Society

Hokkaido hot spring resort holds annual ice festival

HOKKAIDO, Jan 30 (NHK) - A winter festival featuring about 30 ice sculptures has been drawing many tourists to a hot spring resort in Japan's northern prefecture of Hokkaido.

The annual Ice Fall Festival got underway on Saturday in Sounkyo hot spring resort in the town of Kamikawa.

Visitors posed for photos in front of the colorfully-illuminated ice sculptures on the Ishikari River bed.

A bar and a booth serving food and drinks have been set up for the first time in three years after a hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. The bar is inside of an ice sculpture, where people can enjoy cups of hot sake or cocoa at tables made of ice. ...continue reading

Source: Kyodo

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'

Japan is facing a deepening crisis of poverty and inequality, with rising reports of 'invisible homeless' individuals and growing economic hardships among the population. Discussions over reforms to the country's tax and welfare systems have taken center stage, as policymakers grapple with how to provide meaningful support.

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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