption. While strolling through Shosenkyo Gorge, stop by shops selling jewelry and natural stones, and try sensing their “power” directly 💎✨ If you get hungry, warm your chilled body with a hot local dish 🍲 Escape the everyday and come to Shosenkyo to enjoy a special winter scenery. *Road surfaces can freeze in winter.* When you visit, please prepare winter tires 🚗⚠️ All our staff sincerely look forward to welcoming you 🌿

Photographed on January 26, 2014. A cafe latte from cafe andon, an apple pie, and soft-serve ice cream from forest ranch.

We will begin operating the 2026 winter “Teshikaga Eco Passport” town sightseeing bus (advance reservation required) and start a luggage delivery service! Here is the 2026 winter schedule for the Mashu–Kussharo Sightseeing Loop Bus, which visits the main scenic spots within Teshikagacho. The loop bus ticket, called the “Teshikaga Eco Passport,” is available again this year as a 2-day or 3-day pass. Please make an advance reservation and make use of it. It’s recommended for those who are uneasy about driving or who want to enjoy sightseeing in Teshikaga easily. For details, see Teshikaga Navi. Service period Saturday, January 24, 2026–Sunday, March 1, 2026 Fees Adult (おとな) Child (こども) 2-day pass (2days) 2,000 yen 1,000 yen 3-day pass (3days) 3,000 yen 1,000 yen Contact Mashu Lake Tourism Association 3-3-1 Mashu 3-chome, Teshikagacho, Kawakami District, Hokkaido 088-3201 TEL: 015-482-2200 Email: masyu_as@peace.ocn.ne.jp https://www.masyuko.or.jp/news/2025winterecopassport/...

Photographed on January 26, 2014. This is an apple pie from cafe andon and soft-serve ice cream from forest ranch.

Early winter in Kamikochi

Jigokudani Yaen-koen monkeys A place famous for monkeys bathing in hot springs A monkey gazing at the hot spring amid falling snow A sense of melancholy lingered.

Photographed on January 26, 2014. This is cafe andon's avocado and shrimp hot sandwich set. When your workplace environment changes, it can be quite challenging. 😅

👹✨February 3 is Setsubun✨👹 When you think of Setsubun, you think of ehomaki! The lucky direction for 2026 is south-southeast. Face that direction, hold a wish in your mind, and silently take a big bite of the whole thick roll—this is the tradition of eating an ehomaki. This year, why not make your very own ehomaki at the sushi counter?🍣 Using delicious, naturally sweet rice from Kikuchi and guided directly by a sushi chef, enjoy a rare rolled-sushi-making experience. It’s designed so even young children can join in, making it perfect for creating family memories. Bring your family and friends and make special Setsubun memories together✨ 📌Details and reservations here https://kikuchikanko.ne.jp/taikenplan...

🚨Schedule Change🚨 [Sightsee hands-free! Luggage delivery service now available] From Saturday, January 24 to Sunday, March 1, 2026, Teshikaga offers the 2026 winter “Teshikaga Eco Passport” town shuttle bus (reservation required) and, during the same period, a luggage delivery service called “Sightsee hands-free.” This convenient service delivers your luggage from the drop-off location to the pick-up location so you can explore Teshikaga light and free during that time. You won’t need to carry your bags yourself, allowing you to spend all your time and energy on sightseeing. No advance reservation is required. Please take advantage of this opportunity. Period Saturday, January 24 to Sunday, March 1, 2026 Fee 1,000 yen (tax included) Luggage size Total of length, width, and height up to 160 cm / weight up to 25 kg *Valuables, fragile items, hazardous materials, precision instruments, and frozen or refrigerated items cannot be accepted* Drop-off locations and reception hours A: JR Mashu Station 8:30–11:30 B: JR Kawayu-Onsen Station 8:30–12:00 C: Kawayu Onsen Town Hotel until 11:00 (Kawayu Kanko Hotel, KKR Kawayu, Oyado Kinkiyu Annex Suikazura) *Please note that the reception hours for C have changed.* Pick-up locations and hours A: JR Mashu Station 15:00–16:30 B: JR Kawayu-Onsen Station 14:00–17:00 C: Kawayu Onsen Town Hotel from 13:30 onward (Kawayu Kanko Hotel, KKR Kawayu, Oyado Kinkiyu Annex Suikazura) ________________________________ Use it like a coin locker—no delivery! Luggage storage only We also offer a luggage storage-only service you can use like a coin locker without delivery. Please use it according to your needs. Fee: 700 yen (tax included) A: JR Mashu Station 8:30–16:30 B: JR Kawayu-Onsen Station 8:30–17:00 Contact Mashu Tourism Association 015-482-2200 Reception hours 9:00–17:00 on weekdays masyu_as@peace.ocn.ne.jp https://www.masyuko.or.jp... https://www.masyuko.or.jp/news/2025winterecopassport/...

From January 27, 2026, local sake sales begin🍶 At roadside station iwanai, we offer “Junmai Daiginjo Yama” and “Junmai Ginjo Umi” in 720ml and 300ml bottles♪ *Amazake is not available for sale. Prices are as follows ⇩ “Junmai Daiginjo Yama” 720ml 2,970 yen (tax included) 300ml 1,485 yen (tax included) “Junmai Ginjo Umi” 720ml 2,200 yen (tax included) 300ml 1,100 yen (tax included) “Junmai Daiginjo Yama” polished rice ratio 45% It has a fruity, clean taste without off-flavors, making it an excellent match with snacks like cheese! “Junmai Ginjo Umi” polished rice ratio 60% Enjoy it as a table sake that brings out the best in dishes such as sashimi It won the gold prize in the Junmai category at the 2023 new-sake tasting contest hosted by the Sapporo Regional Taxation Bureau✨ We look forward to seeing you♪

🌼We have updated the daffodil blooming report🌼 The peak season continues✨ The lowland areas are especially impressive! In some spots, they should be enjoyable until around early February🌱💭 https://www.shimoda-city.info/post/20260128...

Photographed on January 21, 2014. This is Tokyo Daijingu Shrine at around 7:30 a.m.

※This gift campaign is open to registered Miyoshi Tourism Ambassadors only. “Posting a review (impressions) on Instagram” is a condition to participate in this campaign, which lets you experience a “Miyoshi Specialty”🖊️ ◼︎“Miyoshi Specialty” Experience & Review Campaign Application period: Monday, January 26, 2026 – Sunday, February 1, 2026 Winners announced: Tuesday, February 3, 2026 ※Only winners will be contacted. Please reply with the required information by the deadline stated in the winning notification. ◼︎List of Miyoshi Specialties A total of 30 winners will be selected, five winners for each item🎁✨ A. Western-style liqueur cake (10 pieces) B. HIROSHIMA NOH BREWERY 3-bottle set C. Good Morning Fruit Breakfast Set D. Cheese manju (6 pieces) E. Hojicha syrup & habu grass tea set F. Mountain yam energy set ※Items A and B contain alcohol. If you are sensitive to alcohol, please refrain from applying. Applicants under 20 years old cannot apply for item B. ◼︎How to apply After registering as a Miyoshi Tourism Ambassador, apply via the official LINE account. ◼︎How to register as a Miyoshi Tourism Ambassador If you are not yet registered as a Miyoshi Tourism Ambassador, sign up via the link below → then register with the official LINE account from the auto-reply email♪ https://miyoshi-daisuki.com// ◼︎Eligibility requirements ・Be a registered Miyoshi Tourism Ambassador ・Have an Instagram account and post with a public profile ・If selected, be able to post a product review (impressions) on Instagram ・Be able to complete a survey after the gift campaign ◼︎Notes ・Shipments are scheduled for around mid-February. ※Because the campaign aims to have winners experience Miyoshi specialties and share them on Instagram, entries from private (locked) accounts will not be selected. We look forward to applications from everyone who loves Miyoshi City💕☺️ https://miyoshi-daisuki.com//

Photographed on January 21, 2014. These are New Year decorations at Tokyo Daijingu Shrine.🎍

Introducing hot spring inns in Teshikaga♨️ Teshikaga has two hot spring areas, Mashu Onsen and Kawayu Onsen. The water quality and therapeutic effects vary by spring and by inn, so be sure to check out a variety of hot spring accommodations✨A second and third guide are in preparation. Please look forward to them😉🔥

Take a little breather from your busy days. The popular market event “Beauty and Healing Yorimichi Marche” is finally celebrating its 7th edition! This time marks the third time it will be held in Reihoku Town👏 Why not spend a special day filled with “beauty, healing, and deliciousness” at the Reihoku Town Tourist Information Center? 🌿 How to enjoy the marche This edition features three delightful sections. [Treatment Corner]💆‍♀️ Warmth therapies, massages, head spas, and other treatments that help you relax both body and mind. [Hands-on & Sales Corner]🛍 Stalls selling handmade goods, fortune-telling, beauty experiences, and other booths perfect for treating yourself. [Food Corner]🍕🥐 From bento boxes and sweets to bread and pizza—there’s a satisfying lineup to fill your stomach. ✨ Highlights this time! Stamp rally! Visit venues around the site and collect stamps for a chance to win great prizes♪ Everyone is welcome! Admission is free. Whether you come with family and friends or drop by on your own for a little “yorimichi,” you’re warmly invited🤍 📅 Event details Date & Time: Wednesday, February 11, 2026 (national holiday) 10:00–16:00 Location: Reihoku Town Tourist Information Center (4535-1 Kamitsufukae, Reihoku, Amakusa District) Admission: Free Organizer: Amakusa Reihoku Tourism Association (general incorporated association) Planning & Management: CROSSLINK On a winter afternoon, our staff look forward to seeing your smiling faces. Please feel free to stop by for a little “yorimichi”🌼

🔪✨ Knife Factory and Sakai Takayuki Knife Gallery Tour 🏭🔍 ~ Experience Sakai’s blade culture and the craftsmen’s skill! ~ Held on 2/26 (Thu), 5/28 (Thu), 8/27 (Thu), and 11/26 (Thu)! ✨ A rare public opening of the factory that produces the world-renowned Sakai Takayuki knives! 🛠️✨ 🔹 For an additional option fee of 18,000 yen, add a tour-exclusive Sakai Takayuki ‘‘meat deboning knife’’ souvenir valued at about 30,000 yen! 🔥 🔹 Highlights 🔹 Tour the Sanpo Factory and watch the knife-making process (forging, rough sharpening, etc.) 🏭 🔹 Visit the gallery displaying about 500 knives 🔍 🔹 Try a simple knife sharpening experience! ✨ 🔹 Optional knife ‘‘meat deboning’’ add-on available 🎁 💰 Participation Fees 🔹 Tour only: 4,000 yen 🔹 Tour with the exclusive souvenir knife: 22,000 yen 📌 Registration deadline: up to 3 days before each event date! 🔍 For details and registration, search for "Knife Factory and Sakai Takayuki Knife Gallery Tour with Simple Knife Sharpening Workshop" https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/tourism/detail/183...

Photographed on January 21, 2014. This is the 'Musubi no Kirameki Flower-Hand-Water' at Tokyo Daijingu Shrine, along with a good-luck horse talisman for the Year of the Horse. 🐴✨ This seasonal flower-hand-water display is for a limited time, and today is the final day.

💠⋆⸜ Sakai Tourism Concierge reported on 【O osaka Sakai Balloon】 ⸝⋆💠 Before boarding the balloon, learn some tips, sights, and history that will make your experience more enjoyable, presented clearly on the website with photos💚 Please refer to it --ꕤ ▶️Check the website for more👀 〈 Sakai Tourism Guide Website 〉 🔗https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/feature/detail/107... 🔍Search for "Sakai Tourism Concierge Experience Report"! #Sakai City #Sakai Tourism Concierge #Tourism PR #Experience Report #Oosaka Sakai Balloon #Balloon #Experience #Spectacular Views https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/feature/detail/107...

Photographed on January 21, 2014. This is the “Musubi no Kirameki” floral water basin at Tokyo Daijingu Shrine. It is on display for a limited time until January 27.

Event Announcement 📣 The 63rd Obihiro Ice Festival runs from January 30 to February 1. 😊 With the theme of bringing warmth and joy to the northern winter, the festival offers a wide variety of attractions. 🎵 The venue features ice-focused works: ice carvings, ice and snow sculptures, and ice masks made by elementary school students. Families can also enjoy popular attractions like rotating sleds, tube sliders, ice slides, and snow rafting. 😍 Workshops for building snowmen and creating sparkling snow domes let visitors fully experience snow and ice over these three days. 🤗 📍Date and Time: Friday, January 30, 2026 – Sunday, February 1, 2026, 10:00–20:00 (Final day closes at 5:00 PM) 📍Location: Midorigaoka Park 📞Contact: Obihiro Festival Promotion Committee TEL: 0155-22-8600 https://obihiro-icefes.com//

Watching the dusk over Kushiro, enjoy a quietly flowing tea time. Savor a moment that melts the heart along with dessert. Reservations are available from the profile URL. https://www.instagram.com/kushiroprincehotel/...

[Sky and Frost-Covered Trees] Last Friday (January 23) I went to Gokase Highland Ski Resort. The sky was clear that day, making it not only perfect for skiing but also ideal for photography. I warmed my freezing hands as best I could and protected my camera from the cold while shooting. I plan to share these images unedited. The Gokase Tourism Association’s Instagram photo contest “Winter in Gokase 2026” is still accepting entries, so please consider submitting your work!

🌼We updated the daffodil bloom report🌼 They are still in full bloom! We include detailed photos and descriptions from around the garden🌿✨ We look forward to your impressions and comments like “I went!”😌💭 https://www.shimoda-city.info/post/20260126...

[Kochi Prefecture Shimanto City] Flowers That Color the Shimanto River Basin 1. Climate of Shimanto City Shimanto City enjoys abundant forests, the clear Shimanto River, and the pacific ocean to its southeast, offering a rich natural environment. From 1991 through 2020, the average temperature was 16.5°C and the average annual precipitation was 2,877.9 mm, giving the area a warm, Pacific-type climate. 2. Flowers Nurtured by the Mild Climate [Spring] 〇 Around late February, when the spring sun begins to warm the days, the Iruta Yanagi Grove in the Shimanto River lower basin turns a tender yellow-green as new buds swell, and some 10 million rapeseed flowers bloom across the willow groves like a yellow carpet. This is an iconic scene that announces spring in the Shimanto River watershed. 〇 By late March, the cherry trees at the hilltop viewing spot Tamesho Park come into full bloom. Lanterns are lit during the cherry blossom season, letting visitors enjoy the night blossoms as well. The Shimanto City Local Museum sits nearby, so while learning about local history you can also take in the views from its observation floor. (Shimanto City Local Museum opening hours/9:00–17:00, closed/Wednesdays) At Shimanto River Sakura Zutsumi Park, neatly planted cherry trees and well-kept lawns invite visitors to sit and enjoy hanami while admiring the spring-bright Shimanto River. In the Shimanto River lower basin, plowing of rice fields begins around this time and the frogs start to call. 〇 When the cherry blossoms fall and the trees turn to leaf, look toward Kōzan-ji Temple to see the city flower, wisteria, paint the slopes purple. Kōzan-ji is also popular for hiking and birdwatching, and a park with play equipment makes it a favorite spot for families on holidays. 〇 In breezy May, roses and lilies cultivated by local residents brighten the pastoral inland landscapes in the Nishitosa area. Omiya Rose Garden welcomes visitors with about 500 rose bushes, while Nishitosa Yabukachi greets them with roughly 12,000 lilies. 〇 At this time of year, Shimanto Dragonfly Park shows dragonflies dancing above waters edged with water lilies and irises. Established in 1985 as the world’s first dragonfly reserve, the park has recorded 81 species of dragonfly. The Shimanto River Museum Akitsuio, attached to the park, exhibits insect specimens from around the world including dragonflies, alongside fish that inhabit the Shimanto River. (Shimanto River Museum Akitsuio opening hours/9:00–17:00, closed/Mondays) [Early summer] 〇 Under rainy, cloudy skies in June, Yasunami Waterwheel Village delights visitors with the rhythmic clack of turning waterwheels while hydrangeas along the waterways blaze with color. Sheltered pavilions near the channels make it pleasant to sit and watch the hydrangeas and the rural scenery. In the inland parts of Shimanto City, summer heat can be intense; when northwesterly winds blow, the foehn effect can raise temperatures and sea breezes from the pacific ocean have difficulty reaching inland, causing high heat. On August 12, 2013, Egawazaki recorded Japan’s highest temperature that year at 41.0°C. [Autumn] 〇 In late September, when the sky seems a little higher, the Iruta Yanagi Grove is enlivened by clusters of red spider lilies (manjushage) that dye the area bright red, and autumn insects begin to call from the grasses. Around this time the severe summer heat gradually eases. 〇 In early November, when autumn deepens, beautiful fall colors appear along the ravines of the Kurozon River, a tributary of the Shimanto River. [Winter] Although Shimanto City benefits from a mild climate, snow does fall some winters in the mountain valleys and on plains opening toward the Bungo Channel, and mornings and evenings often dip below freezing. Daytime, however, tends to be mild with many pleasant, sunny winter days. 3. Events to Celebrate the Arrival of Spring The Iruta Yanagi Grove, introduced above, hosts the Nanohana Festival. At the Nanohana Festival, the rapeseed flower groves spread like a yellow carpet and a variety of events are planned, including sales of local specialty products and wind band performances by junior and senior high school students. Please come and enjoy Shimanto River sightseeing when the rapeseed flowers are in bloom.

Attention moms and dads! 🌸 Why not make spring memories by running the Sakai City Marathon? 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️ The event takes place beside the World Heritage Tomb of Emperor Nintoku, in the verdant Daisen Park. 🌳 The popular Family Category is a short 2.5 km course, ideal for those returning to exercise or for little ones making their race debut. ✨ The sense of achievement from “I finished!” becomes a lifelong treasure that boosts your child’s confidence. 🏆 Hold hands with your child and aim for the finish line with your best smiles. 🤝💕 Seeing your child run with all their heart might just move moms and dads to tears… 🥺💖 After the race, enjoy a picnic in the park or stroll through Sakai—both are wonderful. 🍱🍡 This spring, let the whole family aim for a joyful finish line! 🏁✨ We look forward to your entries! 🤗🌈 Check the website for detailed rules and how to enter. 🔍✨ 📅 Date and time: Wednesday, April 29 (national holiday) 📍 Location: Daisen Park, near Nintoku-tenno-ryo-mae — loop course Search “Sakai City Marathon” for more details! 🔗 https://sakaicitymarathon.com//

Photographed on January 22, 2014. This is the New Year “Musubi no Kirameki” flower water basin at Tokyo Daijingu Shrine. It is on display for a limited time until Tuesday, January 27. I start work at my new workplace today. With a fresh start, I will do my best. 😊