Both visually stunning and essential to daily life, Abashiri's drift ice is truly a blessing from the Siberian winter.
Drift ice is a dramatic attraction for winter visitors, but it has always been an integral part of life for the people of Abashiri. Because ships can no longer leave the harbor when the ocean is covered in ice, the arrival of the drift ice signals an extended holiday from fishing. During this time, the drift ice promises to bring in plentiful nourishment in the coming year in the form of a bountiful catch. Citizens also enjoy the time of the drift ice by making drinks with it, catching "drift ice angels" (cliones), and other fun activities.

If you listen carefully, you can hear the creak, creak of the colliding ice, or the "song of the drift ice". It is said that on quiet nights, the sound can be so loud as to startle those who hear it. The drift ice takes a completely different form and gives an entirely new impression on each viewing, and experiencing each of these transformations is what truly appreciating drift ice is all about.

When the Hokkaido winter comes to Abashiri City, blowing icy wind that stings the cheeks, it signals that the drift ice is on its way. The ice arrives driven by the Siberian north wind, transforming the bleak winter Okhotsk Sea into a white panorama.

It all begins when the surface of the ocean freezes upon contact with the approaching drift ice, creating the hasu-kōri, or "lotus ice". The lotus ice is patterned in fine interwoven strands like the leaves of a lotus flower--so thin that looks as if it would shatter on contact. The ice slowly packs together, and the drift ice soon arrives. The ice may also crash into other ice and be cut by waves into sculpted shapes known as "anvil ice".

The drift ice can usually be spotted from the coast around the end of January, arriving at the shore around the first of February. The Okhotsk Sea then remains covered in drift ice for about a month. Looking down from an elevated vantage point such as Notoro-Misaki, one sees a vast, pure white world resembling endless snow-covered fields. Going down to the beach, one can touch the drift ice that has washed onshore, or board an icebreaker for different experience: a dynamic journey into the ice fields themselves.

The drift ice can go through numerous transformations in the span of a single day. On clear days it reflects the sky, turning a soft blue in the daytime and coloring orange at dusk--creating a magical atmosphere that is nearly impossible to describe. The drift ice itself continues to move slowly, never keeping the same shape. Sometimes, drift ice that covers the entire seascape can disappear by morning with a southerly overnight wind.

Abashiri City Tourism Section
http://abashiri.jp/tabinavi/index.html

The Pageant began in 1986 with a simple desire on the part of the people of Sendai. The response was overwhelming, and the event grew in scope. Visitors from all over Japan now come to Sendai for the Pageant, totaling nearly 2.6 million last year. The lights extend from Sendai station for 500 meters down Aoba Boulevard, and another 500 meters down the beautiful tree-lined  Jozenji Boulevard. Another canopy of trees extending 800 meters is transformed into an otherworldly tunnel of light.

The most spectacular sights of the Pageant are when the lights are turned on every evening at 5:30pm and the Starlight Wink. The Starlight Wink occurs when all the lights are turned out about one minute prior to six, seven, and eight o'clock each night, and then relit all at once. The rows of bare winter trees are instantly wrapped in light as the spectators let out a cheer, and the joyful voices echo throughout the city of Sendai.
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There are a host of other winter events taking place in Sendai during the pageant period. On December 23, enjoy a parade of costumed Santas enacting "Santa's Forest Story", as well as musical performances and other events. In addition, a Symbol Tree makes its appearance at the civic square in Kotodai Park. Each year the color of the Pageant illumination changes, filling visitors with anticipation of what color this year will be.

Experience the sparkle of nearly 600,000 lights glittering in Sendai in the heart of winter. The lights represent the warm wishes of the people in Sendai, who hope to send them out to every man, woman, and child throughout world. The Sendai Pageant of Starlight will touch your heart this year as well.

▽ Sendai Pageant of Starlight 2008
http://www.sendaihikape.jp/index.html

Photos provided by
The executive committee:
Sendai Pageant of Starlight 2008

The biggest attraction of the Sunday Market is undoubtedly engaging in conversation with the stall owners while shopping. This is a "communication market," where people encounter the dialect and culture of the area and the warmth of the local people. If you become acquainted with the stall owners, your relationship will exceed that of simply customer and seller. You soon find yourself keeping the stall owners informed about your life or discover that the stall owners are throwing in a little something extra when you make a purchase. Even if you are a tourist, you will still enjoy chatting with the local people as they tell you how to cook the local products that they have on offer in their stalls. The eye-catching price tags and explanations of the items reveal the personalities of the stall owners. The stall owners approach the Sunday Market as if they were exhibiting works of art.   

One of the reasons why the Sunday Market attracts so many people is its wide range of merchandise. There is an excellent variety of fresh home grown vegetables and fruits. Indeed, the market has every kind of merchandise on display in the stalls, from farming utensils, antiques and clothing, to forged steel cutlery, plants and seedlings. 

The most popular items at the Sunday Market include blue crabs, the most luxurious crabs in Kochi Prefecture, sweet potato tempura coated with sweet batter and Japanese cleyera shrubs. Specialty products from Kochi, such as Niitakanashi pears, which are known as the "king of pears" for their superb taste, flavor and size, Shihotake bamboo shoots and strong-tasting and very sweet Suishobuntan citrus fruits - all of which are in season now - are available at the market. Some people can be seen looking around the stalls carrying ginger-flavored local specialty drink "hiyashiame," which is sweetened with brown sugar. Even though the number of visitors from outside the prefecture is increasing, the market remains focused on local daily life and hasn't become a market geared toward tourism, which is probably the reason why it continues to attract people from both inside and outside Kochi.    
 
The Sunday Market is open from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every Sunday from October until March. It is best to visit early in the morning if you want to fully enjoy the market, since some of the stalls close around 3:00 p.m.

Reference Website
▽Kochi city: General affairs Department
http://www.city.kochi.kochi.jp/joho/hp/index.htm

Most people notice the coming of autumn with the changing colors of trees and mountains. However, plants aren't the only thing that change color in fall.

The sky is one example. Temperatures drop, and the sky's true beauty is revealed in the clear air during this season.

The amazingly bright red color of sunsets is especially impressive, even stirring.

There are many cities and towns that advertise themselves as "the town where you can see the sunset", and Sakaide City, which faces the Seto Inland Sea is among them.

The bright orange sky, pierced by the sun, seems to gradually burn as time passes, until it is steeped in a distinct vermillion, as the setting sun looms large.

The moving waves of the Seto Inland Sea reflect the light magnificently, and just after the sun sets, rays of light burst upward as if the sun has truly sunk into the sea.

There are ten famous locations from which the sunset is especially beautiful, and each view has its own unique charm.

The view from "Sagamibo" is particularly breathtaking.
There, the floating silhouettes of the islands of the Seto Inland Sea and the Seto Ohashi Bridge join with the red sunset, adding an intricate beauty to the scene.

In addition, the shadow of a pleasure boat built along the lines of the "Kanrinmaru", a ship dating from the "Bakumatsu" period (from about 1850 to 1870), gives the illusion of having stepped back in time to that bygone era.

Viewed from the natural treasure that is Goshikidai, the evening lights of the city spread below combine with the Seto panorama for a spectacular sight. Visitors can also enjoy viewing the changing leaves of Iroha maple and mountain oak trees, as well as the red fruit of arrow wood and Japanese silverberry plants.

Three other famous things you can enjoy in this season are the kintoki potato, kintoki carrot, and kintoki mandarin orange, which are together known as the "san-kintoki". The kintoki mandarin orange has a rich red color and sweet flavor - quite like the Sakaide sunset.

The tastes of autumn go without saying; kintoki potatoes, kintoki mandarin oranges that are available until January, and the kintoki carrots that adorn New Year's feasts all give the palate its own fun during this season of Sakaide sunsets.

▽tangerine image
Kagawa Prefecture: Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Division
http://www.pref.kagawa.jp/nousei/santa/

In this beautiful high country of breathtaking vistas, created by the surrounding 3000 meter peaks of the Northern Alps and the elegant Myojin and Taisho ponds, one can also look near their own feet to see the grass and flowers telling of the coming autumn.

Different from the colorful plants of summer, these plants, such as valerian and magnolia varieties, project a calm, austere feeling of beauty with their white, yellow and blue flowers.

The wild chrysanthemums and cimicifugas are especially impressive. The white ring created by each chrysanthemum flower is breathtakingly bright, while the cimicifuga's white ears of as much as 30cm sway in the breeze, giving a mysterious atmosphere that combines beautifully with the surrounding quietude.

At this time of year, the mountains of the Northern Alps begin to change color, and the color of the entire scene begins to deepen.

Once autumn is in full effect in mid-October, the Kamikochi area's larch and white birch trees are imbued with yellow, reflecting wonderfully off the surfaces of the Azusagawa River, Taisho and Myojin Pond.

Around this time, monkeys can be spotted near walking paths, gathering food for the coming harsh winter and carrying their spring-born young on their backs.

Recently, these monkeys have been reported on the news as seeking food by stealing from humans, but this is not the case in Kamikochi. In order to preserve the environment and ecosystem, the leaving out of garbage and giving of food are prohibited.

Visitors are also asked to participate in environmental protection activities, and yet some 2,000,000 visitors gladly come to enjoy Kamikochi each year, a testament that it is an ideal place for people and nature to truly coexist. This coexistence is the key to enjoying intimately that delicious hint of autumn.

The peninsula, extending vertically 70 kilometers from Cape Shiretoko, is a paradise that features the mountains of Shiretoko, rivers, lakes, greenery, and seas, and also hosts various animals.

Animals found in Shiretoko include brown bears, owls, sea eagles, and other species that are at risk of extinction. In winter, animals such as sea lions and seals come to the seas nearby.

There are also many varieties of plants, from the eggplants that flower in the coastal areas to the water musaceae that spread in the lake wetlands. Further, on the 1600-meter Rausu Mountain can be found naturally occurring high-altitude plants such as the Shiretoko violet and the Ezonotsugazakura.

Of course, Shiretoko is not just remarkable because of flora and fauna, but is also renowned for its dynamic natural geography. This includes the five lakes that reflect the Shiretoko mountain ranges, majestic cliffs from which waterfalls crash into the sea below, and much more.

As the short summer, in which the Ezosukashi lily and Shiretoko violet bloom, fades away, the mountains seem to burn as the autumn leaves change into brilliant colors, creating a beautiful scene.

At this time, animals begin to prepare for the next season by getting their offspring ready to survive; this is symbolized by the salmon that return upstream to spawn in the rivers that run below the mountains.

As the region passes out of the winter, in which the entire world is enveloped in white, new life is born in spring, and visitors can enjoy the fleeting world of green again.

These natural surroundings have been protected through time by their harsh conditions, which have served to keep humans out.

The sight of these plants and animals gallantly surviving in such an unforgiving environment is perhaps another layer of the attraction that Shiretoko offers.

Reference Website
▽Shari commercial tourism section
http://www.town.shari.hokkaido.jp/
shiretoko/

Did you know that during the summer, To-Kae, a lantern festival is held at Nara Park? Twenty-thousand lanterns are placed each day somewhere in the sprawling park, for a total of 200,000 throughout the fantastic event.

A toka (lantern flower) is so-named because a flower shape appears on the wick of the burning candles. Since long ago, when a toka has been formed, it has been seen as an auspicious sign. Due to this history, each lantern is lit with the wish that "All who visit the festival might have happiness."

The sight of the festival is something akin to seeing stars shining on the face of the earth, or perhaps seeing flowers blooming amid the night. Depending on the place, when, and the state at time one views, the candle light dances about as if by magic.

The sides of paths are lit as if to guide visitors, and the flames are arranged so as to cause famous places and historic sites to stand out. The carpet of light created at the climax in Ukigumo Park achieves a magnificent harmony between the arts of antiquity and the craft of modern man.

Throughout the venue, the soft sounds of the piano, ocarina, and erhu serenade visitors, giving a feeling of romance and seemingly connecting 1300 years of history to the present.

Actually, the To-Kae was originally conceived to draw summer visitors back to Nara from the modern amusement parks in surrounding prefectures, which had begun to spring up. However, it now functions not as a mere lure to guests, but has been shaped by people in the community, and is a mainstay event beloved by citizens. This festival, created in modern times, has become a solid, new tradition, breathing life into the old capital of Japan.

Photos courtesy: Nara City Sightseeing Information Center

In spring and autumn, the windprints - created by seasonal winds - are the thing to see. They can be seen occasionally year-round, but spring and autumn are the time when they appear most often. In spring, it's the southwestern "land wind", and in autumn, it's the northwestern "sea wind", but both blow strongly, carving breathtaking designs on top of the sand. Add to this beauty the misty feel of spring or the breezy feel of autumn, and the dunes present a different atmosphere through the seasons.

Wind isn't the only force of nature that works its wonder on the sand canvas. There are myriad works of sand art that appear, including the "sachu", or sand spouts that tend to appear after monsoonal rains, as well as the "saren", or sand screens that appear due to the delicate balance of falling sand on dune slopes. In winter, the purest white snow sleeps atop the dunes, giving them a soft look.

In summer, the sand dunes take on a romantic mood with the "isaribi", or fishing fires. Isaribi refers to the fires or lights used to attract squid when fishing offshore in the Sea of Japan. They are best viewed after the sun dips into the sea, and before the veil of night completely descends. While the evening glow remains in the sky, these lights sparkle as though stars have fallen onto the sea surface. As the sky darkens and the wind cools, the lights become brighter, and a quiet, peaceful air flows in.

Finally, there's one thing you've got to try if you visit: Walk on the dunes with your bare feet (but watch out, it can be hot - evening is best in summer). The sand of the dunes is finer than beach sand, and it feels nicer and nicer as it falls between your fingers and toes. As you walk with bare feet, you'll be able to feel the delicacy of the dunes. Indeed, there are many ways to experience not only the grandeur, but also the contrasting faces of the dunes by looking, feeling, and touching them throughout the seasons.

This is the Yuki no Otani (great valley of snow) created near the Murodo Terminal of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route.
The wall of snow, 10 - 15m in height, causes an astounding contrast of blazingly bright sun reflected off the snow and shadows caused by the great height of the walls.
Yuki no Otani can be enjoyed until June in most years, and visitors can walk through until May 31.

Beside Yuki no Otani, the peaks and meadows of the high-elevation Alpine Route are still dusted with snow.

In early summer, the sun shines off the snow against a clear blue sky, providing a scene entirely different from the one viewed in winter.

At this time of year, the Special Natural Monument, the thunderbird, is in its breeding season. One can enjoy the rare sight of males fighting for territory, crying majestically.

Of course, there is also the new green of the forests found near the low-elevation start of the Alpine Route, and there one can enjoy the white and yellow flowers of mountain meadow plants such as tamushiba (magnolia salicifolia) and mansaku (hamamelis). The snow gradually melts higher and higher toward the summits, and when Yuki no Otani melts, the mizubasho (Asian skunk cabbage) and shakunage (rhododendron) begin to bloom, giving the Alpine Route different, beautiful scenery.