Announcement of the Appointment of the 31st Tokachi Aozora Ladies 😄 Every year, to mark the start of Ban'ei horse racing, we hold the Tokachi Aozora Ladies certification and handover ceremony at Obihiro Racecourse. 🎵 This year, the certification and handover ceremony took place on Friday, April 18. The 31st Tokachi Aozora Ladies are Nozomi Takahashi and Mayuka Ishizaki. We look forward to your support for them. The two 31st Tokachi Aozora Ladies presented bouquets to Machi Fujita and Kaori Noguchi, the 30th Tokachi Aozora Ladies, in thanks for their year of activities. As their first duties, the 31st Tokachi Aozora Ladies handed out gifts to visitors at the opening of Obihiro Racecourse, took part in the ceremony where the Mayor of Obihiro gave greetings, and appeared on BanSta. Thank you very much! Ban'ei horse racing is a sport where draft horses pull heavy iron sleds, testing speed and strength! Race days are Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. From Saturday, April 26 to Monday, April 28, enjoy the anime Baki Hanma × Ban'ei Tokachi collaboration event! During Golden Week from Saturday, May 3 to Monday, May 5, a packed lineup of family-friendly attractions awaits, including stage events, food and merchandise booths, and a kids’ corner. 😍 Come to Obihiro Racecourse to cheer as the powerful Ban'ei horses take strong steps right before your eyes!! Please visit the official Ban'ei Tokachi website at the URL below. https://www.banei-keiba.or.jp//

Hello everyone! Notice‼ To all users of the Asahidake cross-country ski course from Thursday, April 24 to Friday, April 25 Due to sewer pipe work at the Higashikawa Town Asahidake Youth Campground during the period below, construction vehicles will pass through the cross-country ski course and work will take place in some sections. Date and time: Thursday, April 24 to Friday, April 25, 9:00–15:00 As a result of the work, areas around the site may be temporarily unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience to users and ask that you follow on-site directions and guidance to ensure safety. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and cooperation. Contact Asahidake Visitor Center Address 071-1472: Asahidake Onsen, Higashikawa-cho, Kamikawa District, Hokkaido TEL: 0166-97-2153 OPEN 9:00–17:00

Photographed on April 5, 25. It is the cherry blossom of Kitain.

Teshikaga Sea of Clouds A grand panorama filling Lake Kussharo and Lake Mashu In Teshikaga you can see a sea of clouds over Lake Mashu in the early mornings. (Season: around June to October) Different observation decks let you enjoy the sea of clouds from various angles. We recommend staying overnight in Teshikaga and heading to the sea-of-clouds viewing spots at dawn during this season. 🛏️✨ For more details, see Teshikaga Navi. 📝🚗💨 https://masyuko.or.jp/enjoy/unkai/...

🌸 Gokase Hanami 2025 — Featured Photos, No. 9 🌸 We’re wrapping up the introductions to the entries submitted to “#Gokase Hanami 2025” on the Gokase Tourism Association’s Instagram account, with just one more installment to go 🥹 Thank you for so many wonderful submissions 👏✨ @8215dr72 @920cherry71 @omilove.1203 (in no particular order) We received breathtakingly beautiful photos that make you sigh 🥺💕 Many photos feature Josenji, but we also loved fresh perspectives such as shots of the cherry-tree-lined road taken from afar and weeping cherry trees reflected in car windows — truly lovely 😳💫 Yesterday we announced that Akebono azaleas and rhododendrons are at their best 💡 With the weather not looking great today or tomorrow, we worry they may not last, so if you can, please take photos and submit them to “#Gokase Hanami 2025” 🤗✨ -------------------------------------------------------------------- How to Enter “#Gokase Hanami 2025” Follow the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account, then post photos of flowers taken within Gokasecho on Instagram with two hashtags: #Gokase Hanami 2025 and #Date of shooting (for example: #March 20) 🤳❤️‍🔥 Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/gokase_kanko/... Period: Thursday, March 20, 2025 to Sunday, May 11, 2025 ⚠️ Additional rules are posted on the Gokase Tourism Association website. Please read them carefully before entering. https://www.town.gokase.miyazaki.jp/kanko/ivent/1962.html... ⚠️ Please take great care to avoid accidents while photographing.

I went to Golden Week last year. The blue of the lake surface of Lake Shiman in Gunma Prefecture is beautiful, and on a clear day, you can enjoy the scenery of the Water submerged forest and blue.

Akeno Sunflower Field Akeno Sunflower Field, Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, sunflowers bloom all over the sunflower field during the Sanfu Tower Festival. If the weather is good, you can also see the mountains of the Southern Alps in the background.

Photographed 4/20/25. This is LEC COFFEE's quiche plate. It is a cold onion soup and a quiche with burdock and chicken. When I take a walk in the direction of Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, I am indebted to you. 😊

[Amakusa Sea Sunset Cruising ⛴️🌆] Individual Sailings Now Available! Enjoy the Amakusa Sea sunset from onboard with the “Amakusa Sea Sunset Cruising,” running for individual customers on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month in April and May. Board Reihoku Kanko Kisen’s Kizuna III at Tomioka Port and head west along the Tomioka Peninsula for an approximately one-hour cruise to watch the sun sink into the sea and experience the magic hour. ⛴️Fare (per person) Adult (junior high school students and older) ¥3,000 Child ¥1,500 ⛴️Meeting point Tomioka Port Passenger Waiting Area (Kizuna Station) *Please arrive at least 15 minutes before departure.* ⛴️Operating dates (approximate departure times) [April] 12th, 26th (6:00 PM) [May] 10th, 24th (6:20 PM) Reservations This cruise requires advance reservation. Please call Reihoku Kanko Kisen Co., Ltd., the operator, to book directly. ⚠️Notes Please understand that sailings may be canceled or the sunset may not be visible due to bad weather, strong winds, or high waves. ⛴️Contact Reihoku Kanko Kisen Co., Ltd. Tel: 0960-35-0705 (Hours: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM) For more details, please visit the Amakusa Reihoku Tourist Association website. 👉 Check the link in this account’s profile!

Mt. Odasshu “Tokachi is clear; the Hidaka Mountain Range looks especially beautiful this season with snow still clinging to its peaks.” Sitting at the farthest end of the Hidaka Range on its northern side, Mt. Odasshu stands as a symbol of Shintoku Town. The lowlands have thawed, but the mountains still hold much snow. When the surrounding fields were entirely white, we longed for spring because snow removal was necessary, yet now that time feels nostalgic—the pure, cold whiteness of the snow lingers in memory. This morning the cold eased and it warmed up, reaching nearly 18°C around noon. We are not quite in the warm embrace of spring, but the changing winds and views make the season’s arrival palpable. Welcome to Shintoku Town #welcomeshintoku Welcome home to Shintoku Town #Hokkaido #Tokachi #Shintoku Town #Shintoku Ranger #Shintoku Town Tourism Association #Hidaka Mountain Range #Mt. Odasshu #Tokachi sunny day #remaining snow #landscape The Tokachi is clear, and the snowy landscape of the Hidaka Mountains is very beautiful in this season. #Hokkaido #Tokachi #Shintoku Town #shintoku #Shintoku Town Tourism Association #Hidaka Mountains #Tokachi sunny day #remaining snow #landscape #welcomeshintoku

From Saturday, April 19 to Tuesday, May 6 (substitute holiday), the exhibition “The History of Izu and Mishima Taisha” (free admission) is on view now! #A one-minute walk from the Marunouchi exit of Tokyo Station #Held at KITTE Basement 1, Tokyo City i #Discover the charms of Izu and Mishima Taisha through glass plate negatives uncovered during Mishima Taisha’s Reiwa-era major restoration, along with other film works and expert talks! https://tokyocity-i.jp/event/9457/...

From today (April 21), we are also open on Mondays❕ We will remain open every day until October 31. We look forward to welcoming you☺️ We have also installed benches and chairs in the plaza in front of the Roadside Station, so please feel free to rest there♪ *There are no trash bins.

[🌸 Gokase Hanami 2025 Photo Submissions — No. 8 — 🌸] Lately, the Gokase Tourism Association has been featuring entries to the “#Gokase Hanami 2025” on its Instagram account, and only a few submissions remain to be showcased at this stage 😳 @taniyan1119 @tm21mt @tourism09wine @yaaaaaa.85 @naoki_photo.graphy @naomin168 @kurota_kurohei (In no particular order) Mixed in with Josenji Temple and the Harada family’s site, we received many heartwarming shots of local weeping cherry trees, adorable pet dogs, and bright red boke (flowering quince) berries ☺️💕 Thank you all so much for the many submissions ✨ We’re still accepting entries, so feel free to post your photos anytime 🤗 -------------------------------------------------------------------- ≪#How to Enter #Gokase Hanami 2025≫ Follow the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account and post a photo of flowers taken within Gokasecho. Add the two hashtags #Gokase Hanami 2025 and #the shooting date (for example: #March 20) to your Instagram post 🤳❤️‍🔥 Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/gokase_kanko/... Period: From Thursday, March 20, 2025 until Sunday, May 11, 2025 ⚠️ Other rules are posted on the Gokase Tourism Association website. Please read them before submitting. https://www.town.gokase.miyazaki.jp/kanko/ivent/1962.html... ⚠️Please take great care to avoid accidents while photographing.

Starbucks Mount Fuji 🗻 This is the shooting point of Starbucks × Mount Fuji Located in Yamanashi Prefecture. The view of Mount Fuji over Starbucks was 🤤 the best

Photographed 4/20/25. After watching Ishihara's Sasara Lion Dance, we visited LEC COFFEE. It is a very beautiful latte art.

Today, I went to see Ishihara's Sasara Lion Dance. The god of the mountain (before) and the lion.

Japan is a treasure trove of stunning landscapes that never fail to amaze. One such enchanting place is where the sky seemingly merges with a breathtaking sea of flowers. While the scene is captivating, it’s the lady in yellow that catches your eye; her presence adds a unique charm to the landscape. She resembles a bird, gracefully dancing with the breeze, embracing the horizon with joy. It’s a moment that beautifully captures the spirit of freedom and the wonders of nature.

A sea of clouds to yourself This time, an aerial portrait with a drone! This is a "sapling Ruins of the Castle" with a Ruins of the Castle in the sky. A place known only to those who know it as a sea of clouds Spot in Gifu Prefecture. From the Observation decks of the Ruins of the Castle, you can enjoy a 360-degree panorama. The day after it rains, the day after that, the day after that, is the aim of the sea of clouds. Gifu Prefecture Nakatsugawa City "Naegi Ruins of the Castle" 2025/4/12

At Kanonji Temple, I saw Ishihara's Sasara Lion Dance. The god of the mountains and the lion.

Daigo Sakura, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture I went to Daigo Sakura for the first time, which I had wanted to visit for a long time. I arrived at around 4 a.m. in the morning, and even though it was already a weekdays, there were about 40 photographers taking pictures, and it was difficult to take pictures because it was filled with tripods and it was a dark place, but I managed to take a picture, and above all, the Milky Way and starry sky cherry blossoms seen with the naked eye were pitch black and Impression even if I couldn't see them. The lights of the cars hit the cherry blossoms on the way

Daigo Sakura, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture I went to Daigo Sakura for the first time, which I had wanted to visit for a long time. I arrived at around 4 a.m. in the morning, and even though it was already a weekdays, there were about 40 photographers taking pictures, and it was difficult to take pictures because it was filled with tripods and it was a dark place, but I managed to take a picture, and above all, the Milky Way and starry sky cherry blossoms seen with the naked eye were pitch black and Impression even if I couldn't see them.

Photographed on April 5, 25. It is a Shidarezakura (weeping cherry blossoms) of Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

Night light at Sumiyoshi Taisha, Osaka In the old days, the lamp brought countless people to I guess I guided 🎵 them and relieved them

This is Japan🌸⛩️🗻 This is the Shinkurayama Sengen Shrine Located in in Fujiyoshida City, Yamanashi Prefecture. The view from here is a symbolic view 🤤 of Japan

Photographed on April 18, 25. Resona Coedo Terrace and Double Cherry Blossom (Yae zakura).

Tomakomai Tourist Information Center's Tomachop has been dressed up for Children's Day 🎏

Introduction to a One-Day Experience Tour 😄 —See Tokachi’s signature industry, crop farming, with your own eyes!— A 1‑DAY tour in Kamishihoro and Memuro that will leave you amazed by the taste of fresh vegetables The vast Tokachi Plain stretches wide. More than 150 years have passed since pioneers cleared virgin forest with the strength of people and horses to start crop farming, and the area has become one of Japan’s leading agricultural regions. Tokachi’s delicious vegetables, enjoyed across Japan and around the world, are consistently high quality and full of flavor. Join this 1‑DAY tour to visit real production sites that are normally closed to the public, experience farm life as if you were part of the family, and discover the secrets behind the flavor. Tour Schedule 9:00 Gather at JR Obihiro Station 10:00 Sekiguchi Farm — Visit the bean fields, try farm work, and taste beans Meet the actual beans in the fields and get hands‑on with farm work. After working up a sweat, relax beside the fields. 11:40 Craft Kitchen — Spice blending experience and bean dish lunch Try blending spices that pair with Tokachi vegetables. 14:45 Shin-Arashiyama Sky Park Observation Deck Take in panoramic views of Tokachi’s farms, an area said to have a food self‑sufficiency rate of over 1000%, and feel the region’s vastness. 15:20 Takano Farm — Field walk and seasonal vegetable harvesting experience Explore the fields from a farmer’s perspective, touch the crops, and discover the charms only farmers know. 17:00 Original burger dinner in a popcorn field Create your own burger using Tokachi wheat buns, a Memuro beef patty, and an assortment of Tokachi vegetables. 19:30 Disperse at JR Obihiro Station Operating period: June to early August Time: 9:00–19:30 (about 10 hours 30 minutes) Participant capacity: 2–8 people Price: Per person For double occupancy Adult 159,500 JPY For groups of 3 or more Adult 115,500 JPY, Elementary school student 20,000 JPY per child *With English interpretation, the prices are as follows.* Per person For double occupancy Adult 198,000 JPY For groups of 3 or more Adult 137,500 JPY, Elementary school student 20,000 JPY per child Please make a reservation at least seven days before your desired date of use. (We may not be able to accommodate your preferred date due to guide availability.) Would you like to peek behind the scenes of agriculture and food while hearing directly from producers? This is also a great opportunity to interact with producers up close. We hope that a day of hands‑on experience will bring new discoveries and perspectives, enriching your lifestyle. We’d be happy if your visit to Tokachi becomes a memorable page in your travel story. 😄 If you’re interested, please visit the following URL on our federation’s official website: "BEHIND THE GOOD TASTE — Journeys connecting you to Tokachi, the source of food" Contact Knau Publishing Co., Ltd. Slow Travel HOKKAIDO Email: slh@slow-life-hokkaido.com Add a comment… https://tokachibare.jp/behindthegoodtaste/...

[🌸Gokase Flower Viewing 2025 Entry Photo Showcase – Part 7–🌸] We continue to share entries submitted to the "#Gokase Flower Viewing 2025" held on the Gokase Tourism Association’s Instagram account🤗🌟 @sokoatari.urouro This collection captures many expressions of the weeping cherry tree at Josenji Temple😳✨Daytime, nighttime, from far, from near, from below… each perspective brings a totally different feel, and it’s fascinating👏! We won’t post tomorrow, but we still have many entries to show, so please stay tuned a little longer☺️🙏 -------------------------------------------------------------------- ≪#How to Enter #Gokase Flower Viewing 2025≫ Follow the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account, then post photos of flowers taken within Gokasecho on Instagram with the two hashtags #Gokase Flower Viewing 2025 and #date of shooting (example: #March 20)🤳❤️‍🔥 Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/gokase_kanko/... [Period] From Thursday, March 20, 2025 to Sunday, May 11, 2025 ⚠️Other terms are posted on the Gokase Tourism Association website. Be sure to read them before entering. https://www.town.gokase.miyazaki.jp/kanko/ivent/1962.html... ⚠️Please take great care to avoid accidents while photographing.

Photographed on April 18, 25. After Prayer to Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, we visited LEC COFFEE. Dirty chai and nut tart. Yesterday, it was hot, so I took a vacation.

Komainu-sama of Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka City "Ikune Shrine" If you watch it many times, you will be captivated before you know it、、、 It varies depending on the shrine, and it is 🎵 very addictive