＼ Autumn flavors from Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture — a town of farming! 🍎 Crisp and delicious! Want to grab freshly picked apples ✊ This time, we introduce seven apple farms with farm shops🍎 "I don’t have time for apple picking, but if I’m visiting Shobara I’d like to buy fresh apples to take home!" For those people, here are several apple farms with on-site farm shops to recommend! Why not drive around and visit several distinctive apple farms 🚗🎶 Find out more here 🔽 https://shobara-info.com/report/5318...

Gohbara-juku (Gohbara-juku) Location: Gohbara, Hirooka, Shiojiri City Gohbara-juku was the first post town on the Zenkoji Kaido after it branched from the Nakasendo at Seba-juku. It was established in Keicho 19 (1614) when Hidemasa Ogasawara, lord of Matsumoto Castle, developed the Zenkoji Kaido (the Hokuriku side route) to connect Nakasendo’s Seba-juku with the Hokkokukaido. Rather than an existing settlement becoming the post town, Gohbara’s original village lay on the east bank of the Narai River in the Ueno land division. When the post station was laid out, the settlement was moved around Genna 5 (circa 1619) to its present site together with the Kataishi hamlet, which had been on the west bank, to create the new post town. Highlights of Gohbara-juku Houses were laid out with wide frontages of five to six ken, featuring main gabled roofs with the short side facing the street and sparrow deterrents on the ridges. Each house has a forecourt with planted trees, creating an attractive streetscape, and shop names are displayed at every residence. Sōetsu Yanagi, called the father of the mingei (folk craft) movement, praised Gohbara-juku in his essays, saying the entire post town was “a single splendid work of art.” On the north side of the post town stands Gofuku-ji, which served as a resting place for Emperor Meiji during his imperial tour in Meiji 13 (1880). Read more about the Nakasendo and the five post towns in the city here↓

The pink lotus in the second photo and the white lotus in the third photo are actually the same lotus! This variety is called kosanshoku, and its buds and early blooms look pink as in the first photo, but by the third to fourth day they change from pink to white! https://www.minamiechizen.com/en/spot/19388/...

Motoyama-juku (Motoyama-juku) Location: Shiojiri City, Soga Honzan Motoyama prospered as the gateway to Kiso Road and the exit from the Matsumoto Plain. Two-story houses with latticework fronts line the streets, preserving a strong sense of the past. The town is also introduced as the birthplace of sobakiri (cut buckwheat noodles). In Keicho 19 (1614), Shiojiri, Seba, and Motoyama were designated as new post towns on the Nakasendo. Unlike Shiojiri and Seba, which were formed by relocating people from neighboring villages, Motoyama developed from a medieval settlement. It was the 32nd station counting from Edo, situated 30 cho from Seba Post Town and 2 ri from Niegawa Inn (Niegawa-juku). The post town divided into Kamimachi to the south and Shimomachi to the north, with the honjin, wakimotonjin, and dispatch office at its center. South of the town stood Hachiman Shrine, Choukyuuji, and Joukouji; to the north was Suwa Shrine, and across the Narai River lay Ikeo Shrine, though some temples were later abandoned. Because Motoyama bordered the Owari Domain in Kiso, a checkpoint was located south of the town to inspect women and timber. In Tenpo 14 (1843) the town had 117 households and 34 inns. Compared with Seba Post Town’s three-ken frontage, many houses in Motoyama had four- to five-ken facades. The town suffered several great fires, but surviving buildings date from the late Edo to Meiji periods. Facing the street, they feature hirairi degekata construction and second-floor rooms with senbon-koshi lattices, retaining much of the post town atmosphere. Notably, three residences built around the Meiji era—the Akiyama Family (Wakamatsuya), the Tanaka Family (Ikeda family), and the Kobayashi Family (Kawaguchi Family)—are registered tangible cultural properties of Japan. The honjin, Kobayashi residence, hosted Princess Kazunomiya, daughter of Emperor Ninkō, when she married Tokugawa Iemochi in Bunkyū 1 (1861), and it later accommodated the Meiji Emperor during his tour in Meiji 13. Each house still carries its traditional shop name, offering a glimpse into the past. The town’s specialty is soba. A note by Unrin in Hōei 3 (1706) in the miscellany Fūzoku Bunsen records Motoyama as the birthplace of sobakiri. Historic sites include the Motoyama Castle Ruins on a small hill behind the town, said to have been guarded by the Motoyama Minbu branch of the Kiso clan; Ike no Gongen (Ikeo Shrine), known for votive plaques for rain rituals, sericulture, and eye disease cures, whose shrine grove is a Shiojiri City natural monument; and the Shitamachi Stone Figure Group, featuring Dosojin, Koshin stone monuments, and inscribed tablets. For articles on the Nakasendo and the city’s five post towns, click here↓

Thank you for waiting! We are pleased to announce the dates for the 2026 Atami Fireworks by the Sea. 2026 (Reiwa 8) Atami Fireworks by the Sea Dates April 26 (Sunday) May 24 (Sunday) July 20 (Monday, public holiday) · July 26 (Sunday) August 5 (Wednesday) · August 9 (Sunday) · August 18 (Tuesday) · August 24 (Monday) September 13 (Sunday) October 12 (Monday, public holiday) · October 25 (Sunday) November 8 (Sunday) · November 23 (Monday, public holiday) December 6 (Sunday) · December 25 (Friday) Time: 20:20–20:40 (Only in July and August: 20:15–20:40) Venue: Atami Bay ※The event will be held rain or shine. ※The above dates and times are accurate as of October 27, 2025. Please check the page below for the latest information. https://www.ataminews.gr.jp/event/8...

Photographed 10/18/25. It is a festival float of a mirror lion greeting Mr. Yamada of Washi paper.

I want to enter a photo contest and this is my first posted! Oishi Park on the shore of Lake Kawaguchi is the best time to visit kochia, so I went to Yamanashi Prefecture. On this day, there was a time when the moon did not rise, so I thought that I would Squid to take a picture with the starry sky, but unfortunately it was forecast to be cloudy on the day. After slowly taking a dip in the Hot Spring with a disappointing feeling, I suddenly went outside and looked up at the sky, and it was sunny! I suppressed my feeling of impatience and headed to Oishi Park by Car and was able to take a picture. The contrast between the cap clouds over Mt. Mount Fuji, the clouds reflected by the town lights, and the pleasant starry sky creates a good atmosphere, and as a result, it became a very favorite piece of the seasonal scenery and coincidence.

Photographed 10/18/25. Heading towards Hon-Kawagoe Station, it is a festival float of Shintomi Town 2-chome Kagami Lion.

Kiunkaku Limited-Time “Wagakari no Niwa” and “Dark Green BAR 1919” Kiunkaku, built in 1919 as a villa in Atami and now a tangible cultural property of Atami City, preserves the area’s changing history and culture. The venue normally closes at 5:00 PM, but to let visitors see the Japanese garden and interior illuminated at night, Kiunkaku will offer two special evening openings on Saturday and Sunday, November 1–2, 2025. Enjoy a serene atmosphere unlike the bustling streets of Atami, with lush gardens, the sound of water, and a traditional Japanese light display created with wagasa (Japanese oil-paper umbrellas) and hand lanterns. [Wagakari no Niwa] Date and Time: Saturday–Sunday, November 1–2, 2025, 5:00 PM–9:00 PM (last admission 8:00 PM) Special evening admission: 1,000 yen (tax included); no reservation required *Because wagasa are used, the outdoor garden display will be moved indoors in case of rain. *Entry may be restricted depending on crowding. *Some garden areas will be closed for the special nighttime program. *The number of lanterns is limited. In addition, “Kissa Yasuragi,” which served as a bar when Kiunkaku operated as a ryokan, will reopen as a non-alcoholic bar for two days only. Relax in a classical atmosphere created by dark green sofas and mood lighting. [Dark Green BAR 1919] Date and Time: Saturday–Sunday, November 1–2, 2025; 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM sessions (each 90 minutes, rotating) Price: BAR set ticket 2,500 yen (tax included) *This is a combined ticket for the light-up and the BAR (one drink plus unlimited Shizuoka green tea). *Advance reservation only (please check the reservation link below). https://kiunkaku.jp/article/qPC6zRS0... *Because wagasa are used, the light-up will be held indoors in case of rain. On Monday, November 3, 2025 (holiday), a special nighttime photography session will be held by private booking, allowing participants to photograph the interior and the illuminated garden. The Atami Offshore Fireworks Festival takes place that day; guests can photograph and view the fireworks from Kiunkaku’s second floor. [Nighttime Photography Session] Date and Time: Monday (holiday), November 3, 2025, 6:00 PM–9:00 PM (last admission 8:00 PM) Fee: 3,000 yen (includes admission) *If it rains, only the usual garden light-up will take place. Inquiries: Kiunkaku 0557-86-3101 Please check Kiunkaku’s official website below for details of each event. https://kiunkaku.jp//

[2025 Autumn Mall Onsen Express Campaign 🚌♨️] This year we are holding the “Autumn Mall Onsen Express Campaign” again 🍁 A 3-day, 2-night plan with a free shuttle bus from Sapporo Station and Asahikawa Station to Tokachigawa Onsen accommodations ✨ Exclusive perks await guests using the Mall Onsen Express 🎁 [Perk 1] Mix and match your accommodations freely! 💡 Guests using the Mall Onsen Express may freely combine hotels for the first and second nights (for example, Night 1: Daiichi Hotel → Night 2: Sasai Hotel) *If you change your second-night accommodation, check-in on Day 2 will be from 14:00 onward.* [Perk 2] Receive a “Tokachigawa Mall” bath additive (Bathclin) as a gift! 🛁 *Limited to guests staying two nights or more.* [Perk 3] Guests staying at Ohheigen, Sasai Hotel, Daiichi Hotel, Kangetsuen, Sanyoan, or Seijakubo receive a free local bus ticket! 🚌 *Limited to guests using the Mall Onsen Express.* [Perk 4] Otofuke Tokachigawa Onsen mini guided tour 🌾 *Limited to guests using the Mall Onsen Express.* *Please reserve at the hotel front desk upon check-in. (Limited to the first 40 people.)* *This is limited to guests staying two consecutive nights on the Mall Onsen Express.* *The route may change or the tour may be canceled due to weather.* ⚠ Reservations required (Please apply to the Tokachigawa Onsen accommodations at least 3 days in advance.) ⚠ Reservations are accepted at each accommodation. ⚠ For accommodation inquiries, please contact each lodging directly. Why not take a soothing trip to Tokachigawa Onsen this autumn? 🍂

Photographed 10/18/25. It is a festival float of Shintomi Town 2-chome, Kagami Lion in front of Maruhiro Department Store.

Photographed 10/18/25. In front of the Maruhiro Department Store, three festival floats were being towed. From left to right: Shintomi Town 2-chome, Kagami festival float, Otemachi Suzume festival float, Shintomi Town 1-chome, Iemitsu festival float.

Cruising through Dotonbori at night was the highlight of my first trip to Japan.

Photographed 10/18/25. In front of the Maruhiro Department Store, the festival float of Otemachi Suzume and the festival float of Shintomi Town 2-chome Kagami Shion are towed.

Event announcement 📣 The Hiroo Santa Land tree lighting ceremony will take place on Saturday, October 25, 2025 😊 This annual event is held at the sacred site of Hiroo Santa Land, Daimaruyama Forest Park, on the fourth Saturday of October 🎄🎄 On the day, a Christmas market and the Santa Land Sound Festival start at 2:00 PM, and the tree lighting ceremony begins at 5:00 PM 😍 About 150,000 lights and some 10,000 wooden lanterns in the park will illuminate at the signal, wrapping the area in a magical glow. Children in elementary school and younger will receive an early Christmas gift 🎁🎁 Fireworks will be launched after the lighting ceremony, sparkling brightly in the autumn night sky ✨✨ Come and enjoy the Christmas atmosphere if you can 🤗 Please wear warm clothing. Date and time: Saturday, October 25, 2025, 2:00 PM onwards Location: Daimaruyama Forest Park https://www.santaland.or.jp/40th-anniversary/...

Photographed 10/18/25. It is a festival float of Otemachi Suzume in front of Maruhiro Department Store.

The former palace Nijo Castle is also torikyu ni jojo." Kyoto, Kyoto-shi, Nakagyo-ku, Nijo-dori, Horikawa, Nishiiri, Nijojo-cho, 541 Nijo Castle is famous for the Ninomaru, which Tokugawa Yoshiyoshi declared the return of the Great Government, but although it was reduced in scale by Ieyasu's order, the site is vast. If you take a walk in the large garden, you can fully enjoy the cherry blossoms in Spring and the Autumn leaves in autumn. Why don't you go out?

Hello, this is Jewelry Town! 💎 The most beautiful time of the year has arrived, when Shosenkyo Gorge is wrapped in deep, vivid colors. The red and yellow trees lining the valley stand out against the dramatic rock formations, shining like a painting created by nature. 🍁 After taking in that breathtaking view, please stop by Jewelry Town. Our shop offers popular rutilated quartz spheres and bracelets, along with other rare natural gemstones. Enjoy a special moment you can only find at Shosenkyo Gorge in autumn. As temperatures can swing widely at this time of year, please dress warmly when you visit.

【✨Gokase Autumn Leaves 2025 Campaign✨】 A little over a week has passed since we announced the winners of Summer Gokase 2025… #Gokase Autumn Leaves 2025 Campaign is now open 😆 Mornings and evenings have turned noticeably colder, and the autumn leaves are beginning to color 🍁 Please post photos of autumn scenery and fall foliage taken in Gokase Town #Include the shooting date (for example: #November 1) and #GokaseAutumnLeaves2025 on Instagram! Each day during the campaign one person will win a specialty product from Gokase Town! Outstanding entries will receive a Gokase Town specialty gift set!! Submitted photos may be featured on the Gokase Tourism Association’s social media and other channels. [Period] From Friday, October 24, 2025 to Tuesday, November 25, 2025 *The period may change depending on circumstances.* [Eligibility] Those who agree to the terms of use *The terms are posted on the Gokase Tourism Association website.* 1. Follow the Gokase Tourism Association on Instagram (@gokase_kanko) 2. Post autumn photos taken in Gokase Town on Instagram with the hashtags "#shooting date (for example: #November 1)" and "#GokaseAutumnLeaves2025" Autumn foliage updates are posted on the Gokase Tourism Association website as they become available 💡 Please come and enjoy the beautiful autumn leaves of Gokase Town 🥰 ⚠ Caution ⚠ Some locations may be difficult to access by car. If you are not confident driving, do not push yourself. Exercise care and prioritize safety when traveling.

Mika Nejinja Shrine Kyoto, Kyoto-shi, Nakagyo-ku, Nishitoin-dori, Oikekami-ru, Oshisai-doin-cho, 614 Prayer visitors from all over the country visit this shrine in search of good luck. In the city of Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, the golden Torii (shrine gate) gate between the buildings is the landmark "Mikane Shrine". The god of metals and minerals, Kanayama Bikomei, is the main God of worship, and Amaterasu and Tsukiyomi are enshrined. In this area, there was once a Kinza and Ginza set up by the Edo shogunate to mint and manage coins. Mika Nejinja's "Lucky Wallet (2000 yen)" is a popular "Lucky Wallet" as a powerful talisman for increasing financial luck.

Notice of the Hibita District Exploration Tour “A Day of Tracing Ancient Memories” For history lovers— This full-day tour begins with a formal visit to Sannomiya Hibita Shrine in Sagami Province and then takes you slowly through the Hibita district’s living “ancient memories,” including the former shrine site, burial mounds, and Jomon-period ruins, guided by a cultural heritage specialist. 🍱The tour comes with plenty of perks! Enjoy a special bento from Megumi Kitchen made with pesticide-free vegetables and fermented seasonings, plus a sake tasting of three cups from local Yoshikawa Brewery, letting you experience Hibita’s charms with all your senses. It promises to be an unforgettable day for nature, history, and sake enthusiasts. Date and time: Saturday, November 15, 2025, 9:00–14:00 (held in light rain) Meeting place: Sannomiya Hibita Shrine precincts (1472 Sannomiya, Isehara City) Participation fee: ¥4,000 (tax included; bento, three sake tastings, and insurance included) Capacity: 20 people (minimum 10 to run), advance reservation required The application deadline is October 27. Please take care to apply on time. For application details and more, please check the tourism association website. https://isehara-kanko.com/hibita_tour2025/... We sincerely look forward to your participation!

Notice: Lecture Tomorrow📣 Tomorrow, Saturday, October 25, Professor Tomoko Yoshikawa, who has long studied this field, will give a lecture titled “Creatures of Volcanic Lakes: The Ecological Connections of Lake Kussharo.” The event will take place at Kawayu Visitor Center and admission is free. We look forward to your visit⛰️✨ Lecture: “Creatures of Volcanic Lakes — The Ecological Connections of Lake Kussharo” Presented by Tomoko Yoshikawa, Professor Emerita, Faculty of Agriculture, Tamagawa University. Date and Time: Saturday, October 25, 1:30 PM–3:30 PM Venue: Kawayu Visitor Center, 2nd floor Admission: Free (no registration required; capacity 50) We hope this opportunity to encounter the grand natural story behind Lake Kussharo, a familiar local landscape, will help you understand the lake and the park more deeply and feel proud of them. https://www.masyuko.or.jp/news/kawayuvcfureai2/...

Announcement: Reihoku Medical Association Hospital Musubu Marche📣 The Reihoku Medical Association Hospital will host the Musubu Marche to raise interest in health and medical care on Saturday, November 8. Highlights include a hands-on job experience session for children with nurses and pharmacists, a public lecture by the hospital director, and a photo-frame workshop using scallop shells, plus many other attractions. Food trucks will be on site that day, and a stamp rally will let visitors collect stamps at each booth for a chance to win prizes by lottery. Please come and join us✨ Reihoku Medical Association Hospital Musubu Marche Date and Time: Saturday, November 8, 11:00 AM–3:00 PM Location: Main parking area in front of Reihoku Medical Association Hospital (3600-3 Tomioka, Reihoku, Amakusa District, Kumamoto Prefecture) Note: The event will proceed in light rain and will be canceled in heavy rain (programs may change).

Photographed 10/23/25. This is LEC COFFEE's black latte. It is a latte art for Halloween. 👻 It is a work of art. Appreciation, I received it all at once.

*The photo was taken during a spring mountain-climbing event.* [Now Accepting Participants] The 20th Tenjiku Saiyuki Mountain Climb will be held! This mountain-climbing event takes you to Tenjiku, one of Reihoku’s landmarks and the highest peak on Amakusa Shimoshima. The 20th “Tenjiku Saiyuki Mountain Climb” will take place on Sunday, November 16, 2025⛰. The roughly 11 km round trip offers panoramic views from the summit and refreshing forest bathing, and a local product sale will also be held, so please sign up for an autumn outing. Participants can also earn 20 Kumamoto Health Points✨ Register via the QR code or from the News section of our website! ▶ Schedule: Sunday, November 16, 2025, 9:30–14:00 09:30 Departure ceremony 10:10 Start 14:30 Goal (estimated) ▶ Meeting place: Amakusa Koba-no-Mori Nature School (former Koba Elementary School), 6118-2 Tororo, Reihoku ▶ Parking: Please use the Koba-no-Mori Nature School parking area (around the lodging building). ▶ Course: Approximately 11 km round trip ▶ Eligibility: People who are healthy on the day and can follow the event rules. Children in elementary school or younger must be accompanied by a guardian. ▶ What to bring: Drinks, trash bags, towel, change of clothes, etc. ▶ Fee: Adults (high school students and older) ¥1,500; elementary and junior high students ¥500; preschool children free Fees will be collected at registration on the day. Please bring exact change if possible. ▶ Other: Rice ball bento (¥500) will be prepared for those who need it. If you would like one, please fill in the field at the end of the application form. This event accepts pre-registration only; there will be no on-site registration. Please provide information for every participant. The event may be canceled due to weather. In that case we will notify the email address you provided (if multiple people register together, we will contact the representative’s email address). Application deadline: Wednesday, November 12, 2025, 5:00 PM

🗻 See 🗻 Diamond Fuji from the rooftop of City Hall The rooftop of the Kamagaya City Office is relatively tall in the city and has a good view, so you can see the Tokyo Skytree along with Mt. Mount Fuji. About twice a year, at the moment when the sun rises from the summit of the Mount Fuji and the moment when the sun sets, you can see a scene as if a diamond is shining, and this phenomenon is called "Diamond Fuji". The spectacle of Mt. Mount Fuji and the sun is truly the art of Nature. Why don't you see the wonderful sight of Mount Fuji and the sunset only at this time of year? ✨ <Best view time> Saturday, November 8 2025 (Reiwa 7) around 4:29 p.m. Although it is a closed day, we will open the rooftop because it has been well received! Opening hours: 3:30 pm to 5:15 pm *Cancelled in case of rain <Request for Appreciation> There will be no Appreciation party, so no application is required. Equipment with a height of more than 150 centimeters and meters is not allowed. Do not set up a tripod and leave it for a long time. [Commerce, Industry and Tourism Division] https://www.city.kamagaya.chiba.jp/kanko-bunka-sports/kanko/diamondfuji/diamond-fuji.html...

The Nakasendo and Five Post Towns within Shiojiri City Along the Nakasendo, there were 69 post towns stretching from Nihombashi in Edo to Sanjo Ohashi in Kyoto. Although the Shiojiri area had more hills and slopes than the Tokaido, travelers could keep to their planned schedules because prolonged delays caused by river closures were rare. Within Shiojiri, the Nakasendo included five post towns: Shiojiri-juku, Seba-juku, Motoyama-juku, Niekawa-juku, and Narai-juku. 1. Shiojiri-juku (the 30th station from Nihombashi) Shiojiri-juku stood on the border between the Matsumoto and Suwa domains. A checkpoint called the kuchidome-bansho, which inspected rice and prohibited goods, was established there. Honjin and waki-honjin served officials on sankin-kotai, and by the late shogunate period the number of inns ranked second on the Nakasendo and first in Shinano. 2. Seba-juku (the 31st station from Nihombashi) Seba-juku lies at the fork between the Nakasendo and the Zenkoji Kaido. It hosted one of the Nakasendo’s three kanmearisho, offices that measured grain. A great fire in the early Showa era destroyed much of the post town’s appearance, but a stone lantern marking the old fork remains. 3. Motoyama-juku (the 32nd station from Nihombashi) Said to be the birthplace of soba-kiri noodles, Motoyama-juku prospered as the gateway to Kiso and the exit of the Matsumoto Basin. Its honjin accommodated Princess Kazunomiya when she married Tokugawa Iemochi, and later served as lodgings during Emperor Meiji’s imperial tour in Meiji 13 (1880). 4. Niekawa-juku (the 33rd station from Nihombashi) Niekawa-juku marks the entrance to the eleven post towns of the Kiso Road. Niekawa Sekisho checkpoint guarded this key transport chokepoint on the Nakasendo, and the town developed through lodging services and long-distance trade. 5. Narai-juku (the 34th station from Nihombashi) Famed as “Narai Senken” with a thousand bustling shops in its heyday, Narai-juku still preserves much of its historical atmosphere and today draws many visitors as a popular tourist destination.

EXPO'70 Pavilion Expo Commemorative Park (former site of the 1970 Osaka World Expo) 10-10 Senri Expo Park, Suita City, Osaka Prefecture The exhibition hall of the 70th World Expo in the Expo Commemorative Park. This is an exhibition of works from the 1970 Osaka Expo. The interior of the exhibition, which is based entirely on red, is reminiscent of Taro Okamoto. There were exhibits from around the world that would have been held at the Expo, but the one that stuck with me was one of Taro Okamoto's works of art in the photo. And of course, the Tower of the Sun.

Expo Commemorative Park Rose Garden 1-1 Senri Expo Park, Suita-shi, Osaka Location: Rose Garden of Peace flowering season Mid-May ~ Mid-June, Early October ~ Mid-November Maintenance of the park is filled with many flowers and trees in each season. It is easy to understand because there is a plate with the name. It's very spacious, so you can take your time and take a leisurely stroll.

Expo Commemorative Park Senri Expo Park, Suita City, Osaka Prefecture At the "Flower Hill" in the Nature Cultural Garden, about 120,000 cosmos trees bloom all over the hill from early to late October every year, including popular varieties of Sensation Mix, pure white Sensation White that shines in the autumn sky, and vivid yellow cosmos.