The beautiful Nature landscape of the Aso Mountains Unfolds, and it is a mountain towns with a population of about 3,000 people (as of June 2024) with a high elevation overall.
Traditional agriculture is thriving, and in addition to delicious Rice and vegetables, "Gokase Wine" made from 100% Gokase grapes is also popular.
In winter Japan the southernmost natural snow ski resort offers a spectacular panoramic view of the Aso Mountains seen from and Slope.
We look forward to seeing you in Gokase Towns!
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Gokase Winery Harvest Festival 2024
Yesterday, Sunday, October 20, following last week’s events, Gokase Winery held the "Gokase Winery Harvest Festival 2024" to celebrate the release on Saturday, October 19 of the 2024 vintage new wines 🍷🎉
Although the rain from the day before was gone and the sky cleared, it turned sharply cold from the morning, and as the name suggests the Wind Hall felt chilled by strong, cold breezes today 🥶💦
Still, the crowd warmed up with a lineup of lively, exciting stage programs 🤩✨ Taiko drumming, hula dance, singing, and a raffle… and the familiar Hikari hosted the event 💡 Her light, bright hosting energized the audience greatly 🥳
She was so busy she kept appearing on stage again and again 🤣🤣🤣
Food stalls offering pizza, sausages, Kitaura scallops (hiougi kai), and various sweets that paired well with the new wine filled the venue and kept everyone happy 🤤💕
The highlights were the sashimi servings of sakuramai kampachi and tuna 🐟🍴✨ Fresh sakuramai kampachi, alive that very morning, were filleted on site and served to attendees 😍
Sakuramai kampachi raised on nutrient-rich pomace—the leftover pressed grapes from winemaking at Gokase Winery—have no fishy odor and less of the greasy taste typical of farmed fish, making them especially delicious 🤤💡
Lines snaked through the venue for the kampachi and tuna 😳 I managed to grab some myself; it had no off-putting smell, a smooth, mellow texture, and was truly delicious 🥰
The finale featured the main guest, Reiwa’s Showa-era pop song young star Kokoro Umetani, on stage 🎤✨
Kokoro appeared in an outfit that matched the wine-themed atmosphere 🤩🍷 Despite her cute appearance, her powerful, glamorous voice stunned the audience 😳✨
Fans had come from afar, including from Saitama Prefecture, to support her 👏 With fans and townspeople together, the stage reached a spectacular peak of excitement 🎉🎉🎉
At last, the newly released Gokase wines are now available. Although the summer heat had raised concerns about the harvest, the tireless efforts of local grape growers paid off. They harvested higher-than-usual sugar levels and aroma, producing exceptionally fine grapes and very tasty wine 🥹👏
I haven’t had a chance to drink it yet, so I can’t wait to taste it 🍷✨
Everyone, please enjoy the season’s wines.
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[🍁 Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024 🍁] Until Saturday, November 30!
Of course, autumn too!! Instagram campaign 🥳✨
Follow the Gokase Tourism Association Instagram account and post photos of autumn leaves taken in Gokase town on Instagram with the two hashtags: #Gokase Autumn Leaves 2024 and #Date of shooting (example: #October 31).👍💕
During the campaign, one person will receive a local specialty product from Gokase town every day as a gift 🎁❗
Outstanding works will receive a gift set of Gokase town specialties as well 🤩👏
Submitted works will be introduced on the Gokase Tourism Association’s social media and other channels as needed.🙇♀️
[Period] From Wednesday, October 16, 2024 to Saturday, November 30, 2024
※Other terms and conditions are posted on the Gokase Tourism Association website. Please be sure to read them before applying.
※Please take care to avoid accidents when photographing. In particular, Shirataki is difficult to pass oncoming vehicles, and the road often has collapses and uplifts, so we do not recommend passage for those who are not confident driving or who do not want to risk damaging their vehicle.
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Today I visited Unoko Falls, Yuhino Sato Bridge, and Gokase Gorge by car 🚗💨 From the Kuraoka area, it felt like Kuwanouchi and Sangasho areas had more advanced autumn colors.💡
The third photo is Unoko Falls that I took today! It looked like the leaves were just starting to change color.
We will continue to update autumn foliage information on Instagram, Facebook, and our website, so please check them out.🤗
We look forward to many autumn leaf photos 🍁✨
Please send your entries enthusiastically—thank you 📸🙏
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【October 13 — First Clear Sky in Seven Years!? Sunset Village Festa】
Yesterday, Sunday, October 13, the “Sunset Village Festa” took place at the Gokase Winery event square 🥳👏
Blessed with gloriously sunny weather that felt almost hot ☀️, the Sunset Village Festa had been plagued by rain for years, and this was the first time in seven years the event could be held in the square 😮❗
Vendors from neighboring Takachiho and Yamato towns joined in, and the venue was lively from the very start 🤗
On stage, familiar host “Dancing MC Nagisa Mama” led the program, which featured many acts—drums, dance, kagura, banba dance, practical karate, a performance by Gekidan Munno, a raffle interlude, and more—creating nonstop excitement 🤩💫
Nearby, a sweet potato digging experience ran alongside the festival, with children and adults getting happily muddy as they dug in 🍠✨ It felt like a true autumn event—take your harvest home and enjoy it deliciously 🤤💕
And of course, the headline guest MICA gave a live show that got everyone on their feet 🎤🌟 The crowd kept calling for encores—proof that everyone had a great time 🥳 MICA even said she’d love to come back 🎶
Everywhere you looked, the event was full of smiling faces—truly wonderful and so much fun 😆❤️🔥
More events are coming up, so let’s keep enjoying them to the fullest 🤩💪💕
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Gion Shrine Autumn Festival “Okunchi”
Today, Wednesday, October 9, the Gion Shrine in Kuraoka District held its autumn festival “Okunchi.”🤗
The light rain that fell until yesterday felt like a distant memory under a clear, delightful autumn sky.☀️ Gion-san’s power is truly amazing.👏✨
Even though the festival fell on a weekday this year, visitors from outside the prefecture and local children gathered from the start of the ceremony.😊
We were allowed into the main hall and were able to see the “Urayasu no Mai” dance.🥹 It was a beautiful dance that radiated tradition.✨
The Gion kagura also came with detailed explanations about how it differs from other kagura, which made it even more enjoyable.🤩
The Usu-daiko drum dance invited everyone, including the general public, to join in lively dancing, and the playful exchanges of the Yamaboshi question-and-answer skit added a comedic touch that made people chuckle.🤣
Traditional events can sometimes seem formal and stern, but this festival was anything but that—it was a truly entertaining celebration.💫
After the Usu-daiko dance there was a mochi-throwing event, and the festival concluded with a dedication of the Gion kagura, keeping the atmosphere lively from start to finish.🤗🎉
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ID:1It's a fun festival!
I haven't been to the Kyushu region much, so I'd like ☺️ to visit it somedayThis text has been automatically translated.
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Thursday, October 3 — G Class: Tea Pan-Frying Experience at Miyazaki Sabou🍵
Today, third graders from four elementary schools across Gokase Town gathered at Miyazaki Sabou for a G class✍️💡…so I was able to observe their visit👀✨
We had considered skipping the tea-picking experience because of light rain, but the kids’ energy cleared the sky enough for a short session, so we did a little picking👏👏👏
Chanting “one bud, two leaves!” everyone happily hand-picked tea leaves🌿
After that, the group split into three teams to do 1) a factory tour, 2) a pan-frying experience, and 3) a tasting session✍️✨
1) The factory was full of first-time sights! Different tea aromas drifted through the air, and just watching the tour felt soothing🤤💕
When told that a single tea leaf can become green tea, oolong tea, or black tea, the kids gasped “Whaaaat!?” with perfect reactions😳💮💮💮 lol
2) The pan-frying experience stemmed from what they heard on the tour: machines roast leaves at 200–300°C, so the kids nervously asked, “Is it hot!?”🤣 But trying it turned out to be fun🤩
They watched, fascinated, as the leaves dried and released a pleasant aroma, commenting “I like this smell!” and “But it’s tiring~💦” while learning the pan-fried tea production process😊
3) They learned about types of tea utensils and how to use them, the ideal water temperature for brewing, and other tips for making tasty tea, then each brewed and tasted pan-fried tea themselves🍵✨
One child said it smelled like corn soup, which surprised me, but apparently pan-fried tea is often said to have a corn-like flavor😮💡 The children’s sensitivities never cease to amaze me👏
They compared four teas by taste and tried to identify which was pan-fried tea, oolong, hojicha, or black tea. Many struggled, confused by the familiar colors and aromas🤣
Did you know? Taiwanese and Gokase oolong teas are closer in color to green tea rather than brown😏✏️
At the end, during the Q&A, the children asked sharp questions to the producers and summarized what they had learned✍️💫
The kids experienced the full charm of Gokase’s pan-fried tea and felt the producers’ passion😌 I hope they take pride in this local specialty and help weave the future of Gokase Town✨
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UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage "Ara Odori" on Sunday, September 29
Ara Odori took place on Sunday, September 29 🐵💫
The sunny weather was almost hot and great for photos, but I imagine it was truly tough for everyone who spent the whole day dancing in costume. Well done to all of you 👏
I was amazed to see so many people each memorizing their roles, dances, and songs to perform a single dance together 😳✨
Elementary school students joined in and danced Ara Odori partway through, and it moved me to see this tradition being passed down to people of all ages 🥹
I heard that Ara Odori used to ban women long ago, but even as the form has changed with the times, I felt a strong community spirit to protect the tradition together 💪✨
Today, students from Gokase Junior High School, who hope to share more of Gokase Town’s charm and traditions and make the town more vibrant, spent the whole day filming the Ara Odori on video for us 📸💡
We should be able to share that video soon, so look forward to it 🤗💕
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September 23 (Mon) Red spider lilies announcing the start of autumn 🍁
Hello everyone 🤗!
Gokase Town had an intense thunderstorm yesterday ⛈️, and today dawned bright and clear with a refreshing breeze 😌☀️! The atmosphere has completely shifted to autumn 🍁 — it feels so pleasant… ✨
Along the roadside in Gokase Town, as autumn approaches, you can sometimes spot striking red flowers 👀 — red spider lilies ☺️💡
So today I photographed the red spider lilies blooming near Yuuhi-no-Sato Ohashi bridge in the Kuwanochi area 📸💫
As their name suggests, red spider lilies reach their peak around the equinoctial week and are known as flowers that announce the start of autumn; they are also called lycoris or manjusha-ge 🤔
Their vivid red color and distinctive shape really catch the eye 👏
When I was shooting, various swallowtail butterflies swirled around them, creating an incredibly beautiful scene 🥹✨
Because their bulbs are poisonous, people have long planted them around rice paddies, fields, and graves to deter moles, so they carry a traditional Japanese charm that stirs nostalgic feelings when you look at them 😌…
Spring and autumn especially bring out the beauty of plants — they are wonderful seasons 🍁. Let’s continue enjoying Japan’s four seasons 🤩✨
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CAMP at Kijiya on Wednesday, September 18th⛺
I tried a CAMP experience at Gokase Onsen Mori no Yado Kijiya🔥
We planned to start while it was still light, but the sun set early and we began at dusk🌆
Still, we had a lively barbecue with everyone while watching the sunset from Kijiya on the hilltop🥩
The autumn night breeze felt pleasant and there were fewer bugs, so this season is perfect for camping💡
Come and try camping at Kijiya—it's highly recommended✨
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[Friday, September 13] Unoko Falls
Today I visited the viewing platform at Unoko Falls.
The waterfall had a strong flow today, and it looked impressive from the platform.
Mt. Aso was clearly visible from the winery.
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Saturday, August 17 — National Mountain-Stream Fishing Tournament 🎣🔥
Here’s another fishing tournament story 💪
Today the National Mountain-Stream Fishing Tournament took place on the Mikasokawa tributary of the Gokase River 🤩
This was the second time, following last year 👏
About 70 children and around 100 adults gathered at Mikasokawa — a great turnout 😚
Like at the Kuraoka fishing tournament, I was reminded that fishing is an activity for all ages and genders.
So many people were enjoying themselves — it was wonderful 😳✨
This time the children also had a fish-catching event where they grabbed fish by hand 😆
Surprisingly, eels were mixed in, so both kids and the adults watching were fired up 🔥🔥🔥
The vibe was “Bring one back for sure!” 🤣 haha
After the excitement there was weighing and an awards ceremony 🏆✨
There were awards for highest total catch from 1st to 3rd place, plus a separate big-fish prize 🙌
The 1st-place total-catch winner landed 4.16 kg of fish 🎉👏
That’s a bit more than two 2-liter PET bottles worth of fish 😲‼ Amazing 👏
Congratulations to the champion 😆💕
The big-fish prize went to a second-year junior high student who caught a hefty 34 cm fish and placed admirably 🤩
Where could such a big fish have been hiding?!
Congratulations 🥳👏
The raffle afterward featured a row of luxurious prizes 🫢
With kids and adults smiling, the fishing tournament wrapped up 🙌
Now that Obon and the fishing tournament are over, the weather is slowly starting to cool… When it’s hot you want summer to end quickly, but once you sense its end you feel a bit wistful 😌
Let’s stay well and keep going strong despite Obon fatigue and the heat 🕺✨
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