Society

Kyoto's festival quiet without procession amid pandemic

May 16 (Kyodo) - Kyoto's Aoi Matsuri, one of the city's three main festivals, was held Friday on a scaled-down basis, with the colorful procession that has been a major tourist attraction canceled amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Organizers decided in March to cancel the procession on an 8-kilometer route in the ancient Japanese capital, which usually involves about 500 participants dressed in traditional aristocratic-style costumes of the Heian Period (794-1185) and drew 47,000 spectators last year.

The festival, which dates back about 1,500 years, is said to have begun as a way to pray for a good harvest. It is held at Kyoto's Shimogamo and Kamigamo shrines.

On Friday, Shinto priests in traditional costume gave offerings at the main hall of Shimogamo Shrine and prayed for the peace of the nation and an end to the epidemic.

Student's Homemade Bomb Sparks School Lockdown in Sapporo

A suspicious object feared to be explosive was discovered at a high school in Sapporo on the afternoon of November 22nd, causing temporary chaos. The object was found to have been brought to the school by one of its students.

China to resume visa-exemptions for short-term Japanese travelers

China says it will resume allowing visa-free visits by Japanese nationals on short-term trips from the end of this month. (NHK)

Japan Grapples with Poverty and Rising 'Invisible Homeless'

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Ueno Toshogu Shrine Shines in Gold with Special Lighting

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.

World's First Fiber Made From Bagworm Silk Revolutionizes Industry

A Japanese pharmaceutical company has announced the successful commercialization of fiber made from silk produced by bagworms.

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