Announcements of two events from Shintoku Town📣 1️⃣ ‘Tomuraushi Onsen 60th Anniversary Festival’ Tomuraushi Onsen celebrates its 60th year since opening this year with a gratitude festival where visitors can enjoy the gifts of Shintoku Town and the hot springs as a thank-you for long-standing patronage. 📍Dates: September 27, 2025 – September 28, 2025 📍Free hot spring bathing: Both days, September 27 and 28, 12:15–19:30 📍Events: One-day event on September 28, 12:00–16:00 📍Venue: Tomuraushi Onsen Tōtaisetsusō Bathing is free on September 27 and 28. On the 28th we will hold many activities including a fill-your-bag event of Shintoku-grown vegetables, food stalls and sales featuring Tomuraushi Jersey beef, a mini concert by MAKICOM MINAMI, outdoor games, and a nostalgic Shintoku photo exhibition. Free day-trip shuttle service is also available, so please come and enjoy Tomuraushi Onsen this autumn. 📌Free day-trip shuttle (approx. 90 minutes each way) 📍September 27 Outbound: departs Shintoku Station 11:00 Return: departs the onsen 15:00 📍September 28 Outbound: departs from the Shin-Soba Festival venue 12:30 Return: departs the onsen 16:30 *Phone reservation required: Tomuraushi Onsen Tōtaisetsusō TEL: 0156-65-3021 2️⃣ ‘22nd Shintoku New Soba Festival’ The largest festival in Shintoku, the Shintoku New Soba Festival, is held every year on the last Sunday of September to coincide with the local soba harvest😊 📍Date: September 28, 2025 10:00–14:00 📍Venue: Parking lot in front of Shintoku Town Health and Welfare Center Nagomi The highlight of the Shintoku New Soba Festival is tasting the four-fresh soba: freshly harvested, freshly milled, freshly made, and freshly boiled noodles.🎵 This year eight vendors from around town, including soba shops and volunteers, will serve flavorful soba grown on the foothills of the Daisetsu mountain range, each offering their signature broths and toppings to showcase the new soba. Beyond soba, there will be many local specialties such as charcoal-grilled Shintoku jidori chicken and grilled shiitake mushrooms grown on logs, plus sweets like soba crepes and rich soft-serve ice cream to enjoy.😍 Also, the long-running wanko-soba eating contest returns for the first time in six years!! There are two categories: parent-and-child pair and adult pair, and applications require teams of two. Pairs of two will compete to see how many bowls of soba they can eat within the time limit. Applications open at 11:00 on the day of the festival (about 30 minutes). 📞Contact Shintoku New Soba Festival Executive Committee Office (Shintoku Town Industry Division) TEL: 0156-64-0525 *On the day, vendors will do their best to serve soba, but supplies may run out earlier than expected. Thank you for your understanding in advance. https://shintoku-town.net/spot/#event...

Introducing Takushoku Kinokotan, located inside Takushoku Bus’s Shintoku Office 😊 This tourist farm reuses sites once used by Hokkaido Takushoku Railway for its headquarters, rolling stock depot, and company housing on the line that ran between Shintoku and Kamishihoro. The name Takushoku Kinokotan is a coined word combining Takutetsu (short for Hokkaido Takushoku Railway), “kinoko” (mushroom), and the Ainu word kotan, meaning village. It reflects the desire to bring new life back to this once-bustling place. You can enjoy a hands-on shiitake harvesting experience grown carefully on logs using timber felled in Hokkaido. At the farm shop you can buy log-grown shiitake, Hokkaido Takushoku Railway and bus merchandise, and mushroom goods. There is also a display corner exhibiting historical materials related to Hokkaido Takushoku Railway 😍 Look for the red roof! The building’s motif is the former Shikaoi Station building 🎵 📍Hours: 10:00–15:30 (last shiitake harvest admission at 15:00) 📍Closed: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and during the New Year holidays 📍Fees: Harvested shiitake are sold by weight. 📍Experience season: March–November — no reservation required on weekends and public holidays; reservations required on weekdays December–February — reservations required for both weekends, public holidays, and weekdays *For groups of five or more, please make a reservation at least two weeks in advance regardless of season or date.* Takushoku Kinokotan TEL: 0156-67-9105 📍Access: About 10 minutes from Shintoku Station by bus: take Route 53 via Shintoku Station bound for Minami-Shintoku and get off at Minami-Shintoku 20 minutes on foot from Shintoku Station About 5 minutes by car from Shintoku Station About 10 minutes by bicycle from Shintoku Station *Bicycle rentals are available at Shintoku Station.* Bicycle rental inquiries and reservations: 0156-67-7567 Shintoku Town Tourism Association (Regional Exchange Center “Tokutoku”, 2nd floor) https://t-kinokotan.com//

Hello, this is the Kitsuki City Tourism Association! Kitsuki City, located in the northeastern part of Oita Prefecture, is a full of charm Castle Town surrounded by abundant nature. Kitsuki City, with a population of about 26,000 (as of 2023), is There is a at the base of the Kunisaki Peninsula and is easily accessed from Oita Airport. Kitsuki City is known as the "Castle Town of the Slope" and is characterized by a rare townscape in Japan, with samurai residences spread out on high ground from north to south, arranged across the merchant town in the valley. In this first COOL JAPAN VIDEO posting, we will deliver plenty of Tourist Information that allows you to fully enjoy Kitsuki City! We will also introduce recommended Spots and exquisite gourmet Information, so be sure to check it out! 【Access to Kitsuki City, Oita Prefecture】 Kitsuki City, Oita Prefecture can be reached in about 30 minutes by car from Oita Airports. In addition, it is about 30 minutes by car from Beppu / Yufuin. Use JR Station is the closest. Transportation from the station to the Castle Town area by local bus or Taxi and enjoy a historical walk. There are the sea nearby, the beautiful scenery Unfolds on a sunny day, and it is also popular as a Driving course, so renting a car is also recommended! 【About Kitsuki City, Oita Prefecture】 While receiving the blessings of the sea and mountains, Kitsuki City has nurtured its own culture over a long history. Above all, if you walk through the Castle Town, you can feel the good Nostalgic Atmosphere with Samurai Residences and Merchant Towns left everywhere. If you are interested in the kimono experience and historical walks that are often introduced in Kitsuki City's Tourist Information, please visit. 【Historical background of Kitsuki City, Oita Prefecture】 Kitsuki City, Oita Prefecture developed from the Muromachi period to the Edo period, and the townscape of the Edo period still remains Richly preserved, making it an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. It is attractive that you can enjoy the unique scenery and history that other Castle Towns do not have. In particular, the structure that developed in the form of Samurai residences lined up on the north and south and sandwiched between the Merchant Town in the center is rare in Japan. This unique townscape of "Castle Town on the Slope" has become one of the reasons why many tourists have visited it in recent years. 【Popular Sightseeing spots in Kitsuki City】 ◆Kitsuki Castle Kitsuki Castle, a symbol of Kitsuki City, Oita Prefecture, is said to be the smallest Castle Keep in No.1 in Japan, but its charm is said to be a Castle Town with a compact but unusual shape with historical value. From the high ground of the castle, you can enjoy a spectacular view of the Castle Town cityscape and Seto Inland Sea, giving Visitors Impression. The castle is Open to the public as a Museum and is recommended for history buffs and photography lovers. ◆Suya Slope, Shioya (Shihoya) Slope Slope with Samurai Residence and other townscapes reminiscent of the scenery of the Edo period. If you look down from the top of the slope or walk along the Stone pavement slope that connects the high ground, the scenery Unfolds as if you have traveled back in time. There are many tourists who rent kimonos and stroll around the city, and it is also famous as a photo Spot of the Kitsuki City Tourism Model Course. ◆Kitsuki Castle Shitamachi Area (Samurai Residence, Merchant Town) It is characterized by a castle town with a very rare topography in Japan, with a group of Samurai Residence Districts spreading out on the high ground from north to south and a merchant town spread out in the valley. At the Samurai Residence, you can also visiting the site architectural techniques and structures where you can learn about the lifestyles and construction techniques of the time, and the fun of learning about the historical background Unfolds. Souvenir shops and cafes are also scattered around, so you can enjoy a little Meals and shopping. ◆Ohara Residence It is known as a presence that represents a corner of the Samurai Residence, and the Charming Garden and the appearance of the old architecture make you feel the history of Kitsuki more deeply. Please think about the culture of the Castle Town and the lives of the people at that time. 【Kitsuki City's Traditional Culture and Crafts】 In Kitsuki City, traditions representative by samurai residences and Castle Town culture are inherited, while local festivals and performing arts rooted in the locals are also carefully preserved in various places. Especially in Kitsuki City, which is still deeply connected to kimono culture, you can enjoy the kimono experience. If you walk in a kimono to blend in with the Castle Town, you will feel as if you are the protagonist of a period drama. In addition, as a kimono Privileges, you can enter the cultural facilities for free, and there are services such as discounts at Privileges Subject shops, so you can stroll around at a great price. In particular, taking photos on Samurai Residence Street and Shioya Slope is sure to look good on social media. 【Gourmet food in Kitsuki City】 ◆Kitsuki tea / Kitsuki black tea Tea Production around Kitsuki City is characterized by its deep taste and refreshing aroma. In recent years, it is one of the few domestic black teas At cafes in the city, you can enjoy seasonal Japanese sweets with Kitsuki tea and matcha. Why don't you spend a moment of travel while taking a break at a quaint café in Castle Town? ◆Mandarin oranges (citrus fruits) Kitsuki City is a Mandarin Oranges production area that boasts one of the highest productions in the prefecture. In addition, various varieties are also cultivation, so many people visit to coincide with the citrus season. ◆ Strawberries Kitsuki City is one of the one of the most strawberry-producing areas in Oita Prefecture, and High quality strawberries are cultivation that take advantage of the warm climate and rich nature environment. Varieties such as "Saga Honoka" and "Belitsu" are especially popular, and are characterized by a good balance of sweetness and acidity, rich Aroma and juiciness. Strawberry picking can also be enjoyed at the tourist farm, and it is popular with many people. ◆Hamo Oyster Kitsuki City is known as a fisheries for ducks, and Raised in the fast currents of the Bungo Water Channel, the ducks are characterized by their tight flesh and good fat. It is in season from summer to autumn, and you can enjoy its elegant taste with hot water and tempura. Oyster farming is also thriving, growing in nutrient-rich waters and having a rich umami and creamy texture. Especially in winter, when the Oyster Highway is in season! The store, which serves a variety of dishes such as grilled oysters and steamed oysters, is crowded with many customers. 【Introduction of Events and Festivals in Kitsuki City】 ◆Kitsuki Castle Festival (May) A traditional festival centered on the Castle Town area where Samurai parades and stage events are held like historical picture scrolls. Local residents and tourists will It will be a lot of fun! together. ◆Kitsuki Tenjin Festival (July) It is a 300-year-old festival held at Kitsuki Tenmansha Shrine and the Castle Town area, where dancers, drum drummers, mikoshi and festival floats parade through the town of Kitsuki. ◆ Kangetsu Festival (October) An event to enjoy Tea and the famous moon of mid-autumn in the Traditional Japanese straw raincoat of the Castle Town. Lights are lit in the Castle Town, and it is a festival that colors the autumn night in a very fantastic way. ◆Castle Town Kitsuki Walk and Hiina Tour (February ~ March) Hiina Meguri is held in for about one month. This is an Events around the Hina dolls displayed in Samurai residences and Machiya houses. In the Traditional Japanese straw raincoat full of Edo atmosphere, you can feel the arrival of Spring. 【Tourist Information of Kitsuki City, Oita Prefecture】 Kitsuki City is an attractive town with a townscape full of history, beautiful Nature, and a food culture born from that Nature. Wear a kimono and walk around the Castle Town, enjoy the spectacular scenery, and enjoy delicious local cuisine. Why don't you experience such a special trip in Kitsuki City? Plenty of charm awaits your visit. In the next post, I will introduce Kitsuki that I couldn't write in this post!

Donko-tei A restaurant attached to the village information hub Shiitake Hall 21🍽️ Enjoy Morotsuka’s unique flavors made from seasonal mountain produce😋 *Please note: closed every Wednesday.* Every month on the 7th and 8th we hold the "Morotsuka Naba🍄 Days" event The numbers 7 and 8 read as "naba," giving the event its name, Morotsuka Naba🍄 Days, held monthly! What is naba🍄? In Morotsuka, shiitake mushrooms are called "naba." At Morocco House, Special Products Sales Office, dried shiitake go on sale at discounted prices, and at Donko-tei we offer shiitake-related specials and services✨ If you love shiitake, come to Morotsuka Village on the 7th and 8th!

Morokko House Specialty Shop This warm, welcoming store along National Route 327 uses plenty of locally sourced timber from the village🌳. The shop sign was recently refreshed✨ When you visit, be sure to take a look at the charming illustration nearby🥰 We deliver safe, reliable mountain produce harvested in Morotsuka Village with heartfelt care💖. This is the place for Morotsuka souvenirs! You can choose the heat level for yuzu kosho and dressings, and, of course, Morotsuka’s signature dried shiitake—plus fresh shiitake are available in season from autumn through winter. Both types are grown on natural logs🍄. Longtime favorites include Nanatsuyama miso, yomogi (mugwort) dumplings, and handmade konnyaku. Quirky shiitake cookies🍪 make a fun souvenir pick. For game-meat fans, frozen venison and wild boar are also on sale! Every Friday we offer a limited-quantity, shop-exclusive shiitake sushi. Seasonal village-grown vegetables🥬 and flowers🌸 are also sold, letting you enjoy the flavors of the season and the unique highland produce of Morotsuka. You’ll also find locally produced shochu from the village’s two sake breweries and handmade crafts by residents. Both are rare items rarely found outside the village.

Calligraphy masters apply Japanese kanji characters to the native language names of foreign customers. Since each kanji character has its own meaning, enjoy this traditional cultural experience, including the meaning of the kanji used in your name. You can take home the engraved wooden Dojo-fuda as a souvenir to remember your visit. #calligraphy #kanji #shodo #travelmemories #culturalexperience