Society

Spring snow falls in Tokyo, creating beautiful images of Japanese sakura cherry blossoms

Mar 22 (soranews24.com) - After months of cold weather, which brought the heaviest snowfall in four years to Tokyo back in January, the days finally began warming up in the capital last week, with sunny skies and temperatures reaching highs of 22 degrees Celsius (71.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

But just as we thought it was time to start putting away our winter wardrobe, we found ourselves digging around for our snowboots instead, as weather reports warned that a cold snap meant snowfall was predicted to fall across the city on 21 March, the first day of spring according to the Vernal Equinox.

While many couldn't believe that snow would fall in Tokyo so late in the year, it ended up snowing just as predicted, falling steadily for a number of hours to create a thin layer of white ice that made it feel like winter all over again, only this time the landscape looked different, thanks to the springtime blossoms that had sprung up around the city.

Tokyo's sakura season officially started on 17 March, after the first blossoms were seen on the sample tree at Yasukuni Shrine, which meant that people were able to see snow amongst the cherry blossoms; a rare treat for residents, particularly in the metropolis.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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