Volcanic alert for Mt. Asama raised to Level 2

An interactive exhibition recreating the world of Studio Ghibli will open at Osaka's ATC complex on July 18, offering visitors of all ages the chance to experience famous scenes and characters from the studio's animated films.

Heavy rain flooded railway tracks in Hokkaido, forcing the cancellation of 32 trains, including limited express services linking Sapporo and Hakodate.

All hiking trails on Mount Rausu in eastern Hokkaido reopened on July 16, one week after a descending hiker was chased by a bear.

The Yamaboko float procession, a highlight of the Gion Festival’s Saki Matsuri festivities, was held in Kyoto on July 17, with 23 elaborately decorated floats known as "moving art museums" making their way through the city center.

A tropical depression near the Truk Islands is expected to strengthen into a typhoon within 12 hours, but forecasters say it is unlikely to have any direct impact on Japan.

Herds of deer are increasingly roaming residential areas of Nara after a record rise in the population at Nara Park pushed more of the animals into surrounding neighborhoods, where they are damaging gardens and raising concerns over traffic and public safety.

Japanese kitchen knives are selling rapidly among foreign tourists, who are drawn not only to their exceptional sharpness but also to Japan's highly specialized knife-making culture.

Tobu Railway has introduced walk-through facial recognition ticket gates at Ikebukuro and Kami-Itabashi stations on the Tobu Tojo Line, allowing registered commuters to enter without presenting a ticket or IC card.