Information checked: October 16, 2026 at 8:31 AM JST.
The Yamanakako Sunset Shore Autumn Leaves Festival has opened entries for its Wan-Nyan Grand Prix pet photo contest. Dog and cat photos are accepted through October 26, followed by visitor voting at the festival from November 1 to 9.
Key Facts For Travelers
Send The Complete Entry By October 26
The organizer asks for one photo of a dog or cat, the pet’s name, a short appeal point, and the owner’s name, address and phone number. Entries are sent by email to the address published on the official Yamanakako Tourist Association announcement. Because personal details are required, copy the destination only from the official page and check every attachment and field before sending.
The notice excludes dogs and cats selected in last year’s contest. It does not publish a residency rule, entry fee, photo-size limit or detailed judging criteria. Visitors who live outside Japan or have another eligibility question should contact the association before submitting rather than assuming eligibility.
Festival Visitors Can Vote November 1-9
The official schedule lists voting from November 1 through November 9 and says the result is expected at the venue around November 12. It does not state exact daily voting hours or the voting method on the announcement page, so ask event staff on arrival and do not assume voting remains open until the 20:30 light switch-off.
Prizes are planned for the top three dogs or cats. The contest is an added activity inside the Autumn Leaves Festival, not a separate all-day pet show, so visitors should plan around the festival venue and posted on-site instructions.
Combine The Contest With The Autumn Illumination
The Sunset Shore Autumn Leaves Festival runs for 17 days from the evening of October 30 through the night of November 15 at Asahigaoka Lakeside Greenspace Park. The lakeside path is open for daytime walking, while the official illumination runs from 16:30 to 20:30 and switches off automatically at 20:30.
The official flyer describes the illuminated autumn corridor as roughly a 30-minute round trip at a normal pace or about one hour when walking slowly. Admission is free. Visitors should finish photographs and the return walk before the lights turn off rather than starting at 20:30.
Use The Bus When Practical And Recheck Parking
The tourism association lists Asahigaoka bus stop as about a five-minute walk from the venue and Keio Ripple-mae as about one minute away. Drivers are given approximate travel times of ten minutes from Yamanakako Interchange and twenty minutes from Shin-Gotemba Interchange.
The official page says large-bus parking is reservation-only, but its text does not guarantee ordinary-car parking. Drivers should consult the current venue map and festival page before departure. Large-bus operators must contact the association in advance.
Featured Image Fit
The featured Pexels photograph is a close-up dog portrait against autumn foliage, matching both the pet-photo contest and fall-festival setting at first glance. The contest also accepts cats. This is a license-safe illustrative photograph and not an entry in the Yamanakako contest or a photo taken at the 2026 event; that distinction is stated here and in the media description.
Traveler Actions
- If entering, send the required photo and owner details by October 26 using only the email address on the official announcement.
- Contact the tourist association before entering if residency, prize eligibility or another unpublished condition affects you.
- For visitor voting, go between November 1 and 9 and confirm the daily voting method and hours with on-site staff.
- Plan the illuminated walk between 16:30 and 20:30, allowing enough time to leave the route before automatic switch-off.
- Use the Asahigaoka or Keio Ripple-mae bus stops when practical, and recheck the official map before driving.
Official Sources
- Yamanakako Tourist Association: October 15 contest announcement, entry requirements, dates, results and prizes
- Yamanakako Tourist Association: festival dates, illumination, venue, access and large-bus parking rule
- Official 2026 festival flyer: free admission, illuminated-walk timing and venue map context
Update History
- October 16, 2026: Created from the Yamanakako Tourist Association’s October 15 pet photo contest announcement, official festival page and 2026 flyer. Entry deadline, required information, prior-winner exclusion, voting window, result timing, planned prizes, festival dates, illumination hours, venue, admission, walking duration, bus access and large-bus parking rule were checked. Unpublished residency rules, photo specifications, voting hours, voting method and ordinary-car parking availability are not inferred.
