Japan grapples with 'overtourism'

Kyoto's traditional Gozan Okuribi bonfire ceremony was held on the night of August 16, lighting the skies above the ancient capital as residents marked the end of the Obon season by sending off the spirits of their ancestors.

The Miyazu Lantern Floating and Fireworks Festival, a traditional summer event said to have a history of more than 400 years, illuminated the waterfront in Miyazu, Kyoto Prefecture, as lanterns carrying prayers drifted across the sea and fireworks lit the night sky.

Donguri Village, an interactive tourist attraction in Saga city that has welcomed visitors for nearly four decades, is expected to close as early as autumn 2027 because of aging facilities and a decline in visitor numbers.

Bear sightings are increasing across Japan as the animals become more active during their summer breeding season, with encounters reported near major tourist destinations, campsites and fishing areas, including an attack that left a man injured in Gunma Prefecture.

The return rush at Kansai International Airport peaked on August 14 as travelers who spent the Obon holiday overseas arrived back in Japan, with 39,300 international passengers expected to land at the airport during the day.

Osaka police have arrested or referred 38 men and women in their 20s to 40s over suspected dangerous group driving and other offenses on Hanna Road, a mountain route linking Daito in Osaka Prefecture with Nara, as illegal street racing continues to disturb residents despite years of enforcement.

Japan's weather agency raised the volcanic alert level for Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture from Level 2 to Level 3 on August 14 after volcanic tremors strengthened and gas emissions increased sharply, warning people to stay away from areas within about 2 kilometers of the Nakadake No. 1 crater.

A male employee in his 60s was injured after being attacked by a bear while working on the grounds of a garden center in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, at around 8:30 a.m. on August 13.