Cover photo by Ryuji Azuma
The cizucu community regularly hosts global online photo contests open to everyone. These contests range from those organized by cizucu to collaborations with brands, covering a wide variety of themes. They aim to inspire individual creativity and enable rich and free expression.
Currently, six contests are ongoing: 'Trace of Autumn,' 'October Diary '25,' 'Parks Vibes ~ Encounters in the Park ~,' 'Urban Trails,' 'Through Dialogue,' and 'Roadside Story.'
This time, we introduce featured submissions and contest details from each ongoing contest.
Trace of Autumn
Theme: The Arrival of Autumn
Submission Deadline: Sunday, October 26, 2025
Mushi
霞 (Kasumi)
📷 Apple iPhone 12
cizucu Editorial Team
Vivid red and golden leaves announce the arrival of autumn. The mist-covered forest exudes a sense of melancholy, evoking the crisp autumn air. Even the lake reflects the autumn hues, with the deepening season seeping into the tranquil silence. This photo captures a fantastical scene, as if gazing at a painting.
October Diary '25
Theme: October Diary
Submission Deadline: Friday, October 31, 2025
Emi
Thank you, Expo.
📷 SONY DSC-RX100
cizucu Editorial Team
This photo captures a moment at this year's much-talked-about Expo venue. The wooden texture of the large roof ring contrasts beautifully with the pale blue sky, while the red umbrella adds a striking accent to the serene scene. Though this view may never be seen again, this carefully captured moment evokes nostalgia and lingering emotions, like turning a page in an October diary.
Parks Vibes ~ Encounters in the Park ~
Theme: Encounters and Affection in the Park
Submission Deadline: Friday, October 31, 2025
Kikirara
Expo Commemorative Park
📷 Canon EOS KISS M
cizucu Editorial Team
Under the soft sunlight filtering through the trees, two figures walk side by side along a path covered in fallen leaves. The distance between them seems filled with warm affection. The trees and branches gently embrace the moment, creating a serene atmosphere. In a familiar place like a park, we may be nurturing our own stories, one step at a time.
Urban Trails
Theme: Urban Trails
Submission Deadline: Sunday, November 3, 2025
Keisuke Kikuchi
📷 NIKON Z6
cizucu Editorial Team
The lights of the buildings in the foreground convey the pulse of urban life. The sunset-stained sky and the silhouette of the mountains floating in the distance tell the story of nature's grandeur. This photo beautifully captures the intersection of natural gradients and man-made brilliance, highlighting the 'trails' of people and cities.
Through Dialogue
Theme: Dialogue
Submission Deadline: Monday, November 10, 2025
Yuichi Kasagami
cizucu Editorial Team
The shadows of people stretch long in the twilight, and you can almost hear the conversations taking place. Each word and gesture reflects the lives and thoughts of the individuals, creating connections beyond words. The warmth enveloping the scene might be the lingering resonance of the photographer's dialogue with this landscape.
Roadside Story
Theme: Stories by the Roadside
Submission Deadline: Monday, November 17, 2025
Ryuji Azuma
📷 LEICA Q2
cizucu Editorial Team
The back of a figure passing through a noren curtain sparks countless imaginations. It evokes a sense of comfort during a work break, the liveliness inside the shop, or the trust in familiar flavors. The aged walls, posters, and interplay of light and shadow exude a nostalgic atmosphere, intertwining with one's own memories. This photo captures a fleeting moment in the infinite stories that unfold by the roadside.
