Taijaku Gorge Taijaku Gorge is a canyon along the Okudake River. Steep cliffs of welded tuff with well-developed columnar jointing rise on both sides. The cliffs reach heights of up to 70 meters. Rocks on the valley floor are exposed from volcanic activity about 15 million years ago. Because the Okudake River originates in the rich natural forests of the Sobo–Katamuki mountain range, the gorge is a clear, blue ravine. [Location] Obara and Taijaku, Ogata-machi, Bungoono City, Oita Prefecture Access to central Bungoono City About a 3-hour drive from JR Hakata Station, Fukuoka Prefecture About a 2-hour drive from JR Kumamoto Station, Kumamoto Prefecture About a 1 hour 20 minute drive from JR Beppu Station, Oita Prefecture About a 1 hour 20 minute drive from JR Yufuin Station, Oita Prefecture ■■■■■■■■■■■■ Introducing sightseeing and recommended spots in Kyushu, Bungoono City, Oita Prefecture ■■■■■■■■■■■■

The Himekidaira Information Desk will open for a limited time from August 1st. The Himekidaira Information Desk is conducting a survey. Visitors who complete the survey will receive a towel as a gift. We also offer Nagawa Cycle (E-bike rentals), so please stop by when you are nearby. Nagawa Cycle booking: https://fd-system.tours/plan/?plan=plan000257... Address: 3515-72 Daimon, Nagawa Town, inside Himeki no Mori Shop Period: August 1st–31st, 2025 (Closed on August 23rd) Hours: 10:00–16:00

Hello! This is the Yamanashi Wine Kingdom Main Hall. 😃Lately the heat has been getting even more intense. 💦 In Hyogo Prefecture, the temperature reportedly rose to a record 41.2°C the other day… Everyone, don’t forget to drink water frequently and take good care to avoid heatstroke! Now, many people seek cool relief in Shosenkyo Gorge as a summer retreat during this scorching weather. The famous attraction there is Senga Falls. You can view the falls from above, and if you descend the steps a powerful cascade unfolds right before you. Enjoy the cool air and the rich natural surroundings. See it with your own eyes, not just in photos! In the garden of the Wine Kingdom Main Hall, many plants are in full bloom. Those plants attract various insects that come to visit. Experience the breath of nature at Shosenkyo Gorge. 👍

Glutton Kuishinbo — Special Edition: Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture City dwellers, why not soothe your eyes and soul with Shinshu’s clear rivers and air, towering mountains, and lush green forests? In the second special edition of Glutton Kuishinbo Kasai, I visited Omachi City in Nagano Prefecture. I went to Kannon Bridge over the Takase River that runs through Omachi City! Actually, I accompanied my younger son to his baseball game at the ballpark next door, and this spot with its incredible scenery caught my eye‼️ Even as a native of Nagano, I was stunned by this view. According to Google, “In particular, the water of the Takase Gorge sometimes appears emerald green due to the mixing of fine particles from weathered granite and colloidal sulfur particles.” It’s an amazingly beautiful color, isn’t it❗️ Please come to Nagano Prefecture and let yourself be healed by this place🎐 ◎ Kannon Bridge, Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture 📍 Tokiwa, Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture Are you tired from so many jobs? You need rest, healing, or just to chill. In this second special edition of Kuishinbo Kasai, I had the pleasure of visiting Omachi City in Nagano Prefecture. This is Omachi City in Nagano Prefecture. There is abundant nature, beautiful rivers, and mountains. I went to my boy’s baseball game in Omachi City. The Takase River and Kannon Bridge were next to the ballpark. I was born in Nagano and have known its nature since childhood. Still, the sight before me was unbelievably beautiful… I asked Mr. Google. It says, “In particular, the water of the Takase Gorge sometimes appears emerald green due to the presence of fine particles from weathered granite and colloidal sulfur particles.” We warmly invite you to Nagano Prefecture — come and experience its soothing, restorative charm for yourself. ◎ Kannon Bridge, Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture 📍 Tokiwa, Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture

🎑Saturday, October 4 — “Moon Viewing Yoga” (＊) — Now accepting participants🌔🍁 On an autumn evening when summer heat fades, we will hold Moon Viewing Yoga (＊) at a historic temple wrapped in silence🎑 Practice yoga that focuses on the rhythms of the moon and the body, and listen to a talk on the yin-yang and five elements theory from the deputy chief priest, spending a special time feeling the connection between the moon, people, and nature🌙 After yoga, enjoy a hospitality tea ceremony and Japanese sweets🍵 We look forward to your reservations😊🎶 📅 Date: Saturday, October 4 📍 Venue: Myohoji Temple (4-1-3 Nakanomachi Higashi, Sakai Ward, Sakai City) 🕣 Meeting time: 3:50 PM 💴 Fee: ¥5,000 ・ ¥5,100 with rental mat 💁‍♀️ Instructor: Hiroko Izumi, hive terrace The moon’s phases, such as the new moon and full moon, are deeply connected to the rhythms of nature. By practicing yoga with awareness of the moon’s rhythm, you can gently turn inward and cultivate a sense of harmony with nature. For details, search “Sakai Moon Viewing Yoga” (＊)🔍 ＊The schedule is set to the moonrise time, but visibility of the moon is not guaranteed due to weather conditions. https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/tourism/detail/199...

On July 31st, STV's "Dosanko Wide 179" segment aired "Summer Okhotsk Engaru: A Journey Through Black Treasure "Black Treasure". If you missed it, you can watch it on "Dosanko Wide 179 YouTube". In the broadcast, there was also a supermarket with a tsunami warning, so you can ♪ see it on YouTube without a supermarket

Today, I attended the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine Monthly Festival. At Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, it is said that festivals are held according to the lunar calendar. It is a great exorcism of Xia Yue.

Event Announcement 📣 The Hirosaki town summer sea fireworks festival that symbolizes Hirosaki’s summer will be held again this year 😊 About 7,000 fireworks, including star mines and underwater fireworks that bloom from the water’s surface, will lavishly light up the night sky. Various events will be held during the day!! 📍The hugely popular children’s show “Number One Squadron Gojuja” First show: 13:00–13:30 Second show: 15:00–15:30 *A signing session will be held after the stage shows!! 📍Sauna and fireworks collaboration!! “Sea Breeze Sauna Fest” ・12:00–20:30 Why not enjoy the fireworks while relaxing in a sauna? There will also be performances by the Hiroo Folk Performing Arts Jinya Taiko Preservation Society’s Jinya Taiko and YOSAKOI Soran dance!! At the Port Bazaar you can taste Hiroo’s seafood such as grilled whelk and atka mackerel 🎵 Date and time: Saturday, August 2, 2025 Location: Tokachi Port, Pier No. 4 *Fireworks launch: 19:30–20:30. Enjoy the brilliant fireworks display reflected on the sea 😍😍 Expect heavy traffic on the way home, so please check alternate routes and travel safely to your destination. *Please note that the Tokachi Port Festival sea fireworks will take place once any tsunami advisory is lifted. If the event is canceled or postponed, announcements will be made on the Hiroo Town Office and Hiroo Tourism Association websites and social media. https://hiroo-kanko.jp/2025/07/08/35th-tokachiport-fireworksfestival/...

Tokyo Bakery On this day, glutton Kasai visited the nearby Tokyo Bakery, famous for its delightfully chewy bread. The shop moved to its current location in 1989; before that, it was in Suehiro, Suwa. When Kasai was a child, his grandmother often bought Tokyo Bakery bread for him. So for him, this is the bakery that helped raise him—a place he feels free to claim as his own, haha. The bakery has been around for about 70 years. Remarkably, it even offers a bread reservation shelf where customers can reserve loaves. I had rarely heard of a bakery reservation system, so I was truly surprised. The shelf held many reserved items, showing just how popular the shop is. Your favorite loaf definitely needs a reservation 🥖 Glutton Kasai’s recommendations are: pain de mie, cheese baguette, bacon-cheese baguette, karashi mentai baguette (spicy cod roe), crunchy peanut baguette, an-butter baguette (red bean and butter), coarse-ground pork roll, pizza bread, burdock salad bread, fresh cream bread, Danish bread, cream doughnut, curry bread, deluxe frankfurter, an-doughnut (sweet red bean doughnut), angel bread, banana sandwich, and all types of sandwiches. Sorry… my love for Tokyo Bakery is so strong that I ended up recommending everything I’ve eaten. Right now, I’m secretly aiming for the “Parisien”!!! Find out what that bread is like when you visit 🎶 It sounds like a bread fit for a foodie. I want to hog the Parisien all to myself, haha—I might even dream about it 🤤 Tokyo Bakery’s loaves truly have an incomparable chewy texture!!! I can boast that, of all the breads I’ve eaten in my life, theirs are the chewiest. Is it a True Sleeper? Maybe not, but it’s that chewy, haha. Fans of chewy bread must try Tokyo Bakery 🥖 Glutton Kasai gives this bakery his highest recommendation! Please come and enjoy it 🎶 ◎ Tokyo Bakery 📍 Suwa City, Kowataminami 14-10 ☎ 0266-52-1299 ◎ Hours: 07:30 - 18:30 ◎ Closed: Sundays and national holidays ◎ Parking: About 10 spaces (including shared spaces with the neighboring boutique). The Tokyo bakery! This is glutton Kasai’s favorite bakery ever!!! The shop is so close to our office, and their bread has a wonderfully springy, chewy texture. Around 35 years ago, my grandmother bought my brothers and me sandwiches and breads from here. We loved them. They helped raise us to be big eaters! First of all, I was amazed by the bread reservation system. Have you ever heard of reserving bread? It’s wonderful! When I visit bakeries I often can’t find my favorite loaf and end up choosing something else, so a reservation system is perfect for me. There is a “bread reservation shelf,” and it was full of reserved breads. So nice! My recommendation at Tokyo Bakery? Absolutely everything!!! I promise you’ll be satisfied. I’m currently aiming for the “Parisienne.” It even appears in my dreams!! Hahaha! Their bread is like a spring bed—soft and springy. I want you all to try it!!! Gluttonous Kasai’s top-recommended bakery! ◎ Tokyo Bakery ● 14-10 Kowataminami, Suwa City ☎ 0266-52-1299 ◎ Opening Hours: 07:30 - 18:30 ◎ Closed: Sundays and national holidays ◎ Parking: Approximately 10 cars

Notice: Event Information♪ Sister City Joetsu City Product Fair at the Dotou Festival Joetsu City in Niigata Prefecture, a sister city of Iwanai-cho, will hold a product fair at the Dotou Festival! Items for Sale Doburoku (unfiltered sake), sake, sasa-dango (bamboo-leaf rice cakes), shuttchijin mochi (departure mochi), rice, and more Date and Time: Saturday, August 2, 12:00–18:00 Sunday, August 3, 10:00–15:00 Venue: Special booth inside the Dotou Festival grounds Please take this opportunity to stop by and make a purchase♪

Notice] Event Information♪ Kids Iwanai Water Park🏖️ This year it takes place on the same day as the second day of the Dotou Festival! ★ Date and Time ・Sunday, August 3, 10:00–15:00 ★ Venue Iwanai Regional Cultural Center Marine Park Postal Code 045-0003 51-7 Bandai, Iwanai-cho, Iwanai District, Hokkaido ★ Eligibility Up to third-grade elementary school children accompanied by a guardian * Please do not take your eyes off your child. * We cannot take responsibility for accidents that occur without a guardian present. Changing tents will be provided on the day Please bring a change of clothes and a towel We look forward to welcoming everyone♪

[Notice] Event Information♪ The 52nd Iwanai Dotoh Festival!!! A spectacular fireworks show with about 5,000 shells🎇 ★Date and Time ・Saturday, August 2 — from 12:00 ※Fireworks start at 20:00 ※Postponed to the next day in case of rain ・Sunday, August 3 — from 10:00 ★Venue Special outdoor site on the west side of the Iwanai Regional Cultural Center Postal code 045-0003 51-7 Bandai, Iwanai-cho, Iwanai District, Hokkaido For the program and event details, please see the images from the second one onward.

Photographed on July 19, 25. Prayer at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. 🍧 Still, it's hot.

Summer has arrived 🌻 Last week Gokasecho saw many rainy and cloudy days, but this week the weather has been pure summer ✨ with the sun dazzling every day 😎 I drove out to Shirataki to look for a bit of cool air 🚗 Just watching the water fall from a drop of about 20 meters felt refreshing 😊 Along the way there was a sunflower field in full bloom 🌻 It was a spot I’d never known about before, so I felt like I’d discovered a great treat 🎵 People often picture Miyazaki Prefecture as hot, but Gokasecho sits surrounded by high mountains ⛰ Because of that, average summer temperatures are a few degrees lower than other parts of the prefecture, and mornings and evenings can be chilly enough to need a light blanket. Many nights you can sleep soundly without air conditioning 😉 (Last night was actually quite cool and I slept under a blanket 😅) Escape the summer heat and come refresh your body and mind in Gokase this summer ✨

Photographed 7/26/25. This is LEC COFFEE's lemonade soda. 🍋

✨ \ New Articles / ✨ A fantastic temple floating on the lake, Ukimido in the Temple of the full moon in Shiga Prefecture. A popular photo spot 📸 where the superb view of Lake Biwa and historical romance intersect Why don't you take your time to experience an extraordinary space surrounded by silence with videos and photos?

**Facilities** Ehime Prefectural Science Museum Three permanent exhibition rooms, the Nature Museum, the Science Museum, and the Industry Hall, Own one of the largest planetariums in the world It is ✨ a museum that Ehime Prefecture is proud of \Charm of the permanent exhibition/ In particular, the Life-size "Moving Dinosaur" is Powerful Tyrannosaurus Triceratops is a highlight 👀! !️ Fun for 🦖💓 kids and adults alike "Nature Pavilion" is composed → the universe → the earth Zone Ehime. You can learn a wide range of things from the world to familiar things while experiencing them! The "Industrial Hall" introduces the industrial history of Ehime. There is also ✨ a Zone where you can learn about the industrial heritage of Niihama City \Special Exhibitions Held in/ And during the period of July 12 (Sat) ~ September 23 (Tue), "Special Exhibition: Japanese Otter Exhibition" is being held in ♪ This is a rare opportunity for the treasured collection of the Science Expo to be opened to the public in one fell swoop. For details, please see the Ehime Prefectural Science Museum website. Please come and ♪ visit We'll keep you 🪐 posted ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ehime Prefectural Science Museum 📍792-0060 2133-2 Daiseiin, Niihama City, Ehime Prefecture TEL：0897-40-4100 Business hours: 9:00~17:30 (Entry until 17:00) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Until Sunday, August 31st／ 📅✨ A collaboration with Kazuki Tomono, a figure skater from Sakai City⛸️ Distribution of the Sakai City Walking Map and a stamp rally are now underway!🗺️📍 Sakai City, in partnership with Shueisha's non-no, is running a collaboration with Sakai-born figure skater Kazuki Tomono that offers the Sakai City Walking Map and a stamp rally. Participants who complete the stamp rally will receive an exclusive photo card of Tomono📸🎁 The event runs through Sunday, August 31st. Please take this opportunity to visit!💖

🎉 Premium Meal Vouchers — Commemorating the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai One voucher book worth ¥6,000 sold for ¥5,000!! (20% premium) ✨ Usable at about 50 stores around Sakai Station♪ 💡 Take advantage of this chance to enjoy a great-value meal🍽 📅 Valid period: Thursday, August 7, 2025 – Tuesday, September 30, 2025 🛒 Sales information ・ 📍 Sales location: In front of Hinodeya at Sakai Station South Exit ・ 🕔 Sales dates and times: Monday, August 4, 2025 – Wednesday, August 6, 2025, 17:00–20:00 ・ 💰 Purchase limit: Up to ¥50,000 per person 🔎 For details, search for "Sakai Station Front Shopping District"!! https://www.sakaiekimae.com//

[Day Trip] Limited Time Only! Enjoy Nature with Additional Geibi Line Trains and a Free Shuttle Bus｜Dive! Hiroshima The JR Geibi Line "Rapid Shobara Liner," operating on weekends and public holidays through November 24, 2025 (45 days total), departs Hiroshima Station at 9:07 AM and runs to Bingo-Ochiai Station in Saijo-cho, Shobara City, without requiring a transfer at Miyoshi Station! 🚃 Dive! Hiroshima introduces a plan that takes you from Bingo-Saijo Station to Hiroshima Prefectural Citizen’s Forest via a free shuttle bus (reservation required). Enjoy hiking, BBQs, and memorable photo spots✨ Find the full article here🔽 https://www.shobara-info.com/news/5177...

Summer vacation has arrived! 😍 This time, for those looking for a “special summer experience” in Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture, we introduce a hidden gem where you can find healing in the satoyama and try handloom weaving: Rikoori Workshop. It’s perfect for summer research projects and sure to offer adults a soothing, heartwarming time ✨ Great for summer research too. Enjoy a calming handloom weaving experience in Shobara’s natural surroundings We posted an “Editorial Report” on the Shobara Tourist Navi website! 🧶 Read the full experience report here 🔽 https://www.shobara-info.com/report/5174... ~ Shop Details ~ Facility Name: Rikoori Workshop Address: 615-75 Nagata, Kuchiwa-cho, Shobara City Phone: 0824-89-2501 Hours: 10:00 or 13:00 (times can be adjusted to suit you) Reservations: Required — by phone only Experience Fee: 1 hour experience 1,000 yen + materials from 1,000 yen (tax included) (Please tell them what you want to weave when making a phone reservation)

Photographed 7/26/25. I visited on the day of the Kawagoe Million Lights Summer Festival. It is a quiche plate for lunch. It is a quiche with semi-dried tomatoes, bacon and onions, salad, and cold corn soup. It was very hot, so I was allowed to relax. 😊

Reihoku Sunflower Project 🌻 Introducing the sunflower project as one of Reihoku Town’s summer scenes! Local volunteer farmers have planted a total of 150,000 sunflowers at various spots around Reihoku Town (near Reihoku Town Hall and along Route 324), and they are now in full bloom 👀 The photos were taken with the sunset—one of Reihoku Town’s charms—in the background 🌇 The sunflowers along the major highway that runs through the heart of town are now at their peak, forming an important part of daily life for locals passing through town, and creating a memorable sight for first-time visitors ✨ You can take in the vast sunflower fields even just by driving by, so be sure to see them while they’re in bloom now!!

Photographed 7/29/25. A friend gave me a drink ticket, so I Outbound it during the break. Gran Muscat Frappuccino and strawberry tart.

[Sakai City Designated Intangible Folk Cultural Property] The Purification Ritual at Sumiyoshi Taisha Shukuin Tongu ✨ 🗓️ Date and time: Friday, August 1, 6:30 PM–7:30 PM 📍 Location: Sumiyoshi Taisha Shukuin Tongu (Shukuincho Higashi 2-1-6, Sakai Ward) The Purification Ritual at Sumiyoshi Taisha Shukuin Tongu, known as the Aranigo Great Purification Ritual (aranigo no ooharae shinji), was once held on the last day of the sixth month of the old lunar calendar and is now observed on August 1. On that day the mikoshi (portable shrine) of Sumiyoshi Taisha is welcomed to Sakai and the ritual is performed at Igai-bori in the Shukuin Tongu. This ceremony oversees the act of purification, the very essence of the Sumiyoshi Festival and the mikoshi procession. It forms a vital foundation of faith and everyday culture for the people of Sakai, making it an extremely valuable rite. Don’t miss this rare, once-a-year opportunity! 🙏

This is a festival with a history of over 100 years in which young people carry taikodai (drum floats) through the neighborhood while singing and dancing Kawachi ondo and Goshu ondo.✨ Drums over three shaku (about 90 cm) are placed on carrying poles and carried by groups of about 20 to 30 people as they parade. A distinctive feature of the procession is that people sometimes ride on the drums during the march.👀 🥁 Fukumachi Summer Bon Dance 🥁 Location: Atago Park Date: Saturday, August 2 Schedule: ・5:00 PM–around 5:40 PM: Procession into Atago Shrine ・Neighborhood parade ・8:00 PM–8:30 PM: Drum hanging performance ・10:00 PM: Bon dance ends

[Wood Play Experience Market] Komu Museum of Art Saturday, August 2, 10:00–16:00 We present the “Wood Play Experience Market”! ※Museum closing time is 17:00 See it, touch it, make it—fun wooden workshops await you. [Workshop Highlights] 〇 Wooden keychain and brooch making Artist: tek Tanno Yuri Fee: 500 yen each Duration: about 30 minutes 〇 Make a wooden kaleidoscope or clock!! Artist: Do mono Fee: Kaleidoscope 1,000 yen / Clock 500 yen Duration: about 30 minutes 〇 Wood-nut BUG BUG Wood education meister: Erika Murai Fee: 300 yen Duration: about 30 minutes 〇 Mushroom magnet making Uenshiri and friends (taiko drum team) Fee: 500 yen (for two pieces) Duration: about 10 minutes ※Admission fees apply as usual High school and older 500 yen / Grades 4–6 and junior high 300 yen / Ages 3 to Grade 3 100 yen / Under 3 free ※Residents of Nishiokoppe Village are free of charge that day To mark the village’s 100th anniversary, the first 100 visitors will receive a free workshop ticket! Every craft is adorable—you’ll have trouble choosing which to make. Come make a lovely piece and create a summer vacation memory. #Nishiokoppe Village #Hokkaido #Komu Museum of Art #Summer #Wood Play Experience Market #Hands-on #Workshop #Woodworking #Woody Summer School #August 2

Kodai Torch Fire Festival ❚ Held on August 14, 2025 The Kodai Torch Fire Festival takes place on August 14, 2025, in Ogata Town, Bungoono City, Oita Prefecture. From the area around Harajiri Falls across the rice fields of the Ogata basin, the glow of Kodai torches rises in a magical display. [Date] Thursday, August 14, 2025 ※Canceled in severe weather. No postponement. [Location] Around Harajiri Falls and across the Ogata plain ※Traffic restrictions will be in effect from 18:30 on the 14th. Please follow the directions of staff when passing through. [Ignition time] 19:30 simultaneous lighting [Number of lights] About 10,000 torches [Flame Sculpture Submission Project] Around the venue, local residents create torch sculptures unique to Ogata—such as torii gates and stone bridges—competing in a beautiful showcase. [Event Inquiries] Bungoono City Ogata Branch Office Phone 0974-42-2111 Roadside Station Harajiri Falls Co., Ltd. Phone 0974-42-4140 ❚ What the Kodai Torch Fire Festival Is A traditional event passed down since the Edo period. Its origins are unclear, but it is said to have included Bon memorial rites, insect-chasing prayers for a good rice harvest, and memorials for victims of uprisings that occurred in the Edo period. ■■■ Access to central Bungoono City ■■■ About a 3-hour drive from JR Hakata Station, Fukuoka Prefecture About a 2-hour drive from JR Kumamoto Station, Kumamoto Prefecture About a 1 hour 20 minute drive from JR Beppu Station, Oita Prefecture About a 1 hour 20 minute drive from JR Yufuin Station, Oita Prefecture ■■■■■■■■■■■■ Kyushu, Bungoono City, Oita Prefecture Introducing sightseeing and recommended spots ■■■■■■■■■■■■ https://sato-no-tabi.jp/news/20250725event-ogata/...

Photographed 7/26/25. For a limited time until 8/26 (Sun), Hikawa Kaikan is open as "Hikawa Ryofuso". It was cool until the Kawagoe Million Light Festival was held in. It's Shuwa knotted soda and love.

Photographed 7/26/25. It is the Otorii Gate of Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine and the "clouds on the ground".