I did First Pilgrimage to the Shrine.
It is Kawagoe Kumano Shrine at 7 o'clock in the morning.

Happy New Year! 🎍
Best regards again this year.
It is a giant ema of the Year of the Snake of Kawagoe Hachimangu.

It is the ice bubble and the morning glow that formed in Lake Onneto. It was a very beautiful sight.

A café in an old warehouse in Otaru. The snowy landscape looks very good.

Ice bubbles that can be seen in a frozen Lake Onneto. Oyster and find the snow on your own.

This is the snow-capped Mt. Fuji and the constellation Orion taken at Lake Yamanaka. Mt. Fuji and the constellation Orion were also visible on the surface of the lake, which was a wonderful sight.

Here are the 9 best of 2024.
(1) (2) Hanachozu of Kawagoe Hachimangu
(3) New Year's Torii (shrine gate) gate of Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine
(4) (7) Cherry blossoms on the Shingashi River
(5) Giant Ema of Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine
(8) Hydrangea of Kawagoe Hachimangu
(9) Red thread wind chime at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine
Thank you for your patience this year.
Best regards for next year. Happy New Year. 😊

Kirigamine Highlands in Nagano Prefecture

I was able to meet a beautiful frost in -5°C.

A view of the morning mist dyed in orange.
A group of buildings covered in haze due to the beautiful sunrise and radiative cooling on a cold morning.

Shot on DJI MAVIC 3
Kiyosu City, Aichi Prefecture 2024/12

* Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Comprehensive Flight Permit has been obtained.
* Notification of flight plan and preparation of flight log book

Photographed 10/20/24.
It is the second day of the Kawagoe Festival.
The festival float of Senba Jiro Yasuya in Senba Towns visits Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine.

[❄️ Winter in Gokase 2025 ❄️] Until Friday, February 28, 2025!

Yes — winter too!! Instagram Campaign 🥳✨

After following the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account (@gokase_kanko), post a wintery photo taken in Gokase town on Instagram with these two hashtags: #Winter in Gokase 2025 and #Date and place of the photo (for example: #Unoko Falls) 🤳❤️‍🔥

One winner will receive a Gokase specialty product every day during the campaign period 🎁✨
Plus! The best entries will receive a gift set of Gokase specialties 🤩👏

Entries you post may be featured on the Gokase Tourism Association’s social media and other channels 💡

[Period] From Monday, December 30, 2024 to Friday, February 28, 2025

⚠️ Other terms 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 care to avoid accidents while photographing.

------------------------------------------

…Actually, the voting period for “Gokase Autumn Foliage 2024” is still underway, so I thought mixing them might be confusing and planned to announce this after the New Year, but…

I really want you to post New Year photos too 🥺🙏!!! I couldn’t wait and posted early 😂

We look forward to many beautiful winter photos of Gokase ☃️💕 Please keep the entries coming — thank you 📸🙏

Photographed 10/20/24.
It is the second day of the Kawagoe Festival.
Greeting the Towns Hall, it is a festival float of Imanari no Suzume.

Photographed 10/20/24.
It is the second day of the Kawagoe Festival.
In front of Kawagoe City Hall, it is a festival float of Iemitsu in Shintomi Town 1-chome.

Photographed 10/20/24.
It is the second day of the Kawagoe Festival.
In front of Kawagoe City Hall, it is a true festival float of Sugawara Road in Sugawara Towns.

Year-end Greetings

Everyone, were you able to finish your work for the year safely😌? Some of you might not care about New Year’s at all😂

We at Gokase Tourism Association and the Gokase Specialty Center will, out of our own convenience, be closed for the year-end and New Year holidays as follows.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
<Monday, December 30>
Cafeteria: closed
Shop and produce: open mornings only
<Tuesday, December 31 – Thursday, January 2>
Closed
<Friday, January 3>
Cafeteria: opens at 11:00
Shop and produce: opens at 10:00
<Saturday, January 4 onward>
Regular business hours resume
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Gokase Tourism Association will also be closed from Tuesday, December 31 to Thursday, January 2.
We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.

We have also compiled the January events we know about so far into a calendar to help you plan outings for next year🤗

And there’s more! We are accepting votes for “Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024” on the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account (@gokase_kanko
). We would be delighted if you and your family take your time over the New Year to pick photos and vote🥺✨
We truly appreciate your support🙇‍♀️‼️

We will be open tomorrow, so this is one day early, but… 🤣
Thank you very much for your support this year. We look forward to your continued support next year.

Have a wonderful New Year’s Eve🤩👋✨

*We’ll say it again: we are open through tomorrow. Just kidding*

Yesterday, when I was taking a walk in Kawagoe, I went to Tatsumi Udon noodles.
I put hot Jade on the toriten bukkake.
The ginger works and it's delicious.

📍Tsumago inn (Tsumago-juku) (December 28th, 1:30 PM)

It has started to accumulate⛄❄
JR and buses are operating as usual for the time being.

JR East’s "atami station" will celebrate its 100th anniversary on March 25, 2025.

Starting December 15, the “Atami Station 100th Anniversary Executive Committee,” made up of Atami station, the station building Lusca Atami, and others, launched a “countdown photo” campaign. The photos appear daily at the JR Atami station ticket gate exit and on Instagram through the day before the anniversary (March 24).
More than 1,000 local organizations and individuals from the city are participating in this “countdown photo” series. Each day a new face appears alongside the number of days remaining until the 100th anniversary.

Please take a look and join everyone in celebrating the 100th anniversary!

Atami Station 100th Anniversary on Instagram
@atamist100cd

This is GLIN COFFEE Honkawagoe Pepe store.
Ono Buncha × GLINCOFFEE This is a premium matcha latte with a sansho scent from the Kawagoe tea series. Aroma of sansho is very nice.
The Honkawagoe Pepe store is closed today. It's a shame because it's a restaurant that I liked. 😭

I went to House Ten Bosch for Christmas.
It is an illumination that won the top prize (the best in the world) at the International Illumination Awards 2024.
You can experience an authentic European Christmas in Japan!

Here are the main spots in Tomakomai City to watch the first sunrise of the year 🌅
Sunrise is expected at 7:04 AM.
Please refrain from disruptive behavior like idling near private homes.
● Roadside Station Utonai Lake
● Tarumae Shrine
● Midorigaoka Park Observatory
※ Temporarily open from 11:00 PM on December 31 to 9:00 AM on January 1
● The coasts of Itoi and Tarumae
● Yufutsu Marina waterfront breakwater

Kami‑Suwa Onsen Winter Stay Campaign

Believe it or not, this is the ninth year! The Kami‑Suwa Onsen Winter Stay Campaign is back! Twelve ryokan and hotels belonging to the inn association offer carefully selected premium plans at great savings!!!

★ Great deals on stays
1. As a return gift for Furusato Nozei (hometown tax) from Suwa City, accommodation vouchers usable at Kami‑Suwa Onsen ryokan and hotels (from ¥10,000) have been set up, so please make a smart tax donation via your preferred travel site this winter and enjoy the savings.

2. A drive plan from NEXCO Central Japan called Hayatabi bundles a ¥10,000 universal accommodation voucher with roughly 50% off highway tolls. You can apply via the NEXCO Central Japan website.
Product name: Kami‑Suwa Onsen Drive Plan with Universal Accommodation Voucher

★ Guests who stay during the campaign period will be entered into a prize draw
Prize A: Accommodation subsidy voucher worth ¥10,000 usable at Kami‑Suwa Onsen【50 winners】
*Delivered as two ¥5,000 vouchers Valid through January 31, 2026 (planned)

Prize B: Admission tickets to the Suwa Lake Fireworks Festival on August 15, 2025【15 pairs, 30 people】
*Seating planned in front of the Suwa Lake Geyser Center

We hope this campaign encourages you to favor Kami‑Suwa Onsen! The onsen’s warm feeling after bathing really lasts!!! (A foodie, Kasai, speaking personally...) Refresh yourself in Suwa to shake off the fatigue of 2024 and start 2025 happily and energetically♨

Kasai the Foodie’s Recommended Winter Sightseeing Course
・Taste tour of the five Suwa breweries ⇒ Stay at Kami‑Suwa Onsen ⇒ New Year’s visit to Suwa Taisha ⇒ Suwa region’s midwinter eel tradition

★ Official Kami‑Suwa Onsen Winter Stay Campaign Website

https://kamisuwa-onsen.com

More details are available there, so please check it out!

The 3rd Hosono Highlands Yamayaki Experience

🏔 What Hosono Highlands Is Like 🏔
Hosono Highlands spreads across the slopes of Mt. Amagi, which erupted between 800,000 and 200,000 years ago. The plateau covers about 125 hectares—roughly the size of 26 Tokyo Domes—and offers a majestic expanse of grassland. It is said to be a treasure trove of flora and fauna nurtured by volcanic terrain.
In spring, you can forage for mountain vegetables such as bracken amid fresh greenery. In autumn, vast stands of golden susuki (silver grass) create a spectacular display. From the summit you can see Sagami Bay and the Izu Islands, where meadow and seascape combine into a unique panorama.

Inatori Hosono Highlands has been recognized among the 100 Grassland Villages We Want to Preserve for the Future for the value of local knowledge, awareness, and skills accumulated through long interaction between people and nature.
Hosono Highlands conducts an annual yamayaki (controlled burn) to maintain the grassland. During walks you can observe grass-cutting work performed in preparation for the burn.
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🔥⛰ What “Yamayaki” Means ⛰🔥

Yamayaki is an essential annual practice to keep Hosono Highlands as open grassland.
By burning overgrown grasses and shrubs, the area is prevented from turning into forest, and the burned vegetation returns nutrients to the soil to sustain a rich grassland.

This yamayaki has continued every year at Hosono Highlands since the Edo period.

Because the plateau borders neighboring Kawazu Town, preventing fire from spreading across boundaries is critical, and the work must address elevation changes and steep slopes, so seasoned experience and

advanced fire-management know-how are required.
⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰

● Event Overview

Yamayaki is an activity necessary to keep Hosono Highlands as grassland and has continued annually since the Edo period.
As a first trial in February 2023, we opened the yamayaki on a very limited basis and offered it as a guided tour for observation.
To help more people learn about this tradition in greater depth, we will hold the Yamayaki Experience again in 2025.
Please come and witness the overwhelming sight of the landscape ablaze.

● Event Schedule — Saturday, February 8, 2025
Date and time: Saturday, 2/8, 10:30–15:30 (scheduled)
10:30: Assemble and register at Inatori Hosono Highlands Parking Lot No. 2
11:00: Yamayaki viewing (guided yamayaki explanation, lunch provided)
14:00: Post-yamayaki walk (guided)
15:30: End of program and dismissal (Program order may change depending on yamayaki progress; please understand in advance.)
Meeting/registration location: Inatori Hosono Highlands Parking Lot No. 2 (parking spaces available)
➡ On the day of the yamayaki, general vehicles are not allowed into Parking Lot No. 1. Please park at the foothill Parking Lot No. 2.
There is no public transportation to the venue. Please use your own means of transport to access the site.

Participation Conditions
・Capacity is limited to 30 participants.
・Participants who are junior high school age or younger must be accompanied by a guardian.
・Please apply only if you fully understand the safety notes and on-site hazards.

Participation Fee
3,500 yen per person. Includes admission, consumption tax, local guide, lunch, insurance, and grassland management fee (1,000 yen).
※The participation fee is payable on site on the day of the event.
※We will contact you by email in advance and on the day about the event. Please note you cannot apply without an email address.

How to Apply
Please apply by entering the required information on the Higashiizu Town Tourist Association event page.
https://www.e-izu.org/?p=we-page-entry&spot=568220&cat=23649&pageno=3&type=spot
Or call the Higashiizu Tourist Association (TEL: 0557-95-0700) to register by phone.

● Notes and Precautions
About Participation in Work
This event is for observing the yamayaki. You may not take part in fire-starting or other operational tasks.
Cancellation Decisions
Yamayaki may be canceled on the morning of the event due to weather conditions (wind, humidity, rain, etc.). If yamayaki is canceled, this event will also be canceled. There are no substitute events. Please register only if you accept these cancellation conditions.
What to Wear on the Day
Yamayaki is a very dangerous operation, and flying embers or smoldering debris may be present.
Please wear flame-resistant clothing with minimal exposed skin.
All activities at the site are outdoors, so please prepare for cold weather.
Guide Language
Guidance is provided in Japanese only. Thank you for your understanding.

Cancellation Policy
If the event is canceled or you cancel, we will charge cancellation fees as follows.

If yamayaki itself is canceled due to severe weather (strong wind, dry conditions, rain, etc.), no payment will be charged.
If you cancel for personal reasons:
・Cancellation on the day or the day before → 100% of the event fee will be charged.
・Cancellation two days or more before → 0% cancellation fee.
・No-show without notice → 100% of the event fee will be charged.
*We may also claim actual communication costs or other damages where applicable.
For cancellations due to unavoidable events such as disasters, please contact the organizer.

If the organizer cancels for reasons other than weather, we will consult with participants and refund an appropriate amount.


Items to Bring
・Flame-resistant (fire-retardant) and warm clothing
・Clothes you don’t mind getting stained by sparks or soot
・Well-broken-in shoes
https://www.e-izu.org/?p=we-page-entry&spot=568220&cat=23649&pageno=3&type=spot

About the business hours of the Takaharucho Tourism Association during the year-end and New Year holidays!

Takaharucho Tourism Association / Station Citing City (shop)
December 31 2025 (Reiwa 7) January 3

Vacation without permission.

Little by little...
In Daffodil Land, it has finally bloomed to the point where several flowers can be captured in one photo~.

As expected, it is a prefectural flower that represents the people of Fukui Prefecture.
The sight of flowers blooming even in the cold that makes your body shrink will give you energy!

If it looks like this, the Best time to visit will be in the middle Squid January, right?
Best time to visit the daffodil festival "Narcissus "Crab Fair" Held in on January 11 (Sat) and 12 (Sun)!

If you see daffodils in bloom, please upload them on social media!

◎ Echizen daffodil flowering status [Updated on Friday, December 27, 2024]
https://www.town-echizen.jp/news/detail.php?id=637

[Notice on the Use of Public Toilets at Mount Oyama Summit
& Oyama Sando Map] 2024–2025
The public toilets at Mount Oyama Summit may be temporarily unavailable due to freezing. Please use the toilets in advance. Check the map of the approach for restroom locations.
We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
Access: Odakyu Line Isehara Station North Exit, Bus Stop No. 4
Take the bus bound for “Oyama Cable” for about 30 minutes
Get off at the final stop and walk 15 minutes along the Koma approach to the cable car station

Photographed 10/20/24.
It is the second day of the Kawagoe Festival.
In front of Kawagoe City Hall, it is a festival float of Nasori in Nandori Towns.

Photographed 10/20/24.
It is the second day of the Kawagoe Festival.
In front of Kawagoe City Hall, it is a festival float of Yorimitsu in Mikubo Town.
Actually, there are still many photos of the Kawagoe Festival.

Tateyama Mountain Ranges seen from the Ameharu Coast 2023.12.09

The Oniwa and Tateyama mountain ranges over the sea are truly superb Spots.
The view of mountains with an Elevation of 3,000 meters across the sea is a superb view that is difficult to see in the world.

A scenic spot related to Manyo, Ameharu Coast.
The poet of Manyo, Oban Iemochi, loved this rainy landscape and sang many songs. The beautiful scenery is the same now as it was in the past, and the magnificent view of the reef seen from the beach and the 3,000m-class Tateyama mountain ranges seen over Toyama Bay is exceptional. It's breathtaking.

"Yoshitsune Rock", where Minamoto Yoshitsune waited for the rain to clear on his way to Oshu, is also the origin of the place name "Ameharu". (From Toyama's website)

Hello 👋😃 This is Crystal Sound 👀 With just a little of this year left, we pray that next year will be a good one for everyone.

In Shosenkyo Gorge there is Kanazakura Shrine, famous as the birthplace of crystal in Japan. Many visitors come to pray there at New Year as a lucky spot for financial fortune, so why not pay a visit yourself.

There are many shops nearby selling crystals, so come and drop by✨
At Crystal Sound we carry lots of beautiful jewelry and crystals🫠
We have also received carved snakes for next year’s zodiac, so please come and take a look✨

All of our staff look forward to welcoming you from the bottom of our hearts.