Picture Books Booming in Japan

Every year, as new first graders enter elementary school in Japan, they are asked about their dreams for the future. For the 18th consecutive year, the most popular career choice among both boys and girls is to work in a cake or bread shop.

Rescue workers in Saitama Prefecture are continuing efforts to retrieve a 74-year-old truck driver who became trapped when a massive sinkhole opened beneath his vehicle at an intersection in Yashio City on the morning of January 28th.

Nestled in the quiet Kyoto neighborhood of Iwakura, Green Heights has served for 70 years as more than just a student dormitory—it is a nurturing home where, even at 79, dorm mother Katsuko continues to care for students with unwavering devotion.

In this video, I draw a bald eagle—a powerful symbol of the United States—using only a 10B pencil. Watch how simple shapes evolve into a dynamic, lifelike sketch, and discover my techniques for bringing out highlights with kneaded erasers and pressure control. (Watercolor by Shibasaki)

Kyushu University held its entrance ceremony on April 3rd, welcoming 2,594 new undergraduate students. As many begin living alone for the first time, they face rising living costs, with average monthly allowances increasing slightly to 72,350 yen.

When the sun sets in the world’s most captivating cities, a different kind of elegance emerges. For the refined traveler who craves more than the ordinary, cities like Tokyo and Dubai transform into luxurious playgrounds where fantasies take flight under the moonlight.

The Osaka Prefectural Board of Education has decided to move the general entrance exam date for public high schools to March 1st, starting three years from now.

The Imperial Household Agency announced that Prince Hisahito, the eldest son of the Akishino family, who will begin his studies at the University of Tsukuba this spring, will have a private apartment prepared near the university for potential solo living.