I photographed a ginkgo tree with beautiful autumn leaves at a time when few people were around.

I will never forget the shock of seeing the scenery of Kamikochi live even now It's a memory that will last a lifetime.

Shirakawa Township on a family trip When you enter the wooden gassho building, the summer heat is as cool as a lie When I looked at the wall, I saw a gaping hole in the knot of the wood Immediately, the photo taken by my nephew in the sixth grade was so Traditional Charm that it reminded me of the late Township of Japan somewhere

Suwa Taisha Shimosha Akimiya Natsumōde 2025 On this day, glutton Kasai brings you fresh, hot-off-the-press information. Have you heard of Natsumōde? This seasonal ritual offers a chance to savor an evening that avoids the daytime heat, letting you enjoy the cool dusk air, quiet atmosphere, and the shrine’s charming summer mood. Suwa Taisha Shimosha Akimiya is holding a Natsumōde event!!! During the festival, the shrine will be illuminated. Shrine maidens will perform kagura, local performers will present bugaku dances, the Shimosuwa Koyō High School brass band will play, and Tsugaru shamisen performances will take place each night from 19:00. On weekends, special attractions such as festival stalls and food trucks will appear! For details ⇒ https://shimosuwaonsen.jp/event/21644/... Goshuin collectors, take note! Limited-edition Natsumōde goshuincho and special nighttime Natsumōde goshuin will be available at Akimiya during the event. A nighttime-only “Yo-Yo Omikuji” will be offered from 18:30 to 21:00 each day, so please come and enjoy!!! Fans made of bamboo will be distributed to visitors only. They are elegant bamboo hand fans perfect for the occasion 🎶 ※ This is Suwa Taisha Shimosha Akimiya, so please be careful not to confuse it with other shrines! Suwa Taisha Shimosha Akimiya Nighttime Natsumōde ◎ Period: Thursday, August 7 – Thursday, August 14, 2025 ◎ Time: 18:30–21:30 ◎ Shinano-kuni Ichinomiya Suwa Taisha (Shimosha Akimiya) 📍 5828 Shimosuwa-machi, Suwa-gun, Nagano Prefecture ☎ 0266-27-8035 (Natsumōde inquiries) ◎ Homepage : https://suwataisha.or.jp// Suwa Taisha Shimosha Akimiya – Nighttime Natsumōde 2025 Gluttony Kasai is here to bring you fresh, hot-off-the-press news! Have you heard of Natsumōde? While the slow, lingering summer heat has its own charm, Natsumōde offers a chance to avoid the midday heat and instead enjoy the cool evening air, the quiet atmosphere, and the magical scenery of the shrine at night. This summer, Suwa Taisha Shimosha Akimiya will once again host this special evening event. During the festival period, the shrine grounds will be beautifully illuminated, and visitors can enjoy sacred kagura dances performed by shrine maidens, traditional bugaku court dances by local performers, music by the Shimosuwa Kōyō High School brass band, and live Tsugaru shamisen performances. On weekends, food stalls and kitchen cars will also make a special appearance. Special Limited Items • Limited-edition Natsumōde Goshuincho (temple seal book) • Nighttime Natsumōde special Goshuin (temple seal) • “Yo-Yo Omikuji” (balloon yo-yo fortune), available 18:30–21:00 during the event If you are a Goshuin collector, you won’t want to miss this! Dates: August 7 (Thu) – August 14 (Thu), 2025 Time: 18:30–21:30 Venue: Suwa Taisha Shimosha Akimiya – Shinano-kuni Ichinomiya (First Shrine of Shinano Province) 📍 5828 Shimosuwa-machi, Suwa-gun, Nagano Prefecture ☎ 0266-27-8035 (Natsumōde Inquiries) * Homepage : https://suwataisha.or.jp// ・ Distributed to visitors only; a traditional hand fan made from bamboo, perfect for enjoying the summer evening in style 🎶 ※ Please note: This event is held at Suwa Taisha Shimosha Akimiya.

Yorii Tamayodo Water Tengu Festival Fireworks Festival 🎆 This is a fireworks festival held in every year in Yorii Town, Saitama Prefecture. The Mikoshi of each town floats on the river and creates 🤤 a summer atmosphere

Kirigamine and Kurumayama-kata📷️ The nikkōkisuge (daylilies) on Kirigamine in Suwa City are now at their best. Please take care when visiting. Kirigamine and Kurumayama-kata The daylilies are in full bloom! Please drive safely to Suwa City. We are waiting for you!!!

■Pothole Tour■ Deep inside Toyooka Village, at the foot of Mt. Kimen, you can enjoy river play at one of Japan’s largest potholes. Dive headfirst into a plunge pool or float and relax. Refresh yourself to the fullest in the emerald-green summer stream. Our guide staff will support you. You may join with children. We recommend combining this with a paella-cooking experience at Nodaira Campground! 【Plan Details 】 ■Season Around July to early September ※If you prefer dates outside the above period, please consult us. ■Meeting place General Incorporated Association Toyooka Village Tourism Association (Toyooka Tabi Jikan) ＝ For those using car navigation ＝ 《Toyooka Tabi Jikan》 Address: 12407 Kamiine, Toyooka Village, Shimoina District, Nagano Prefecture TEL 0265-49-3395 ※If the above address does not appear, set your destination to Toyooka Village Central Nursery School and come to that location. 《Toyooka Village Central Nursery School》 Address: Kamiine 12368, Toyooka Village TEL: 0265-35-4953 ■Capacity 8 people (minimum number to hold tour: 2 people) ※If only one person or more than eight people wish to participate, please consult us. ■Price (tax included) Per person: 5,000 yen ※If you use the showers at Nodaira Campground, an additional 500 yen per person is required. ■Course details and schedule ① Meet at Toyooka Tabi Jikan 9:30 (payment) ② Travel to Nodaira Campground Around 9:30–10:10 ※Please travel by private car. ③ Arrive at Nodaira Campground Around 10:10 ④ Walk to the pothole area Around 10:15–10:45 ⑤ Stream walk and river play at the pothole Around 10:45–12:15 ⑥ Return to Nodaira Campground and dismiss on site Around 12:45 ■About the plan 【About Nodaira Campground】 It is about a 40-minute drive from the center of Toyooka Village. Leaving populated areas behind, you can enjoy a relaxed time surrounded by green trees and the sound of the river. Please travel to the campground by private car. 【About the pothole “Daimyojin Fuchi”】 In Abukawa Gorge there is one of Japan’s largest giant potholes, measuring seven meters in diameter. A pothole forms when stones on the riverbed rotate in the current and gradually carve into the bedrock over long years. 【Can be combined with other activities】 You can combine the pothole tour with a paella-cooking experience or a guided cycling tour. Please inquire for details. 【Clothing and items to bring】 ● Quick-drying clothing (recommended: garments with minimal skin exposure) e.g., rash guard ● Change of clothes ● Shoes that can get wet (recommended: those that do not come off easily) e.g., marine shoes ※You may use the changing rooms and lockers inside the Toyooka Village Tourism Association facility before and after the tour. ※For an additional fee, showers at Nodaira Campground are available (500 yen). ※For an additional fee, showers inside the Toyooka Village Tourism Association facility are available (300 yen). ■Inquiries and reservations Please apply by phone or via the inquiry form on the Toyooka Tabi Jikan website. Phone number: Toyooka Tabi Jikan 0265-49-3395 (9:00–18:00) Website: https://www.vill-nagano-toyooka-kanko.jp/pothole-tour/...

Extra Edition: N takamatsu, Kiso District, Nagano Prefecture – “Nezame no Toko” On this day, foodie Kawanishi presents an extra edition‼️ I finally visited Nezame no Toko in Agematsu, Kiso District, a place I’d long wanted to see. Nezame no Toko is counted among Japan’s five great scenic gorges and is designated as a National Scenic Spot!!! Before the Meiji era there were no dams, and the rapids of the Kiso River carved this granite. After dams were built, water diversion lowered the Kiso River’s surface, making the rock formations appear even more massive. It seems the site was designated a National Scenic Spot in 1923 and managed as a prefectural park, and in 2020 it was elevated to part of the Central Alps Quasi-National Park!!! You can enjoy cherry blossoms in spring and autumn leaves in fall—the scenery changes with the seasons. The river’s blue color shows how clear the Kiso River is. Also, surprisingly, there’s an Urashima Taro legend in landlocked Nagano Prefecture!? I’ve been curious about that for a long time. It’s a truly lovely scenic spot and a good workout too! I think you should avoid going right after rain or wearing clothing that hinders movement. I recommend sneakers and clothes you can move easily in!!! Swimming is prohibited, so please be careful. Second-grade elementary school children can make it to Urashima-dō. Why not visit Nezame no Toko with your children to enjoy the beautiful views!? On the way back, I stopped at Michi-no-Eki Hiyoshi Kisokoma Kogen and bought the station’s limited “morokoshi soft-serve” made with milk from Kaida Kogen! A faint, toasty corn aroma spreads through it—this was the most delicious soft-serve I’ve ever tasted!!! Please enjoy it if you can! From time to time, foodie Kawanishi plans to bring you extra editions like this. ◎ Nezame no Toko 📍 Agematsu, Kiso District, Nagano Prefecture ◎ Free parking: Available (check the website below) ◎ Website: https://kiso-hinoki.jp/colibri-wp/tourist/nezamenotoko/...

It’s gradually getting warmer! Two weeks ago, surprisingly, glutton Kasai was laid up with the flu. My temperature reached nearly 39°C, but somehow my appetite stayed strong (´～｀)! Please take care, everyone... Since I took time off two weeks ago, I’ll be back this week as energetic and hungry as ever! Everyone, the cherry blossom season is approaching 🌸 Aren’t you starting to want to see some cherry blossom photos? These photos are from past years, but Suwa City has many great cherry blossom viewing spots. If you have any recommended cherry blossom viewpoints, I would be very grateful if you could share them!!! Glutton Kasai prefers dumplings to flowers, but www I’ll still post plenty about Suwa City’s cherry blossom viewing spots! Looking back at last year’s posts, it was around mid-April! Hi there! This is glutton Kasai! I caught the flu last week… It was awful! I had a high fever… BUT I still had a voracious appetite!!! Can you believe it? It’s true… Everyone, please take care!!! These days, Suwa City is gradually warming up. The o-hanami season is coming! O-hanami is a traditional Japanese spring event. We enjoy a feast while watching the cherry blossoms bloom. These pictures were taken earlier. This year, I’ll keep researching the best cherry blossom viewing spots and the best times to see them!!! I checked last year’s post; it was in mid-April! Please take a look!!!

2/5 Jintsu Falls Icefall In the town of Kamiyama in Tokushima Prefecture, every year at this time, the water of the waterfall freezes and becomes an icefall. This year, the cold wave was so strong that even the Waterfall basin froze. And there were countless icicles around the waterfall, which was ✨️ mysterious

Mt. Mt. Aoba, covered in snow, symbolizes ❄️ the winter scenery of Takahama While the weather is getting colder day by day, today we can see a little sunny, and the blue sky spreads over the snow-covered Mt. Aoba. The contrast between the pure white snow and the clear blue sky is magical, and it is breathtaking. Even in the middle of winter, Takahama offers heartwarming and beautiful moments that visit and brighten up the seasons.

December 7th to December 21st "Fukushima Teppen Park Illumination 2024" will take place. The illumination at Fukushima Teppen Park, perched 805 meters above sea level, features a Christmas theme. Enjoy the collaboration with the night view! ■ Dates and times: Saturday, December 7th to Saturday, December 21st — lights on from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM ■ Location: Fukushima Teppen Park Organizer: Fukushima Teppen Park Event Executive Committee

Cycling Guide Tour — Fruit Sweets Plan Cycle out to an orchard and pick apples 🍎 Enjoy sweets made with the apples you picked! Right now in Toyooka Village, it's apple (Sun Fuji) harvest season 🍎 The pleasant riding weather continues! We look forward to your participation in the Fruit Sweets Plan! For tour details, please check the Toyooka Tabi Jikan website.

Shikinzan (紫金山) — Comet ATLAS Did you know that between October 13 and October 26, the comet was visible to the naked eye even in Japan? I, Kawanishi (河西) — a real foodie — was so focused on food that I completely forgot. I'm so sorry. F. N. kindly provided these photos. They are truly lovely🌠 I wish I could take pictures this beautiful! I feel lucky to have been born in a city where scenes like this can be seen. I think it’s a city to be proud of!!! Does that famous scene from that movie come to mind — the lake and the comet falling? Yes, the film 'Kimi no ◯ wa' (an intentionally obscured reference to 'Your Name'). It's even rumored that this place inspired Lake Itomori, and the site has become a pilgrimage spot for foreign visitors. We received photos of Shikinzan (紫金山) — Comet ATLAS taken from Tateishi Park, so we’re sharing them with you. The comet appears in every picture, so please try to find it! ※ Brightness has been adjusted. It seems that many skilled photographers gathered at Tateishi Park that day! Some camera lenses cost as much as a small car!!!!! Photography runs deep... My wife scolds me that I hardly use my DSLR, but I will keep working every day to bring you attractive photos of Suwa📷 ※ Personally, I use a Nikon D-series (D7100, an older camera but one I love). I would be grateful for any guidance on camera operation, such as how to photograph fireworks or comets... ・Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Did you know you could see Tsuchinshan-ATLAS from October 13 to October 26 with the naked eye? A friend kindly shared this photo, taken by F. N. It’s beautiful, moving, and fantastic. I’m so proud of my city and truly happy to have been born in Suwa!!! Lake and comet—does that famous animated movie come to mind? I know it does: Your Name. She shared these pictures with us, and I want to pass them on. Every photo shows Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, so please try to spot it!!! That day, so many photographers were at Tateishi Park. One of them told her that a camera lens cost over $6,500!!! Amazing!!! Photography is deeper than it seems. I own a Nikon camera (not very expensive but I love it). I need to study how to take better pictures. I must improve my technique before my wife gets mad at me… I haven’t used my camera recently. I know I need to practice over and over, right?

Cycling Guide Tour ✴︎Tour Details ◆Cycling to the farm ◆Shine Muscat grape harvesting experience ◆Autumn vegetable (sweet potato and peanut) harvesting experience ◆Buffet lunch at Vegful Kitchen Guided cycling and harvesting experience🍠 Everyone was surprised by the size of the Shine Muscat grapes and sweet potatoes. The sweet potato digging was especially fun, and participants eagerly dug in! After cycling, we enjoyed a buffet lunch at Vegful Kitchen inside Roadside Station Minami-Shinshu Toyooka Marche🥗🍽️ Since it coincided with the one-year anniversary fair, guests enjoyed special autumn dishes like matsutake rice balls and mushroom tempura! Thank you for joining us 😊

On the Toyooka Village cycling guided tour, guests can bring the fruit they harvest to the café and have it turned into desserts to enjoy! Right now, it’s shine muscat grapes. After that come apples, sweet persimmons, and Ichida persimmons. More seasonal fruits will follow! For details on the guided tours, please see the Toyooka Travel Time website. We also accept inquiries by phone! Toyooka Village Tourism Association (Toyooka Travel Time): 0265-49-3395

Cycling Guide Tour — Fruit Sweets Plan Begin your Toyooka travel time by harvesting Shine Muscat grapes at a vineyard. Hand the harvested Shine Muscat grapes to the local eatery Cafe & Dining en, where they will be turned into desserts. Although daytime temperatures remain high in Toyooka Village, the breeze is refreshing and cycling feels great. The fruit season continues from here with grapes, apples, and persimmons. For details about the guided tour, please see the Toyooka Travel Time website. We look forward to your participation.

Cycling Guide Tour – Fruit Sweets Plan Cycle while taking in the beautiful scenery of the Ina Valley 🚴 We chose roads with little traffic and great views whenever possible! Pick peaches in the peach orchards 🍑 Afterward, move to a local eatery, Cafe & Dining en, for a refreshing peach shaved ice 🍧 Thank you for joining us!

[Cycling Guided Tour – Night Tour 1‑Night Plan & Forest Road Activity Plan] On Day 1, cycle to a farm and harvest vegetables. Hand the vegetables you harvested to a BBQ specialist. Enjoy drinks at your accommodation, Toyo Terrace, while savoring an exquisite barbecue course dinner. On Day 2, base yourself at Nodataira Campground for activities. Walk to Daimyōjinbuchi (a pothole) and enjoy grown‑up riverside fun. After that, return to Nodataira Campground for a paella cooking experience. Fill a large pot with plenty of seafood and cook it together with rice. Relish the superb paella and spend a relaxed time at the campground. Over the two days, this guided tour lets you fully enjoy Toyooka Village’s food, scenery, and activities. Toyooka Travel Time accepts bookings for tours like this at any time. We will create a custom tour that combines Toyooka Village’s offerings to suit each guest, so please consult with us! Contact Toyooka Travel Time 0265-49-3395 (9:00–18:00)

Shinshu Kankōchi Suwa!!! Around Suwa lies the Kirigamine Highlands, where gentle rolling terrain stretches from Kurumayama to Washigamine. In late June, alpine plants such as azaleas (Renge tsutsuji), daylilies (Nikkō kisuge), and scabious (Matsumushi-sō) paint the green meadows in vibrant colors. You can also enjoy sweeping views of Japan’s famous peaks, including Mt. Fuji, the Japanese Alps, and the Yatsugatake Range. The area generates strong updrafts favorable for glider flight, and Kirigamine is known as the birthplace of gliding in Japan. Kirigamine contains the “Three Great Kirigamine Wetlands.” Together, Kurumayama, Yashimagahara Wetland, and Ikeno Kurumi Odoriba Wetland host more than 400 subalpine plant species year-round. They are designated a National Natural Monument and are wetlands rare even on a global scale. In early summer you can see the renge azaleas in bloom, their vivid orange flowers at their most beautiful. In summer, as in the photo, the Nikkō kisuge daylilies come into full bloom 🌼. Most of the photos were kindly provided by staff at our Kirigamine Nature Conservation Center. This year the blossoms may appear a little earlier than usual. Thanks to local Kirigamine caretakers, deer damage seems reduced, so this could be an exceptional season. Why not breathe in the clear, nature-filled highland air of Suwa and visit to refresh your body and mind? ※ The photos are from 2023.

Mibusawa Fudo Falls A beautiful waterfall with a drop of about 17 meters that plunges in a straight line. Revered as sacred water since ancient times, it has long served as a place for ascetic training and ritual purification. The Fudo Myoo statue standing to the left of the falls is said to have been invited from Naritasan in Shimousa Province in Kyōhō 18 (1733). Along with the waterfall, it drew the devotion of many people, and festivals once attracted large numbers of worshippers from nearby villages. A rainmaking legend is also associated with the site. The two stone Buddhist figures standing in front of the Fudo Myoo statue are Kongara Doji (left) and Seitaka Doji (right). They were erected in Shōwa 9 (1934) to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the statue’s enshrinement. At the same time, a silkworm-dedication deity (Kintama-hime), a stone monument inscribed with a poem by Matsuo Taseko, and a commemorative monument engraved by Chizan Kitahara were also installed. A gift of Senior Fifth Rank: a poem by Matsuo Taseko Manse mo taenu nagare ya Mibusawa no Taki no shiraito kurikaeshitsu (The river’s flow goes on through the ages; the white threads of Mibusawa Falls repeat themselves) Details for Mibusawa Fudo Falls Parking A few cars can park on the roadside shoulder Toilets None Other It is about a five-minute walk along a footpath from the parking area. Contact Toyooka Travel Time (0265-49-3395)

Here is an introduction to Takabocchi Plateau, located on the border between Okaya City and Shiojiri City next to Suwa in the Kankōchi Suwa area. Takabocchi Plateau spreads across gentle slopes and offers a 360° panorama amid vast nature. On clear days you can see Mt. Fuji, the Yatsugatake Mountains, the Northern Alps, the Southern Alps, the Central Alps, Mt. Ontake, and Mt. Norikura. The alpine plant rengetsutsuji (Rhododendron) was blooming bright red. Note: The Takabocchi Skyline is closed for winter from early December through late April.

◆Hikokudaira Peach Blossom Road◆ The peach blossoms of Hikokudaira began when fifteen original saplings were purchased from Senaiji in Achi Village in 1997 and planted around a private residence. (The peach blossoms of Senaiji are said to have originated when Momosuke Fukuzawa (the son-in-law of Yukichi Fukuzawa) brought saplings back from Munich, Germany, in 1922.) Moved by the beautiful red, white, and pink blooms, and wishing to match the local landscape, they decided to plant extensively. They planted on privately cultivated land and along roadsides, borrowing village-owned strips beside the roads to plant as well. In 2000 they received a grant under the "Community-Built Regional Development Project," and with the cooperation of neighboring residents for planting and underbrush clearing, now more than about 200 peach trees have been planted. Each year the area has become popular for its scenery surrounded by the beautiful peach blossoms. The name Hikokudaira comes from the trade name of the project initiator, Mr. Masaru Kubota. Manager: Masaru Kubota ●Details for Hikokudaira Peach Blossom Road ・Best time to visit Mid April to late April ・Admission fee None ・Parking None ・Toilets Temporary toilets available ・Contact Toyooka Travel Time (0265-49-3395)

◆Toyooka Iris Garden◆ The Iris Garden sits on a terrace mid-slope with a high vantage point offering panoramic views of the Central Alps. Around 1938, various flowers were grown as a hobby, but after visiting Lowrys Garden in Aoki Village and seeing the wide range of iris colors, sizes, and shapes there, I became captivated by irises and began buying bulbs. As the number of cultivated varieties exceeded one hundred and space grew tight, the garden was relocated to its current 30-are (3,000 m²) plot of farmland. At the village’s request to open the site to visitors as a tourist garden, I acquired a landscape coordinator qualification in 2002 and opened the iris garden to the public in 2003. Iris cultivation dislikes high heat and humidity, which leads to frequent diseases, and the plants need replanting and soil replacement about once every three years, so maintenance is demanding. Still, we continue to cultivate them in the hope that visitors will find comfort in the sight of the flowers in full bloom. Today the garden features more than 200 iris varieties totaling about 5,000 plants, and over 300 other flower varieties, making it an impressive flower garden in full bloom. Manager: Hideko Tado ● Toyooka Iris Garden Details ・Open season Late April–mid May: Iris Late May–early June: Roses ・Opening hours 8:00–17:00 (open daily during the season) ・Admission 300 yen (high school students and older) ・Parking, restrooms Available ・Other Seedlings available for sale ・Contact Toyooka Tabijikan (0265-49-3395)

It is a wonderful approach to Makari Shrine near my house, ^^ Annual event to cycle here! Pray to God for my daughter's safety!

At last, on April 1, 2024, the Lake Suwa Cycling Road has been completed. The route circles Lake Suwa for about 16 km. This lake has long been loved by local people. I remember when I was in sixth grade, my friends and I rode our bikes around the lake for the first time. I think many locals have their own first-time Lake Suwa cycling stories. Now that the path has been newly improved, it should be easier to ride and offer lovely scenery. I’m getting more excited about sunny weekend rides! #LINEBREAK###"No way, I’m not ready to own a bike yet…" "What kind of bike should I get now?" If you’re wondering that, or asking "What’s an electric-assist bicycle like?", why not take this chance to rent a bike around Lake Suwa and enjoy a relaxed ride with your family or friends? ※Please check each provider’s website for closing days and business hours. ・Activity Base Cogue ・JBT Suwa Rent-a-Cycle ・Lake Suwa Rental Cycle ・SUWA Glass Village #LINEBREAK###Electric-assist bicycles make climbing hills easy! You can even ride to the famous Tateishi Park and to Kirigamine Highland, a pride of Suwa, by bike!!! With the completion of the Lake Suwa Cycling Road, please consider bringing your own bike to ride around the lake or renting an electric-assist bicycle to challenge the full loop of Lake Suwa and Kirigamine Highland! If you get tired, there are parks, cafes, and footbaths♪ I don’t think many places in Japan are blessed with such facilities. Cafes and parks along cycling routes are common, but footbaths are rare, I think. If you bring a towel, you can use a footbath easily. It will blow away your fatigue♨ Also, do you know about Swaichi? If you cycle around Lake Suwa and take photos of three spots in Suwa, Shimosuwa, and Okaya with your smartphone, then go in person to the tourist information centers at kamisuwa station, shimosuwa station, or okaya station and show the three photos, you will receive a Swaichi certificate and a commemorative badge (badge color cannot be chosen). Try this challenge with your children or friends. It’s a great way to mark a Lake Suwa circuit and make a memory with Swaichi! ※Photo courtesy of Activity Base Cogue The seventh photo is my favorite scenic spot!!! See if you can find it!

Byodo-in Temple and Wisteria Flowers 🟣 This is also a 😍 superb view 🗓️2024.4.20 📷Canon R10 🏞️Kyoto