Travel

Unprecedented March Downpours in Kyushu Trigger Landslides

NAGASAKI, Mar 24 (News On Japan) - Kyushu experienced record-breaking rainfalls on Sunday, triggering landslides and prompting caution against mudslides and rising river levels.

Cameras captured frequent lightning strikes as an active front stalled over Kyushu, bringing the most significant rainfall for March ever recorded in the area.

In Kumamoto City, a landslide caused a street lamp to fall and broke the rear window of a parked car. A security camera captured the moment of the landslide, showing the flow of mud pushing out the vehicle.

In Nagasaki, the impact left the cameraman speechless. Large rocks and mud flowed into the first floor of an apartment building. In the hilly city of Nagasaki, another landslide occurred, with fences and mud pouring onto a roof.

Warmer Weather Brings Respite in Tokyo

Tokyo experienced a slight easing of the cold, with Sunday returning to average seasonal temperatures.

The forecast for this week includes several warmer days, and signs of spring are just around the corner.

Tokyo is expected to see cherry blossoms start blooming on March 25th.

Source: ANN

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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Cormorant Fishing Marks Arrival of Early Summer in Southern Japan

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Historic Walk Through Miyama’s Thatched-Roof Village

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Japan Releases Six Rules to Avoid Bear Encounters

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Foreigners Suspected of Rampant Graffiti at Fushimi Inari Shrine

Video footage appears to show graffiti being carved into bamboo at Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Taisha, with witnesses claiming two foreign visitors were involved in the vandalism.

Fukuoka's Dazaifu Tenmangu Restored to Original Brilliance

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Elderly Hokkaido Man Punches Bear in the Nose

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Bear Appears Near Tokyo Homes and Schools

A bear sighting in a residential area of Hachioji, western Tokyo, at the end of April has heightened concerns among local residents as encounters involving bears continue to increase across Japan.

Russian Hiker Seriously Injured in Bear Attack in Western Tokyo

A Russian man in his 30s suffered serious injuries after being attacked by a bear while hiking on Mount Mutsuishi in Okutama Town, western Tokyo, at around 12:10 p.m. on May 17th, according to the Metropolitan Police Department and the Tokyo Fire Department.

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