Yesterday, Saturday, March 16, firefly larvae were released in the Hatsukawa River in Atami Ume Plum Garden. Every year, the children of Baien Town helped us! It is said that there are about 50 types of fireflies in Japan. Representative of Japan is the firefly "Genji Firefly" that is released in Atami, and the hatched larvae are fed Kawanina about once a month to raise them, and the terminal larvae that have reached 2~3 centimeters are released. These larvae come ashore from the river at night when the humidity is high from mid to late April and burrow into the soil, creating an oval-shaped "earthen cocoon". After that, it becomes a snail in the "earthen cocoon", and in late May - early June it becomes an adult insect. This year, we will hold a "Firefly Viewing Evening" from 6/1 (Sat) ~ 9 (Sun). Please take a look at the pale light of fireflies that can only be seen at this time of year.

Masahiro Sawada Memorial Museum of Art It is a museum that collects representative works of Masahiro Sawada, a recipient of the Order of Culture from Atami, and exhibits works of art that span all fields such as paintings, inks, ceramics, prints, and calligraphy, as well as many wood carvings. It is popular that if you hold hands under the stained glass "Hiten" on the ceiling of the entrance, you will be happy forever. The "flying sky" reflected in the red granite floor is also beautiful, and you can enjoy the stained glass both overhead and underfoot. ●Masahiro Sawada(1894~1988) Real name, Torayoshi. Recipient of the Order of Culture, Honorary Citizen of Atami City. Growing up on the seaside of Atami, he aspired to become a sculptor at the age of 19 and studied under Yamamoto Zuun, a younger brother of Koun Takamura. Until his death at the age of 93, he created many wood carvings, paintings, ceramics, prints, calligraphy, and other works of art in a variety of artistic fields. His works, which are powerful, full of life and poetry, speak a lot of romance to people's hearts. Address: 〒413-0032 Shizuoka Prefecture Atami City Ume Plum Sono-cho 9-46 (next to Atami Ume Plum Garden) Phone number: 0557-81-9211 Access: From JR Atami Station, take a bus bound for Ainohara for about 15 minutes → get off at the Sawada Memorial Museum of Art. Business hours/9:00~16:30 Closed on Mondays (open on public holidays) Price: Adults 380 yen (250 yen for groups), junior high and high school students 250 yen (120 yen for groups), elementary school students and younger free Parking lot / 10 cars (free) * Parking is not possible during the Ume Plum Festival

Nice to meet you all! This is the Atami Tourism Association in Shizuoka Prefecture. We will introduce the wonderful charm of Atami City (Atami City) in Shizuoka Prefecture with this account, so thank you. 【What is Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture?】 Atami City is located in the eastern part of Shizuoka Prefecture and is full of charm with a population of about 34,000. It is famous as a hot spring resort with a history of more than 1,500 years, and was loved by historical greats such as Tokugawa Ieyasu. Atami City is about one and a half hours by car from Tokyo, 45 minutes by bullet train, and has beautiful scenery full of nature and a warm climate, so it is visited by many tourists throughout the year. 【Introduction of sightseeing spots in Atami City】 ・Atami Station Shopping Street Located in front of Atami Station, the "Peace Street" and "Nakamise" shopping streets are lined with shops selling fresh local seafood, traditional crafts, and Souvenirs that can only be bought here. Use in front of Atami Station, a foot bath "Ieyasu no Yu" that uses natural hot springs flowing from the source, can be used free of charge. ・ Omiya pine tree, statue of Kan'ichi and Omiya Since the Meiji era, many literary figures have settled in Atami and written masterpieces. The statue of "Kan'ichi and Omiya" with the motif of the main character of the novel and the pine tree of the Omiya pine tree are located along the coast about a 15-minute walk from Atami Station, and are representative tourist spots in Atami. ・Atami Sun Beach The beach, with its white sand and blue waters, is ideal for summer leisure and is a popular spot for families and couples. You can enjoy a variety of activities such as swimming, sunbathing, and beach sports. Continuing from Sun Beach, the Shinsui Park and Moon Terrace offer an exotic cityscape inspired by the cityscape of the northern Mediterranean. ・Atami Ume Plum Garden You can see the earliest blooming Ume plum in Japan. Among the 469 Ume plums of 60 varieties, there are also old trees that are over 100 years old. ・Atami Castle From the Tenshukaku Observatory of Atami Castle on the summit of Mt. Nishikigaura, you can enjoy a 360-degree panorama overlooking the cityscape of Atami. In the Annex of Atami Castle, there is the "Atami Trick Art Labyrinth Museum", and there are sightseeing spots such as "Atami Ropeway" and "Atami Secret Treasure Museum" nearby. ・Hatsushima Hatsushima Island is the closest Outlying Islands from Tokyo, which can be reached in about 30 minutes by high-speed boat from Atami Port. It is a small island with a circumference of 4 kilometers, and you can enjoy diving all year round, and you can enjoy the atmosphere of a tropical country. 【Specialty products, Souvenirs, and local gourmet foods of Atami City】 One of the most popular Specialty products of Atami City is fresh seafood. In particular, the seafood caught at Atami Port is highly regarded for its freshness and taste. Souvenirs from Atami include traditional Japanese sweets and dried fish made locally, and they are also popular as thank-you gifts for Furusato Nozei. 【Events and festivals】 Various events and festivals are held throughout the year in Atami City. At the Ajiro Onsen Hinomono Festival, held every autumn and winter at Ajiro Hot Spring in the Minami Atami Area, you can enjoy fresh dried fish with fat and local gourmet food from local products. In addition, the Atami Marine Fireworks Festival is a historic fireworks festival that began in 1952 and is held more than 10 times throughout the year, not only in summer but also throughout the year. 【Hot springs and lodging facilities in Atami City】 The main attraction of Atami City is the abundance of hot springs. At many inns, hotels, and minshuku, you can enjoy the blessings of hot springs to your heart's content. There are also facilities where you can enjoy day-trip hot springs, so why not heal the fatigue of your trip? As you can see, Atami City is a very attractive tourist destination with many popular tourist spots. A trip to Atami City in Shizuoka Prefecture will surely be a wonderful experience that will heal your heart. We will continue to send out recommended information that will be the best memory of your trip to Atami, so thank you.