Happiness Ritual at Osaka Shrine: Laughing for 20 Minutes to Welcome the New Year

Debate is growing over whether Kyoto’s iconic Philosophers’ Path should be paved with asphalt or preserved in its natural state.

In Higashi-Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, the annual year-end "Laughter Ritual" took place on December 23rd at Hirano Shrine. The event, held to cast away distractions and welcome blessings for the New Year, has become a cherished tradition.

A Chinese national was sentenced to eight months in prison by the Tokyo District Court for defacing a stone pillar at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, an act deemed disrespectful to the worship site.

A temple in South Korea says it will return a Buddhist statue stolen from a Japanese temple after holding a memorial service for it next year. (NHK)

Nearly a year has passed since the Noto Peninsula earthquake struck on New Year’s Day, leaving the region grappling with recovery efforts and compounding challenges. In Suzu City’s Otani district, residents began moving into temporary housing earlier this month, following 11 months of hardship, including additional damage from September’s torrential rains.

A Lawson convenience store has opened in Ryujin Village, Wakayama Prefecture, bringing a much-needed lifeline to a rural community left without a supermarket. The store, which operates 24/7, was established through the passion of its owner, Atsushi Yamada, who sought to give back to the village where his grandfather was born.

The streets of Shibuya became a chaotic scene during the year-end party season, with excessive drinking leading to public disorder. People were found sleeping on the streets, fights broke out among groups of young revelers, and police and emergency services were frequently called to intervene.

Santa takes to the skies, delivering presents to southern islands. From the rear of an open transport aircraft, boxes equipped with parachutes descend to the ground, marked by the glow of a blue light. These deliveries, bringing joy to residents of remote islands in the South Pacific, are part of an international joint exercise involving Japan's Air Self-Defense Force since 2015.