Hachimantai's Dragon Eye 2024.05.18 I was able to see the dragon eye that had been opened. It's like opening your eyes once and then closing them. The best time to see it is until the end of this month. It was unusually early this year.

I started helping farmers this year! For the first time, I learned that most of the famous lily root takes a lot of traditional manual work, and it takes five years to eat. And the young Indonesians I work with. Although we don't speak the language, we are important friends ^^ who work together to cherish historic specialties

Cherry blossoms on the approach to Makari Shrine. And farmers during the busy season? Cycling with my daughter every year! Pray to God for safety!

It is a wonderful approach to Makari Shrine near my house, ^^ Annual event to cycle here! Pray to God for my daughter's safety!

Photographed 5/24/24. The weather was nice, so we took a walk in Kawagoe. It is Hanachozu of Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

Hokkaido's oldest wisteria tree "Tenjin Wisteria" Famous wisteria flowers are endemic to Japan, but they do not actually grow wild in Okinawa and Hokkaido This wisteria tree was planted by the hands of our predecessors who settled in the Meiji era Since then, it has a long history, and it is still pleasing to people's eyes Wisteria tree about 200 years old The majesty of it is breathtaking

Photographed 5/17/24. This is Hanachozu from Hara Flower Shop.

Photographed 5/17/24. This is Hanachozu from Hara Flower Shop.

Today I attended the opening festival of Kirigamine. The weather was fine and surprisingly warm. In the second photo, majestic Mt. Fuji also peeked out to welcome us. Even so, just climbing up to the Kirishōtō bell tower made me sweat profusely.💦 For the first time in three years, the opening ceremony returned outdoors.🏔 Many people attended, and we were able to hold the festival. At the opening, members of the Kirigamine Glider Association launched a glider right at 9:00.🛩 It climbed to about 1,900 meters shortly after takeoff. Because it was a glider, it lifted off very quietly.🛫 If there were no weight limits, I would love to try it at least once!!! At the ceremony, the head priest of Tenaga Shrine prayed for the safety of visitors, everyone who passes through Kirigamine, and all those connected to Kirigamine. Please be sure to visit the Kirigamine Nagikama Shrine, one of Suwa’s hidden scenic spots I introduced before! When you come to Kirigamine or Suwa, please drive safely.🚙=3

Photographed 3/30/24. This is Hanachozu of Chuin.

Photographed on April 18, 24. This is Hanatetsu's Hanachozu.

ー SPRING IN AIBETSU TOWN 2024 ー This year, the cherry blossoms bloomed earlier than every year. In Aibetsu Town, I was able to see very beautiful cherry blossoms at "Fureai Street" and "Mt. Horai".

When I visited Takashima Castle around Golden Week, local junior high students were there sketching the castle. Approaching the wisteria, a wonderfully sweet scent filled the air. Before I knew it, honeybees and carpenter bees had come to gather nectar🐝—even I, as a person, was drawn in by that lovely fragrance!!! I don’t understand why the demons in Demon Slayer would be afraid of such beautiful flowers, haha. I think they’re gorgeous. I recommend taking shots from beneath the wisteria trellis!!! Surprisingly, I didn’t know—despite being a local—that wisteria blooms were even in the pond... Takashima Castle, I’m sorry... Looking at the whole display of wisteria that day, to my amateur eye it seemed about 70% in bloom. On the grounds stands a rare Gokoku Shrine⛩ whose architecture resembles that of Suwa Taisha. It seems to have some unusual carvings. I think Golden Week is generally the best time to visit every year, when you can see them at their most beautiful. The castle, the park, and the wisteria—please come and visit next year; we’ll be waiting for you!

Visited 5/20/24. Lec Coffee's chai and carrot cake. ☕️ On the day of the event, it was raining and cool, but thanks to the chai, it became warm. I love anything that has cinnamon or ginger in it. 😊 Thank you for letting me relax every time.

The roses were 🌹 also in full bloom in Moroyama Town This is the Takinoiri Rose Garden in Moroyama Town, Saitama Prefecture. It seems that it was started about 10 years ago, and at that time the locals used to go there for fun. Many roses bloom in the park, making you 🤤 feel Spring

Hiroshima City　 Recommended Spots in Hiroshima #Hiroshima City Botanical Gardens 👈 Today is a photo 📸 from the rose garden of the Hiroshima City Botanical Garden This rose was carefully cared for by the staff and all the roses were very beautiful.

Photographed 5/20/24. This is Hanatetsu's Hanachozu.

At last, on April 1, 2024, the Lake Suwa Cycling Road has been completed. The route circles Lake Suwa for about 16 km. This lake has long been loved by local people. I remember when I was in sixth grade, my friends and I rode our bikes around the lake for the first time. I think many locals have their own first-time Lake Suwa cycling stories. Now that the path has been newly improved, it should be easier to ride and offer lovely scenery. I’m getting more excited about sunny weekend rides! #LINEBREAK###"No way, I’m not ready to own a bike yet…" "What kind of bike should I get now?" If you’re wondering that, or asking "What’s an electric-assist bicycle like?", why not take this chance to rent a bike around Lake Suwa and enjoy a relaxed ride with your family or friends? ※Please check each provider’s website for closing days and business hours. ・Activity Base Cogue ・JBT Suwa Rent-a-Cycle ・Lake Suwa Rental Cycle ・SUWA Glass Village #LINEBREAK###Electric-assist bicycles make climbing hills easy! You can even ride to the famous Tateishi Park and to Kirigamine Highland, a pride of Suwa, by bike!!! With the completion of the Lake Suwa Cycling Road, please consider bringing your own bike to ride around the lake or renting an electric-assist bicycle to challenge the full loop of Lake Suwa and Kirigamine Highland! If you get tired, there are parks, cafes, and footbaths♪ I don’t think many places in Japan are blessed with such facilities. Cafes and parks along cycling routes are common, but footbaths are rare, I think. If you bring a towel, you can use a footbath easily. It will blow away your fatigue♨ Also, do you know about Swaichi? If you cycle around Lake Suwa and take photos of three spots in Suwa, Shimosuwa, and Okaya with your smartphone, then go in person to the tourist information centers at kamisuwa station, shimosuwa station, or okaya station and show the three photos, you will receive a Swaichi certificate and a commemorative badge (badge color cannot be chosen). Try this challenge with your children or friends. It’s a great way to mark a Lake Suwa circuit and make a memory with Swaichi! ※Photo courtesy of Activity Base Cogue The seventh photo is my favorite scenic spot!!! See if you can find it!

Nagikama Shrine⛩ The other day I visited Nagikama Shrine on Kirigamine for the first time. Last year I heard about Nagikama Shrine, which had replaced its wooden torii with a stone monument, and I had planned to visit after the snow melted. A passing comment from my wife, who loves Kirigamine, finally prompted us to go. As someone who loves the Onbashira festival, I’ve grown fond of visiting shrines, and I had long wanted to see Nagikama Shrine, so I took my camera and headed for Kirigamine at last. We parked in the lot below the ski area and followed directions toward the Glider Museum, but unsure of the way and hesitating, I spotted a small sign in front of the museum reading Nagikama Shrine 0.5 km and followed it. It felt a bit farther than expected. Together with my wife and our two children, we walked for several minutes, enjoying Kirigamine’s nature, until we saw the stone monument marking Nagikama Shrine. As a shrine, a torii would feel more fitting, but the stone monument had its own charm. The approach was neatly covered with wood chips, making for a very pleasant walk. When we reached the small shrine, the view took my breath away. It was a scene that excited me like I hadn’t felt in a long time. The clear weather that day only amplified the spectacle. Below stretched the Suwa Basin, the serene Lake Suwa sat beautifully, the Central Alps rose ahead, the Northern Alps to the right, the Southern Alps to the left with sacred Mt. Fuji beside them, and Yatsugatake behind to the left. A shrine that offers a view of so many mountains at once may be rare in Japan, I thought.🏔 As a self‑declared Seeker of Suwa’s Best Views, this vista immediately made my list of top spots. Tateishi Park offers a sweeping view of the Suwa plain and is very scenic, but Nagikama sits at a higher elevation and has an indescribable beauty. I felt it would be a shame to keep this to myself, so I’m sharing it here. The shrine’s goshuin (stamp) is newly available, so anyone touring Suwa’s shrines or visiting Kirigamine should definitely stop by. If the weather is clear, you won’t regret it! ・Enshrined deities: Takeminakata no Okami, also known as Osuwa‑sama: god of martial valor and abundant harvests ・Oyamatsumi no Okami: god of industry and maritime affairs, and further revered as the ancestral deity of sake brewing ・Ashinazuchi no Okami and Tenazuchi no Okami ⇐ Kushinadahime: parents of Kushinadahime, wife of Susanoo no Mikoto A nagikama (a sacred implement shaped like a sickle) discovered at the ruins of the former Misayama is dedicated here. After the main pillars for the Onbashira are selected, the nagikama is hammered onto those pillars. Curiously, this practice occurs only on the Onbashira of Suwa Taisha Upper Shrine. The nagikama has a shape resembling a rooster’s head and is considered one of Suwa Taisha’s sacred treasures. The nagikama is enshrined inside the hokora, so please take a look along with the spectacular view. Suwa Taisha also offers nagikama amulets♪

Big NEWS!!! The “Gokuraku Set” from Suwa Gokura has been renewed and will be on sale from April 1, 2024🍶!!! The previous set let you enjoy tastings of four to five kinds of sake at each brewery and included a special drawstring pouch and glass. This hugely popular offering has reopened with a refresh!!! In the renewed version, each of the five breweries adds an original special sticker, and the stickers come on backing cards so the collection becomes like a goshuincho (shrine-stamp book) marking visits to all five breweries! It also supports inbound foreign tourists: as a purchase bonus you get access to a digital map in Japanese, English, and Chinese. This digital map even includes sightseeing information around Kamisuwa Station and locations for evacuation and disaster preparedness!!! It’s been greatly upgraded! And for lovers of sake🍶 and stickers, it’s irresistible♪ After your trip, you can relive the memories with your five-brewery sticker book! The new Gokuraku Set is renewed from April 1, 2024, priced at 3,000 yen including tax, and available for purchase at the Suwa City Tourist Information Center inside Kamisuwa Station!!! Local residents and travelers to Suwa alike—please take this opportunity to enjoy it!

Japan's largest poppy field This is a poppy field in Konosu City, Saitama Prefecture. Famous as the largest poppy field in Japan, it has 12.5 hectares and 30 million poppies are in full bloom. It was started by local people. It has now become such a popular tourist destination that it is even organized on tours 🤤

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Japan's proud history? Is it traditional performing arts, historical buildings, or the food culture of Shomata Japan? Among them, I would like to recommend this "night view" Each building, big or small, has a history and a memory Buildings and houses are demolished due to the deterioration of buildings, and new buildings are constructed through the development of the city. Through such a history, the night view has changed The scenery you see now may change again in a few years I think it is no exaggeration to say that the "night view" where you can see such changes in history is also a history that Japan is proud of Location: Sapporo City, Hokkaido New Three Great Night Views

Photographed 5/20/24. It is Hanachozu of Naritasan Kawagoe Betsuin.

We created the poster "Here We Go! Summer in Minami-Izu". It comes in two sizes: B1 728×1030 mm and B2 515×728 mm. Please use it for this summer’s promotions. *The B2 size can be used double-sided.*

Photographed 5/20/24. This is an exhibition of the Kawagoe Prince Hotel. Umbrellas and hydrangeas are suitable for the coming season. Yesterday, I took a walk in Kawagoe in the rain, and it was quite fun.

Chiba City Monorail The Chiba City Monorail connects the seaside area, the Central Tokyo area, and the Satoyama area of Chiba City. You can walk in the air in a vehicle with a sleek design. It has been certified by Guinness World Records as the world's longest operating distance 15.2 km as a "suspended monorail", and is a familiar presence Traditional Japanese straw raincoat Chiba City citizens. There is almost no noise or vibration, and the view is outstanding! Currently, the "1000 type" with the same design and the "0 type" that won the Good Design Award have been in operation since their opening in 1988. When you come to Chiba City, why don't you take a walk around the sightseeing Spot along the railway line, which has a variety of attractions, while taking a walk in the air?

Sky Tree dyed in the sunset This is Hirai Sports Park in Tokyo At this time of year, it is crowded with poppies 🤤 in full bloom This time, I layered poppies on the 📸 sunset You can 🤤 only see the collaboration with the world's best radio tower here

Photographed 5/15/24. This is Hanachozu from the Nakamachi Tourist Information Center in Kawagoe City. Here, too, there is Makuro Kurosuke. It's already hydrangea season.

The 34th Magatama Festival (Held in rain; program subject to change) Saturday, May 25, 1:00 PM–6:30 PM Sunday, May 26, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM Sannomiya Hibita Shrine (1472 Sannomiya, Isehara) By train: Odakyu Odawara Line, Isehara Station From Isehara Station by bus Board at North Exit, Platform 1 (bound for Kurihara via Sekidai) → Get off at "Hibita Shrine" (about 15 minutes) → short walk Board at North Exit, Platform 4 (bound for Isehara Depot via Tonomura and Ishikurabashi) → Get off at "Sannomiya" (about 12 minutes) → about 5 minutes on foot Board at North Exit, Platform 1 (bound for Tsurumaki Onsen via Ozumidai) → Get off at "Gobe" (about 12 minutes) → about 12 minutes on foot By car About 5 minutes from the Shin-Tomei Expressway Isehara-Ooyama Interchange Organizer: Magatama Festival Executive Committee (0463-95-3237) A festival of culture and the arts held in Hibita no Mori, the birthplace of ancient culture A special stage will present a wide variety of performances and events. * Simultaneous special exhibition of archaeological materials (including Important Cultural Properties) (free) Featuring city-designated cultural properties such as items excavated from the Noborioyama Kofun Items excavated from Rachimen Kofun and Oneyama Kofun Bronze swords and horse fittings with gold plating over bronze, such as the kondo tandoryu-kan-ha (a single-dragon ring-hilt in gilt bronze) Numerous cultural properties excavated from surrounding ruins are preserved here Open 10:00 AM–4:00 PM At the Sannomiya Local History Museum (inside Hibita Shrine) * Magatama-making experience (materials fee required) At the parking area in front of Sanshuden (Fun Square) Enjoy local agricultural product sales, food trucks, and other stalls. "An Evening of Kangen and Bugaku" (first day, 25th, 5:10 PM–6:30 PM) The graceful dances performed to wind instrument music are well worth seeing! Kururin will also be there!!

It's Hoha-maki season!! "Hooba maki" is a Japanese confectionery made by wrapping bean paste in a rice cake made by kneading rice flour, wrapping it in magnolia leaves, and steaming it. In Kiso, it has been made since ancient times as a celebratory mochi for the Dragon Boat Festival, which is held on June 5. It is made using twigs with several leaves attached to one tree as it is, so it has a different appearance and is appreciated as a Souvenirs. It is sold at many confectionery stores from mid ~ end of May every year. There are also people who come from far away in search of hooba rolls. It is available until mid-July, so if you come to Kiso this season, please try it at least once! Please refer to the following for Kiso dealers. It is also Publication on the seasonal Information on the Home page "Kiso Valley Rippu", so please take a look. [Dealer] ♦ Shiojiri City Tea House "Kodemari" 0264-34-3072 　　　　Roadside Station "Kiso Narakawa" 0264-34-3888 　　　　Tezukara 0264-34-3236 ♦ Kiso village Kitahara Confectionery 0264-36-2069 　　　　Buckwheat 0264-24-0188 　　　　Roadside Station "Kiso River Headwaters Village Kisomura" 0264-36-1050 ♦ Kiso town Roadside Station "Hiyoshi Kiso Koma Kogen" 0264-23-3644 　　　　Sweets Tsukasa Taguchi 0264-22-2023 　　　　Omuraya 0264-22-2841 　　　　Orihashi Confectionery 0264-22-2421 　　　　Confectionery 0264-22-2134 　　　　Sweets Priest Horaiya 0264-22-2372 　　　　Confectionery Brewery Yoshishiro 　　　Ohashi Confectionery 0264-22-4800 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　0264-22-2413 　　　　Roadside Station "Kiso Fukushima" 0264-21-1818 　　　　Roadside Station "Sangaku" 0264-46-3677 　　　　Farmer's Market "Saisaikan" 0264-42-1360 ♦ Otaki village Himeya 0264-48-2020 ♦ Agematsu town Agematsu town Specialty Products Development Center Use Union 0264-52-1505 　　　　Washin 0264-52-5588 　　　　Cafeteria Nakamura 0264-52-2183 　　　　Hokodo 0264-52-4648 ♦ Okuwa Village Roadside Station "Okuwa" 0264-55-4192 　　　　Yoneko Okuwa 0264-55-3633 　　　　Michikusa 050-2006-2025 　　　　Traditional Japanese straw raincoat 0264-55-4380 　　　　Wood sawing village 0264-55-2900 ♦ Nagiso Town Toyama Confectionery 0264-57-2209 　　　　　Tsutaya Confectionery 0264–57-2069 　　　　　Ebiya 0264-57-3054 　　　　　Sawadaya 0264-57-2272 　　　　　Chokane Sawadaya Tsumago 0264-57-3268 ♦ Nakatsugawa City Roadside Station "Shizumo" 0573-75-5255