The latest news, trends and photo galleries from Japan by Japan News and Yomiuri Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper founded in 1874.
The harvest moon lit up the night sky in Tokyo’s Shibuya ward on Sept.17. According to the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, the harvest moon this year did not fall on the same date as the full moon, which appeared on the following day. Read more
One in four married people under the age of 40 met their spouse through dating apps, according to a survey conducted by the Children and Families Agency. Read more
Japan’s government and people lauded the record trophy haul for period drama “Shogun” at the Emmy Awards as yet another win for their history and culture, which are becoming increasingly popular with tourists and international audiences alike. Read more
Some children are still suffering from stress-related physical and mental issues more than eight months after the Noto Peninsula earthquake. Read more
Standing quietly by the Saigawa river, west of Kanazawa Castle, is Jiyukajin Mizuhiki Museum. Read more
Grappling with a rice shortage after extreme weather ravaged last year’s crop, Japan is hoping new heat-resistant varieties of its staple food can help stave off future supply shocks. Read more
A record 177 career-track national civil-service employees with less than 10 years of service left their jobs in fiscal 2022, the National Personnel Authority announced. Read more
Kimiko Suzuki offers a unique service for people unable to travel: She will take their favorite stuffed animals on a trip instead and take commemorative photos for clients to enjoy. Read more
Taking advantage of augmented reality, a new Hitachi vacuum cleaner lets people feel as if they are playing a game instead of cleaning. Read more
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A team of researchers at the Nagoya Institute of Technology is providing six-day forecasts of the number of people expected to be taken to the hospital by ambulance due to heatstroke each day. Read more
Japan’s lengthy summer vacation is in full swing. Despite the heat, the energetic voices of children playing outside are likely echoing throughout neighborhoods. Read more
Mukojima Meugaya is about a 10-minute walk northwest from Oshiage Station at the foot of Tokyo Skytree in Sumida ward, Tokyo. Read more
Manufacturers that use large amounts of plastic will be required, under a planned revision of a law, to set targets for recycled plastic usage and to report the actual amount used. Read more
Akinobu Tooyama attended the peace memorial ceremony on Aug. 6 in Hiroshima for the first time to commemorate his uncle, Hiroyuki Kosen, who died as a result of the atomic bomb blast in Hiroshima 79 years ago. Read more
Amid the small and fashionable shops in Kuramae in Tokyo’s Taito ward, there is a unique space where visitors can spend a moment to take perspective: They can send a letter to their future selves. Read more
People offered flowers at the Cenotaph for the Atomic Bomb Victims at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima on Tuesday, the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city. Read more
The gentle lilt of a flute fills a tight second-story space in Tokyo that houses a burbling vat of fermenting sake. Read more
In Japan, cultural expectations are drilled into children at school and at home, with peer pressure playing as powerful a role as any authority or law. On the surface, at least, that can help Japanese society run smoothly. Read more
A group of 332 hikers from Tokyo, Osaka and other points gathered at Jodogahama Beach in Miyako in June for a walking event to commemorate the fifth year since the opening of the Michinoku Coastal Trail. Read more
This summer, the government is planning to launch the first agricultural-sector emission trading project under its bilateral trading mechanism. Read more
Unable to get married legally in Japan, LGBTQ couples are celebrating their special bond by donning traditional kimono and fashionable formal wear for elaborate “photo weddings.” Read more
