#pix4japan

[pix4japan]

Returning to Satta-Toge Pass for Blue Hour and My First Sunrise of the Year・青の刻と今年初めての朝日を求めて、薩埵峠へ再び

I returned to Satta-Toge Pass in the early hours to finally capture the light trails I missed on my first visit, arriving well before dawn to watch them emerge beneath Mount Fuji. The reward of a winter visit was a snow-capped peak and crystal-clear air, but more than anything, I was simply glad to share the quiet, cold morning with my border collie as the first sunrise of the year unfolded.

光跡を撮るために再び薩埵峠を訪れ、澄んだ冬の空気の中、愛犬とともに今年初めての朝日を静かに見守りました。

Location: Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・04:38

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 480 sec. at ƒ/14

Velvia/Vivid film simulation

Read my full write-up (1-minute read) with sources for a deeper dive: https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260104-satta-toge

[pix4japan]

Kanzakura: Early Bloomer in Winter・寒桜とは？冬から早春に咲く、ひと足早い桜

Seeing Kanzakura (寒桜), or winter cherry blossoms, in the middle of winter, reminded me how even a single delicate flower can completely change the mood of my day. Stumbling across these pale pink petals brought an unexpected moment of quiet joy, and a gentle reminder that spring is already on its way.

Location: Shinobazu-no-Ike Bentendō Temple, Taito Ward, Tokyo Timestamp: 2026/01/02・14:21 Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter 23 mm ISO 160 for 1/1000 sec. at ƒ/2 Velvia Vivid film simulation

Full write-up (1-minute read) with links to sources for a deeper dive: https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260102-kanzakura

[pix4japan]

Local Symbols Around Rengeji-ike Park・足元に見つけた藤枝の物語

A weathered manhole cover and a small concrete signpost might seem easy to overlook, but both revealed little pieces of Fujieda’s local identity: wisteria, pine, Mt. Fuji, and the city’s connection to the name “Fuji-eda” itself.

I put together a short write-up on the local symbols I found while walking around Rengeji-ike Park.

Full write-up (1-minute read): https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260104-wisteria

Photo 1

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・09:29

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/4000 sec. at ƒ/2

Classic Chrome film simulation

Photo 2

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・09:31

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/4000 sec. at ƒ/2

Astia/Soft film simulation

[pix4japan]

Spring Awakens with Cherry Blossoms and Daffodils in Yamanashi Highlands・水仙と神代桜に見守られる實相寺

Otsuyama Jisso-ji Temple (大津山 實相寺) is home to around 30 Somei-Yoshino cherry trees and 80,000 trumpet daffodils. These vibrant blooms create a striking contrast with the snow-capped peak of Mt. Kaikoma (甲斐駒ヶ岳).

Full write-up (1-minute read) with links to Google Maps and references for a deeper dive: https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20250408-jisso-ji

Location: Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan Timestamp: 2025/04/08・11:54 Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP 45 mm ISO 100 for 1/40 sec. at ƒ/9

[pix4japan]

Kuruma-ya House on the Old Tokaido Road・旧東海道・宇津ノ谷の車屋

Kurumaya House (車屋) is one of several historic buildings in the small hamlet of Utsunoya, located at the foot of Utsunoya-tōge Pass in Shizuoka Prefecture.

The name “Kurumaya” reflects the transport-related businesses that once supported travelers and goods moving through this mountain pass on the old Tokaido route.

Today, the wooden façade, latticework, tiled roof, and quiet stone-paved street still preserve the atmosphere of this former Tokaido Road hamlet.

Read my full write-up (1-minute read) with sources for a deeper dive:

https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260104-utsunoya

Photo 1

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・13:49

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/500 sec. at ƒ/2.8

Classic Negative film simulation

Photo 2

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・13:50

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/8.0

Classic Negative film simulation

[pix4japan]

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・14:20

Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP

105 mm ISO 100 for 1.3 sec. at ƒ/10

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・14:22

Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP

58 mm ISO 100 for 1.3 sec. at ƒ/10

Brick Tunnel Beneath Utsunoya Pass・宇津ノ谷峠に残る明治のレンガ隧道

Hidden beneath the forest of Utsunoya-tōge Pass, the Meiji-era Utsunoya Tunnel still carries the atmosphere of early modern Japan.

Officially known as the Meiji Utsunoya Zuido Tunnel (明治宇津ノ谷隧道), the original tunnel first opened in 1876 between present-day Shizuoka City and Fujieda City. The current brick-lined version dates back to 1904, and in 1997, it became the first active tunnel in Japan to be registered as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (国登録有形文化財).

Read my full write-up (1-minute read) with sources for a deeper dive: https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260104-tunnel

[pix4japan]

Where Rengeji Still Lingers・蓮華寺の名残をたどる

A quiet corner of Rengeji-ike Park in Fujieda, where traces of the former Rengeji Temple remain in small local structures: Rengeji Inari Daimyojin Shrine, a traditional teahouse, and buildings with kawara-tiled roofs and wooden facades.

Not every piece of local history is marked by a grand monument. Sometimes it survives in modest places like this, tucked into the everyday scenery.

Full write-up (1-minute read) with sources: https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260104-rengeji

Photo 1

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・10:29

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/1600 sec. at ƒ/2.8

Eterna/Cinema film simulation

Photo 2

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・10:30

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/1600 sec. at ƒ/2.8

Eterna/Cinema film simulation

Photo 3

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・10:31

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/1600 sec. at ƒ/2.8

Provia/Standard film simulation

[pix4japan]

A Small Neighborhood Shrine in Yokohama: Susaki Shrine・横浜の住宅街にたたずむ小さな神社：洲崎神社

Located just an 11-minute walk from Kanazawa-Hakkei Station on the Keikyu Line — itself only about a 40-minute ride from Shinagawa Station in Tokyo — Susaki Shrine isn’t one of the grand tourist destinations that draw millions of visitors.

Instead, it’s a quiet, everyday neighborhood shrine, the kind you can find throughout Japan, whether in bustling urban centers or tucked away in remote mountain villages. Shrines like this are woven into the daily lives of local communities.

Originally, the shrine stood in Nagahama, a coastal village about 4 km (2.5 miles) north of here. The exact founding date is unknown, lost to history after a tsunami swept the village out to sea in 1311. Survivors relocated, bringing the shrine with them to this area. Later, in 1914, the shrine was moved once more to its current location to make way for National Route 16, which now runs nearby.

The current worship hall was refurbished in 1838 and has been carefully maintained over the years. It survived both the devastating Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and the air raids of World War II.

Location: Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama, Japan Timestamp: 2025/01/09 17:07 Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter ISO 1000 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/10 Classic Negative film simulation

Full write-up (1-minute read) with sources for further reading and Google Maps link: https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20250309-shrine