Autumn Scramble I enjoyed 😊 the autumn when various lines intersect Shot on: iPHONE 11 PRO Lens 26mm Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture "138 Tower Park" 2023/10

Ruins of the Castle shrouded in haze Autumn leaves are a little later. I took an aerial shot with a drone. Gifu Prefecture Nakatsugawa City "Naegi Ruins of the Castle"

Fall at 138 Tower Park Arch Tower and Cosmos and Sunset Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture "138 Tower Park"

It is Ozegahara dyed in autumn colors. The balance between Mt. Hirigatake, the golden marshland, and the pond in the foreground was exquisite, and the scenery was truly beautiful.

October 22, 2024 On that day, hungry me—Kawanishi the foodie—braved my appetite (laughs) and visited several of the city’s autumn leaf spots to take photos and share the much-requested “Suwa autumn foliage report.” The morning was sunny, but by the afternoon, perhaps because of my poor habits, it turned cloudy… please forgive me… The following are my impressions of each spot. They reflect my personal views, so I appreciate your understanding and acceptance. 1. Takashima Castle and Gokoku Shrine — The ginkgo trees showed no color yet and were still very green. The maples only showed the faintest hint of color. 2. Lake Suwa and the lakeside park — I felt the leaves were just beginning to change, but there’s still a long way to go. 3. Katakura-kan — The ginkgo trees are starting to take on a slightly yellow tint, but it still seems early. 4. Tateishi Park — Here, too, the leaves appear to be just beginning to change. The 23rd was rainy, but the high reached 23°C. Mornings have been warm; this week’s highs are around 20°C and the lows do not drop below 10°C. It seems the foliage may be later than usual by about a week. Today, I’m updating you about Suwa City’s recent autumn leaf situation. I received several inquiries, so I visited Suwa’s leaf-viewing spots on October 22. The morning was sunny, but I was unlucky—the afternoon turned cloudy. Please forgive me! Caution: these are my personal impressions; please understand. 1. Takashima Castle and Gokoku Shrine — The ginkgo trees remain very green; only a few leaves are turning yellow. 2. Lake Suwa and Kohan Park — I estimate about 20–30% of the trees have begun changing to yellow and red. 3. Katakura-kan — I estimate about 20–30% of the ginkgo trees around Katakura-kan are gradually turning yellow. 4. Tateishi Park — Similar to Katakura-kan, maples and cherry trees are shifting to red, about 20–30%. Yesterday was rainy in Suwa, but the temperature reached 23°C (74°F). It wasn’t cold at all—quite surprising. Normally in Suwa around November, temperatures fall below 15°C (59°F). I think this year’s autumn colors are delayed by more than a week compared with a typical year.

The autumn beauty of Toji temple in Kyoto. With illumination and reflection in water the scenery becomes more beautiful. One of my favorite tourist spots in Kyoto. The tradition and beauty truly reflects here.

When I visited Shizuoka Prefecture, I happened to take a walk early in the morning and encountered a pleasant morning.

A park in Tatsuno City, Hyogo Prefecture It was an old-fashioned small park, but it was a charming park with two large ginkgo trees on either side and seesaw

It was a large Persimmon tree that I happened to find in Shiso City, Hyogo Prefecture, and it was 😋 an autumn persimmon that appeared in Japan folk tales, like the original scenery of nostalgic Japan

The autumn beauty of urabandai, Fukushima. The vibrant color surrounding the pond is so amazing. The reflection makes photo more beautiful. It's from goshikinuma pond.

Shinyu Onsen L.P. has released “Suwa Taisha Navi,” an app for foreign visitors and domestic tourists. This in-shrine interactive app supports English, French, Traditional Chinese, and Japanese, and highlights the attractions of the four shrines of Suwa Taisha. The navigator is Suwahime, Suwa City’s official character, who introduces 84 monuments and buildings across the four shrines. Download the app and launch it on site to hear the explanations; locations you’ve heard are marked with a folding-fan icon. It makes a great travel memory. Shinyu Onsen L.P. launched the Suwa Taisha Navi app for foreign visitors and domestic tourists. The app supports Japanese, Traditional Chinese, French, and English and introduces the four shrines (Honmiya, Maemiya, Harumiya, Akimiya). The navigator is Suwahime, Suwa City’s official character, who explains 84 monuments and buildings across the four shrines. First, download the app and visit any of the four Suwa Taisha shrines. Enable GPS and go to a spot; Suwahime will begin the explanation. After a spot’s explanation, it is marked with a Japanese folding-fan stamp. It’s a lovely way to remember your trip to Suwa and Suwa Taisha—please give it a try!

Tsuyagawa reflection in autumn. The autumn sky reflected on the surface of the water and the red spider liliies are beautiful autumn scenery of "Kaizu City". Tsuyagawa, Kaizu City, Gifu Prefecture

Behold the eternal autumn within a window. Enkoji a perfect destination for autumn viewings. You will receive a warm welcome by the tradition and beauty.

Goshikinuma ponds, often dubbed the “mysterious lake,” promise to be an great experience with their captivating colors—emerald green, cobalt blue, turquoise blue, emerald blue, and pastel blue. Goshikinuma meaning "five color ponds," is somewhat misleading. The area features far more than five ponds, each likely to reveal an even broader array of spectacular colors. During fall time the ponds look more heavenly and peaceful.

The first chestnut tiger of the season I shot it under and emphasized the "light" in Lightroom. Kushihara, Ena City, Gifu Prefecture 2024/10/20

October 5, 2024 Kami‑Suwa Kaido Town Walk and Sake Stroll On that day, a major event took over the town of Suwa: the “Kami‑Suwa Kaido Town Walk and Sake Stroll.” Along a one‑kilometer walking radius from JR Kami‑Suwa Station along National Route 20, five of Suwa’s famous breweries stand side by side, and for the event the area from Suwa 2‑chome to the Motomachi traffic lights was turned into a pedestrian zone. The five breweries of Suwa proudly served their signature sakes🍶. This year, a cypress masu (wooden sake box) doubled as a passport, letting visitors enjoy the aroma of hinoki wood while sipping fine sake. The 3,000 tickets sold out by September 30, showing just how popular the event was!!! Compared with last year, more local restaurants offered snack stalls, and additional stalls were run by neighborhood groups!!! Although the weather was a little worrying that day, the ticket exchange at 11:00 at Swatchao was lively, and the city began to buzz toward the pedestrian zone start at 12:00. By the official start at 13:00, lines had formed in front of the five breweries as people queued for their preferred labels!!! After opening remarks by Suwa’s mayor and the head of the Chamber of Commerce, the stroll kicked off with Suwa’s customary kiyari work song, and the sake stroll began. The kiyari performers then walked along the kaido, responding to requests and singing until around 17:00🎶 From 14:00, local dance troupes energized the venue. Many guests joined in the dancing, and the sight of everyone enjoying themselves was memorable. The food stalls drew long queues: yakitori, grilled eel, karaage and sanzokuyaki (mountain warrior‑style fried chicken), chicken wings, game dishes, kushiyaki, candied apples, bento sellers, french fries, yakisoba, and more… The snack stalls were as busy as the sake booths! Good sake paired with delicious local dishes and snacks naturally brought smiles to people’s faces🎶 We met many smiling visitors—thank you very much. What surprised us most was how little trash there was. From the organizer’s perspective, we picked up litter from JR Kami‑Suwa Station to the far end of the venue just before the event ended, and there seemed to be very little trash on the streets. I believe that resulted from attendees properly sorting and disposing of their waste. As I walked around holding a bag and saying, “If you have any trash, please put it in this bag!” several visitors responded, “Wow, amazing! You even collect trash? Thank you so much.” Those words wiped away my fatigue! I was deeply moved😢 For the next event, our staff will continue striving to ensure guests are satisfied and have a great time, while gaining the understanding and cooperation of local residents so that Suwa’s town can become even more vibrant and lively.

Autumn leaves and the purple gold mountain atlas comet In Hokkaido, autumn slowly turns color Autumn leaves were photographed in a composition that looked like a comet falling It seems that Comet Purple Gold Mountain Atlas will return in 80,000 years In other words, this is the last time you will be able to see this scenery and the comet at the same time When I thought about it, I felt somewhat lonely, as if I was saying goodbye to this life

Colorful Naegi Ruins of the Castle I took an aerial shot with a drone. Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture 2023/11 * Flight permission from the management office * Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Comprehensive Flight Permit has been obtained. * Notification of flight plan and preparation of flight log book

That day, Kawanishi, known for his love of food, restrained his appetite and visited PMOA Co., Ltd., headquartered in Suwa. PMOA is the well-known company that created Suwa City’s official character, Suwa-hime. Yamaoka gave us a tour of the factory and offices. PMOA, headquartered in Suwa City, is the only hobby manufacturer in Nagano Prefecture. They had been manufacturing plastic molds and parts for automobiles and cameras, but when orders declined during the Lehman shock (the 2008 global financial crisis), the president began to consider whether the company's existing technology could be applied to other businesses. At the same time, the hobby boom—part of Akihabara culture (plastic models, figures, etc.)—was taking off. They created a plastic model of Takashima Castle, beloved by Suwa residents — this marked the beginning of PMOA's production of building plastic models. With about 40 employees, the company primarily uses plastic molding to manufacture items such as figures, fishing lures and plastic parts for a maker known for bicycle lights. In addition to molding, they also provide services such as signboard printing and vehicle wrapping. They have even wrapped Suwa City municipal vehicles, including one featuring Suwa-hime; some readers may have seen it. They also accept private car-wrap orders, so anyone wanting a truly one-of-a-kind vehicle should consider it. The company now has its own factory adjacent to the Chino facility, which makes production-stage feedback much smoother and enables rapid response—this is a key strength. The company's motto is 'Making Japanese towns cute and lively!' Expect them to keep producing many adorable figures and striking plastic models. ※ Factory tour Date & time: Every Friday at 13:30 Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes Group size: 2–20 people Elementary school children and younger: Free Junior high school students and older: 1,000 yen ◎ Please call at least one week in advance: 0266-78-6481 (Harada or Arai)

Autumn leaves and a sea of clouds Will we see it again this year? It is a very nice Spot. If it was different from the camera with a drone, I took a picture from an angle. Koiriya, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture * Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Comprehensive Flight Permit has been obtained. * Flight plan report and flight log book have been prepared.

The red spider lililies blooming on the side of the stairs are wonderful. It blooms later every year, doesn't it? Ogaki City, Gifu Prefecture "Meiseirinji Temple"

It is a manju flower blooming in the Kinchakuda field in Hidaka City, Saitama Prefecture. Also known as Red Spider Liliies, a carpet of colorful red Carpet of flowers Unfolds during the Period.

"Adachigahara hometown Village" in Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture It is a popular spot where you can enjoy Samurai residences and red spider liliies at the same time.

"Wandering Boatman" Traveling on the Tsuya River Maybe a cloudy sky will complement the boatman? The food is cool. Kaizu City, Gifu Prefecture "Tsuyagawa" 2024/10/6

まだまだ、残暑が残る異常な感じですが。。。 僕が幼少の頃は、諏訪湖の花火(8/15)が過ぎるともう寒くもなり秋を感じる諏訪でしたが、今日も何故か最高気温３０℃。。。🥵 暑い日が続きます。 少し早いですが、食いしん坊河西の“食欲の秋”を我慢して、皆さんに諏訪の紅葉をご紹介させて頂こうと思います。 諏訪は、盆地もあり諏訪湖は山々に囲まれている都市です。 紅葉も、色んな種類の木々があり、同じ赤でも違った色を魅せてくれるのでが、紅葉の醍醐味ですね!!! イチョウも多く、“黄葉”なんて呼ばれてもおります。 諏訪湖の近く、千人風呂で有名な片倉館には、イチョウがあり、とても美しく黄葉が楽しめます。 霧ヶ峰では、ススキが皆様を迎えてくれます。 また、霧ヶ峰高原などの高原地帯も涼しくなると空気が澄んできますので、南アルプスや、北アルプス、中央アルプス、富士山、八ヶ岳など、名だたる山々が望めるのが霧ヶ峰の霧鐘塔や、薙鎌神社がオススメです🏔 是非皆さん、紅葉を観に諏訪にお越し下さい！ 是非、皆さんのオススメの諏訪の紅葉スポットを教えて下さい！ Instagramで #visitsuwaautumn で投稿して頂けると嬉しいです!!! It’s still hot in here Suwa city. It is abnormal!!! When I was child, after Lake Suwa’s firework festival gradually to change to autumn. But, today is still 30 Celsius… Hopefully, autumn should come soon!!! I’ll introduce to Suwa’s autumn leaves. The Suwa city is basin surrounded by mountains. We have so many kinds of trees. So, you can see many kinds of autumn leaves red color. Do you know what color will be change ginkgo leaf? It will be change to green to yellow. You can see ginkgo trees autumn leaves! It is also beautiful!!! Near the Lake Suwa, we have Katakura-kan(they are famous for building and hot spring) they have gingko tree and maple. You’ll see red(maple) and yellow(ginkgo) color harmony with historical building. How awesome spot it is!!! At the Kirigamine, you’ll see Japanese pampas grass all over the place. That’s seasonal tradition. At the Mushou tower or Nagikama shrine, you are going to see fantastic view. You may see Northern alps, Central alps, Southern alps, Yatsugatake peaks and Mt, Fuji!!! Can you believe that??? Trust me! “Seeing is Believing” If it is sunny, you’ll see all these mountains 360-degree view!!! I recommend to Mushou tower or Nagikama Shrine. Please come to see autumn leaves in Suwa. And tell me your favorite autumn leaves spot in Suwa. Then put #visitsuwaautumn to post to Instagram!!!

Tsuyagawa Love Story 【Setting】Two people meet on a boat during the Period when red spider liliies bloom. I took aerial photos of red spider liliies and Japanese boats floating on the Tsuya River with a drone. Kaizu City, Gifu Prefecture "Tsuyagawa" 2024/10/6 * Flight over the Tsuya River has been confirmed. * Permission from the boatman * Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Comprehensive Flight Permit has been obtained. * Flight plan report and flight log book have been prepared.

The Tsuya River is going to be sunny. Against the backdrop of the mountains where the haze remains, a Japanese boat floats, reminiscent of the original scenery. Kaizu City, Gifu Prefecture "Tsuyagawa" 2024/10/6

Under the autumn sky, it is a wonderful spot where you can take pictures of sunflowers and red spider liliies. Inabe City, Mie Prefecture 2024/10/5

Sano-kaze Shinshu Teyaki Senbei Honpo On this day, food lover Kasai visited Shinshu Teyaki Senbei Honpo. This hand-baked senbei shop has been at this location for about 35 years. On the day, President Hiroko Kitahara, who also bakes the senbei, showed us around. Stepping inside, the first thing that struck me was the wide variety. For a true senbei fan like Kasai, the selection was almost bewildering 🍘. Among them were many kinds, including shimi senbei and lacquered senbei. Popular No.1 is nori No.2 is twice-dipped No.3 is apple senbei Next is nozawana wasabi Nozawana wasabi is quite unusual, isn’t it? You often see nozawana in prefectural souvenir shops, but “nozawana wasabi” is rare. Apple, nozawana, and wasabi are all Nagano specialties. Quince is a specialty of Suwa. Apricot, matcha, white sugar, brown sugar, shichimi, ichimi, miso, negi miso, walnut miso, garlic, and more… There may be more varieties here than anywhere else in Nagano Prefecture. Kasai’s recommendations are “garlic” and “twice-dipped.” The garlic offers a subtle garlic aroma, while the twice-dipped has a rich, well-infused flavor that lets you enjoy the savory depth of soy sauce. Because they are hand-baked, the texture is superb—this shop is recommended for those who like firm senbei. Among the standout items is “Fukutoku”!!! Some of you may recognize the name “Fukutoku.” It was made by President Kitahara’s grandfather. Unlike fortune cookies, Fukutoku contains a lucky charm inside!!! President Kitahara has apparently succeeded in reviving it in her generation, wanting to restore it somehow. And above all, Shinshu Teyaki Senbei Honpo is hand-baked and right in front of the Grand Shrine!!! They sell by hand, and the shop sits very close to the torii of the Main Shrine ⛩. When visiting Suwa Grand Shrine’s Main Shrine, be sure to look for your favorite flavor or souvenirs at Shinshu Teyaki Senbei Honpo, and take a stroll along the North Approach. ◎ Shinshu Teyaki Senbei Honpo 📍 201 Nakasu, Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture 392-0015 (Suwa Grand Shrine North Approach) ☎ 0266-58-1235 Hours: Weekdays 9:30 AM–4:30 PM (may vary) : Sat, Sun, and holidays 9:00 AM–5:00 PM ◎ Closed: Open year-round

Tsuyagawa Reflection. The faint mood is moody. Kaizu City, Gifu Prefecture "Tsuya River Embankment" 2024/9/29