Cherry blossom news announcing the Spring every year Every year, I feel the arrival of Spring from the cherry blossoms here. Kawazu Town in Izu, Shizuoka Kawazu Nanadaki Loop Bridge near Kawazu Nanadaru Falls that can also be reached by bus from Kawazu Station The cherry blossoms here are gorgeous with the unusual architecture of the Loop bridge.

When humans team up with nature to create something, it becomes more intriguing. The Lake Shikotsu ice festival is a perfect example of this. Hokkaido's crystal clear water lake serves as the primary source for crafting marvelous ice sculptures.

Cycle through the hustle and bustle of the city, cross Amagi Koshi and head to Minami-Izu. Unfortunately, the weather was bad, but by the time we ran along the Kawazu cherry blossom trees in Shimokamo, the blue sky began to appear, and the spring breeze was pleasant. In the clear air, a wonderful space expanded. I want to leave such a refreshing landscape for the future.

It is a naked island located in Asamushi, Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture. There is a legend here. A long time ago, in a village in the Asamushi district, a mother worked in the fields with her baby lying in the shade of a tree. At that moment, a great eagle flew out of nowhere and flew away with the sleeping baby. The kidnapped baby was lowered to the top of the bare island, where the great hawk rested its wings. Noticing this, the mother went into a frenzy and tried to climb the rocks of the bare island with her bare hands. It is said that when he desperately scratched the rock face, the bare island, which was a smooth rock, was chipped on the side and stained with his mother's blood, giving it its current shape. It's not a flattering story, but ... However, there is no eerie atmosphere at all, and as the name "Naked Island" suggests, it is an impressive place with exposed rock surfaces. Only the island is orange because it picks up the light of nearby street lamps.

Lake shikotsu ice festival is a very popular tourist attraction. During February every year this festival being held. Unfortunately this due unexpected warm weather the festival time waste shorten until 13th February instead of 29th February. I am lucky to witness this year's festival. The icicles were illuminated during this festival. The view is really good.

Bougainvillea Along the Itokawa River that runs through central Atami City, between Onaribashi and Itokawabashi (about 180 meters), bougainvillea vines arch over and cover the stream. These bougainvillea produce tropical, vividly colored bracts—red, magenta, purple and more—from May through October each year. Near Itokawabashi, a staircase leads down to the river, creating a hidden photo spot. Yellow Hypericum ‘Hidecoat’ adds a splash of color and makes the scene even more lovely. The display peaks around the same time as the jacaranda, from late May to mid-June, so be sure to visit then as well. <Bougainvillea> A tropical shrub in the Nyctaginaceae family native to Brazil in South America. While it blooms year-round in tropical regions, in Japan it flowers from May to October. What looks like the flower is actually the bract; three bracts gather together, and the small white true flower blooms at their center. The bracts show leaf veins and resemble leaves. Because the bracts are thin, they flutter in the wind. Bract colors include red, white, pink, orange, yellow, and various bicolors. Address / Ginza-cho and Chuocho, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture Phone / 0557-86-6218 (Atami City Parks and Greenery Division) Access ■About a 20-minute walk from JR atami station ■About a 10-minute bus ride from JR atami station toward Atami Port → get off at “Ginza” → a few minutes’ walk

Kure Volcano, Hiroshima Recommended spots in Hiroshima #Kurahashi Volcano 👈 1 from 📸 the volcano on Kurahashi Island It is a superb view spot overlooking the 360° Seto Inland Sea. There are various climbing routes here, and there are many scenic points. I want to go again! It's a wonderful mountain that makes you think! 😊 ◾️ Currently, the road that can be reached near the summit is closed due to falling rocks, and you will have to climb from the middle of the mountain. It takes about 40 minutes from the road and about 1 hour from the mountain trail, but I definitely recommend the mountain trail! The stairs are a little tough, but... 😅

Jacaranda Flowers Are you familiar with jacaranda, a member of the Bignoniaceae family native to South America? As shown in the photos, it produces clusters of purple flowers like bunches of grapes, and the contrast of green leaves and purple blooms makes it a very beautiful deciduous tall tree. In Atami City, you can find tall trees (towering overhead) and smaller shrubs (at eye level) along Route 135 (the Jacaranda Promenade in Tokaigancho to Shinshicho “Waterside Park” along the sidewalk, and inside Waterside Park). Although jacaranda’s flowering season in Japan is said to be June, it is extremely rare for it to bloom outdoors on the mainland because of the climate. Some years in Atami saw no flowering at all, and some trees bloom a second time in September or October rather than only in June. Even when they do bloom, not all trees flower; some years only a few trees bloom. Some trees produce many flowers, some only a single cluster, and some not at all. How much will bloom this season? ※Bougainvillea along the Itagawa River also reaches its best viewing at the same time, so please visit both. Main jacaranda planting locations and numbers ● Jacaranda Promenade (along Route 135, beside the sun deck) … one tall tree about 10 m, four trees 3–5 m, and 100 shrubs 1–2 m ● Along Route 135, downbound (from the Central Police Box to Waterside Park Section 2) … 20 trees 5–6 m ● Waterside Park Section 3 … one tall tree of about 2 m near the pedestrian bridge, and five shrubs on the Wada River slope Total above: 25 tall trees (non-shrub) and 105 shrubs History ・In July 1990, one tree was planted in Omiya Green Space to commemorate the sister-city partnership with Cascais, Portugal ・In 2000, 24 trees were planted along the national highway (diagonally in front of the Central Police Box to in front of the Waterside Park event plaza) (Since then, some have been transplanted and others newly planted.) ・In April 2013, trees were planted in Waterside Park Section 2 (in front of the Tourist Association) and Section 3 (three trees in Section 2 and two in Section 3) ・On June 1, 2013, the “Jacaranda Promenade” was completed in Omiya Green Space (45 young trees planted) ・From September 2013 to June 2014, Omiya Green Space (west side) was developed (planting), and a few trees were transplanted from along the national highway ・June 2014, completion of the “Jacaranda Promenade” Address / Tokaigancho to Nagisacho, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture Phone / 0557-86-6218 (Atami City Park and Greenery Division) Access / To the Jacaranda Promenade (Omiya no Matsu) ■ About a 20-minute walk from JR atami station ■ About a 5-minute bus ride from JR atami station toward Atami Port → get off at “Omiya no Matsu” Parking / City-operated paid parking (East parking lot, Waterside Park, etc.) and others

February 16 The early-blooming atami sakura have finished, and the Oshima zakura are coming into full bloom! White cherry blossoms are blooming at the seaside park beside Marine Spa Atami.

📍 Aichi / Yamato Daicho A large strawberry tree in Toyokawa City. There are a lot of people during the day and you can't take good pictures, so I recommend going early in the morning.

Atami Sightseeing Boat SANREMO (Sanremo) The Sanremo was named after Atami’s sister city, the Italian port town of Sanremo. Departing from Shinsui Park Third Pier (at the mouth of the Hatsukawa River), this roughly 30-minute cruise passes offshore sites such as Nishikigaura and Sogaura, turns back just before Akanesaki, and offers sea views of Atami, the Manazuru Peninsula, Kawana in Ito City, and Izu Oshima. In the underwater observation room with glass windows, you can see fish from inside the boat. If you climb the steps to the open deck, you can feed the seagulls and feel as if you are flying over the sea with them. The vessel has a capacity of 50 passengers, and small pets are allowed on board. Enjoy cruising around Atami. Address / 3rd District, Shinsui Park (near Hatsukawa), Nagisa-cho, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture 413-0014 Phone / 0557-52-6657 Access / About 10 minutes by bus from JR atami station bound for Atami Port, Korakuen, or Ajiro Asahi-cho → get off at Shinsui Park → 1-minute walk Departure times / 10:00, 10:40, 11:20, 12:00, 13:00, 13:40, 14:20, 15:00, 15:40 (approx. 30 minutes) Closed / Every Tuesday, in severe weather, and during maintenance. Please check the official website beforehand just in case. Fares / Adults (junior high school and older) ¥1,700; Children (ages 3 to elementary school) ¥900 Children under 3 free; small dogs free; discounts available for people with disabilities. Parking / Adjacent municipal Shinsui Park Second Parking Lot and others (municipal parking rate: ¥110 per 30 minutes) Tickets are available at the boarding point. Routes may change or services may be canceled due to weather. The underwater observation room is only likely to show fish before departure.

Shinsui Park - Moon Terrace A waterside park stretching south from Sun Beach. Atami City is a sister city of Sanremo in northern Italy, and because the terrain and townscape are similar, the park was developed with the image of a northern Mediterranean resort. The first section, Sky Deck, evokes the South of Europe and the Côte d'Azur and is primarily brick. The second section, Rainbow Deck, evokes the northern Italian Riviera of Sanremo and is mainly stone. The third section, Nagisa Deck, linked by Nagisa Small Park and a pedestrian bridge, evokes the Bay of Naples in southern Italy and features planted flowers and trees. The park is loved by locals and visitors alike as a place for walks, sunbathing, events, and commemorative photos. ・March 1997: Completion of the first section (including Moon Terrace), approximately 170 by 50 meters ・March 2000: Completion of the second section (138 meters) ・April 2009: Completion of the third section, approximately 160 by 40 meters Nicknames ・September 2003: Names decided for the first section as Sky Deck and the second section as Rainbow Deck ・October 2009: Name decided for the third section as Nagisa Deck Address / 〒413-0014 Nagisa-cho, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture Phone / 0557-86-6218 (Atami City Parks and Greenery Division) Access / From JR atami station take a bus bound for Atami Port for about 10 minutes and get off at Ginza or Shinsui Park-shita Parking / Municipal Shinsui Park parking lot, 140 spaces (municipal parking: 110 yen per 30 minutes)

Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima　　 Recommended spots in Hiroshima #Jigozen 👈 One piece 📸 with the silhouette of Morning Sun and Yurikamome I think it's time for Yurikamome to leave. See you next year!! 😊👋

When humans team up with nature to create something, it becomes more intriguing. The Lake Shikotsu ice festival is a perfect example of this. Hokkaido's crystal clear water lake serves as the primary source for crafting marvelous ice sculptures.

Fukuyama, Hiroshima　 Recommended spots in Hiroshima #Abushusa Kannon 👈 Looking at 📸 the Seto Inland Sea from the vermilion-painted Kannon Hall built on the quay It is a Kannon-do temple built at the tip of the Numakuma Peninsula. The view of the Seto Inland Sea from here is spectacular! 👍 Inside the Kannon Hall, there are many emas of boobs for praying for safe birth

Atami Sun Beach A blue sea and white sand, a row of hotels, and a palm-lined promenade create a beach that feels like an upscale overseas resort. In summer it serves as a bathing beach and, as a place to stroll along the sand or play in the waves, it is popular with families and couples. At dawn you can see a beautiful scene as the sunrise rises from the horizon, dyeing the beach and town, and at night the beach is lit in a magical display—the first beach illumination in Japan—designed by world-renowned lighting designer Mikako Ishii. During the summer season many people use the beach as a swimming area, and the hugely popular Sun Beach Water Park is also thriving. The beach is frequently used as a location for TV and photo shoots, including the drama Hibana. Address / 〒413-0012 Higashikaigancho, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture Phone / 0557-86-6218 (Atami City Parks and Greenery Division) Access / About a 20-minute walk from JR atami station / About 5 minutes by bus from JR atami station toward Atami Port or Momijigaoka → get off at Sun Beach → about a 3-minute walk Hours / Swimming permitted during the beach season from 9:00 to 16:00 Illumination every night from sunset to 22:00 (lights off during fireworks displays) Parking / Adjacent municipal Higashi Parking Lot, 250 spaces (municipal P parking fee: 110 yen per 30 minutes) *This is a non-smoking beach; please smoke only in designated areas.

Nature creates some of the astonishing wonders just like this. This huge snow wall is breathtakingly stunning. This time I visited lake shikotsu ice festival. Amazingly beautiful.

Lamps The 50th anniversary of the Shimokawa Ice Candle Museum in Shimokawa Town, Hokkaido At the venue, many ice candles lit up the feet, and the hearts were warmly lit so as not to feel the freezing cold sky I took a picture with a cloth filter and impressed with the light of an ice candle

Jukkokutoge (Jukkoku Pass) Jukkoku Pass is said to have gotten its name because, long ago, you could see ten provinces—Izu, Sagami, Suruga, Tōtōmi, Kai, Awa, Kazusa, Shimōsa, Musashi, Shinano—and five islands (Ōshima, Niijima, Kozushima, Miyakejima, Toshima). From the summit of Mt. Hikaneyama, you can look north to Mt. Fuji, west to Suruga Bay, and east to Sagami Bay. Over the years many artists have tried to capture this panorama with a brush, but tradition says the scale and beauty defeated them. A cable car runs to and from the summit. You can also reach it by trekking from Himenosawa Park in about an hour and a half, enjoying the natural surroundings. In spring azaleas bloom in profusion, summer brings a pleasant cool breeze, autumn waves fields of silver grass, and winter welcomes you with the warm sunshine of the highlands. ※The “Sky Dog Run” reopened on November 11, 2023! Address / 1400-20 Kuwahara, Kannami, Tagata District, Shizuoka Prefecture 419-0101 Phone / 0557-81-6895 (Jukkokutoge Cable Car) Access / From JR atami station, take the bus bound for the Motohakone area for about 40 minutes and get off at “Jukkokutoge Noboriguchi.” Hours / Cable car 9:00–17:00 (runs every 15 minutes; one-way trip about 3 minutes) Open year-round. Temporary closures may occur for maintenance, weather, or public circumstances. Fares / Round-trip cable car: adults (junior high school and older) 730 yen; children 370 yen ※Dogs are allowed (leash required; 300 yen round trip per dog) Parking / 320 spaces; 22 large-vehicle spaces (free)

Hashiriyu Perched above the Sagami Sea, Hashiriyu is a rare horizontal cave spring in Japan and is counted among the country’s three great ancient springs. Discovered about 1,300 years ago, it was named Hashiriyu—literally “running hot spring”—because the water gushes from the mountains and seems to run toward the coast. As Minamoto no Sanetomo wrote, “The swift spring that issues south of Mount Izu-no-Kuni is a sign from the gods,” and until the Meiji era the spring was revered as the sacred water of Izusan Shrine. From a cave about 5 meters deep, water at 70°C still wells up at 170 liters per minute, creating a mysterious scene around the source. Address / 604-10 Izusan, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture 413-0002 Phone / 0557-81-2631 (Izusan Onsen Tourist Association) Access / From JR atami station take a bus bound for Izusan or Yugawara for about 5 minutes, get off at Aioibashi Bridge, then walk about 10 minutes Parking / None Note: This is not a bathing facility

Kinomiya Shrine Kinomiya Shrine has long been revered as a deity of good fortune and auspicious beginnings. Beside the main hall stands a sacred camphor tree designated a National Natural Monument, said to be about 2,100 years old with a trunk circumference of 24 meters. It is famous as a power spot. Legend holds that circling the trunk once adds a year to your life, and many visitors pray here for longevity, healing, and good health to share in the tree’s vitality. It is also said that those with a wish should quietly circle the tree without telling anyone; doing so helps clarify the wish. The tree is lit up at night, offering different expressions in the morning, daytime, and evening. The annual grand festival takes place each year from July 14 to 16. Address／43-1 Nishiyama-cho, Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture 413-0034 Phone／0557-82-2241 Access／About 15 minutes by bus from JR Atami Station toward Motohakone or Nishiyama, then get off at Kinomiya Jinja-mae. Parking／15 spaces + 25 spaces (paid). A discount is available for those receiving prayers or amulets. ※It gets crowded, so please use public transportation.

ACAO FOREST A vast floral garden spread across 200,000 tsubo of rolling hills, composed of 13 distinctive themed gardens. Framed by the Atami-blue sea and sky, you can enjoy striking scenes crafted by roses, bulb plants, herbs, perennials and a variety of other plants. Not only does the garden offer seasonal floral displays year-round, it also features COEDA HOUSE, a cafe designed by Kengo Kuma; Soga Sengen Shrine; a hands-on herb and aroma workshop; and a commercial complex, ACAO ROSE SQUARE, where visitors can dine and shop. Address / 1027-8 Kamitaga, Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture 413-0101 Access / About 20 minutes by bus toward Ajiro from JR Atami Station → get off at “ACAO Forest” Hours / Regular season 9:00–17:00 (last admission 16:00) Closed / None ※ Closed temporarily in severe weather possible Admission / Adults ¥4,000 · Children ¥1,000 · Pets ¥1,000 Parking / Paid parking for 100 vehicles ※ Hours, closure days, and fees may change, so please check the official website in advance.

Otaru snow lantern path festivals is a very famous winter tourist spot in hokkaido. Many many local people worked volunteerily to maintain the beauty of the pathway. The canal also illuminated during the festival. Its one of my memorable trip to hokkaido.

Today, Monday, February 12 (substitute holiday), marks the first Atami Marine Fireworks Festival of 2024! Fireworks are held in many places, but Atami’s defining feature is its launch site. Because the fireworks are set off over Atami Bay, a sea surrounded on three sides by mountains, the sound echoes as if you were in a stadium. Watching from the shoreline lets the sound resonate through your body, so you can feel the full impact! We will hold this year’s events as listed below, so please come and experience Atami’s fireworks at least once! 2024 (Reiwa 6) Atami Marine Fireworks Festival dates (scheduled) February 12 (Monday, substitute holiday) · February 24 (Saturday) · March 20 (Wednesday, public holiday) April 13 (Saturday) · May 2 (Thursday) July 26 (Friday) · August 5 (Monday) · August 8 (Thursday) · August 18 (Sunday) · August 23 (Friday) September 16 (Monday, public holiday) · October 19 (Saturday) · November 4 (Monday, substitute holiday) December 8 (Sunday) Time: 20:20–20:40 (July and August only: 20:20–20:45) Venue: Atami Bay Viewing areas: Atami Sun Beach to the waterfront park and others Note: The event goes ahead even in rain.

Plum blossoms are now at their best in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture! The 80th Atami Plum Garden Plum Festival runs at Atami Plum Garden until March 3, and as of February 11 the blooms are at their peak. (The photo was taken on February 10.) The garden houses 469 plum trees across 60 varieties, so you can enjoy a wide range of flower types.

Etajima, Hiroshima Recommended spots in Hiroshima #Etajima 👈 Take a picture while walking on a slope with a 📸 view of the sea The sea of Etajima had a sense of openness and it was a very pleasant view.

Hiroshima, Hiroshima Recommended spots in Hiroshima #Suzugamine Park 👈 @hiroshima_city_official Here you can ☀️ see the city of Hiroshima and the Morning Sun The view of the night view is also beautiful! 😊

It is the Hanakiri River in Tohoku Town, Kamikita District, Aomori Prefecture. It is a stream that leads to Lake Ogawara and is famous for trout fishing. In spring, cherry blossoms bloom on both banks, and on days when there is no wind, it becomes a water mirror as shown in the photo. According to the neighbors, the swan in the photo seems to be a swan that lives here. They were swimming gracefully as if they were cherry blossom viewing.

Fukuyama, Hiroshima Recommended spots in Hiroshima #Utsumi Ohashi Bridge 👈 #Fukuyama City One piece with the silhouette of a bus running on the Utsumi Ohashi Bridge. The evening sky turned red, but the sun was shrouded in eerie clouds and could not be seen.

Throwing snow every day is very hard, but... I am healed by ^^ this scenery that can be seen in between snow removal