Preview of some of next homepage images
Mount Fuji on Honshu Island, Japan
Mount Fuji, Japan's highest mountain, rises to 3,776 metres on Honshu Island, about 97 kilometres southwest of Tokyo. Its near-perfect cone is a volcano—dormant since its last eruption in December 1707 yet still classed as active. That last major event is known as the Hōei eruption. It blasted ash and other tephra across eastern Japan, reaching Edo (today's Tokyo). Beyond geology, Fuji has long been treated as a sacred landscape and a destination for pilgrimage climbs, reflecting how nature, religion and daily life overlap in Japan. That enduring cultural appeal is one reason it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013 as 'a sacred place and source of artistic inspiration.' Fuji is famously visible from far away on clear days but never guaranteed—clouds can hide it in minutes. Whether you hike it or just catch a glimpse from a train window, it still feels like Japan's signature on the horizon.
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Fireworks on the Night of San Juan
The Night of San Juan, celebrated every June 23rd, marks one of the most anticipated moments of the beginning of summer in many places in Spain and the Mediterranean coast. With the arrival of night, beaches and squares are filled with bonfires, lights and meetings that combine tradition and festive atmosphere. Fire acts as a symbol of renewal and becomes the center of family and social gatherings.
In addition to bonfires, it is common to perform small rituals linked to wishes and good fortune, such as jumping the flames or getting wet in the sea at midnight. These customs, passed down from generation to generation, keep alive a cultural heritage that unites past and present. Music, fireworks and summer weather complete a celebration that transforms the night into a shared and meaningful experience. In many cities, public events are organized that attract thousands of visitors.
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Butterfly pollinating on yellow flower
Zoom in on the small interaction that helps keep landscapes alive: a butterfly on a yellow flower, pausing for nectar. While it feeds, pollen dusts its body and hitches a ride to the next bloom—one of the quiet ways flowering plants reproduce. Pollinators are not only bees. Butterflies, birds, bats, beetles and many other animals help move pollen, supporting wild plants and many of the fruits and vegetables people eat.
Butterflies may not carry as much pollen as fuzzy bees, but with more than 17,000 known species worldwide, they still play an important role in ecosystems. Their feet contain taste sensors that help them identify suitable plants, almost as if they can sample a meal before settling down. Some species also migrate astonishing distances. The monarch butterfly, for example, travels thousands of kilometres, proving that even delicate wings can handle remarkably long journeys across landscapes and seasons.
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Purple flower fields swaying in early summer
Today's image shows a lavender field in Nakafurano, Hokkaido, basking in the early summer sun. Furano's lavender is usually at its peak from late June to mid-July each year. The refreshing scent characteristic of lavender and the vivid purple that spreads across the area evoke the changing seasons and the richness of nature. In addition to purple lavender, sunflowers, marigolds, salvia, and other flowers are also in full bloom, bringing peace to visitors.
LavenderSeason2026
Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil
Ibirapuera Park does what seems impossible: opening a breach in São Paulo's chronic speed. Inaugurated in 1954 in an old wetland area to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the capital, it was born ambitious, with gardens by Burle Marx, buildings by Oscar Niemeyer and a rare idea for the time — to reserve a large green area in the heart of the metropolis before concrete closed the siege.
Today, there are more than 1.5 million m² where the city seems to test versions of itself: between fairs, exhibitions and concerts, you can find people training for marathons, studying for a contest, rehearsing dance, skateboarding, playing guitar or photographing herons on the lake. Old trees share space with fast-paced avenues, maritacas overlap the noise of traffic and Lake Ibirapuera reflects buildings that never seem to sleep. Here, São Paulo rehearses a rare balance between pause and chaos and learns, for a few meters, to breathe at a different pace.
The River Thames, London, England
What does a parliament, a clock tower and a giant wheel have in common? They all stand beside the River Thames as if London had carefully staged its icons for dramatic effect.
On the right, the Palace of Westminster rises as the seat of British government, rebuilt in Gothic style after the fire of 1834. Big Ben—the bell inside the Elizabeth Tower—has kept time since 1859, its chimes carrying far beyond the city. Across the river, County Hall stretches along the bank, while the London Eye offers perspective, one slow rotation at a time.r>
From the water, today's scene feels improbably well cast. But the Thames deserves most of the credit. Shortly after AD 43, the Romans founded Londinium here because the river was useful yet difficult to dominate. Since then, it has borne trade, rumours, power and entire worldviews. Merchants depended on it, kings navigated it, artists romanticised it. London? It grew upward, outward and across centuries—but always beside it.
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The Parintins Festival begins
The Parintins Festival begins with the question: red or blue? As of today, this small island in the Amazon becomes the center of a duel that does not admit neutrality. The Bumbódromo, an arena in the shape of an ox's head, is divided: on one side, Garantido, red. On the other, Caprichoso, blue. For three nights, the city blurs the line between spectacle and cheering.
The tradition mixes indigenous, African and European influences around a fantastic plot: a man kills the boss's ox to fulfill his partner's wish. The owner demands reparation, the community enters the scene and, between rites and invention, the animal comes back to life. Instead of punishment, the tension ends in celebration.
From the Northeast to the North, each region adapted the narrative in its own way. In Maranhão, the bumba-meu-boi occupies streets and terreiros; in Pará, groups such as Boi Faceiro, seen in the image, travel through neighborhoods with staging; in Amazonas, local legends gain space. Brazil, as always, chooses many ways to tell the same storyline.
A path wrapped in blue flowers
Hydrangeas (hydrangeas) are beautiful flowers that represent the rainy season. Today's photo shows hydrangeas taken in Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture. The best viewing period is usually from late June to late July. Hydrangeas come in various colors besides the blue shown in the image, which change depending on the acidity of the soil. In Japan, weakly acidic soils are widely distributed, so blue and purple flowers are often seen. The refreshing blue hydrangeas spreading under the cloudy rainy season sky help soothe the damp air of the season.
Ajisai2026
Boneyard Beach, Hunting Island, South Carolina, United States
At Boneyard Beach within Hunting Island State Park, South Carolina, United States, the first thing you notice is the trees. Then comes the question: why are bleached trunks and exposed roots scattered across the sand like a scene paused midway through collapse? Since the 1980s, Hunting Island has experienced major beach erosion, with some of the highest rates along the US East Coast—reaching up to 9 metres per year in certain areas.
On the island's southern end, Boneyard Beach shows this process clearly: weathered driftwood and the remains of live oaks and palmettos line the shore. Once part of a maritime forest, these trees gradually lost ground as coastal erosion and storms shifted the shoreline. What remains is part geology lesson, part outdoor gallery. More than 200 bird species have been recorded here; bottlenose dolphins are often seen offshore, and loggerhead sea turtles nest on nearby beaches. At low tide, the widest stretch opens to explore, and no two visits look exactly the same.
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Westerheversand Lighthouse, North Sea, Schleswig-Holstein
In the middle of the salt marshes of Westerheversand, a lighthouse with striking red and white stripes rises above the extensive coastal landscape. For more than a hundred years, the structure has shaped the Eiderstedt peninsula and still serves as an important orientation point for shipping. The lighthouse, built between 1906 and 1908, is one of the most famous landmarks of the North Frisian coast. The highlight is the viewing platform of the tower, which is around 41 metres high and can be reached via 157 steps.
The surrounding landscape is part of the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park, a unique natural area where the ebb and flow of the tide determines the daily rhythm. The salt marshes are regularly flooded by the sea and provide valuable habitat for numerous bird species. A narrow watercourse runs through the open landscape and directs the view to the lighthouse. Changing water levels and light conditions constantly change its appearance. Against this backdrop, a calm and at the same time dynamic interplay of sky, water and the wide marsh landscape is created.
Canadian Multiculturalism Day
Imagine standing beneath Montreal's dramatic sky on a balmy June evening. Around you, conversations switch between French, English, Mandarin, Tagalog and many other languages. A family shares a traditional dish, musicians perform songs from different cultures, and children get to hear folklore passed down through generations. That scene captures the spirit of Canadian Multiculturalism Day.
The origins of the day stretch back several decades. In 1971, Canada became the first country in the world to adopt multiculturalism as an official federal policy. The commitment was strengthened in 1988 with the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, which affirmed the value of cultural diversity within society. Building on these milestones, the Government of Canada proclaimed 27 June as Canadian Multiculturalism Day in 2002. The observance was created to encourage understanding between communities.
Today, Ontario remains the province that welcomes the largest number of newcomers. Yet cities such as Montreal show how multiculturalism is experienced daily—not as a policy on paper, but through people, communities and shared experiences.