2026 Ice and Snow Lantern Festival February 11 — Nezame-no-Toko, Agematsu Town

Photographed on February 11, 2014. This is a cafe latte from cafe andon. The mug bears cafe andon’s logo.

🏅 The winners of the 15th Teshikaga Photo Contest have been announced!! We accepted entries from November 1, 2025 through January 20, 2026, and this year’s contest attracted more submissions than last year. A panel of 15 judges, including contest chair Takeshi Mizukoshi and Takayuki Watanabe, President of the Lake Mashu Tourism Association, reviewed the entries and selected the winning works 📸🖼️ [Grand Prize] "Colors of the Earth" Etsuko Yamamoto [Excellence Awards] "Listening to Ice Patterns" Shinmen Yasushi "Bare Mountains and the Milky Way" Yoshikazu Jimbo "The Cosmos of Lake Kussharo" Daisuke Utsumi [Tourism Association President’s Award] "Capturing Sheer Impact" Isao Nagaya See other winning entries and details on Teshikaga Navi. (Check the link in our Stories‼︎🔗) Starting today, we will gradually share the winning photos on Instagram and X (Twitter), so look forward to it 🤩 *This post’s fifth image: Grand Prize "Colors of the Earth" by Etsuko Yamamoto* Congratulations to all the winners‼︎ Thank you to everyone who entered‼︎ We appreciate your continued support for the Teshikaga Photo Contest and for Teshikaga Navi 🙇❣️

This is Diamond Fuji seen from Tokyo DisneySea with Tokyo Gate Bridge in the foreground.

Good morning ☀ #This morning in Tsukigase #Satoyama landscape #Blooming is progressing #A village of flowers, greenery, and water #I want to connect with people who like photography #Nara Prefecture #Nara City #Nara tourism #tsukigase baikei plum festival February 14, 2026 to March 29, 2026 Photograph by Yasuki Okamoto

Good morning ☀ This morning in Tsukigase Tsukigase Plum Valley Ume Festival Now on February 14, 2026 – March 29, 2026 Photo: Yasunori Okamoto

The lantern festival that decorates Nagasaki in winter is beautiful not only at night but also during the day. About 15,000 red lanterns hang throughout the city center, and their vivid colors stand out against the bright sky, catching the eye even in daylight. Originally begun as the Chinese Lunar New Year spring festival, it has become a signature winter sight of Nagasaki. Lanterns seen in daytime offer a pleasing contrast with the blue sky, revealing a radiant charm different from the night.

On a snowy morning in Sagamihara City, I photographed a winter maple and a park slide with an apartment building in the background.

February 14th I went to Okunikko’s Lake Chuzenji to photograph the splash ice. These strange formations are nature’s artworks! I found myself chuckling as I shot them—such amusing splash ice. In the past, the cliffs at Utagahama froze like Niagara Falls, and every year I come back, hopeful, to photograph the splash ice, but that breathtaking display has only happened once and I haven’t seen it for years. Is it the effect of global warming? I’ll keep coming without giving up!

Event Announcement📣 On Sunday, February 15, 2026, Makubetsu’s Churui will host the 43rd Nauman All-Hokkaido Sled Competition 😊 Alongside the general division—where participants race on homemade cardboard sleds and are judged on sled craftsmanship and finish time—there will be an elementary school speed division and a parent-and-child speed division 🎵 Other activities include a “Treasure Hunt” inspired by the buried-gold legend of Churui Maruyama and a photo-movie contest for sharing fun memories from the sled competition ✨ 📍Date and Time: Sunday, February 15, 2026 📍Venue: Churui Hakugindai Ski Area 📞Contact: Tournament Office 01558-8-2111 http://www.makubetsu.jp/kankobussankyokai/?p=8682...

Winter haze over the Akashi Strait. In winter the Akashi Strait looks like an ink-wash painting, with Awaji Island and the great Akashi Kaikyo Bridge shrouded in mist.

Every February I go to Kushiro to see red-crowned cranes and the SL Winter Shitsugen train. The courtship dance of the red-crowned cranes, especially visible at the feeding grounds in Kushiro Shitsugen, reaches its peak in February. In the harsh winter snowfields I was able to see the males and females leap and spread their wings in a courtship dance that truly looks like dancing once again this year.

2026 Ice and Snow Lantern Festival February 7, 2026 Nakatsugawa City, Magome inn (Magome-juku) Within the Magome post town, around Fujimura Memorial Hall

2026 Ice and Snow Lantern Festival February 6–7, 2026 Kiso town Fukushima inn, from Kisofukushima Station to the former Nakasendo area

2026 Ice and Snow Lantern Festival February 3, Shiojiri City, Narai inn (Narai-juku) Entire Narai-juku

Scenes from the 42nd Winter Balloon Meeting held in Kamishihoro Town, Hokkaido. A blue sky and a pure white snowfield Colorful hot air balloons rising into the air.

The Sagicho of Imao Winter Fire Festival "Sagicho" A rare start in falling snow? It was bitterly cold, but the festival burned bright. Imao, Kaizu City, Gifu Prefecture February 8, 2026

We visited the Otaru Snow Festival on a day when the snowfall felt almost unreal, layers upon layers of snow covering everything in sight. The cold was intense, yet the spirit of the people was even stronger—unshaken, cheerful, and welcoming. Despite the heavy snow, they warmly invited us to become part of the festival, as if we belonged there all along. Though the air was biting, the kindness and smiles around us filled the atmosphere with joy. As evening fell, the sight of countless candles glowing softly along the canal was nothing short of magical—the gentle light reflecting on the snow and water turned Otaru into a living winter dream.

Suisen Road in Minamiboso, Chiba Prefecture: a heartwarming flower field blooming along the narrow mountain village paths

The countryside has vast rice paddies, so when it snows they turn into a wide white plain. It’s three minutes from my home, and straight ahead at the end of the road is Lake Biwa.

Jewelry Ice at Otsu Coast in Toyokorocho, Hokkaido Ice that formed on the Tokachi River drifts out to sea and the waves polish it into transparent, jewel-like pieces of ice. Visitors aiming for standout photos select well-shaped pieces, carry them, pour hot water or rinse them to remove sticking snow and sand, and arrange the ice by stacking or standing it to create artworks for shooting, but they are beautiful just as they are in nature.

Good morning ☀ #This morning in Tsukigase Tsukigase Plum Valley Plum Festival February 14, 2026 to March 29, 2026

Lake Tanuki in Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture Mount Fuji around 5:00 PM on January 31 Bathed in the setting sun, the lake’s surface was relatively calm and the reflections were beautiful. It’s the classic upside-down Mount Fuji scene that makes you want to take a photo.

The judging meeting for the 15th Teshikaga Photo Contest was held ✨ The winners will be announced in mid-February. Stay tuned for the results 🏆📸

Gala Yuzawa is one of my favorite ski destination near Tokyo. Its not only a good ski resort but also a fabulous sightseeing spots. The snow-capped mountain peaks looks very beautiful and during sunset time creates an unforgettable moments.

The 63rd Obihiro Ice Festival The 20th National Ice Sculpture Exhibition Winter Obihiro Competition This was my personal favorite ice sculpture of the year.