In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the World Heritage registration of the 'Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range,' an event was held on July 6 in Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Prefecture. The event featured participants walking along the stone-paved Kumano Kodo trail illuminated by bamboo lights.

A ceremony for the Japanese team participating in the Paris Olympics, which begins on July 26, was held on the 5th at Yoyogi National Gymnasium No. 2 in Tokyo with the attendance of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess Akishino. Misaki Emura, the flag bearer and a female saber fencer from Tachihi Holdings, expressed her determination by stating, 'I will carry the awareness and responsibility of representing the nation, and fight with integrity to the very end.'

On July 5, geisha and maiko from Kyoto's Gion district participated in the 'Ochi-do' ceremony at Yasaka Shrine in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto. The event, held to pray for the improvement of their performing arts skills and for good health during the summer, takes place annually in early July as the excitement of the Gion Festival builds up toward the Yamahoko Junko parade on July 17.

Land prices, a benchmark for property valuation used in inheritance tax declarations, have seen significant changes this year. Shibuya, currently undergoing extensive redevelopment, has ranked second nationally for the first time.

The Cambodian railway company Royal Railway has purchased retired express train cars from JR Hokkaido and is currently refurbishing and conducting trial runs in preparation for operation.

The Japanese yen sharply declined Wednesday in the foreign exchange market, reaching the late 160s against the dollar, according to major banks. This marks the weakest level for the yen in 37 and a half years since December 1986, the start of Japan's bubble economy.

A traditional ceremony to banish evil and pray for good fortune, known as the 'Bamboo Cutting Ceremony,' was held on June 20 at Kurama Temple in Kyoto's Sakyo Ward. During the event, men dressed as warrior monks struck down green bamboo, symbolizing a giant serpent, with mountain swords.

Previously unpublished photos believed to show Koshien Stadium (located in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture) under the occupation of the General Headquarters (GHQ) of the Allied Forces after World War II have been found.

The Japan Gymnastics Association unveiled the uniforms for the national team that will compete in the Paris Olympics on June 11. The uniforms were designed by renowned fashion designer Hiroko Koshino.

Former President of Presance Corporation, Shinobu Yamagishi (61), who was acquitted of embezzlement charges, has filed a lawsuit seeking 770 million yen in compensation from the government, claiming illegal interrogation by the Osaka District Public Prosecutors Office.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike (71) announced on the 12th her intention to run for a third term in the gubernatorial election scheduled for July 7, with the official campaign period starting on June 20th.

The YOSAKOI Soran Festival, held over five days in early summer in Sapporo, concluded on Sunday. Approximately 25,000 performers from 255 teams, both domestic and international, showcased their dynamic dances at 15 venues, including Odori Park.

Hiroshi Kimura, a 24-year-old office worker from Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture, has set a new record as the youngest Japanese to complete a solo, non-stop, and unassisted circumnavigation of the world by yacht.

On June 5, the early summer tradition 'YOSAKOI Soran Festival' began at Odori Park in central Sapporo. A total of 255 teams from both domestic and international regions, comprising around 25,000 participants, will showcase vibrant performances at 15 venues across the city, including Odori Park, until June 9.

Japanese electronics group Sharp and telecom partner KDDI will convert a factory site in Japan into a data center for artificial intelligence powered by advanced Nvidia chips, Nikkei has learned. (Nikkei)

Harley-Davidson Japan, based in Tokyo, orchestrated a parade through the streets of Yokohama on April 2nd, uniting approximately 300 Harley motorcycles in a gesture of support for the regions affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake.

The Boeing 747, once dubbed the 'Queen of the Skies' and a mainstay for airlines like ANA and JAL, is nearing the end of its operational life. Known as the Jumbo Jet, this super-large aircraft is now rarely seen in Japan, with only Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA), based at Narita Airport, still flying it.

A male couple in Omura City, Nagasaki Prefecture, received a residency certificate on May 28, marking their relationship as 'husband' in the section indicating the partner living with the head of the household.

The historic "Soma Nomaoi" event, which boasts over a thousand years of tradition and features armored horsemen parading in a scene reminiscent of the Sengoku period, commenced on May 25 in Fukushima's coastal region. Traditionally held in July, the event was rescheduled to May this year to avoid the severe summer heat after a horse died from heatstroke last year.

Four people, likely to be three children and one woman, were found dead after a fire broke out on Thursday at a house in Tokyo, according to Japan's fire authorities and investigative sources. (Kyodo)

A 59-year-old former employee at a vocational school in Miyazaki Prefecture was sentenced to 23 years in prison on Monday for sexually assaulting seven people including some students after drugging them with sleeping pills. (Kyodo)

A survey of major Japanese firms showed they offered their highest monthly wage increases in 32 years at over 5 percent in the spring wage negotiations, as many sought to respond to elevated prices while trying to avoid brain drains, the country's biggest business lobby said Monday. (Kyodo)

Tokyo-based startup Innovative Space Carrier Inc. will develop a reusable satellite launch rocket in partnership with a U.S rocket engine maker, aiming for commercial use by around 2030. (Kyodo)

An illimination event this weekend at the Ainokura Gassho-zukuri Village in Toyama Prefecture, a World Cultural Heritage site, reflects upside down Gassho-style houses, creating a "Sakasa Gassho" effect.

The season for the traditional cormorant fishing on the Nagaragawa River, which boasts a history of over 1,300 years, commenced on May 11th in Gifu City.