A special lighting ceremony was held on November 20th at Ueno Toshogu Shrine, located in Ueno Park, Taito Ward, Tokyo. The event featured a unique lighting design created by renowned lighting designer Motoko Ishii.
NVIDIA has thrown its weight behind Sakana AI, a Tokyo-based startup rapidly gaining traction in the booming generative AI field. Since ChatGPT's debut in November 2022, industry giants like Google and Meta have entered the fray, intensifying the competitive landscape.
Manhole covers featuring characters from Riyoko Ikeda’s popular manga The Rose of Versailles were unveiled on November 11th at three locations within Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture.
During the regular Diet session in 2024, the Japanese government amended the Basic Law on Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas for the first time. The Basic Law was promulgated in 1999 and is the so-called ‘constitution of agricultural policy’ in Japan. (East Asia Forum)
Snow was spotted on the Shizuoka side of Mount Fuji's (3,776 meters) summit on the morning of October 6th, confirmed by a Kyodo News reporter.
To ensure trust in currency, the Mint Bureau in Kita Ward, Osaka, held its annual 'Grand Test for Manufactured Currency' on October 28th, where officials checked whether coins meet the designated weight standards, a tradition that has been ongoing since 1872, marking its 153rd occurrence this year.
Archery athlete Takaharu Furukawa, who competed in six consecutive Olympic Games and won a silver medal in the individual event at the 2012 London Olympics, announced on October 21st that he would retire from competition after the All-Japan Championships, which begin on October 25th at Tokyo Yumenoshima Park Archery Field.
Sanriku Railway, a third-sector company operating along the coast of Iwate Prefecture, began offering the 'Awabi Train' and 'Matsutake Train' services on October 6th, featuring luxurious bento boxes filled with locally sourced abalone and matsutake mushrooms.
A Japanese festival was held in Jakarta on September 14th to provide participants with an opportunity to experience and deepen their understanding of Japanese culture.
The Japan Shogi Association celebrated its 100th anniversary on Sunday, hosting a commemorative ceremony in Tokyo, along with the unveiling of a newly completed Shogi Hall.
Japan's Ministry of the Environment announced on the 3rd that the mongoose, an invasive species known for preying on rare native species and disrupting the ecosystem on Amami Oshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, has been officially eradicated.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said Monday she is against the planned acquisition of United States Steel Corp. by Japan's largest steelmaker, promising to build an economy that is good for working-class people, as her race for the White House against Donald Trump heads into the final stretch. (Kyodo)
Naoya Inoue, the unified super bantamweight champion of the four major boxing organizations, held an open training session at the Ohashi Gym in Yokohama on August 21st. Inoue is set to defend his titles against former world champion TJ Doheny of Ireland on September 3 at Ariake Arena.
As preparations ramp up for the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka, the symbolic giant wooden roof, known as the "Grand Ring," was visible in its full circular form at the venue on Wednesday. (Kyodo)
Canon is set to enter the entertainment business by leveraging mixed reality (MR) technology, which blends real and virtual imagery.
China's fishing ban in the East China Sea, including the waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture and the Taiwan Strait, ended on August 16.
Yusho Kagami claimed victory in the women's 76kg wrestling final at the Paris Olympics, defeating her American opponent to secure the gold medal. This marks the first time a Japanese wrestler has won in the heaviest women's category.
Kiyoka Kōtarō claimed the gold medal in the men's freestyle wrestling 65kg category at the Paris Olympics, defeating an Iranian opponent in the final match.
Haruka Kitaguchi won the gold medal in the women's javelin at the Paris Olympics with a throw of 65.80 meters on Saturday, making her the first Japanese woman to win an Olympic gold medal in a field event.
22-year-old Sakura Motoki, making her first appearance at the Paris Olympics, won the gold medal in the women's 62kg wrestling final by defeating Ukraine's Iryna Koliadenko in a commanding performance on Saturday, the 16th day of competition.
A new cityscape, painstakingly developed by Mori Building over 30 years in the heart of Tokyo, has finally taken shape. This is the realization of Mori Building's long-advocated vision of creating a 'globally competitive Tokyo.'
Shinnosuke Oka, in his debut appearance, won the gold medal in the men's horizontal bar with a score of 14.533 points in the event finals on August 5th.
The Sendai Tanabata Festival, one of the three major festivals in the Tohoku region, began on the 6th of August in Sendai City. The festival's vibrant streamers and bamboo decorations adorned the shopping streets, with strips of paper bearing citizens' wishes hung everywhere.
Hideki Matsuyama, 32, finished third in the men's golf competition with a total score of 17-under 267, securing a bronze medal on the 10th day of the Paris Olympics, August 4.
In a dazzling display of creativity and performance, Japan's representative clinched the top prize at the World Cosplay Championship held on Saturday in Nagoya.