Hello everyone. I'm Nakamichi Tomohiro from Shibecha Town. This is the seventh installment of "Shibecha Weather," where I'll be sharing the charms of Shibecha Town from my perspective. In the Kanto region, the cherry blossoms are blooming, and the news is already full of pollen, but in Shibecha, the wind is starting to feel like spring. The snow is melting little by little, and I'm feeling a little sad that winter is finally coming to an end. This time we would like to introduce Miyazawa Kaori, who takes photographs of landscapes and railways in Shibecha Town. She usually works in the same Traffic Disaster Prevention Section of the Shibecha Town Office as me, and we have become very good friends over the past year. Miyazawa-san has been taking photos of Shibecha Town since long before I moved here. When Miyazawa first started taking photos, many people around him would say things like that to him. However, he thought, "There are so many beautiful places in Shibecha, so what am I supposed to take photos of?" At that time, social media such as Instagram was booming. When you searched for Shibecha Town, the photos that came up were only everyday posts, and there were no beautiful photos of nature at all. So Miyazawa decided to take action and show them to people.

Miyazawa's Instagram page. Beautiful scenery not only of Shibecha Town but also of the neighboring town of Teshikaga.

Miyazawa started uploading photos of Shibecha Town on Instagram around 2018. After a few years, people started coming to the photo locations where he was the only one at first. "When I talk to people who come to take photos, some of them have seen me on Instagram. When they show me the photos they saw, I sometimes realize that the composition is the same as the photos I've taken." Miyazawa's photographs were definitely a great way to promote the town. "It may disappear someday in the future. I want to keep it in mind for the future." Miyazawa not only photographs landscapes, but also the Senmo Main Line that runs through Shibecha Town. The steam locomotive that runs through Shibecha Town every winter is one of Miyazawa's important subjects. In 2021, he won the Excellence Award at the Shibecha Town Steam Locomotive Photo Contest.

A steam locomotive running in the morning glow over Lake Toro

A photo that won the Excellence Award at the 2021 "SL Photo Contest"

This time, I accompanied Miyazawa on his photo shoot. We met at the Sarurun Observatory at Lake Toro at 5am. It was minus 20 degrees and the view we encountered walking along the snowy road was a spectacular sight that you only see a few times a year.

Miyazawa-san photographed "Winter Cherry Blossoms." The title is a comparison of the frost to cherry blossoms.

Miyazawa's photographs convey a love that goes beyond mere composition and technique; a love for Shibecha, a love for nature, and a love for trains. On social media, obvious and eye-catching tourist spots tend to be popular, but Miyazawa-san tells us that Shibecha Town has countless such spots. I'm sure Miyazawa-san will continue to promote the charms of Shibecha Town through his own social media. I, too, would like to continue promoting the spectacular views and charms of Shibecha Town together with Miyazawa-san. You can see Miyazawa's Instagram here . And please check out the film "Shibecha Biography," which shows Miyazawa's photoshoot at Lake Toro and his thoughts on photography. I'm sure it will change your impression of Shibecha Town. What did you think? April marks the start of a new fiscal year, and I think many people will be starting a new system and a new life. I am also enjoying my second year in Shibecha town to the fullest, and I hope to continue to spread the appeal of Shibecha town. The Shibecha Town Regional Revitalization Team YouTube channel delivers beautiful videos showcasing the various charms of Shibecha Town. Please check it out too.