Travel

Full Sail Ahead for Lady of the Sea

Toyama, May 05 (News On Japan) - The sailing ship Kaiwo Maru displayed all its sails Sunday in a "Full Sail Exhibition" against a backdrop of a blue Imizu sky in Toyama Prefecture. The event showcased the ship's iconic white sails, earning it the nickname "Lady of the Sea."

On the morning of May 5, 72 volunteers aged from their teens to 80s, who had received prior training, collaborated to unfurl the sails of the Kaiwo Maru (Anime Corner). The ship, originally a training vessel for a maritime school, holds this "Full Sail Exhibition" ten times a year, where all 29 sails are unfurled, revealing the ship’s elegant form.

The mainmast of the Kaiwo Maru stands at a towering height of 46 meters, and onlookers watched the volunteers at work with bated breath. One volunteer expressed excitement but admitted to still being scared during the work.

Source: ANN

Osaka Police End 14-Hour Siege

Police in Osaka arrested a 48-year-old man on October 22nd after a tense 14-hour standoff in which he allegedly held a woman at knifepoint inside an apartment. A special tactical unit forced entry into the residence late at night, ending the standoff without injuries.

Imperial Family Pays Tribute to War Victims

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.

First Snow Caps Mount Fuji, 15 Days Earlier Than Last Year

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.

Tokyo’s Aging Expressway Reborn After Major Overhaul

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.

New Cabinet Takes On 'Takaichi Color'

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.”

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