TOKYO, Oct 14 (News On Japan) - One of the largest autumn festivals in the Kanto region has begun in Katori City, Chiba Prefecture, where 4-ton floats are moved in sync around the shape of the Japanese character "の".
The autumn festival has a history going back to the Edo period, and is also registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Both children and adults pull the floats through the town.
Over the course of three days from Sep 13, 400,000 people are expected to attend.
Reporters Without Borders has released its 2025 World Press Freedom Index, ranking Japan 66th out of 180 countries and regions surveyed, just behind Timor-Leste (65th) and Fiji (64th).
The Trump administration has imposed a 25% additional tariff on imported auto parts, including engines and transmissions, with the measure taking effect at 1:01 p.m. Japan time on May 3rd.
Plans are underway to install designated smoking areas inside the Expo site for the first time.
Okinawa Prefecture has issued a warning to watch out for habu snakes, which become more active as temperatures rise in May, particularly during farming and outdoor activities in mountainous areas.
A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after driving into seven elementary school children near an Osaka school as they were walking home.
A dugong, a nationally protected species feared to be at risk of extinction, was spotted swimming off the coast of Kume Island in Okinawa Prefecture in April. This marks the first confirmed sighting of a dugong in Okinawa since 2019.
Footage captured on May 1st shows a newborn fawn walking unsteadily. The fawn, a female measuring 51 centimeters in length and weighing 3,140 grams, was found that afternoon and is now staying at the nearby Rokuen protection facility with its mother. They will remain there until July.
Okinawa Prefecture has issued a warning to watch out for habu snakes, which become more active as temperatures rise in May, particularly during farming and outdoor activities in mountainous areas.
Nagoya’s first “Untertainment” attraction—combining poop-themed fun and entertainment—is set to open on May 4th on the third floor of LaLaport Nagoya Minato AQULS in Minato Ward.
A 5,000-yen afternoon tea set sold at the UK Pavilion of the Osaka-Kansai Expo has sparked criticism, prompting an apology from the British Embassy.
The India Pavilion at the Osaka-Kansai Expo opened on May 1st, marking its debut 18 days after the international event began on April 13th.
The Tokaido Shinkansen resumed service at 7:00 p.m. on April 30th after a power outage forced a suspension of operations, but major delays continued to affect the timetable.
During Golden Week, major sightseeing spots across Japan are expected to see heavy crowds, but in the Shumokucho district of Higashi Ward, Nagoya, visitors can quietly enjoy a retro atmosphere reminiscent of the Taisho era.
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