The large-petaled Trillium at Bansei Fureai Forest is in full bloom.

The Trillium at the Fureai Forest, within walking distance from Bansei Onsen, is now at its best!
They usually bloom through the end of May, so be sure to go see them.
https://visit-taiki.hokkaido.jp/tp_detail.php?id=414

In Sakuhomachi, Nagano Prefecture, the noble prince azalea (Tougoku mitsuba azalea) is reaching its peak bloom.
Against the soft fresh greenery, the vivid pink stands out, and just walking through it lifts your spirits in this season.
Come see this fleeting scenery while it lasts ☺

At Rokka no Mori, Shirane-aoi, large-flowered Trillium, and anemone are in full bloom 😊

At the attached Rokka’ café (Rokkafe), you can enjoy freshly made Marusei butter sand, so please try one during tea time after strolling through the garden 🎵

📌 Rokka no Mori
[Open Period] April 25, 2025 – October 26, 2025
[Opening Hours]
■ April, May, August, September, October 10:00–16:00
Shop: 10:30–16:00, Café: 11:00–16:00 (last order 15:30)

■ June, July 9:00–16:00
Shop: 9:30–16:00 Café: 11:00–16:00 (last order 15:30)

[Admission]
Adults ¥1,000, elementary and junior high school students ¥500

[Access]
🚗 About 40 minutes by car from Obihiro Station, about 20 minutes by car from Tokachi-Obihiro Airport,
🚌 About 1 hour by bus from Obihiro Station (get off at the nearest stop: Michi-no-Eki Nakasatsunai)
From Michi-no-Eki Nakasatsunai it’s about a 15-minute walk, or rent a bicycle at Michi-no-Eki Nakasatsunai and cycle about 5 minutes

https://www.rokkatei.co.jp/facilities/%E5%85%AD%E8%8A%B1%E3%81%AE%E6%A3%AE-

🌸"Gokase Hanami 2025" Voting Now Open🌸【Until Friday, June 6, 2025!】

Thank you all for entering "Gokase Hanami 2025"!
We held a strict first-round screening by the tourism association staff and selected 12 entries from all submissions🙏✨

From these 12 entries, we would like you to vote to decide the final winners🤩👏

Among those who vote, 10 people will be chosen by lottery to receive local specialties from Gokasecho as a gift🎁💫 We appreciate your participation🙇‍♀️

Here is how to vote💡

【Voting period: Until Friday, June 6, 2025】
⚠️You may vote by only one of the methods below, one time per account or one time per person.

<If voting via Google Form>
・Go to the "voting form" using the URL below
https://forms.gle/uBpw7C7xFDsDKBo2A
・Enter your email address (required). You may optionally provide your name.
・Choose one of the 12 entries, check the box for that entry, and submit your response.
⚠️No login is required, but an email address is mandatory, so please note this in advance.

<If voting via Instagram>
・Follow the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account.
https://www.instagram.com/gokase_kanko/
・From the post with the hashtag #Gokase Hanami 2025 Voting, choose one of the 12 featured entries and send the photo number by direct message or comment✍
⚠️If you do not follow our account, message exchange may be unreliable and you will be excluded from the gift lottery. Please be aware.

<If voting at a polling location>
・Vote at polling stations set up at Gokasecho Town Hall, Gokase Onsen Mori no Yado Kijiya, or the mobile vendor "Gokase Marche" truck.
・Choose one of the 12 entries, write the entry number, your name, and your email address on the voting slip, and place it in the voting envelope.

Additionally, a polling station will be set up at Gokase Secondary Education School in collaboration with the Gokase Sakura Project, and students will also be participating in voting💪✨

⚠️If your email address is missing or illegible due to poor handwriting, you will be excluded from the gift lottery. Please understand.

Please be sure to view the original posts by the entrants before you vote🤗

1 @sokoatari.urouro (photo 1)
2 @fowafuwarin5 (photo 2)
3 @ 920cherry71 (photo 3)
4 @_yuta610 (photo 4)
5 @1230fuukeinoturishi (photo 5)
6 @8215dr72 (photo 6)
7 @code_name_cross_fire (photo 7)
8 @sakai_0808 (photo 8)
9 @reoron001219 (photo 9)
10 @hisabou1958 (photo 10)
11 @landscape133_22 (photo 11)
12 @omilove.1203 (photo 12)

We look forward to receiving many votes from everyone🥰

Hello, this is the Hokuryu Town Sunflower Tourism Association🌻

The moss phlox at Kompira Park Campground has reached its peak bloom!
At Kompira Park, perched on a gentle hill, moss phlox spreads across the slope in the spring sunshine, creating a carpet of flowers that unfolds into a breathtaking view✨

These moss phlox plants were first planted in 1979 and have been lovingly tended by the local community. Over the years they continue to bring joy to many people🌸

It’s a perfect spot for a relaxed camping trip or picnic while enjoying the blossoms🎶

On sunny days, be sure to visit Kompira Park!

《Dancing in the Spring Breeze, Wishing Dharma》
Under the cherry blossoms, there was a row of small darumas.
As if entrusting a wish that has not yet been fulfilled to the Spring breeze.

"Introducing Sakura Spots Around Hokuryu Town vol. FINAL"
Hello, this is the Hokuryu Town Sunflower Tourism Association 🌻
The cherry blossom scenes we've shared since early May come to an end with this final installment
To conclude, we present a roundup of all the spots we've introduced so far.

Please enjoy once more the beautiful cherry blossoms of Hokuryu that we encountered at each location!

May beautiful sakura bloom again next year 🙏

Thank you for staying with us until the end 🌸

The tulips at Shichiku Garden are reaching their peak bloom 🌷
The garden offers free loaner hats decorated with flowers in a range of colors.
Return to your childhood—put on a hat, take photos, and stroll around the grounds.
On sunny days they also provide shade!! 👒

📌Good deals
If you plan to visit three gardens, the “Tokachi Flower Tour Common Ticket” is a great value!!
You can use it at any three of the six eligible gardens in the Tokachi area.♪
[Price] Three-garden admission ticket: ¥2,000
[Validity] April 26, 2025 (Saturday) to October 13, 2025 (Monday, national holiday)
[Eligible gardens] Shichiku Garden, Manabe Garden, Tokachi Hills, Tokachi Millennium Forest, Rokka no Mori, Nakasatsunai Art Village Garden
[Where to buy] Each garden, Tokachi Tourist Information Center (Obihiro Station ESTA East Building 2F), Tokachi Gardens Hotel, Premier Hotel - CABIN - Obihiro, Hokkaido Hotel, Kangetsuen, Sasai Hotel, Dai-ichi Hotel, Daiheigen, Marimo Hire

📌Shichiku Garden
[Open period] April 19 (Saturday) to October 31 (Friday)
[Hours] 8:00–17:00
[Closed] Open every day during the season
[Admission] Adults (high school and older) ¥1,000, elementary and junior high students ¥200, preschoolers free
[Access] About 35 minutes by car from Obihiro Station, about 20 minutes by car from Obihiro Airport, about 15 minutes by car from Roadside Station Nakasatsunai

https://shichikugarden.com/

The JTB special train “Tabimonogatari” has arrived!

The JTB “Tabimonogatari” has made a stop here for three consecutive years since Reiwa 5.
This year too, we welcomed guests on the station platform with about 34 minutes of hospitality. 🚃

About 60 guests enjoyed Shintoku soba tea, two kinds of soba-yu (rich soba-yu and dashi-infused soba-yu), and soba karinto, and we sold a limited assortment set.
Afterward, guests took photos on the platform and in front of the station’s photo frame, and enjoyed shopping at the station shop.

More than ten groups posed at the “Soba Red Photo Frame” installed immediately to the left after exiting JR Shintoku Station.
At the station shop, the soba karinto offered for tasting proved so popular that it sold out.
When we spoke with guests returning to the platform, we heard happy remarks like “It was very delicious” and “It goes well with tea,” with people holding soba karinto.

We bade them farewell, hoping they will stop by again next year.

A short announcement.
The “Soba Red Photo Frame” in front of the station is not a face-in panel, but you can pose as if you are eating soba noodles.
If you’re interested, please come visit JR Shintoku Station.💡

#Hokkaido
#Hokkaido tourism
#Tokachi
#Shintoku Town
#Shintoku Town Tourism Association
#JR Shintoku Station
#JR
#Stella Station
#JTB #Tabimonogatari train
#hospitality
#Station-front complex Tokutoku
#tuktuk
#Tokutoku
#hokkaido
#hokkaidotrip
#hokkaidotourism
#tourism
#Tokachi
#Shintoku
#omotenashi
#welcomeshintoku
#discovershintoku

🌸[Hokuryu Town Cherry Blossom Spot Introduction vol.6]🌸
Hello, this is the Hokuryu Town Sunflower Tourism Association🌻
This time, we again introduce cherry blossom spots that color spring in Hokuryu Town!

🌟The sixth installment is――
“A Tour of Wild Cherry Trees along the Etaibetsu River”!

The Etaibetsu River flows through Hokuryu Town.
Along this river, we present simple, beautiful wild cherry trees that bloom in their natural state!

There are no signboards or information boards here, and no paved promenades or benches.
It isn’t a so‑called “maintained scenic spot,” but precisely for that reason you can feel the unvarnished beauty of nature.
The wild cherries, blooming as if leaning into the land, quietly announce the arrival of spring right next to everyday life.

Especially striking are lone cherry trees standing against the backdrop of farmland and the trees that bloom beside rivers where snowmelt rushes dramatically—scenes beyond words.
Even on the paths locals pass casually, such beautiful spring scenes unfold.

These nameless cherry trees weave a simple, gentle landscape—
We look forward to meeting again next year the cherry trees that will bloom, once more, nestled in this town’s nature 😊

🌸[Introducing Sakura Spots in Hokuryu vol.5]🌸
Hello from the Hokuryu Town Sunflower Tourism Association🌻
This time, we introduce more sakura spots that color spring in Hokuryu Town!

🌟The fifth installment is――
“A Shrine Tour of Hokuryu Town”!

Today we present three shrines in Hokuryu Town and the cherry blossoms we found there⛩️🌸
Each shrine offers its own character, a soothing quiet, and striking harmony with the cherry blossoms.

🌸[Hekisu Shrine]
Hekisu Shrine greets visitors with a vivid red torii gate and a classic shrine atmosphere.
Four to six cherry trees bloom on the grounds, creating a beautiful contrast against the sky.
With spring breezes blowing, the view of the blossoms framed by the torii felt so still it seemed time had stopped.

🌸[Shinryu Shrine]
Shinryu Shrine is notable for its brownish torii gate.
The cherry tree on the right side of the precincts is especially lovely, its soft petals blending perfectly with the calm shrine buildings.
A guardian lion-dog sitting atop a ball makes a memorable, slightly unusual sight—one of this shrine’s little charms🤔

🌸[Mibau Shrine]
Mibau Shrine stands quietly a little way from the town center.
Set amid open rice fields, its solitary presence evokes a gentle sense of nostalgia.
As the cherry blossoms sway softly, listening to the wind here brings a natural calm to the heart🌾

Each shrine’s history, atmosphere, and the beauty of the cherry blossoms—
Hokuryu Town is dotted with these quiet, moving moments.

Enjoying the blossoms while feeling the town’s history and people’s sentiments—
come and try this serene spring shrine tour for yourself 😊✨

We warmly await your visit 😊✨

Spring is in full swing! In Taiki Town, the flower season has truly begun.
Shibazakura (moss phlox) are at their best on Mount Mewa! Around Sakashita Senkyo and at Taiki Shrine, we found a variety of flowers.

The last two photos show new leaves sprouting beneath the withered kashiwa oak leaves still clinging to the branches!

https://visit-taiki.hokkaido.jp/

[Forest Park Is Open]
Forest Park in Nishiokoppe Village opened with the start of Golden Week.

The event was packed with activities.
Food trucks and vendors came from various places,
making the Golden Week period lively.

Thank you to everyone who visited!

Here’s a closer look at the playground attractions.

Batting: 20 pitches per turn 200 yen
Strikeout game: 12 pitches per turn 200 yen
(The first home run of the year was apparently hit by a village resident!)

Battery cars:
Airplane and sheep shapes 1 ride 100 yen
Dinosaur shape 1 ride 200 yen

Go-karts:
Single-seat 1 lap 300 yen
Two-seat 1 lap 400 yen
(This go-kart course has many curves and tricky spots for a thrilling ride)

Bouldering:
Shoe rental 1 session 100 yen
*No use with outdoor shoes or socks*
*Use with indoor shoes you bring is OK*
(You’ll use your arms and legs—your whole body!)

Other free play equipment includes
a bounce dome, a Tarzan rope, spring riders, swings, and more.

Relaxing on the lawn is also recommended.

Please wait a little longer for the tent site to open.

For meals, please visit Ku-raku inside the park!
Takeout is available, so feel free to ask.

We look forward to many visitors again this year!

#Nishiokoppe Village
#Hokkaido
#Forest Park
#Open
#Playground attractions
#Come and play

Photographed on May 15, 25.
For work, I went to Shinagawa.
The City Bakery is a CB plate in Atré Shinagawa.

Photographed on April 12, 25.
It is Hanachozu of Naritasan Kawagoe Betsuin.

It is a cherry blossom that I saw in Nemuro, which is said to be the latest blooming declaration in Japan. It was still a little chilly in Hokkaido, but there were people here and there who came to see it, and I was able to enjoy the second flowering.

Near the Lake Nukabira, the Tauszvets River Bridge, which can only be seen when the Water is low. The magnificent scenery of the Nature spread over the bridges where the Japanese National Railways once ran was and fascinating.

Photographed on April 12, 25.
It is Hanachozu of Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

🌸[Hokuryu Town Cherry Blossom Spot Introduction vol.4]🌸
Hello, this is the Hokuryu Town Sunflower Tourism Association🌻
This time, we introduce another cherry blossom spot that colors spring in Hokuryu Town!

🌟The fourth feature is――
“Cherry Trees in the Ichii Forest”!

Today we present Ichii Forest, a handmade woodland cared for by Hokuryu residents, filled with a pioneering spirit🌳✨

This forest charms visitors with a promenade dotted with song and poetry monuments tied to the town’s history, offering a literary romance.
In spring, several Ezo-yamazakura (Japanese mountain cherry) bloom along the path, delighting walkers🌸

What stayed with me most this visit was――
a solitary cherry tree quietly blooming deep along the trail.

With its graceful branches and delicate blossoms set against the neighboring farmland,
the scene felt like a painting and moved me to tears…!
In the hush of the forest, the unexpected encounter with this spring miracle felt cleansing to the heart😂

Because it sits a little off the beaten path, it may still be little known,
but that seclusion brings a rare tranquility and a moment to face nature.

Even after cherry season ends, Ichii Forest’s appeal does not fade🍃
We want to continue cherishing and protecting this forest where the townspeople’s feelings live on.

When you visit Hokuryu Town, please be sure to stop by Ichii Forest.
We warmly look forward to your visit😊✨

Photographed on April 12, 25.
It is Hanachozu of Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

Photographed on April 12, 25.
It is Hanachozu of Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

"Aragi Island", a rare round-shaped terraced rice field in Wakayama Prefecture

Shot on DJI MAVIC 3
JAPAN Wakayama 2024/6

* Notification is required for the flight of Aragi Island.
* 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

I went to Yatsushiro hometown Park in Fuefuki City, Yamanashi Prefecture to take pictures of Koshu silkworms and cherry blossoms, and the whole city was Festival Spring Township peach Minamoto, and the bamboo was being baked. The collaboration with cherry blossoms was very beautiful.

Cherry blossoms have opened in Kimobetsu Town, and the weather has warmed. More people are playing outside and going for walks!
Kimobetsu Town Park is a nature-rich park in Kimobetsucho, Abuta District, Hokkaido. Its expansive grounds feature a high-rope climbing course and wooden athletic playground equipment, offering fun for children and adults alike.
The park also includes a 36-hole park golf course, where you can enjoy sports while gazing at MtShiribetsu rising before you. Clubs are available for rent, so you can easily play during a drive.
Why not spend a relaxing time in nature at Kimobetsu Town Park?

Kimobetsu Town Park
Location: Aikawa, Kimobetsucho, Abuta District, Hokkaido
Phone: 0136-33-2211 (Kimobetsu Town Office)

This photo was 📷✨ taken at the venue of the Kushiro Town Cherry Blossom Festival Held in on May 11
Some of the cherry blossoms were in buds, but they were blessed with sunny weather and were blooming lively!
A seasonal tradition 🌸 where you can feel Spring
There were 😊 a lot of people at the gathering

Yesterday, I couldn't attend the monthly festival on 5/15 due to work, so I Prayer the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine.
It is a moeki-colored sea bream lottery. The photo was taken on May 4.

We will hold a grand tea gathering where you can enjoy Sakai’s diverse charms and performances by artists connected to Sakai 🍵🍡🎶

Would you like to spend a special time experiencing Sakai’s spirit of hospitality at the Osaka-Kansai Expo? 😊
Not only can you enjoy tea service by the three Sen families and sweets from long-established wagashi shops,
but you can also relax to pleasant music by artists with ties to Sakai 🍵🍡🎶
📅 Period: Saturday, May 10 – Tuesday, May 13
🏠 Venue: Osaka-Kansai Expo Pop-up Stage South and Gallery EAST
🔴 Participation: A numbered ticket (first-come, first-served) is required for the tea ceremony and meditation experience at Gallery EAST.
💰 Cost: Free
🔍 For event details, search “Sakai Expo”!
🌟 During the event, we will run a campaign giving wagashi from Sakai’s long-established confectioners on the spot to those who post photos of the Sakai event on social media with #matchasakai #japaneseculture.‼️
Please post and enjoy Sakai’s delicious wagashi 😋🍡
・Maruichi Kashiho ( @maruichikashiho )
・Kaan Satoya ( @satoya._ )
・Hosen Kashipo ( @takamotimoti )
・Hamadera Mochi Kagetsudo
・Okashi Tsukasa Tenjinmochi ( @tenjinmochi )
・Okayoshi Mishoan
🌟 Also, if you scan the QR code for SAKAI TICKET at the venue with your smartphone, you can enter a lottery to win digital coupons usable in Sakai City‼️If you’re lucky, you might win a 10,000-yen subsidy voucher usable at hotels in Sakai City⁉️There are no losing entries—everyone wins something—so please join us 🤗

🔍 Also check the “Sakai Tourism Guide Expo Special Site (If you came to the Expo, come to Sakai too)”!
We look forward to your visit 😄

Photographed on April 9, 25.
This is Hanachozu from Hara Flower Shop.

Shiraiwa Mountain Opening 🌸

Today (May 11), the Shiraiwa Mountain Opening was held at the Gokasecho Highland Ski Area Parking Center😊

A Shinto ceremony took place on the mountain, with organizers and other attendees praying for safety while enjoying the crisp mountain air👏

After the ceremony, those who wished began climbing toward the rhododendron colony💪

Azaleas, Okamenoki, yama-shakuyaku (mountain peony), and rhododendrons appeared to be in full bloom💡

⚠ Notice ⚠
From May 12, Reiwa 7, the town road Hon-yashiki/Hagi Line and the Hagi Forest Road, which provide access to the Goboubatake trailhead (Shiraiwa Mountain, Mukaisakayama, and Kiridachigoe), will be closed to all traffic until further notice due to road disaster recovery work.
To reach Shiraiwa Mountain, Mukaisakayama, and Kiridachigoe, please use the Ogawadake: Tenyabo trailhead (road subsidence, many falling rocks, rough road).

Photographed on April 15, 25.
It is the Shingashi River behind the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine.
The cherry blossoms had fallen and turned into leaf cherry blossoms. The petals of the cherry blossoms floated on the surface of the water and were very beautiful.