◤Ushinokuchi Circular Diversion◢ One of Sakuhomachi’s hidden cultural treasures in Nagano Prefecture🕌 It was built to divide water equally so that disputes would not arise in the area. Before the circular diversion was created, locals used a custom called “vines diversion,” in which they cut vine tendrils and used them to decide each share of the water—a practice that seems to have been rare across Japan💭

Photographed 3/29/25. LEC COFFEE's black latte and black sesame Basque cheesecake.

[Cycling Guided Tour - Fruit Sweets Plan] Yesterday we guided guests from India! We picked strawberries while cycling 🍓 The strawberries we picked were turned into sweets at the cafe♪ It seems you don’t often get to eat strawberries in India. The freshly picked, sweet strawberries 🍓 They looked very pleased with the sweets at the cafe. For information on the guided tour, see below: https://www.vill-nagano-toyooka-kanko.jp/tourism/guide-tour/cycling-guide-tour-02/5975/... [Cycling Guided Tour - Fruit Sweets Plan] Yesterday, we guided a customer from India! We picked strawberries while cycling 🍓 The strawberries we picked were made into sweets at the cafe ♪ It seems that you can't eat strawberries very often in India. The freshly picked sweet strawberries 🍓 And they seemed very satisfied with the sweets at the cafe.

Photographed 3/29/25. This is LEC COFFEE's black sesame Basque cheesecake. It's my favorite. 😊

Photographed 3/29/25. This is LEC COFFEE's black latte. It is a very beautiful latte art.

[Isehara Flower Report] April 4, 2025 Here’s today’s update on the blooming status of Oyama cherry blossoms! ✨The upper cherry trees are brilliantly in full bloom—this is the perfect time to see them! 🌸The lower cherry trees are blooming beautifully too, and they’re just a bit away from full bloom. The temporary Oyama cherry blossom parking lot is open now 🚗 Please feel free to use it when you go out! It’s the perfect season for hanami (cherry-blossom viewing)🌸 Check the latest information before you head out and enjoy spring to the fullest♪ ▼For more details▼ https://isehara-kanko.com/.../oyama.../route-oyamazakura/...

Cherry Blossoms in Flight A week has passed since the bloom was announced in Kyushu, but full bloom still continues in Kikuchi City, Kumamoto Prefecture. The petals' centers have begun to turn red, so the blossoms will start falling soon. At Kikuchi Park in Kumuchi, Kikuchi County, roughly 3,000 cherry trees, including Somei-yoshino and yamazakura, are in full bloom. This year, many visitors, including those from overseas, are enjoying hanami. The Kangetsuro Observation Deck inside the park offers a superb view of Kikuchi Park's cherry blossoms and the city of Kikuchi. A promenade runs through the park, forming a tunnel of cherry trees. Even as the petals begin to fall, you can stroll through drifting blossoms. The park also has a “Love Bench,” where you can relax while viewing the cherry trees. A row of cherry trees lines the approach to Kikuchi Shrine, and walking under the canopy offers a beautiful contrast of blossoms against the blue sky. Every year the cherry trees bloom from mid-March through early April. The stage when petals start to fall also makes for wonderful photos and videos, so please come and visit.

Notice of Jikkokutoge Pass Reopening We are pleased to announce the reopening of Japan National Route 299. It reopened today, Friday, April 4, 2025, at 11:00 AM. Highlights include the viewing platform and Otome Falls. Please enjoy your visit!

It’s gradually getting warmer! Two weeks ago, surprisingly, glutton Kasai was laid up with the flu. My temperature reached nearly 39°C, but somehow my appetite stayed strong (´～｀)! Please take care, everyone... Since I took time off two weeks ago, I’ll be back this week as energetic and hungry as ever! Everyone, the cherry blossom season is approaching 🌸 Aren’t you starting to want to see some cherry blossom photos? These photos are from past years, but Suwa City has many great cherry blossom viewing spots. If you have any recommended cherry blossom viewpoints, I would be very grateful if you could share them!!! Glutton Kasai prefers dumplings to flowers, but www I’ll still post plenty about Suwa City’s cherry blossom viewing spots! Looking back at last year’s posts, it was around mid-April! Hi there! This is glutton Kasai! I caught the flu last week… It was awful! I had a high fever… BUT I still had a voracious appetite!!! Can you believe it? It’s true… Everyone, please take care!!! These days, Suwa City is gradually warming up. The o-hanami season is coming! O-hanami is a traditional Japanese spring event. We enjoy a feast while watching the cherry blossoms bloom. These pictures were taken earlier. This year, I’ll keep researching the best cherry blossom viewing spots and the best times to see them!!! I checked last year’s post; it was in mid-April! Please take a look!!!

Morokko House Specialty Shop This warm, welcoming store along National Route 327 uses plenty of locally sourced timber from the village🌳. The shop sign was recently refreshed✨ When you visit, be sure to take a look at the charming illustration nearby🥰 We deliver safe, reliable mountain produce harvested in Morotsuka Village with heartfelt care💖. This is the place for Morotsuka souvenirs! You can choose the heat level for yuzu kosho and dressings, and, of course, Morotsuka’s signature dried shiitake—plus fresh shiitake are available in season from autumn through winter. Both types are grown on natural logs🍄. Longtime favorites include Nanatsuyama miso, yomogi (mugwort) dumplings, and handmade konnyaku. Quirky shiitake cookies🍪 make a fun souvenir pick. For game-meat fans, frozen venison and wild boar are also on sale! Every Friday we offer a limited-quantity, shop-exclusive shiitake sushi. Seasonal village-grown vegetables🥬 and flowers🌸 are also sold, letting you enjoy the flavors of the season and the unique highland produce of Morotsuka. You’ll also find locally produced shochu from the village’s two sake breweries and handmade crafts by residents. Both are rare items rarely found outside the village.

Soon, the cherry blossoms in Nagatoro will be 🌸 in full bloom This is a row of cherry blossom trees Located in Nagatoro-cho, Saitama Prefecture. It is in full bloom in early to mid-April every year. On Saturday and Sunday of this week, it will be in best time to visit! Please come and visit us 😊

Photographed 3/27/25. It is Hanachozu of Naritasan Kawagoe Betsuin.

【Dafa Sakura Festival (April 3rd)】 Today's cherry blossoms are almost in full bloom. The rain stopped in the afternoon. I was able to shoot.

🌸 The weeping cherry trees at Josenji are now in bloom 🌸 In Gokasecho, the cooler-than-usual temperatures delayed the blossoms this year, but the weeping cherry at Josenji has now reached its peak viewing period 🤗✨ (It is not yet fully in bloom!) You should be able to enjoy the beautiful weeping cherry through the beginning of next week 🌸 The trees are also lit up after sunset, so please enjoy the night blossoms as well 👏✨ Please note that the Josenji illumination will end as soon as the peak viewing period passes 🙏 Expect heavy crowds, especially on weekends ⚠️ Follow the directions of traffic attendants around Josenji and take care when arriving by car 🚗 Nearby weeping cherries at the Harada residence and Kijiya are slowly coming into bloom as well, so enjoy them together 🫶 (And please consider entering photos you take in our association’s ongoing photo contest “#Gokase Hanami 2025” on Instagram 😘📸) https://www.instagram.com/gokase_kanko/...

"Okhotsk Flower Migration Markets in HTB On-chan Terrace" will be held in for two days on April 18 (Fri) and 19 (Sat)! At the Events, in addition to selling carefully selected specialty products from the Flower Migration area (Engaru Town, Takinoue Town, Yubetsu Town, Monbetsu City), Workshops, questionnaires (you can play Gacha Gacha without mistakes), and "Yurukyara" will also appear ♪ 　Recommended for selling Specialty products in Engaru Town! !! is "Wintering Shirataki Jaga", which is difficult to obtain even in the Locals. Shirataki potatoes have been further wintered in the highlands with a large temperature difference of 400 meters Raised Traditional Japanese straw raincoat an average of 400 meters, and once you eat them, you will not forget them (50 yen per piece). In addition, the Popular Workshop "Obsidian Key Chain Making Experience (500 yen)" will also be held in limited quantities. 　Please come to the venue for two days where you can enjoy the charm of the Flower Migration area! !! Date & Time: April 18 (Fri) 11:00~18:00, April 19 (Sat) 10:00~17:00 Location: HTB On-chan Terrace (Chuo-ku, Kita 1-jo Nishi 1-6) https://www.htb.co.jp/ichimoni/marche/okhotsk202504/...

Photographed 3/27/25. CAFE ANDON's homemade chai latte and strawberry and cherry tart.

It is a hidden gem Spot that can be reached from the service area right next to the Ume Plum Akashi service area There is a Ishigaya Park, Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture.

It is a hidden gem Spot that can be reached from the service area right next to the Ume Plum Akashi service area There is a Ishigaya Park, Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture.

🔪✨ Knife Factory and Sakai Takayuki Knife Gallery Tour 🏭🔍 ~ Experience Sakai’s blade-making culture, where craftsmen’s skills shine! ~ Held on Thursday, May 29; Thursday, August 28; and Thursday, November 27! ✨ A special public opening of the factory that produces the world-renowned Sakai Takayuki kitchen knives! 🛠️✨ 🔹 May 29 is a special edition! Includes a Sakai Takayuki petty knife 🔥 ▶ Special plan for the JR Destination Campaign (DC)! 🔹 Highlights 🔹 Tour the Sanpou factory to watch knife-making processes (blacksmithing, rough grinding, etc.) 🏭 🔹 Visit the gallery displaying about 500 knives 🔍 🔹 Try a simple knife sharpening experience! ✨ 🔹 May 29 only: receive a Sakai Takayuki petty knife as a gift 🎁 💰 Participation Fee 🔹 May 29: ¥15,000 (includes petty knife 🎁) 🔹 August 28 and November 27: ¥4,000 📌 Application Deadline: Until 3 days before each event date! 🔍 For details and to apply, search for "Knife Factory and Sakai Takayuki Knife Gallery Tour with Simple Knife Sharpening Workshop"

Hello 😃 This is the Yamanashi Wine Kingdom main building. While Shosenkyo Gorge is of course lovely on sunny days, the scenery wrapped in the quiet of a rainy day is exceptional. The rugged rock faces shrouded in mist create a dreamlike scene like an ink wash painting, making you feel as if you’ve stepped into another world ✨ A about a five-minute drive from the upper waterfall area brings you to the Shosenkyo Arakawa Dam. The sweeping view over Lake Nosen, formed by the dam, is breathtaking! The mountains and mist reflected on the calm lake surface compose a picture-like beauty. Shosenkyo Gorge is now entering the heart of spring 🌸 Come and experience the season as cherry blossoms and fresh green leaves paint the landscape.

Photographed 3/27/25. This is CAFE ANDON's strawberry and cherry tart. The tart dough is topped with strawberry and cherry jam and cinnamon crumble. It is served with fresh cream and is a luxurious tart. 🍓🍒

The cherry blossoms on the Shingashi River are 🌸 in full bloom This is the Shingashi River Located in in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture. Light up every year when it is in full bloom. This year, the best time to visit will be on this Saturday and Sunday. Please come and visit us 🤤 on Fridays and Saturdays when the weather is sunny

Photographed 3/27/25. This is CAFE ANDON's homemade chai latte. I like it very much, so I'm happy to add it to the menu. 😊

Photographed 3/30/25. After Prayer to Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, I went to HK Tea. Grape fruit tea and cherry blossom white chocolate waffles. Grape fruit tea There are sweeter when HOT. In addition, the cherry blossom white chocolate waffle contains cherry blossoms and is delicious.

\The 10th AEON Kagoshima Fair Held in from today/ From today to the 6th, the "10th AEON Kagoshima Fair" is being Held in at AEON Lake Town mori in Koshigaya City, Saitama Prefecture! 📣 Starting with Kagoshima black beef, which became the No.1 in Japan Wagyu beef at the 12th National Wagyu Ability Co-Promotion Meeting, this fair brings together products that Kagoshima is proud of, such as safe, secure, and high-quality agricultural, forestry, and water products and specialty products. From Izumi City, we offer ✨ delicious specialty products such as seaweed seaweed introduced on TV the other day, tea, manhatsuru monaka, domestic bamboo shoots boiled in water and noodles, seasonings such as sashimi soy sauce, pork miso, Izumi Mandarin oranges mustard, and soft-boiled pork Nankotsu If you live nearby or happen to stop by, please take this opportunity to purchase Kagoshima's "Umakamon / Yokamon"! Date: April 2 (Water) – 6 (Sun), 2025 [Time] 9:30-19:30 (*Until 18:00 on the last day) 【Place】AEON Lake Town mori (#Koshigaya City, Saitama Prefecture) 　　　　1F Water Plaza, Passageway, Aeon Style Lake Town, etc. Contact: AEON Style Lake Town (TEL: 048-930-7000) https://www.aeon-laketown.jp/mori/event/event_e51613_as.html...

Introducing an experiential tour you can take in Tokachi, Hokkaido😄 —The Nation’s Top Bean Town— Tofu-making Experience with Local Farm Wives in Honbetsu Town Located in Tokachi’s upland and mid-mountain area, Honbetsu Town enjoys large temperature swings and long hours of sunshine, making it Japan’s premier town for growing high-quality beans. To share the charm of these proud beans, the group called the Bean-Proud Farm Wives Association formed, bringing together farm wives who process and sell their harvest as tofu, deep-fried tofu, miso, and more. You will tour the production sites of soybeans, an indispensable ingredient in Japanese cuisine, and try traditional tofu-making alongside the farm wives. You will also try making farmer-style meals using okara (soy pulp) and local vegetables, guided by the mothers’ time-honored recipes. [Tour Schedule] 10:00 Meet at Ms. Yamada’s home, Bean-Proud Farm Wives Association 10:05 Visit the soybean field See the soybeans grown in a home garden plot and learn about growing tasty beans from Ms. Yamada’s many years of experience. 10:30 Move to Senbiricho Community Center for tofu-making experience Try the tofu-making methods the farm wives have passed down through generations. 12:00 Cooking experience: bean rice and okara salad Make miso soup with freshly made tofu and use the leftover okara to make an okara salad. 12:30 Lunch Enjoy lunch featuring bean rice made generously with Honbetsu beans. 13:30 Tour ends Operating period: July–October Time: 10:00–13:30 (about 3 hours 30 minutes) Group size: 3–12 people Price: Per person Adult JPY 8,800 *If English interpretation is requested, the fees are as follows. Per person Adult JPY 16,500 ■ Please make a reservation at least 14 days before your preferred date. ■ Due to guide availability and other reasons, we may not be able to accommodate your preferred date. Thank you for your understanding. This is a great opportunity to learn about agriculture and food production firsthand through traditional tofu-making with farm wives in a region known for excellent beans!! We hope this experience will spark new discoveries and values, enriching your lifestyle. We would be delighted if you could add a Tokachi experience to the pages of your travel memories😄 If you are interested, please visit the federation’s official website page "BEHIND THE GOOD TASTE — Journeys Connecting to Tokachi, the Source of Food"! Contact Kuna Publishing Co., Ltd. Slow Travel HOKKAIDO Email: slh@slow-life-hokkaido.com

The "Azumino Share Cycle" has started! You can easily rent a bike at stations set up at 17 major sightseeing spots and around stations across the city, and go for a leisurely ride around Azumino. Enjoy Azumino’s rich nature and beautiful scenery by bicycle. https://azumino-e-tabi.net/cycling...

Gokase Sakura Project: Cherry Blossom Festival🌸 On Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30, a cherry blossom festival took place around the weeping cherry tree in Kijiya. This post shows scenes from Saturday, March 29. Despite the low temperatures, the morning brought sunshine, and the venue buzzed with a wide variety of food stalls and kitchen cars and many visitors. That evening, timed with the night illumination, members of Naniloa HULA studio performed a graceful hula dance. Although the stage was set under a cold sky, the dancers’ beaming smiles warmed everyone’s hearts. As of March 29, about 20–30% of the cherry trees were in bloom overall, so unfortunately they were not at full bloom. Still, the lights that the students of Miyazaki Prefectural Gokase Secondary School worked hard to install cast a gentle glow that made the venue beautiful even with fewer blossoms.

Brno National Theatre Mother Mother / Kansai debut! Brno National Theatre Mother Mother \ The famed work by Czech playwright Karel Čapek comes to Sakai! The cast from the Brno National Theatre will give passionate performances. (Japanese and English subtitles provided) Dates: Wednesday, June 4 and Thursday, June 5 Venue: Fenice Sakai Tickets on sale now📢

📢 Osaka Destination Campaign is here! 🎉✨ ✨Special Osaka DC experiences from April 1 to June 30 only! 📍Sakai offers a host of special experiences!📍 🛕 Kofun stroll｜Walk atop the normally off-limits Oritsuka Kofun!⛰️ 🌳 Japanese garden tour｜See a gardener’s craft up close🌿✨ 🍵 Tea ceremony experience｜Authentic thick and thin matcha services🍃🎁 🔫 Gunsmith (teppo blacksmith) house guide｜Romance of Edo-period history🏯 🖼️ Mucha exhibition｜Lost oil paintings paired with Sakai’s dantsu rugs🎨 🌷 Harvest Hill｜70,000 tulips in full bloom🌼 📖 Check the Osaka DC official website for details! Which one would you like to join? Tell us in the comments 💬