Shōwa Vintage
Amid the quiet grounds of a countryside florist in Hokuto, Yamanashi, I found two relics of everyday life from pre-war and postwar Japan: a faded blue wooden popsicle box marked “Safe and Delicious Popsicles” (衛生・美味・アイスキャンディー) and a burlap S-San Fertilizer sack produced by Ajinomoto Co., Ltd. (味の素株式会社). These simple relics still whisper stories of the Shōwa era’s resilience and charm.
Flowers for Lena
A bouquet of freshly cut zinnias on display at Flowers for Lena, a long-established floral shop in Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, where the florist has been cultivating and selling these lovely blooms for over 42 years.
Succulent Rosettes
Vivid red-tipped houseleeks cling to a stone wall high on the cool Kiyosato Highlands, beneath the Yatsugatake Mountains of Yamanashi, Japan.
Peaceful Grazing
A horse peacefully grazing on lush summer meadows in the Japanese highlands of Yamanashi Prefecture at Whanau Stable.
Take-Akari
Illuminated bamboo lanterns glowing warmly in the night at a Japanese summer festival. Handcrafted patterns of circular holes form artistic designs, creating a serene and festive atmosphere that blends traditional craftsmanship with contemporary light art.
Summer Motif
Colorful paper lanterns (chōchin), pinwheels, and kitsune fox masks decorate the wooden deck of Southwood Shopping Mall near Center-Minami Station in Yokohama, Japan, celebrating Japanese summer festival traditions and seasonal motifs.
Gosensui-Shizen'en
A butterfly with striking brown, white, and blue wings feeds on wildflowers at the Gosensui-Shizen'en Park in Nagano, Japan, highlighted by warm backlight against a dark forest backdrop.
Rare Shorthorns
A Japanese Shorthorn cow grazes on the grassy highland plateau extending from Mt. Tateshina, with the city of Saku visible about 20 km (12 mi) to the northeast beneath a summer haze.
Kirigamine Fujimidai
Beautiful summer landscape in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, with panoramic views of lush green highlands, rolling hills, and open grasslands. A peaceful rural scene capturing the natural beauty of Japan’s countryside.
Daigahara-shuku Post Town
Step back into the Edo period at Daigahara-shuku, a preserved post town in Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture. Once a bustling stop on the Koshu-Kaidō, it now invites visitors to stroll historic streets, sample sake brewed with pure mountain water, and taste mizu shingen mochi, a famous transparent sweet.