News On Japan

Rice paddy art is Japanese city’s way of celebrating Tokyo Olympics

Aug 07, 2021 (South China Morning Post) - Gyoda city north of the Japanese capital Tokyo has earned a reputation for creating some of the world's largest works of art.

The pieces formed in rice paddies by carefully planting crops in patterns measuring about 2.8 hectares (6.9 acres), have been a tourist draw since 2018. But in 2021, the agricultural artists set out to highlight Japan's cultural heritage during the Tokyo Olympics. Gyoda city official Shuhei Tagashira says about 1,000 people helped plant the living installations including those featuring an iconic Katsushika Hokusai woodblock image of a wave near Mount Fuji and another of a kabuki actor in striking face paint.

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A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck eastern Japan at around 7:46 p.m., with a maximum seismic intensity of lower 5 recorded in parts of Gunma and Saitama prefectures, though no injuries or major damage had been confirmed and there was no risk of a tsunami.

JR Ueno Station has unveiled "Ueno Canvas," a new 75-square-meter LED display featuring videos that highlight the area's cultural attractions, tourism destinations, and artistic heritage as part of a station renovation aimed at connecting people and the city through culture.

Japan's Fair Trade Commission has conducted on-site inspections of six major food manufacturers over suspicions they formed a cartel to coordinate ice cream prices, with authorities investigating whether the companies exchanged information and unfairly adjusted planned retail price increases in response to rising costs.

A parent bear and two cubs were spotted near an interchange in Kyoto Prefecture, just a few minutes' drive from a nursery school, in one of many bear sightings reported across Japan in recent days.

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako watched Japan's opening FIFA World Cup match against the Netherlands together with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, highlighting the close ties between the Japanese Imperial Family and the Dutch Royal Family.

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