Daffodils in Full Bloom at Mt. Hōrai: 300,000 Blossoms at the Summit

Jun 13, 2024 | News On Japan

Shiga, Jun 13, 2024 (News On Japan) - Mount Hōrai (elevation 1174m), located in the central part of the Hira Mountains in Ōtsu City, Shiga Prefecture, was once a training ground for Shugendō practitioners. It is named "Hōrai," meaning "the mountain where immortals live," according to Chinese legend.

In winter, it is bustling with many skiers as the Biwako Valley Ski Resort. However, its charm is not limited to winter. From late April to early May, around 300,000 daffodil flowers bloom on the slopes near the summit.

Source: YOMIURI

Typhoon No. 15 Disrupts Obon Travel as ANA Cancels 58 Flights

Typhoon No. 15 (Chan-hom) began causing significant disruption to Japan's Obon holiday travel on August 11, with ANA canceling 58 flights serving Haneda and Narita airports, JAL canceling four flights, and JR East suspending some services on the Joban Line as the storm approached eastern Japan.

Typhoon No. 15 Set to Make Landfall in Kanto

Typhoon No. 15 (Chan-hom) was closing in on the Kanto region on the evening of August 11 and is expected to soon make landfall in or around Ibaraki Prefecture before crossing Honshu from east to west, an unusual path that could bring heavy rain, powerful winds and high waves across a wide stretch of Japan through August 12.

H3 Rocket No. 9 Successfully Launches Japan GPS Satellite

Japan's H3 Rocket No. 9 successfully placed the Michibiki No. 7 navigation satellite into its planned orbit after lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 4:23 a.m. on August 11, marking the country's second consecutive successful H3 launch.

Tokaido Shinkansen Runs First Overnight Service

The Tokaido Shinkansen operated its first overnight service ahead of the Obon holiday period, offering travelers a 15,000 yen trip from the Tokyo area to Kyoto and Shin-Osaka while allowing them to save on hotel costs and arrive earlier than the first regular morning trains.

Typhoon No. 15 to Disrupt Travel on August 11

Typhoon No. 15 is expected to approach and likely make landfall somewhere in the Kanto region on August 11, bringing strong winds and heavy rain that could disrupt conventional rail services, expressways and flights while also affecting a wider area extending into Tohoku.

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