News On Japan

Monks Leap into Lake Biwa from 7-Meter Pole

Shiga, Aug 02 (News On Japan) - Monks training in Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture, performed the 'Isaki-no-saotobi' (jumping from a beam at Isaki) ritual, diving into Lake Biwa from a pole 7 meters high.

'Isaki-no-saotobi,' held annually on August 1st at Isakiji Temple in Omihachiman City, is a traditional event believed to date back to the Heian period. The monks dive into the lake bearing the wishes of the people, an act known as 'sacrificial practice.'

The pole, extending about 14 meters from a cliff, saw twelve monks who had completed a 100-day spiritual practice at Mount Hiei, jumping one after another from the 7-meter height, hands clasped in prayer.

Source: YOMIURI

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Japan's Ministry of Justice has released this year’s crime white paper, revealing that the number of recognized penal code offenses increased for the second consecutive year.

The operating company of 'Kinryu Ramen' in the bustling district of Minami, Osaka, announced on Thursday that the iconic giant dragon sign was being removed as part of the process to rebuild the aging store.

Osaka Metro and SkyDrive have announced plans to launch passenger operations of “flying cars” in the Morinomiya area of Osaka City by 2028.

A cold wave bringing midwinter-like temperatures swept across regions from Kanto to Kyushu starting on Wednesday night, resulting in the first snowfall observed in areas such as central Tokyo and Kumamoto.

Influenza cases in Japan have surged since early December, with a sharp increase in patient reports per medical institution. At a Towa Pharmaceutical factory in Yamagata, demand has exceeded supply despite last year’s facility expansion.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Society NEWS

Police in Kitakyushu have arrested Masanori Hirahara, a 43-year-old unemployed man living near the crime scene, on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the stabbing of two junior high school students at a fast-food restaurant.

Influenza cases in Japan have surged since early December, with a sharp increase in patient reports per medical institution. At a Towa Pharmaceutical factory in Yamagata, demand has exceeded supply despite last year’s facility expansion.

Police have arrested Takashima Nozomu, a 64-year-old author on suspicion of leaving a body in his apartment in Shinagawa, Tokyo.

An elderly woman was stabbed by another woman inside Kobe’s Sannomiya subway station, leading to the suspect’s arrest at the scene on charges of attempted murder.

Japanese 'kira-kira names,' with atypical pronunciation or meaning, could soon be partially accepted under certain conditions, according to proposed guidelines from Japan's Ministry of Justice.

The mourning ceremony for 15-year-old Nakashima Saya, who was fatally stabbed at a fast-food restaurant in Kitakyushu City, was held on Tuesday. The attack, which took place four days ago, left Nakashima dead and a male student seriously injured with a deep wound near his waist. Police continue to search for the suspect, who fled the scene immediately after the attack.

A man arrested in Osaka Prefecture for abandoning his duty of care wore a T-shirt that read "I refuse questioning," which police confiscated, citing it as a "dangerous item," a lawyer has revealed.

A woman who has come forward under her real name to accuse her father of sexual abuse criticized his not guilty plea during the first hearing, stating, "What daughter in the world would accept sexual acts from her father?"