The other day, the organizing committee for the Autumn Fireworks (formerly called the National New Fireworks Competition) met and adopted the name “National New Fireworks Challenge Cup 2025.” And the launch times have now been decided‼️ Please note that the start times for the launches will differ, so be careful when you come! Thank you‼️ https://suwako-hanabi.com/shinsaku/...

Tour de Yatsugatake 2025 Concluded Two days have passed since the conclusion of Tour de Yatsugatake 2025. Despite course changes due to the weather, many riders gave their all, and thanks to the supporters and the staff who backed the event, we were able to finish the race safely. Going forward, the organizing committee will continue working to create an event that inspires people to take on a challenge and that draws them back again. See you again in Yatsugatake! 🚴‍♂️

Introducing a One-Day Experience Tour 😄 — Where Local Sake Is Made — A one-day tour from Obihiro to Urahoro to enjoy fine drinks and delicious food In Tokachi, a region rich in nature and known for its strong agriculture, producers use the bounty of the land to craft a wide variety of alcoholic beverages. This program takes you to the production sites of wine, sake, and craft beer to uncover the secrets behind their great flavors. The more you hear from passionate makers, the more their products taste remarkable. For dinner, we prepare special dishes paired with each drink! Savor them together with Tokachi’s local ingredients. Tour Schedule 9:00 Pickup from JR Obihiro Station, Tokachi-Obihiro Airport, or city hotels 10:00 Aizawa Farm Vineyard tour and wine tasting Visit Aizawa Farm, where grapes are grown naturally without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. 11:30 Kamikawa Taisetsu Sake Brewery Heiun-gura Brewery tour and sake tasting Using the moderately hard spring water from the Satsunai River system, which originates in the Hidaka Mountains and is celebrated as one of Japan’s purest streams, this brewery makes sake that pairs well with Tokachi’s cuisine. 12:30 Rancho El Paso Lunch featuring pasture-raised “dorobuta” pork and local craft beer “Obihiro Beer” 14:45 RIKKA Barley field visit At RIKKA, a brewery established in 2025, join field work in a barley crop. 16:45 RIKKA Brewery tour and beer tasting Take time to taste beers nurtured by Tokachi’s fertile land. 18:00 Torino-me Shop Special dinner by culinary researcher Kanako Sasaki, paired with drinks Enjoy a special dinner designed to complement Tokachi’s wines, sake, and beers. 21:00 Drop-off at JR Obihiro Station, Tokachi-Obihiro Airport, or city hotels — Tour ends Operating period: Year-round Time: 9:00–21:00 (approx. 12 hours) Group size: 3–8 people Price: Per person: JPY 132,000 ※With English interpretation the price is as follows: Per person: JPY 154,000 ■Please make a reservation at least seven days before your desired date. ■Please note that we may not be able to accommodate your preferred date due to guide availability or other circumstances. Would you like to peek behind the scenes of beverage production, agriculture, and food while meeting the producers? We hope that through this one-day experience you will discover new insights and values that enrich your lifestyle. We would be delighted if this Tokachi experience becomes one memorable page in your travel story 😄 If you are interested, please visit the federation’s official website page “BEHIND THE GOOD TASTE — Journeys Connecting to Tokachi, the Source of Food” on our official site (access the federation’s official site from the profile link tree). Contact Knaue Publishing Co., Ltd. Slow Travel HOKKAIDO Email: slh@slow-life-hokkaido.com https://tokachibare.jp/behindthegoodtaste/...

'Chinese Eatery Miura Shoten' Last week they announced that their signature soy sauce ramen🍜 had been renewed, so I went to try it right away! At Miura Shoten you can customize your ramen. This time I customized it as follows… ① Noodle firmness—firm ② Green onions—extra ③ Back fat—normal ④ Special ichimi chili—normal And I ordered a large serving It looked jet black. A pitch-black soy sauce ramen🍜 The owner told me they blend in tamari soy sauce✨ First, the soup. Contrary to its appearance, it had a deep richness and the soy sauce flavor filled my mouth. Next, the straight medium-thick noodles clung to the soup, and I couldn’t stop eating them. The extra green onions cut through the rich mouthfeel with their aroma rising through the nose and the soup, leaving a refreshing finish. With plenty of vegetables and the satisfying weight of the medium-thick noodles, it was very delicious🍜 A new specialty of Shintoku Town! Pitch-black in appearance, richly flavored in the old style Pitch-black soy sauce ramen 'Shintoku Black' Please give it a try🍜 #Hokkaido #Hokkaido gourmet #Hokkaido sightseeing #Hokkaido is huge #Hokkai-do #Tokachi #Tokachi #Tokachi sightseeing #Tokachi gourmet #Shintoku Town #Shintoku #ramen #jet black #Shintoku Black #hokkaido #hokkaido_lovers #hokkaido_love #ilovehokkaido #hokkaidotrip #hokkaidolikers #hokkaidolove #hokkaidosgram #hokkaidofood #hokkaidotravel #tokachi #shintoku

【🌸 Gokase Flower Viewing 2025 — Featured Submissions, Part 4 🌸】 We are continuing to showcase works submitted to the Gokase Flower Viewing 2025 event, which is currently running on the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account. Today we bring you more entries every day🌟 @fowafuwarin5 @gokase_pan @hisabou1958 @kickcamp_with_jimny @landscape133_22 @madame.rururu (in no particular order) This time there are many night cherry blossom photos from Kijiya🌸🌙 We are very pleased to see Josenji and the Harada family’s weeping cherry trees captured from so many perspectives☺️💕 There are also striking shots of the red-and-white camellias blooming at the base of Josenji’s cherry trees✨It’s delightful to enjoy the charm of various flowers🎶 We are still accepting submissions, so please send yours in abundance🤗✨ -------------------------------------------------------------------- ≪How to enter Gokase Flower Viewing 2025≫ Follow the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account and post photos of flowers taken within Gokasecho on Instagram with two hashtags: Gokase Flower Viewing 2025 and the photo date (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 ⚠️ Other rules are posted on the Gokase Tourism Association website. Please be sure to read them before applying. https://www.town.gokase.miyazaki.jp/kanko/ivent/1962.html... ⚠️ Please take care to avoid accidents while photographing.

Morotsuka-yama Keiryū no Sato Among the two campgrounds in the village, one is this Morotsuka-yama Keiryū no Sato (Morotsuka Mountain Stream Village). This nature-rich campground sits beneath Mt. Morotsuka, one of Kyushu’s 100 famous mountains. In spring, you can admire groves of Akebono azaleas about a 2–3 minute walk from the west trailhead of Mt. Morotsuka. Directly below the log cabins lies a riverside park adjacent to a valley with plentiful water. In summer, you can enjoy playing in the stream and fishing (a fishing permit is required). The campground features three five-person log cabins made from Morotsuka timber and a free campsite limited to three groups per day. It’s recommended for those who want a relaxed, peaceful camping experience.

Today, I attended the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine Monthly Festival. The cherry blossoms were scattered, but we were able to see the flower rafts.

Cherry blossoms are in full bloom 🌸 on Nemophila This is Located in Toneri Park in Tokyo This is the only place where you can see Nemophila and Sakura performing together! Someiyoshino is coming to an end, but this week is the best time to visit the Double Cherry Blossom (Yae zakura)! Car parking is large and Access from the station is good! Be sure to 😊 visit

Photographed 3/30/25. It is the cherry blossom of Lotus Temple.

Photographed 4/4/25. It is the weeping cherry blossoms of Saiun Temple. It's in full bloom. 🌸

[Roadside Station Fujikawa and Yatsugatake 🥰] From the wooden deck, you can see the surrounding mountains and cityscape You can see. Fresh vegetables are sold directly and products are popular.

Akebonoyama Agricultural Park that I have wanted to visit for a long time This is a wonderful place where you can feel the four seasons such as tulips in Spring and Cosmos in autumn. I visited on the day when the tulips were in full bloom, and the tulip field with the morning mist was very cool.

Tenkuu no Mori Ikenokubo Green Park Perched at about 800 meters above sea level in nature-rich Morotsuka Village, Tenkuu no Mori Ikenokubo Green Park features log houses and a campsite. The road from the Hyuga direction is a single lane one-way for much of the route, so drivers who are not used to mountain roads can feel at ease. The park offers an athletic course, grass skiing, and putter golf, so families with young children can all enjoy it together 😆. A scenic cross-country course nearby makes it perfect for a leisurely walk while soaking in nature 🍃. The popular Akimasa Observatory, known for its spectacular views ✨, is about a five-minute drive. Getting up early to watch the sunrise is recommended, and with luck you might even see a sea of clouds. Enjoy spring when flowers bloom 🌸, summer greenery and the coolness of higher elevations 🌳, fiery autumn foliage 🍂, and quiet winter with drifting snow ⛄. It’s a place to savor the ever-changing seasonal scenery and relax in nature. The village has two campsites, and Ikenokubo Green Park is one of them.

🌸 Gokase Cherry Blossom Photos 2025 — Featured Entries #3 🌸 We’re continuing our daily showcase of works submitted to the Gokase Cherry Blossom 2025 contest on the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account. @bluesea12067 @code_name_cross_fire We received a wonderfully diverse set of entries.🤩 Scenes include the spring mountains and historic buildings tucked deep in Kuwanouchi, a moss-and-cherry blossom pairing, and cherry trees framed from a winery-style hall.🤗 Everyone enjoys hanami in their own way, and it’s such fun to see the variety.😆💕 Thank you to everyone who entered.🙇‍♀️ We’re still accepting submissions, so please capture your own way of enjoying hanami and enter the contest.🤗✨ -------------------------------------------------------------------- How to Enter Gokase Cherry Blossom 2025 Follow the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account, then post photos of flowers taken in Gokasecho on Instagram with two hashtags: #GokaseCherryBlossom2025 and #date of shooting (for example: #March 20).🤳❤️‍🔥 Gokase Tourism Association Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gokase_kanko/... Period: Thursday, March 20, 2025 to Sunday, May 11, 2025 ⚠️ Other rules are posted on the Gokase Tourism Association website. Please be sure to read them before applying. https://www.town.gokase.miyazaki.jp/kanko/ivent/1962.html... ⚠️Please take care to avoid accidents while shooting photos.

Photographed 4/4/25. It is the weeping cherry blossoms of Saiun Temple. It is said that when you turn and Car on which the Heart Sutra is engraved, it has the same Benefit as chanting the Heart Sutra.

Today, please go 🚃 well This is a row of cherry blossom trees Located in in Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture. Train and cherry blossom trees can be photographed at their best every year. It's a short walk from Toro Station, so please go 😊 there next year

Photographed 3/30/25. This is Kawagoe Hachimangu. The peach blossoms were in full bloom.

Mt. Yoshino, cherry blossoms and Mt. Kinpu Temple It is a landscape that has begun to bask in the morning. 2025/4 Mt. Yoshino, Nara

Photographed 3/31/25. I relaxed at the Starbucks Hon-Kawagoe Station store. Cappuccino and Jokind's Snoopy Sugar Donuts.

Photographed on April 12, 25. It is the Shingashi River behind the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. The cherry blossoms were scattered and a magnificent flower raft was formed. The cherry blossoms are also a sight to behold.

Today, we Prayer the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. It was an Annual Grand Festival at Kawagoe City Gokoku Shrine.

The mountain climbing season has arrived. Kuranodake, located in Kikuchi City, Kumamoto Prefecture, offers trails for beginners through advanced hikers. It is a mountain that even small children can enjoy. From the summit you can enjoy a 360-degree panorama, and a big appeal is that you can easily challenge yourself starting from the 9th station. The elevation is 1,118 m. It was selected as one of the Top 100 Walking Trails in Japan. It sits at the western end of the Aso outer rim, and the name comes from its saddle-like shape. Following the northeast ridge of Kuranodake leads to peaks such as Mount Tsumushi (1,064 m), and some hikers aim for them from Kuranodake’s summit. The mountain hosts many alpine plants and bird species. There are several routes up Kuranodake; for intermediate and advanced hikers there are the Forest Course and the Panorama Course. Beginners can drive up to the 9th station and start from the East Trailhead Course. With routes of varying difficulty, many families hike together. From the summit you can see the Kuju Mountain Range, the Five Peaks of Aso, Mt. Kimpō, and Unzen. Many people bring a packed lunch or coffee to enjoy on the hike. Before hiking, pick up maps and information at Shiki no Sato in Asahishi-Fumoto, Kikuchi City, Kumamoto Prefecture, located at the trail entrance, and why not give it a try?

The contrast between the tulips and the cherry blossoms is good 🤤 This is Fukaya Green Park Located in Fukaya City, Saitama Prefecture. Every Spring, cherry blossoms and tulips. Lilies bloom profusely in summer.

The huge water mirror is actually the skating rink of the nepia Ice Arena after the ice has melted ✨ The indoor rink fills with water during the period before ice-making. Only at that time does the “water mirror” appear. The ceiling and lights reflect on the water’s surface, creating a dreamlike scene.

[🌸 Gokase Flower Viewing 2025 — Featured Photos Vol.2 🌸] We’re back with another big batch of entries to the “#Gokase Flower Viewing 2025” contest now running on the Gokase Tourism Association’s Instagram account. We’ll be sharing many of the submissions today.💪🌟 @1230fuukeinoturishi These nostalgic shots capture not only the classic weeping cherry at Josenji Temple but also everyday cherry blossom scenes from the Kuraoka area.🥺 The photographer’s sensibility that turns your eyes not only to the cherry trees but also to the charming mountain flowers is something to admire and learn from…🙏✨ We’ll be featuring entries every day for a while, so please stay with us.🙇‍♀️ -------------------------------------------------------------------- ≪#How to Enter: Gokase Flower Viewing 2025 ≫ Follow the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account and post photos of flowers taken within Gokasecho. Add the two hashtags #Gokase Flower Viewing 2025 and #date of shooting (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 through Sunday, May 11, 2025 ⚠️ Other rules are posted on the Gokase Tourism Association website. Please be sure to read them before entering. https://www.town.gokase.miyazaki.jp/kanko/ivent/1962.html... ⚠️ Please take full care to avoid accidents when photographing.

[🌸 Gokase Flower Viewing 2025 — Featured Submissions, Part 1 🌸] We are sharing entries submitted to the Gokase Flower Viewing 2025 contest currently running on the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account.🫡✨ So many lovely entries arrived, and we’ll be showcasing them one after another.👏 @_yuta610 @a2o_yoshino @aaatkt6 (in no particular order) Photos feature the cherry blossoms at Josenji, the Harada family residence, Kijiya, and Mikasho Shrine.💡 The daytime blossoms and the night cherry trees are both truly beautiful.🥹💕 -------------------------------------------------------------------- ≪How to Enter the Gokase Flower Viewing 2025 Contest≫ 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 the shooting date (for example: March 20).🤳❤️‍🔥 Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/gokase_kanko/... [Period] From Thursday, March 20, 2025, through Sunday, May 11, 2025 ⚠️ Other terms are posted on the Gokase Tourism Association website. Be sure to read them before applying. https://www.town.gokase.miyazaki.jp/kanko/ivent/1962.html... ⚠️Please take great care to avoid accidents while shooting photos.

Photographed 3/30/25. This is LEC COFFEE's quiche plate. It is a quiche with salmon, spinach and onions, and a new onion soup. It is very tasty. 😊

Photographed 3/29/25. This is Hanachozu from Hara Flower Shop.

Introducing a One-Day Experience Tour 😄 —The people who raise high-quality meat and those who cook it— A luxurious one-day tour to compare Tokachi meats in Ikeda and Ashoro — Tokachi is a region where livestock farming thrives, taking advantage of its vast land. Beef, pork, and chicken are raised and processed into branded meats in various towns. This nature-rich area is also home to many wild animals used for meat, and venison, the most notable, is enjoyed by many locals as game cuisine. On this tour, you will visit the production sites where these meats are raised, learn the secrets behind what makes them delicious, and then savor meat dishes prepared by professional chefs. Please take your time to enjoy the finest fresh meats. Tour Schedule 10:00 Pick-up from JR Obihiro Station or hotels in town 10:30 Visit Obara Farm to see Akaushi “Ikeda Beef” From birth and fattening to slaughter and processing, everything takes place within Ikeda Town. 11:15 EZO LEATHER WORKS — A talk about deer, store visit, and shopping EZO LEATHER WORKS handles deer capture, butchering, leather production, and meat sales. 12:00 Lunch using Tokachi ingredients 15:15 Kaneko Farm — Enjoy the spectacular views from the Wagyu grazing fields. To raise hardy, healthy cattle, they focus on pasture-based rearing. 17:00 Kobito no Daidokoro — A dinner full of Tokachi meats Using the old Aikappu Station building, Kobito no Daidokoro operates as a delicatessen-style shop. The chef will prepare and serve Obara Farm’s “Ikeda Beef,” EZO LEATHER WORKS’ venison, and Kaneko Farm’s “Unkai Wagyu.” 20:30 Drop-off at JR Obihiro Station or hotels in town, tour ends Operating period: Year-round Time: 10:00–20:30 (approximately 10 hours 30 minutes) Group size: 4–8 people Price: Per person 82,500 JPY *With English interpretation, the price is as follows: Per person 99,000 JPY ■ Please make a reservation at least seven days before your desired date. (We may be unable to accommodate your preferred date due to guide availability or other reasons.) ■ For biosecurity reasons, guests who have been residing overseas within seven days prior to arrival in Japan cannot enter hygiene-controlled areas. Please understand. ■ Depending on the “Status of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreaks Worldwide” as determined by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, participation in the tour may be declined. Thank you for your understanding. Why not meet the producers and take a peek behind the scenes of livestock farming and food? We hope that this one-day experience will bring new discoveries and perspectives, enriching your lifestyle. We would be delighted if you could carve a Tokachi experience into a page of your travel memories. 😄 If you are interested, please visit the official website of our federation at the URL below and see “BEHIND THE GOOD TASTE — A Journey Connecting to the Source of Food in Tokachi.” Contact Knao Publishing Co., Ltd. Slow Travel HOKKAIDO Email: slh@slow-life-hokkaido.com

Guide to the Manda Pit Multilingual Guide System 💁‍♀️✨ At Manda Pit, you can use a multilingual guide system as well as Japanese. Scan the QR code in the image or visit here → http://www.mandako.jp// to use the system! #Kumamoto #Arao #Manda Pit #mandako #MiikeCoalMine #MandaPit