✨A new spot for freshly made sweets has arrived🍨 Salon de Franchise, a cake shop with 27 years in business, has opened a specialty salon for freshly made sweets in Naka Ward, Sakai City on November 27🍨✨ Desserts and parfaits finished after you order let you enjoy the sound and aroma of baking and the unique textures of just-made treats—a special experience you can only have here. Each dish will make you want to tell someone, “That was delicious.” This new spot is perfect not only for afternoon tea but also for indulgent days or time spent with someone special. Check the menu below if you’re curious👀✨ 📍Salon de Franchise (@salon_de_franchise) 🕒 Hours: 11:00–19:00 (Last order 18:00) ❌ Closed: Tuesdays (open on public holidays) 🚃 Access: An 8-minute walk from Fukai Station on the Nankai Semboku Line; parking available 🔍 Search for “Salon de Franchise” for more details! 🔗 https://www.franchise1998.com// ―――――――――― Year-end and New Year holiday closure December 23 (Tuesday)–January 6 (Tuesday) ※Normal business resumes on Wednesday, January 7 ――――――――――

🔵Collect official pavilion stamps while touring Sakai!🔴 Official stamps from Osaka–Kansai Expo pavilions related to Sakai are now available! Enjoy exploring Sakai as you gather stamps placed at facilities throughout the city. Daisen Park will also host an event on the same days, so please stop by there as well! 🗓️Saturday, December 20; Sunday, December 21; Wednesday, December 24; Thursday, December 25 *Entry may be limited during busy periods 🔍For more details, search for “Sakai Expo Stamps”! https://www.city.sakai.lg.jp/shisei/sonota/banpaku/expo_stamp.html...

✨At Sakai City Tea Room Shin-an, the contemporary artists’ tea utensils used at Sakai’s spring event for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai make an appearance✨ ✨From Saturday, December 20 through Sunday, January 25, 2026, for a limited time, guests who use the tea service at Sakai City Tea Room Shin-an can, if they wish, enjoy matcha served in the contemporary artists’ tea utensils used at Sakai’s spring event for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai✨ (You cannot choose the type of tea utensil, so look forward to a surprise ☺) While reminiscing about Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, savor authentic matcha served in these special tea utensils ☺ Tea service is available from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM✨ One serving 500 yen (with dry confectionery) ☺ 🔍For details, search for “Daisen Park Area: Rediscover the Attractions of the Expo” https://www.city.sakai.lg.jp/kanko/kanko/kohosakaievent/sinan.html...

📣 A program to rediscover the charms of the Expo will be held in the Daisen Park area!✨ At Daisen Park Japanese Garden, we will exhibit works that were displayed or sold at pavilions from 18 countries, including Japan, at the Osaka-Kansai Expo! In addition, contemporary artists’ tea utensils will be used at Sakai City Tea House Shin-an to serve tea in a standing-seated (ryurei) style! 📅 Event period: Saturday, December 20 – Sunday, January 25 🔍 For details, search “Rediscover the Charms of the Expo in the Daisen Park Area”! https://www.city.sakai.lg.jp/.../kohosakaievent/sinan.html... https://www.city.sakai.lg.jp/kanko/kanko/kohosakaievent/sinan.html...

This photo was also taken at Osaka Castle Park. I visited in the morning, and the contrast as dawn broke was beautiful.

Taken from Osaka Castle Park. I snapped the shutter as a crow flew through vivid ginkgo leaves, its black silhouette contrasting beautifully.

A photo taken on the grounds of Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto. It's nice to look up at the vividly colored trees, but I thought the red maple still looked striking even after the leaves had fallen.

From Wednesday, December 17, receive an original postcard featuring a hot-air balloon and Shin-an at the Sakai City Tea Room, Shin-an. Starting Wednesday, December 17, when you enjoy a tea service at the Sakai City Tea Room, Shin-an, show the Osaka Sakai Balloon reservation QR code or a hot-air balloon ticket receipt and everyone will receive an original “Balloon and Shin-an” postcard. When you visit the Osaka Sakai Balloon hot-air balloon experience, take a relaxing break with a warm bowl of matcha at the Sakai City Tea Room, Shin-an, and pick up a charming postcard. Tea service is available from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Enjoy an authentic bowl of matcha for 500 yen per serving (with dry confectionery).

I couldn't photograph the meteor shower, so I switched to capturing star trails.

Horyuin Temple is close to Higashiyama’s famous autumn foliage sites like Ginkaku-ji Temple, the Philosopher's Path, Anrakuji, and Eikando Temple, yet it sees few tourists; in the early morning you can enjoy quiet moments and even have this painterly gradation of autumn colors all to yourself.

The charm of Horyuin Temple lies in its moss and thatched gate. From the approach, the gradation of autumn colors seen beyond the thatched gate looks like a painting framed by the gate.

The highlight of autumn leaves at Daikakuji is undoubtedly the scenery around Osawa Pond. Around Osawa Pond, Japan’s oldest promenade-style garden, about 700 maple and cherry trees have been planted. At the peak of the fall colors, the pond’s surface becomes a beautiful mirror, vividly reflecting the red and yellow foliage and the vermilion Heart Sutra Pagoda floating on the water. This “water mirror” scene is Daikakuji’s most photogenic sight.

Gionji Temple is famous as a Kyoto spot for autumn leaves not because of the crimson beauty of the trees themselves, but for the way the fallen leaves form a truly red carpet across the moss as they drop.

These photos were not taken this year, but they were shot in the Tenryu-ji Temple Garden in Kyoto. I pressed the shutter because I thought the dragonfly's wings reflected on the railing looked beautiful in the sunlight. It reminds me of the lingering heat and the atmosphere as autumn truly begins to arrive.

I went to a scenic spot in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture to see the Geminids; the peak is today but the forecast was cloudy, so I went shooting yesterday. I saw eight meteors in one hour. I used a wide-angle lens to cover a large area, so the meteors appear small in the photos, but I was able to capture them.

⋆⸜ ⭐️<Daisen Park Japanese Garden> Wa Light Nights ⭐️ ⸝⋆ [Special Winter Evening Opening]💫 On winter nights, this tranquil Japanese garden comes alive with the soft glow of Japanese-style lights. Forget the everyday and spend a warm, luminous moment with someone special✨☺♡⃛ <Daisen Park Japanese Garden ( @daisenteien )> 🔶Event Period ・ Saturday, December 20 – Sunday, December 21 ・ Wednesday, December 24 – Thursday, December 25 ・ 5:00 PM–8:00 PM (last admission 7:30 PM) 🔍For details, search “Daisen Park Japanese Garden Special Winter Evening Opening”! 🔗 https://www.daisenteien.jp/event/tw2wj5c1lke1... https://www.daisenteien.jp/event/tw2wj5c1lke1...

⋆⸜ ⭐️<Daisen Park Japanese Garden> Wa Light Nights ⭐️ ⸝⋆ 【Special Winter Night Opening】💫 On winter nights, a serene and beautiful Japanese garden comes alive, bathed in traditional Japanese light. Leave everyday life behind and spend a warm, glowing moment with someone special ✨😊♡⃛ < Japanese Garden in Daisen Park > 🔶Event Period ・ Saturday, December 20 to Sunday, December 21 ・ Wednesday, December 24 to Thursday, December 25 ・ 5:00 PM–8:00 PM (last admission 7:30 PM) 🔍For details, search “Daisen Park Japanese Garden Special Winter Night Opening”! https://www.daisenteien.jp/event/tw2wj5c1lke1...

⋆⸜❄Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko Winter Mini Concert❄⸝⋆ Enjoy choir, piano, and string performances in the free zone's Tourist Information Exhibition Room♪🎀 [Same-day events] ※Reservation required ☆ Risho Cafe vol.2 opens in the hall, serving special sweets like chocolates and cakes🍰 ☆ A workshop to make a displayable Christmas handkerchief featuring the "Chasen Tree" pattern will also be held☆🎄 ⭐Sunday, December 14 — 11:00 to 16:00 📍Please come to Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko ( @rishonomori )♪😊 🔍For details, search "Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko Concert"! 🔗 https://sakai-rishonomori.com/pages/103?detail=1&b_id=574......

This year, various spots around Sakai City are once again brightened with illuminations✨ This time, we're featuring the illuminations at Sakai Risho-no-Mori! 👀 Don't miss its nighttime appearance♪ 🌟 "Sakai Risho-no-Mori Illuminations" ⛄ 📅 Period: Tuesday, November 18, 2025 – Monday, February 16, 2026 🎄 Lighting hours: 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM 📍 Location: In front of the main entrance of Sakai Risho-no-Mori (2-1-1 Shukuincho-nishi, Sakai-ku, Sakai) 📞 Contact: Sakai Risho-no-Mori (tel: 072-260-4386)

Ichimaiiwa Monolith, a natural monument in Kozagawacho, Wakayama Prefecture, had reached its peak autumn foliage.

The 20th Higashi Fureai Cultural Festival will be held! Two days to enjoy local culture and the arts✨ A packed program including wind band and dance performances, a history lecture titled "Warlords of the Sengoku Era and Their Connections to Sakai", and the Sakai suzume odori (sparrow dance)! There will also be extensive exhibits: flower arrangements, paintings, and works by children to admire🌸 📅 December 14 (Sunday) and 15 (Monday), 10:00–18:00 (exhibits only on the 15th) 📍 Sakai City Higashi Cultural Hall, Cultural Hall (2-minute walk from Kitanoda Station) Free admission! Please come and join us 😊 🔍 For more details, search for "Higashi Fureai Cultural Festival" 🔗https://www.city.sakai.lg.jp/.../r7/20hureaibunkasai.html... #Sakai events #Higashi Fureai Cultural Festival #Sakai City #cultural festival #suzume odori #wind band #dance #art exhibition #art activities https://www.city.sakai.lg.jp/.../r7/20hureaibunkasai.html...

⋆⸜ꕤ🔸[Nishio Meikyuen] Announcement of Goku-Sakai Hojicha Tasting Event 🔸ꕤ⸝⋆ We will hold a tasting event where you can enjoy “Goku-Sakai Hojicha” from Sakai’s renowned shop, Nishio Meikyuen.🍵 Please take this opportunity to savor the rich flavor of “Goku-Sakai Hojicha,” perfected for its roasted aroma and mellow taste.✨ We warmly look forward to seeing you there‼🌈 📅 Date and Time: Sunday, December 7, 1:00 PM–4:00 PM 📍 Location: Sakai Traditional Crafts Museum, 1st floor, TAKUMI SHOP [Traditional Industry and Sakai Products Corner] (@sakaidensan) 🔍 For details, search “Sakai Traditional Crafts Museum hojicha tasting”! 🔗 https://www.sakaidensan.jp/news/425096... https://www.sakaidensan.jp/news/425096...

Nara Palace Site Historical Park Nara Prefecture Nara City Although it has been reconstructed, you can appreciate the vastness of the site. A train runs through the grounds with a level crossing, and the distances between the buildings are impressive. Excavation has finished, and various buildings are currently being rebuilt. The museum exhibits artifacts from the excavations and models showing how the site looked at the time. The parking lot was spacious and free.

The Irohamomiji maple within the precincts of Ryusenji Temple in Kozagawacho, Wakayama Prefecture, is over 200 years old, stands 10 meters tall, and measures 2.9 meters around the trunk. Perhaps I visited at the perfect time for photography, because its coloring was spectacular. It is designated as a Natural Monument by Kozagawacho.

Ukishima in Anegawa Dam in autumn Anegawa Dam Observation Deck, Maibara, Shiga Prefecture November 2025

Mahoroba Museum of Automobiles The Mahoroba Museum of Automobiles, run by Nara Toyota Group, in Nara City Facility name: The Mahoroba Museum of Automobiles, run by Nara Toyota Group, in Nara City Parking: Available Fees: Admission free ★ Voluntary contribution 200 yen Closed: Mondays, New Year holidays, Golden Week, summer holiday 5-431-1 Hachijo, Nara City, Nara Prefecture Mahoroba Museum | Nara Toyota [Official Site] The Mahoroba Museum of Automobiles is an exhibition space attached to Nara Toyota’s used car dealership. Visitors come and go freely. Photography is allowed. Since Sanae Takaichi became President of the Liberal Democratic Party, visitor numbers have surged‼

Ama Site Park "Ama Iseki Koen" 12-3 Hatchonawatecho, Takatsuki City, Osaka Prefecture Parking is available 24 hours a day. There is a West Parking lot (152 spaces) and an East Parking lot (264 spaces). Event period: From Saturday, November 29, 2025 to Sunday, February 1, 2026. The illumination is from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Access: About a 10-minute walk from Hankyu Kyoto Line Takatsuki-shi Station and a 13-minute walk from JR Kyoto Line takatsuki station. Takatsuki City Bus: Get off at Ama Site Park (Children's Future Museum) or Ama Site Park East, both right by the park.

Shirahige Shrine 215 Ukawa, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture Features of Shirahige Shrine Enshrined deity: Sarutahiko Okami Also known as: Itsukushima of Oumi Shrine building: The large torii gate standing in Lake Biwa is famous. Shirahige Shrine has long been revered as a deity of longevity and also as a protector of matchmaking and fertility. In particular, the vermilion great torii rising from Lake Biwa captivates many visitors with its beauty.

Metasequoia Avenue Makinomachi Hiruguchi to Makino, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture <Autumn Foliage> Typical peak season: late November to early December During the autumn foliage season from mid-November to mid-December, congestion occurs on Prefectural Route 287 Namiki Road and surrounding roads on weekends between 11:00 and 18:00. Please help ease traffic by visiting on weekdays when it is less crowded or by using the Makino Kogen Free Temporary Parking at the north end of the avenue. If you use public transportation, take JR Makino Station and then the Takashima City Community Bus Makino Highland Line. The avenue and nearby roads are vital local residential streets. Please do not park or stop on the road. The surrounding roads are residential streets. Slow down and watch for pedestrians. So that as many people as possible can enjoy the area, follow photography etiquette and avoid dangerous actions such as stopping on crosswalks or stepping into the roadway to take pictures.

After visiting the local Tarobogu Shrine, my wife walked briskly down the tunnel of autumn leaves and torii gates.