🔴Special Exhibition: “Fenice Sakai × Gashibaru Discovery! Sakai”🔵


🔷〈Encounter the active arm movement in Sakai today—people, things, and happenings〉🌈

■Dates: Tuesday, February 3, 2026–Thursday, February 19, 2026
■Hours: 9:00 AM–8:00 PM (last admission 7:30 PM)
*Final day only: 9:00 AM–3:00 PM
*Closed: Monday, February 16
■Admission: Free
■Venue: 📍Fenice Sakai (@fenice_sacay)
Exchange and Creation Galleria (2-1-1 Okinabashicho, Sakai Ward, Sakai City)

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1. Nostalgic Record Jacket Exhibition💽
From the owner of jazz cafe cafe RVC (Sakai Ward, Sakai City), we present over 30 record jackets that colored the era, centered on jazz, drawn from a collection of more than 3,000 records.


2. My Bookcase📚
From the share-style bookstore HONBAKO (Sakai Ward, Sakai City), lively personalities of “box owners” bring a one-box bookstore—"bookcase"—to the event♪ (Sales on weekends only)
Experience building your own "bookcase," enjoy storytelling sessions, and visit the book exchange corner!


3. Visual Artist Yusen Yoneda and the Mansion Midori Renovation Project🎈
Showcasing woodblock prints by Yusen Yoneda, registered with the Sakai City Emerging Artists Bank, and the exchanges between young creators and local residents fostered through activities at Mansion Midori.
On February 15, Yusen Yoneda will hold a woodblock print workshop. (Advance registration required; details on the website)


4. Special Exhibit: Large Sheet Metal Roof Ring✨
A large-scale craft art piece—2 m in diameter and weighing 130 kg—previously exhibited at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, comes to Sakai.
Manufactured by Modern Industrial Co., Ltd., supervised by architect Sou Fujimoto.


5. Special Exhibit: Oceano⛓️
An artwork created in Sakai reusing the distinctive exterior ship ropes from the Portugal Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, expressing the sea that connects Portugal and Japan.
(By Vanessa Barragan / Owned by Sakai City)


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🔷Fenice Sakai × Gashibaru Collaboration Event
This year again, about 80 eateries and shops in the Sakai Higashi area participate in the food and drink festival🍴☕️
Collaborating with the 18th Gashibaru (February 17–20)!
・Gashibaru
🔗https://e-sacai.com/gashi-bar
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💁For more details
🔗https://www.fenice-sacay.jp/event/33048/
Search “Gashibaru × Fenice Sakai”
https://www.sakai-tcb.or.jp/event/detail/850

We will begin operating the 2026 winter “Teshikaga Eco Passport” town sightseeing bus (advance reservation required) and start a luggage delivery service!


Here is the 2026 winter schedule for the Mashu–Kussharo Sightseeing Loop Bus, which visits the main scenic spots within Teshikagacho.
The loop bus ticket, called the “Teshikaga Eco Passport,” is available again this year as a 2-day or 3-day pass. Please make an advance reservation and make use of it. It’s recommended for those who are uneasy about driving or who want to enjoy sightseeing in Teshikaga easily. For details, see Teshikaga Navi.


Service period
Saturday, January 24, 2026–Sunday, March 1, 2026


Fees Adult (おとな) Child (こども)
2-day pass (2days) 2,000 yen 1,000 yen
3-day pass (3days) 3,000 yen 1,000 yen


Contact
Mashu Lake Tourism Association
3-3-1 Mashu 3-chome, Teshikagacho, Kawakami District, Hokkaido 088-3201
TEL: 015-482-2200
Email: masyu_as@peace.ocn.ne.jp
https://www.masyuko.or.jp/news/2025winterecopassport/

Photographed on January 26, 2014.
This is cafe andon's avocado and shrimp hot sandwich set.
When your workplace environment changes, it can be quite challenging. 😅

👹✨February 3 is Setsubun✨👹

When you think of Setsubun, you think of ehomaki! The lucky direction for 2026 is south-southeast. Face that direction, hold a wish in your mind, and silently take a big bite of the whole thick roll—this is the tradition of eating an ehomaki.
This year, why not make your very own ehomaki at the sushi counter?🍣

Using delicious, naturally sweet rice from Kikuchi and guided directly by a sushi chef, enjoy a rare rolled-sushi-making experience. It’s designed so even young children can join in, making it perfect for creating family memories.

Bring your family and friends and make special Setsubun memories together✨

📌Details and reservations here
https://kikuchikanko.ne.jp/taikenplan

Take a little breather from your busy days. The popular market event “Beauty and Healing Yorimichi Marche” is finally celebrating its 7th edition! This time marks the third time it will be held in Reihoku Town👏
Why not spend a special day filled with “beauty, healing, and deliciousness” at the Reihoku Town Tourist Information Center?

🌿 How to enjoy the marche
This edition features three delightful sections.

[Treatment Corner]💆‍♀️
Warmth therapies, massages, head spas, and other treatments that help you relax both body and mind.
[Hands-on & Sales Corner]🛍
Stalls selling handmade goods, fortune-telling, beauty experiences, and other booths perfect for treating yourself.
[Food Corner]🍕🥐
From bento boxes and sweets to bread and pizza—there’s a satisfying lineup to fill your stomach.

✨ Highlights this time!
Stamp rally! Visit venues around the site and collect stamps for a chance to win great prizes♪

Everyone is welcome! Admission is free. Whether you come with family and friends or drop by on your own for a little “yorimichi,” you’re warmly invited🤍

📅 Event details
Date & Time: Wednesday, February 11, 2026 (national holiday) 10:00–16:00
Location: Reihoku Town Tourist Information Center (4535-1 Kamitsufukae, Reihoku, Amakusa District)
Admission: Free
Organizer: Amakusa Reihoku Tourism Association (general incorporated association)
Planning & Management: CROSSLINK

On a winter afternoon, our staff look forward to seeing your smiling faces. Please feel free to stop by for a little “yorimichi”🌼

Event Announcement 📣

The 63rd Obihiro Ice Festival runs from January 30 to February 1. 😊

With the theme of bringing warmth and joy to the northern winter, the festival offers a wide variety of attractions. 🎵

The venue features ice-focused works: ice carvings, ice and snow sculptures, and ice masks made by elementary school students. Families can also enjoy popular attractions like rotating sleds, tube sliders, ice slides, and snow rafting. 😍

Workshops for building snowmen and creating sparkling snow domes let visitors fully experience snow and ice over these three days. 🤗

📍Date and Time: Friday, January 30, 2026 – Sunday, February 1, 2026, 10:00–20:00
(Final day closes at 5:00 PM)

📍Location: Midorigaoka Park

📞Contact: Obihiro Festival Promotion Committee TEL: 0155-22-8600


https://obihiro-icefes.com/

Photographed on January 24, Heisei 26.
This is a hot sandwich set from LEC COFFEE.
The hot sandwich has egg, lettuce, and bacon, served with a white vegetable potage and a salad with homemade ham. It also contains satoimo (taro).
I ate something delicious, so I feel like I can do my best starting tomorrow. 😊

Event Announcement📣

On Sunday, January 25, 2026, Roadside Station Nakasatsunai will host the Nakasatsunai Winter Festival 😊

Enjoy a full lineup of snow activities, including snow rafting, a snow treasure hunt, and a snowy slide!
Make the most of the cold winter day and have fun!
Food trucks will also be on site, so you can enjoy tasty treats 🎵

📍Program Highlights
・Snow rafting (one ride 100 yen, limited to the first 250 participants)
・Stamp rally (limited to the first 100 children in elementary school or younger)
・Snow treasure hunt (for elementary school children or younger)
・Sledding 🛷 (free sled rentals available)
・Marshmallow roasting (3 pieces for 50 yen; available while supplies last)
・Hot milk served (limited to the first 100 people)

📍Date and Time: Sunday, January 25, 2026, 10:00–12:00
📍Location: Roadside Station Nakasatsunai South Side Special Venue

Bring your family and friends and come to Roadside Station Nakasatsunai 🤗

https://michinoeki-nakasatsunai.jp/post_event/post_event-1311/

Photographed on January 19, 2014.
This is the bacon and egg pancake from CAFE Mathilda.
It’s close to Hon-Kawagoe PePe, so I often went there during breaks. 😊

Photographed on January 15, 2014.
This is cafe andon's avocado shrimp hot sandwich set.
Thank you, as always. 😊

Kiso Kurashi no Kogeikan Location: 2272-7 Kisohirasawa, Shiojiri City

◎ Masterful craftsmanship and the power of lacquer breathe life into materials
Kiso Kurashi no Kogeikan is conceived as a museum and shop. From the displayed and stocked items to the building materials and furniture, the facility proudly emphasizes wood—the hallmark of this region. The entire venue overflows with the warmth of Shiojiri and Kiso, offering everything from crafts to everyday household tools and mountain-country flavors unique to the area.

◎ A wide selection of local specialties from Shiojiri and Kiso, including the traditional craft Kiso lacquerware and Shiojiri wine
A range of cultures born from interactions with nature. We introduce the attractions of local industries rooted in Kiso life—skills handed down for centuries—while also presenting new lifestyle ideas.
A medal awarded at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, finished by the careful work of lacquer artisans, is on permanent display. Visitors can also enjoy a Kiso tsuishu (Kiso raised lacquer) sanding-and-revealing experience. (Advance reservation required at least two weeks prior)

◎ Traditional craft “Kiso lacquerware” hands-on experience menu (advance reservation required; please book at least two weeks in advance)
Kiso tsuishu sanding-and-revealing experience
Duration: Approximately 1 hour
Fees: ① Coaster 2,200 yen ② Chopsticks 2,500 yen ③ Spoon 2,500 yen

- Overview -
Address: 2272-7 Kisohirasawa, Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture
Phone: 0264-34-3888
Fax: 0264-34-2832
Hours: 9:00–17:00
Closed: Every Tuesday / Open during busy seasons (closed irregularly)
Parking: Standard cars: 500 spaces / Large buses: 10 spaces / Accessible: 4 spaces (all free)
Accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible restrooms, ramps
Access: By car: 25 km (about 30 minutes) from Shiojiri IC / By car: 80 km (about 90 minutes) from Nakatsugawa IC / By train: JR Chuo Main Line to kisohirasawa station, then 20-minute walk

Event Announcement 📣

“Hombetsucho Bean-Scattering Night” will be held on Saturday, January 24th 😊

This event, timed for the Setsubun season, celebrates beans, a local specialty of Hombetsucho. Setsubun takes place the day before Risshun (the beginning of spring) and traditionally involves scattering beans to drive away evil spirits. It is said this practice began to ward off the misfortune and demons that can enter at seasonal boundaries 👹

At this event we will stage a dramatic bean-scatting spectacle using more than 2.5 tons of consecrated beans to vanquish many demons, and a “bean shower” where participants are drenched in over 100 kg of beans like a waterfall, among other bean-themed attractions. A lineup of food trucks will also gather so you can enjoy plenty of gourmet treats 🎵

https://www.town.honbetsu.hokkaido.jp/sightseeing/fes/details/mamemakanight.html

🌼✨【Tomorrow, Sunday 1/18】Daffodil Festival × Food Truck Info✨🌼

On January 18th, food trucks will appear at Cape Tsumeki, the site of the Daffodil Festival 🚚✨
You’ll find warm comfort foods, coffee, and an all-you-can-pack tangerine offer 😋🍊
Plus, for every 500 yen you spend, you can join a raffle to win kinmedai (splendid alfonsino) goods or pair admission vouchers for local tourist facilities
Everyone wins something—there are no losing tickets 😲✨

From 10:00 a.m., enjoy the regular Shimoda Taiko performance and complimentary Ikenodan simmered miso hotpot!
Please enjoy the event alongside the daffodils in full bloom 🌼🌈

👉 Check the images for details on vendors and times 📸👀

Photographed on January 11, Heisei 26.
This is a quiche plate from LEC COFFEE.
It includes a chicken and spinach quiche, salad, white vegetable potage, and homemade bread.
Lunch is now by reservation only.

Open only two days a week!? 😍
Three hidden gem bakeries in Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture you’ll want to go out of your way to visit 🥐💞

Read the article here 🔽
https://www.shobara-info.com/report/5461

As a foodie in my 30s who loves sweets, I adore hunting for places that aren’t “ordinary.” In Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture, there are hidden bakeries that operate as mobile vendors or only open on limited days. I actually visited them and will introduce them here!

Be sure to check the Shobara Tourist Navi website’s “Editorial Report”!

🦀 A luxurious, reservation-only winter delicacy to savor❄

From Natural Garden in Naka Ward, Sakai City comes the winter reservation-only Crab Extravaganza Bento🍱✨
This indulgent bento is packed with the season’s crab, concentrating savory and sweet flavors
One bite delivers an unforgettable taste…!🤤
It’s a perfect treat for special occasions or a thoughtful gift for someone dear✨

At the shop, in addition to the Crab Extravaganza Bento,
you’ll find many items made with trusted ingredients and great taste!
Customers often say, “Natural Garden’s bentos offer a flavor you can’t buy elsewhere!”
They are very popular🍱

Natural Garden also hosts a much-loved buffet restaurant featuring seasonal vegetables and tofu🥦🍲✨

Experience these winter-only flavors at Natural Garden!
We look forward to your reservation✨

If you’re interested, check the details below👀
📅 Crab Extravaganza Bento sales period
Sunday, January 4 – Saturday, February 28
💰 Price: 2,900 yen (tax included 3,132 yen)
*Available for order from 5 boxes*
*Please reserve at least 3 business days in advance*

🚩 Store information Natural Garden
🕒 Business hours
Restaurant (90-minute seating)
▶︎ First seating: 11:00–12:30
▶︎ Second seating: 12:45–14:15
🍴 Shop hours
10:00–19:00
✖ Closed: Tuesdays (open on public holidays)
🚃 Access: 9-minute walk from Fukai Station on the Nankai Senboku Line; parking available

🔍 For details, search “Natural Food Restaurant Natural Garden”
https://sakai-natural-garden.jp/

[Ooyama Wild Boar and Deer (Gibier) Fair Now Underway]
Ooyama is currently hosting the Ooyama Wild Boar and Deer (gibier) Fair.
Gibier cuisine in Ooyama, where boar hotpot has been enjoyed for generations, ranks alongside tofu dishes as a local specialty.
Many temple lodgings and restaurants serve seasonal flavors unique to this period.
Take this opportunity to visit Ooyama and taste these signature dishes.
*Some establishments may require reservations.*
Event Period
◆ Through March 31, 2026
For details, please see the official website.
https://www.city.isehara.kanagawa.jp/kankou_guide/docs/2025090900014/

Kawayu Onsen website 'From the Information Desk' updated📝🆙
On Sunday, October 12, a report on the Gastronomy Walking event held in the Kawayu Onsen district has been posted🚶🍙❣️
The article shows participants enjoying local food and learning about Teshikaga while walking around the Kawayu Onsen area. Please take a look🐻
https://www.kawayu-onsen.com/feature/931/

This year marks the 60th Tomakomai Skating Festival.
The highlight is shibare-yaki, a jingisukan grilled outdoors below freezing (the Hokkaido dialect word shibareru means "cold").
Grilled on a drum-can grill and enjoyed with beer, the seasoned jingisukan tastes exceptional.
A huge ice slide is another favorite with children.
Tomakomai’s signature winter event, the Tomakomai Skating Festival, takes place this year on Saturday, February 7 and Sunday, February 8, 2026.⛸
We hope you will join us!

Reihoku Sunset Marche — January Announcement📣
Happy New Year🎊 Our first announcement of the year is the Reihoku Sunset Marche in January♪

👀 Highlights of this Sunset Marche 👀
❣ At the Reihoku Sunset Marche, where agricultural products, processed goods, and prepared foods from Reihoku are sold, freshly shipped bagged mikan (tangerines) will be available this time 🍊 Please enjoy these seasonal farm products❣
We look forward to seeing you 😊 Don’t forget to bring your own shopping bag🛍✨

Scheduled produce for sale:
・Aspara greens
・Cauliflower
・Turnips🫜
・Pumpkin🎃
・Cabbage
・Cucumbers🥒
・Kale
・Rice🌾
・Coral leaf feather
・Taro
・Sweet potatoes🍠
・Potatoes🥔
・Garland chrysanthemum (shungiku)
・Daikon radish
・Tomatoes (Aiko, cherry)
・Chinese cabbage
・Green peppers🫑
・Broccoli🥦
・Ponkan
・Mikan🍊 (bagged, boxed, bag-hung)
・Mizuna (Beni-hoshi variety)
・Lettuce (sunny, leaf)
・Welsh onion (single stalk)

🥦🍅🥕🍠🥬🧅🫑🌽🌶🫛🍆🫚🥔
Reihoku Sunset Marche
Date: Sunday, January 11, 1:00 PM–3:00 PM
Location: Amakusa Reihoku Tourist Association (Reihoku Town Local Products Center, 4535-1 Kamitsufukae, Reihoku)

Get drunk on the delicious flavors of Shobara City in Hiroshima Prefecture! 😍 Savor smoked dishes and sake at Kaneki-ya in Hakushima-Kitamachi, Naka Ward, Hiroshima City 🥩🍶

Kaneki-ya in Hakushima-Kitamachi, Naka Ward is a popular stop for many people with ties to Shobara. Here you can enjoy snacks made with Hiba Beef and a range of smoked items from Smoked Hakoda. Kaneki-ya also offers sake from breweries in Shobara City! This time, we explored what makes Kaneki-ya so appealing.

[Shobara Sightseeing Guide website "Editorial Report" has been updated!]
Read the article here 🔽
https://www.shobara-info.com/report/5454

Roadside Station Iwanai
Happy New Year, and best wishes for 2026 🐴
We look forward to your continued support this year 🎍

Roadside Station Iwanai is open today, Sunday, January 4th!
We look forward to welcoming you 😆
Please note that we will be closed on Monday, January 5th.

This year, we let the trendy AI create images for us 🐟

Photographed on December 28, 2025.
This is a set from Tomori Shokudo featuring domestic chicken spice karaage and a bamboo shoot and taro gratin.
It also includes a hearty miso soup, steamed daikon with yuzu miso, simmered tamakonnyaku (ball-shaped konnyaku), and pickles—plenty to enjoy. 😊
On weekends, it’s best to make a reservation.

Great deals and convenience! The Kikuchi Tourism Association has launched its official LINE account.

We share tourism information about Kikuchi City and coupons you can use at local shops.

Kikuchi City in Kumamoto Prefecture lies about 25 km northeast of Kumamoto City, in the central part of the prefecture. It is a nature-rich area where history and culture live on.
The Kikuchi River runs through the city center, surrounded by mountains and rural landscapes.
Kikuchi also offers many hot springs and tourist spots, making it a perfect place to unwind and refresh.

The representative Kikuchi Gorge features beautiful ravines and clear streams, ideal for hiking and nature walks, and attracts many visitors.
Kikuchi Onsen is also famous as a hot spring area; it first gushed in 1954 (Showa 29). The hot springs use 100% natural water, boast abundant flow, and are colorless, transparent, and alkaline. The gentle, soft waters maintain a source temperature of 45°C and are said to be beneficial for beauty, neuralgia, and rheumatism.

Kikuchi Shrine is a historic shrine worshiped as the guardian deity of the area.
Agriculture flourishes here, producing specialty rice, vegetables, and fruits. Numerous local product centers and eateries sell fresh local ingredients.

Kikuchi City also hosts many traditional events and festivals where you can feel the local culture.

We share Kikuchi’s many charms and offer coupons through the official LINE account to help you enjoy the city even more.
More participating shops will be added over time. Please use the service when you visit Kikuchi.
Be sure to add us as a friend and take advantage of the offers.


For details, please visit the Kikuchi Tourism Association website.



https://kikuchikanko.ne.jp/archives/featured/kikuchikanko-line

Photographed on December 21, 2025.
This is LEC COFFEE’s hot sandwich set.
It includes a hot sandwich with bacon, lettuce, and egg, a salad with homemade ham, daikon radish potage, and homemade bread.

Event Announcement 📣

“An Evening of Earth’s Bounty,” a one-night event bringing together five wineries and sake breweries from Tokachi, will be held at Hotel Nikko Northland Obihiro 😊

Enjoy pairings of a buffet featuring Tokachi ingredients, cheeses, and live cooking by the hotel’s chefs 🍷🍶
You can also listen to stories from the producers and take part in a raffle for a warm and delightful evening 🤗

📍Date: Sunday, February 8, 2026, 5:30 PM–7:30 PM (doors open at 5:20 PM)

📍Venue: 2nd-floor banquet hall, Northland Hall

📍Price: 12,000 yen per person (tax and service charge included)

🔶Reservations and Inquiries
Hotel Nikko Northland Obihiro direct line TEL 0155-24-1301 (9:00 AM–6:00 PM)

https://www.jrhotels.co.jp/obihiro/news/67618

From Sakai: A refreshing scent of green yuzu fills the air at the “Yuzukaralin Cafe”
— A collaboration cafe between SAKAINOMA and Yuzukaralin —

SAKAINOMA cafe and hotel Kuma (Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture) will host a special event, Yuzukaralin Cafe, in collaboration with the Kochi Prefecture yuzu-based seasoning brand Yuzukaralin for five days only, from Saturday, January 10 to Wednesday, January 14, 2026.

We will offer lunch menus, sweets, and drinks that make the most of the green yuzu’s fragrance, gentle acidity, and the faint spiciness unique to Yuzukaralin.

🔍For more details, search “SAKAINOMA and Yuzukaralin collaboration cafe”!
https://sakainoma.jp/

Photographed on December 20, 2025.
This is the TATSUMI special from Udon Tatsumi.
I’m touring tasty spots. 😊

Merry Christmas! 🎅✨
How are you spending this Christmas?

Hiroshima Prefecture’s largest illumination event, Bihoku Illumination, is now underway at National Bihoku Hillside Park 🎄💞

An installation art collective called Mirror Baller, known for creating spaces of light and reflection, presents artworks themed around “Dream,” filling the winter park with magical light and sound.
Enjoy a photogenic, moving experience.
Last year Mirror Baller occupied a paid special area; this year they are free to enter.

🌟Event details here🔽
https://www.shobara-info.com/event/5326

🌟Recommended articles🔽
[2025 Updated] Pair the National Bihoku Hillside Park illumination with delicious on-site gourmet treats!
https://www.shobara-info.com/report/5380

Hello 😃 This is Yamanashi Wine Kingdom Senga Falls Store. As Christmas approaches, the town fills with sparkle and warmth in this season. One place to visit in the crisp winter air is Shosenkyo Gorge, a scenic treasure of Yamanashi Prefecture.
Steep rock formations and ravine beauty stretch through Shosenkyo, known as one of Japan’s premier gorges. In winter, its quiet and pristine beauty soothes the spirit.

Located deep within the gorge, Senga Falls is the signature waterfall of Shosenkyo. The roughly 30-meter drop roaring down the rock face makes a powerful sight, and in the cold winter air the spray feels even more magical. If you’re lucky, frost will coat the rocks, letting you enjoy nature’s own winter artwork.

For a special moment with someone dear before Christmas, consider visiting Shosenkyo and Senga Falls to be wrapped in nature’s grandeur and silence. They will help you weave a memorable winter experience.

At Yamanashi Wine Kingdom Senga Falls Store, we carry many wines 🍷 recommended for Christmas and the New Year. Please find your favorite bottle with us.♪

We also offer rich grape juice 🍇 and pure peach juice 🍑 for children and those who do not drink alcohol.

With the year drawing to a close, we look forward to welcoming you from the bottom of our hearts.