Citizen scientists reclaim disaster zone
Every year when winter finally loosens its grip on northern Japan, Tomoko Kobayashi begins what has become an annual rite for her and a small band of collaborators. Read more
The latest news, trends and photo galleries from Japan by Japan News and Yomiuri Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper founded in 1874.
Every year when winter finally loosens its grip on northern Japan, Tomoko Kobayashi begins what has become an annual rite for her and a small band of collaborators. Read more
A new technology in which udon noodles are turned into paper has been developed in Kagawa prefecture, famous for the chewy Sanuki udon, and preparations are underway to put the tech to practical use. Read more
A town in Nagasaki prefecture’s Goto Islands last year set up a government department devoted to the area’s specialty noodles, Goto udon. Read more
Tucked away in a corner of central Tokyo, the Extinct Media Museum lives up to its name. Read more
Hotels and restaurants in the popular Hakuba ski resort village are packed to capacity amid a surge in international tourists on the slopes, and visitors to the village are expected to grow this season. Read more
Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency plans to deploy unmanned firefighting robots and other specialized vehicles as part of its efforts to enhance the equipment and machinery used by Emergency Fire Response Teams, which are dispatched to areas stricken by earthquakes, flooding and other disasters. Read more
As entrance exam season approaches, Hofu Tenmangu Shrine in Hofu, Yamaguchi prefecture, is offering test-takers free hachimaki (headbands) as good luck charms. Read more
PayPay Corp., which develops electronic payment services, has launched a service that allows visitors to shrines and temples to make cashless offerings through its app. Read more
With the passing of Jimmy Carter this week, condolences came from across Japan, notably in areas that had cultivated ties with the former U.S. president. Read more
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Sanriku Railway Co. is running its special seasonal train this winter, called the Kotatsu Ressha, between its Kuji and Miyako stations on the line in Iwate prefecture. Read more
Members of a group demonstrating a centuries-old firefighting tradition display banners atop bamboo ladders during the dezomeshiki New Year’s Fire Review festival at Tokyo Big Sight exhibition center in Koto ward, Tokyo, on Jan. 6. Read more
Kansai Airport is proud to have never lost a piece of luggage in the 30 years since it opened in 1994, and the distinction has earned it recognition. Read more
Artificial intelligence is being used in new and diverse ways during the New Year’s holidays. Read more
A massive statue of a snake — the Chinese zodiac sign for 2025 — has been installed at Tatsumizu Shrine in Tsu. Read more
A hot spring area in western Shimane prefecture has been undergoing a renaissance of sorts, thanks to a unique strategy of turning the entire town into what is effectively an all-inclusive resort. Read more
“Photo time” offers audiences watching Noh, Kabuki and other traditional performing arts the chance to take photos of the stage and actors after the end of the show, and it’s spreading throughout the Kansai region. Read more
Amid concerns that some over-the-counter drugs are being abused, Japan’s Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has compiled a draft plan to revise the rules on how the medications are displayed on store shelves. Read more
Hibakusha is a Japanese word for people affected by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Read more
Following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, there were meltdowns in three reactors. Read more
Shikoku Electric Power Co., researchers from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, and other organizations have begun tests to explore the possibility of “microbial power generation” in mikan (mandarin orange) orchards in Yawatahama and Ikata in Ehime prefecture. Read more
Tougher penalties will be levied against anyone who uses a mobile phone while riding a bicycle, under the revised Road Traffic Law that went into effect Nov. 1. Read more