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Fresh interest in sumo draws tourists

TOKYO, Aug 15 (taipeitimes.com) - Their interest piqued during COVID-19 lockdowns and by a new Netflix drama, a fresh rush of foreign tourists are flocking to Japan for a look inside the insular world of sumo.

Japan’s national sport — hundreds of years old and steeped in tradition — has long been a source of fascination outside the country, but those in the industry say interest has spiked in recent years, with some making the most of the new attention.

At a recent lunchtime “performance,” two imposing sumo practitioners strutted their stuff in a Tokyo restaurant full of cheering tourists.

Afterward, the spectators took selfies with the hulking athletes and donned padded sumo costumes and wigs to try their hand at the ancient art in a bout against retired professionals. ...continue reading

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The Emperor, Empress, and their daughter Princess Aiko visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Memorial Hall in Sumida Ward on Thursday afternoon, marking their first visit to the site as Japan observes the 80th year since the end of World War II. They were greeted upon arrival by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and other officials.

The Kofu Local Meteorological Observatory announced on October 23rd that the season’s first snow had been observed on Mount Fuji, which stands 3,776 meters tall. Around 6 a.m., an official visually confirmed that snow had clearly accumulated near the summit.

After nearly a decade of construction, the newly rebuilt Haneda Line of the Metropolitan Expressway, one of Tokyo’s key arteries linking the city center with Haneda Airport, has been unveiled to the media ahead of its official switch to a new road on October 29th.

The newly launched Takaichi Cabinet moved into full operation on October 22nd, with early personnel decisions revealing a clear conservative tone. Satsuki Katayama was appointed as finance minister and Kimi Onoda as minister in charge of foreign resident policy, underscoring what observers are calling the emergence of a distinct “Takaichi color.”

Authorities in Shiraoi, Hokkaido, have begun culling approximately 460,000 laying hens after a poultry farm in the region’s Iburi area confirmed infections of highly pathogenic avian influenza, marking the first confirmed outbreak of the season in Japan.

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Hoshino Resorts announced on October 22nd that it will open seven new facilities across Japan in 2026, with a particular focus on regional areas.

A child was rushed to the hospital after a safety belt slipped and tightened around their neck while riding the “Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Tale” attraction at Tokyo Disneyland on October 21st.

The Jidai Festival, one of Kyoto’s three grand festivals, was held as a parade of people dressed in costumes representing different historical eras made its way through the streets of the ancient capital.

The Shizuoka Prefectural Assembly’s special committee on the preservation and proper use of Mt. Fuji held its fourth meeting on October 21st, hearing from officials of Fujiyoshida City in neighboring Yamanashi Prefecture about their initiatives to curb “bullet climbing” — the practice of ascending the mountain overnight without adequate rest or preparation.

Cold air brought Japan its lowest temperatures of the season on October 22nd, with even northern plains in Hokkaido blanketed by snow.

Dragging heavy suitcases up and down stairs and through unfamiliar places is probably not what you had in mind for your Japan trip - that's where luggage storage and delivery come in. A safe and convenient alternative, these services allow you to ditch those bags and have your best Japan holiday. (Japan Guide)

Kyoto’s world-famous Arashiyama district, a popular destination for both domestic and international tourists, is facing a growing problem of graffiti etched into the bamboo along its iconic “Bamboo Grove Path,” with more than 350 stalks now damaged — a practice that experts warn could eventually cause bamboo to weaken, fall, and even injure visitors.

A historic temple in Ota, Gunma Prefecture, known as the birthplace of the Tokugawa clan name, is at the center of a dispute with local authorities after a once-picturesque pond within its grounds dried up and turned into an overgrown thicket.