Photography Diary January - June 2026: Seasonal Photography on Kanto's Roads - Kanto Scenery Travel

Photography Diary January 11, 2026 Morning glow dud, winds explode, but still a satisfying trip to Kanagawa

On this day, I went to Kanagawa in the morning.
Let's photograph the morning glow and plum blossoms!" This is a day of "Let's shoot the morning glow and plum blossoms!
Even though I had come home late the day before to see the icicle lights, I woke up at 4:00 am.
I am restless. I am a person who is in a hurry. Ha-ha-ha.

First, we will aim for the morning glow at Inamuragasaki.
I'm just fired up. I set out while it was still dark and bought a BOSS café au lait as usual.
By the way, the coupon is gone. But I will buy it as it is.
It's what you want. Completely.

While cheating sleepiness with a café au lait, the music was Clipse's 2025 album.
We approach the site through the Metropolitan Expressway, the Tomei Expressway, and a highway that feels like a barrier, as if to say, "How many times can we stop here? We are approaching the site after passing through the Metropolitan Expressway, the Tomei Expressway, and the expressway, which has a sense of a barrier.

...... Huh?
Stars, no.
Not a single one, no.

'Daily routine?' I doubted myself for a moment,
Yes, it was completely cloudy.
Morning glow? What's that? State of affairs.

That's enough.
On days like this, it is adults who do not drag it out.
It will clear up sooner or later anyway. Give up on the sunrise quickly and move on to the next.

So, to keep away from the disaster of "fogging up while shooting",
Famous in all directions.Samukawa ShrineThe first time you visit the hotel, you will be heading to the
When I arrived at the restaurant, thinking that it might be a little early, or that it might not be open, I found that something was wrong.

Traffic jam.
And it's not just a traffic jam.

Yes, January.
I completely underestimated the timing.
Ridiculous people, people, people. The lines in all directions are just amazing.
This time, due to time constraints, we were not able to visit the Happo Yoshiwara, but we did pay a visit to the temple.
I'll come properly next time," he declared in his mind.

The precincts of the temple are lined with food stalls. Takoyaki, yakisoba, this and that.
This liveliness, it has been a long time.
We didn't see the sunrise, but this was a good time.

Well, it looks like it's about to clear up, so next up.Odawara Flower GardenTo.
Plum blossoms and daffodils are beginning to bloom.
Frankly, I feel like I come here every year.
And I feel like I take pictures of the same little pink plum trees every year.
But that's okay.
You can take as many pictures of your favorite subject as you like.

We stayed quite a while, so what's next?
Yokosuka or Atami?
The final decision is made by looking at the sky.
It's Yokosuka today."Soleil HillThe first time you visit the hotel, you will be heading to the

But first, let's get hungry.
The desire to eat ramen suddenly arose, and I stumbled upon Odawara Tamen Sohonten.
The name already sounds delicious.
We shared the Odawara tanmen and fried yakisoba, which was a great decision.
Both are delicious.
This is a repeat case for sure.

Full stomachs and a fresh start.
Soleil HillNow, I will try to capture "rape blossoms and Mt.

The .......

On this day in Kanagawa Prefecture, the wind was just strong.
Strong winds or storms.
The level of agitation when holding up the camera.
I managed to cope by increasing the shutter speed.
To be honest, it was quite a struggle, but I think I just barely managed to get the shot.

I'm getting tired by now, and I think it's time to go home,
I was walking around the park, thinking, "Let's go around first."
The ocean seen from the top of the cliff at the far end is the most beautiful.

The stronger the wind, the rougher the waves.
The waves splash and are very powerful.
I took many shutterbugs here as well.

What was even more surprising was that you could go down to the beach. I had no idea.
Once you get down there, this is a different world.
It is too powerful and a bit scary.
The water splashes and it doesn't look good for the camera, so we left after a moderate amount of time.

I didn't see the sunrise, though,
The flowers, the sea, and the wind, all in all, a satisfying day.

The days that don't go the way you want them to, the more memorable they are."
With these thoughts in mind, I headed home.

Nebuta decorating the entrance of Samukawa Shrine

This photo was taken at the Samukawa Shrine to document the Nebuta of the Year of Noon set up at the entrance.

Odawara Flower Garden｜Fluffy plum blossoms in front focus

This photo was taken at the Odawara Flower Garden with the beautiful plum blossoms in the foreground in focus and the back largely blurred.

Odawara Flower Garden｜Peering white plum blossoms through pink

This photo was taken at the Odawara Flower Garden of white plum blossoms over pink plum blossoms.

Odawara Flower Garden｜Daffodil from diagonally above

This photo was taken at the Odawara Flower Garden of paperwhite daffodils from above at an angle and composed in such a way that the shape of the flower is easy to recognize.

Soleil Hill｜Rape blossoms in focus, Fuji softly

This photo was taken at Soleil Hill, with the field of rape blossoms in focus and the distant Mt.

Soleil Hill｜A scene from a trip where objects are reflected

This photo was taken at Soleil Hill of the "SOLEIL" objects installed in the park.

Soleil Hill｜Rough seas and Mt.

This photo was taken at Soleil Hill and captures the view of the rugged ocean seen from high above and the distant Mt.

Soleil Hill｜Combination of rocky terrain and splashing waves

This photo was taken at Soleil Hill, combining the craggy rocks with the spray from the waves.

Photography Diary January 10, 2026 Full course of icicles, starting with a car inspection, mostly haphazard

The day was unquestionably sunny.
However, I had a slightly less dreamy and less romantic schedule: a one-year inspection of my car in Nerima starting at 11:00 a.m.
In the last five years or so, the mileage has been about 100,000 km. The pace is 20,000 kilometers per year. It could be said that I drive too much, but the memories are accumulating as well. Since they work hard and are taken around a lot, inspections are important. This is already like a preparatory exercise before a photo shoot.

In the morning, I worked diligently on updating the blog.
Just when you think, "Okay, that sounds good," you look at your watch and it's time to go. It's the same story every time.
The inspection was completed successfully in about 60 minutes. In addition, I also completed the renewal of my son's limited driver's license because he is finally getting his license.
The feeling of "Here we are at last," and the ulterior motive of "The day when I can ask you to drive for me is near at hand.

Outside, the sky is still full of motivation.
I was convinced that "today is not the day to go home like this," even though no one had told me otherwise.
A place I could go in the afternoon: ...... Yes, the three major icicles of Chichibu.
I found myself in Chichibu for navigation. I am the type who moves before thinking.

First.icicle in MisotsuchiThe following is a list of the most common problems with the "C" in the "C" column.
The icicles lining the cliffs along the river are as spectacular as ever. The temperature is low and the air is crisp.
Here's a serious fact you'll notice. I left my tripod in the car.
For a moment, I wondered whether I should go back to get it, but I quickly decided, "Well, I guess today is hand-held training.
The result is dark, blurred, and more excuses.
But strangely, I don't feel bad. I am strangely convinced, "That's the kind of day it is today."

After the photo shoot, I bought miso at the store.
It instantly brought back memories of the delicious taste I used to buy. I forget the setting of the photo, but the memory of the taste is never blurred. Human beings are a wonder.

NextIce Pillars in Onouchi ValleyThe following is a list of the most common problems with the "C" in the "C" column.
Suspension bridge, canyon, icicles. The composition is perfect.
However, there is almost no place to set up a tripod.
When you think, "Here it is," the line of flow of people; when you think, "If it's here," the footing is unstable.
Nature does not always spoil us. But it is fun.

Since we started in the afternoon, we noticed that the sky was the color of evening.
I said, "We have to hurry," and headed for the end,icicle atop a high pole (esp. in Kyoto and Osaka prefectures)The lights are on. Lighting up is the real work here.
The nights in Chichibu are really dark, but that makes for a very extraordinary experience.

Aim for the tripod-allowed area and walk equipped with a tripod and boots.
To be honest, I walked quite a bit more than I had imagined.
Still?" in my mind several times, I finally arrived at the restaurant.
There is a world of colorful glistening icicles. There are many people, but that is part of the winter event atmosphere.

Setting up a tripod for a long exposure challengeThe following is a list of the most common problems with the "C" in the "C" column.
The setting is half intuition. But there is a feeling that I gradually grasp each time I release the shutter.
I feel that photography responds well when you face it properly.

Although we left in the afternoon, we stayed until nighttime to conquer the three major icicles in Chichibu.
On the way home, we bought rice at a roadside station and ate it in the car.
A few parts went as planned. But the satisfaction level is high.
It's days like this that make me think I'll "just go out" again the next time.

Sanjutsuchi icicles｜A panoramic view of the icicles from the top of the cliff

This photograph of the icicles of Sanjutsuchi (三十槌) was taken by looking down from the top of the cliff where the parking lot is located and using a tripod to get a stable composition of the entire area.

Ice Pillars in Onouchi Valley｜A view overlooking the ice-covered valley

This photo was taken using the wide-angle mode of a smartphone, looking down on the icicles in Onouchi Gorge from the top of a suspension bridge, and conveys the sense of scale of the ice-covered gorge.

Onouchi Gorge Ice Pillars｜Pulling up the suspension bridge that stretches into the gorge

This photo of icicles in Onouchi Canyon shows a slightly pulled-back composition of a suspension bridge spanning an ice-covered canyon.

Ashigakubo icicles｜Illuminated icicles that turn red

This photo was taken in the tripod-accessible area of Ashigakubo icicles, with the icicles lit in red, using a tripod to emphasize the impact of the colors.

Ashigakubo icicles｜Icicles and human figures in the blue-green light

This photo was taken at Ashigakubo icicles, with the icicles lit in blue-green and a silhouette of a person, with the contrast between the light and the ice in mind.

Photography Diary January 3, 2026 Inubosaki Beyond the Snow, New Year's Holiday Not Over Yet

This year's New Year's holiday is a whopping six days.
It is a length of time that I can hardly remember when I counted it in my working life.
On the 2nd and 4th, I will be at home relaxing & working on my computer. This means that the three days in between - I have no choice but to move.

This day had been planned for some time.Inubosaki, ChibaSunrise photography at
However, from the evening of the 2nd, full-blown snow began to fall in Kawaguchi City.
Moreover, our car was not equipped with studless tires. I gave up at first, thinking, "This is impossible....

However, it rained during the night and then cleared up.
The road conditions look fine. This...can work.
So, I woke up at 3:00 a.m. again. I definitely wake up earlier on my days off.

The highway is deceptively snow-free.
But as we approached Inubosaki, the scenery became snowier and snowier.
This was careful...well, super-careful. We proceeded slowly and surely, arriving safely just before sunrise.

Because it was the 3rd, there were fewer people than expected.
And the view in front of me is just perfect. The snow that fell during the night remains,
The ocean, a lighthouse, and snow. The combination, which is not often seen, raises the tension at once.

I found myself unable to stop releasing the shutter.
Cold? I don't feel it. Probably.

After the shoot, we visited the previous summerManganji TempleAfter a short stop at the "K" (the "K" in Japanese) to photograph the quiet precincts of the temple, we headed north.
NextKashima ShrineI visited the shrine at The crowd here was quite the turnaround. It is indeed a popular place.

Further north,National Hitachi Seaside ParkTo. While strolling in the park, I took pictures of ice tulips and wax plum blossoms.
Winter flowers are not flashy, but they are good.

I did not go deep that day and went home early. Looking back,
I feel that we really moved well from the end of the year to the beginning of the new year.

I would like to get through the year at this rate, though,
One practical problem. I took too many pictures, too many pictures. I can't finish organizing .......

I thought to myself, "I'll have a whole day on the 4th to organize photos."
It was still a wonderful day.

Inubosaki｜The dazzling morning sea

This photograph captures the intense sunlight and the sea at Inubosaki.

Inubosaki｜Brightening Beach

This photograph was taken at Inubōzaki, capturing the sunrise and the sandy beach covered in snow from the previous day, shot with a slightly brighter exposure.

Lake Tanuki｜Mountains reflected in the lake

This photograph captures the moment when Mount Fuji first became visible and reflected on Lake Tanuki during the sunrise on January 1st.

Manganji Temple｜Morning in the Fields and Temple

This photo was taken at Manganji Temple, showing the fields and temple with snow remaining from the previous day.

Kashima Shrine｜Winter Reflections on the Pond

This photo was taken at Kashima Jingu Shrine to show the lonely Mitarashi Pond.

Hitachi Seaside Park｜The Expansive Flower Beds

This photograph captures the ice tulip flower beds at Hitachi Seaside Park.

Hitachi Seaside Park｜Shimmering Pampas Grass

This photograph captures the sparkling silver grass and blue sky at Hitachi Seaside Park.

National Hitachi Seaside Park｜Fragrant Winter Jasmine

This photo was taken at Hitachi Seaside Park, capturing the fragrant waxflowers.

Photography Diary January 1, 2026 First Sunrise Starts Cloudy, But Still a Miracle Happens

Happy New Year!
We look forward to working with you again this year.

Now, the New Year's Eve, December 31, 2025, will be celebrated at the No Way to Go Club.
It was indeed a much more secure experience than staying in the car. Civilization is amazing.

Then January 1. As on the previous day, we woke up at 3:00 AM.
I was ready to go. and making a mysterious onomatopoeic sound, he prepared and immediately set out.
I move as soon as I have an idea, and this is my style.

We were headed for a sudden change of plans the day before.Tanuki LakeThe following is a list of the most common problems with the "C" in the "C" column.
Yes, today is the first sunrise of the year. I had heard that it would be crowded anyway, so I was a bit nervous as I headed there, but thanks to my early arrival, I managed to park successfully.
But when I look around, I see people people people people .......
It creates a strange sense of solidarity, as if to say, "We all think alike.

That's all well and good, but here is the biggest problem.
It's cloudy. No, it's quite cloudy. And snow? Sleet? It even started to rain.
What, since New Year's Day?" For a moment, it felt like the year was already over.

However.
Miraculously, there are no clouds in one part of the sky where the sun is about to rise.
That's really the only place. It was as if a spotlight was shining on it, and light began to shine through it.

The sky gradually brightens.
In the mystical atmosphere, I was able to safely see the first sunrise of the year, and I was already very satisfied with that.
Fuji at sunrise, but as the sun rose, Mt.

I returned home early that day and had plans to have dinner with my family, so it was time to move out.
...but I took a little detour.

On the way home, I had been curious about it for a while.Oobuchi SasabaTo.
This is a preliminary inspection for the new tea season.
The combination of the deep green tea fields and Mt. Fuji was so beautiful that I couldn't help but promise in my heart that I would come back.

After overcoming the Tomei and Metropolitan Expressway (which for some reason was very crowded), we returned home around noon.
We ate dinner and went on a first visit to the temple,
Thus, New Year's Day 2026 was a quiet but satisfying day.

Lake Tanuki｜The tranquility of the pier and boats

This photograph captures the scene of the lake pier and boats at Tanuki Lake during the first sunrise of the year on January 1st, just as the sun began to appear.

Lake Tanuki｜Overlapping Skirts and Light

This photograph was taken at Lake Tanuki at sunrise on January 1st, capturing the base of Mount Fuji and the sunlight together.

Lake Tanuki｜Mountains reflected in the lake

This photograph captures the moment when Mount Fuji first became visible and reflected on Lake Tanuki during the sunrise on January 1st.

Ōfuchi Sasaba | Tea Fields and Towering Mountains

This photograph captures the view of the expansive tea fields at Ōbuchi Sasaba with Mount Fuji towering in the background.