Travel

Tokyo's Cherry Blossoms Bloom Early This Year

TOKYO, Mar 31 (News On Japan) - The Japan Meteorological Agency announced on March 30th that cherry blossoms (Somei-Yoshino) in central Tokyo have reached full bloom, one day earlier than the historical average and five days earlier than last year.

Private weather company Weathernews, based in Chiba, forecasts that many areas in western Japan will also see full bloom over the coming week. Blooming is expected to progress steadily in the Hokuriku and Tohoku regions as well. In Hokkaido, cherry blossoms are projected to bloom between late April and early May.

Source: Kyodo

Japan Welcomes New Generation of Adults

Ceremonies celebrating those turning 20 were held across Japan on January 12th, with events taking place nationwide to mark Coming of Age Day.

China Begins Restricting Rare Earth Exports to Japan, U.S. Paper Reports

The Wall Street Journal reported on January 8th, citing two Chinese exporters, that the Chinese government has started imposing limits on shipments of rare earths and related materials bound for Japan.

JAXA’s Oldest Astronaut Set for Long-Term Stay on ISS

Osamu Suwa, an astronaut with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), is set to undertake his first long-term stay aboard the International Space Station, becoming the eighth Japanese astronaut to do so.

Kyoto Student Crowned First Lucky Man

A traditional New Year event known as the “Lucky Man Selection,” in which participants compete to be the first to pray for the new year, was held on January 10th at Nishinomiya Shrine in Hyogo Prefecture, the head shrine of “Ebessan,” the deity of prosperous business.

N-BOX Tops Japan’s New Car Sales for Fourth Straight Year

According to vehicle-by-model new car sales figures released on January 8th by the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the National Light Motor Vehicle Association, the best-selling vehicle in Japan in 2025 was Honda’s light vehicle N-BOX, marking its fourth consecutive year at the top of the rankings.

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Okinawa Tourism Enters a New Phase of Growth in 2026

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