Apr 21 (Video Street View Japan) - Welcome back to the Ginza Line Walking Tour. This is part 2 of 6. Today, let’s pick up from where we left off—Aoyama-itchome—and walk past the vast Akasaka Imperial Residence toward Akasaka-mitsuke.
From there, we’ll head south, passing through Tameike-sanno and continue on to Toranomon, an area known for its many government buildings. Along the way, let’s stop by an interesting temple and a shrine as well.
A Japanese woman working with Doctors Without Borders has delivered a harrowing account from Gaza, where severe food shortages and relentless Israeli airstrikes have pushed local hospitals and residents to the brink of collapse.
The squid fishing season officially opened on June 1st in Hakodate, where 11 boats set out from the port despite recent years of severely depleted catches and early reports from Aomori, which began fishing in May, already indicating another poor haul.
Amid mounting financial strain and work reform policies, Japan’s university hospitals are struggling to maintain the quality of their medical research, threatening the future of healthcare in the country. A recent survey of approximately 3,000 physicians working in university hospitals revealed that 60% spend less than five hours a week on research, with 22% reporting zero research time. The main reason: they are simply too busy with clinical duties to conduct research.
Mako Komuro, the eldest daughter of the Akishino family and now living in the United States, has given birth to her first child, the Imperial Household Agency announced on May 30th. The agency stated that the birth was disclosed during a press conference after some media reports surfaced, despite their intention to allow Komuro to live in a quiet environment following her departure from the Imperial family.
Akie Abe, widow of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, visited the Kremlin on May 29th and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the meeting, Akie was seen tearfully listening to Putin’s words, reflecting the emotional nature of their exchange. Following the conversation, she was invited to ride in Putin’s official limousine to the Bolshoi Theatre, where the two attended a ballet performance together.
JR West has announced a new route for its luxury sleeper train, the "Twilight Express Mizukaze", which will circle Lake Biwa and connect Kyoto with Shimonoseki on a two-day, one-night journey.
A grand maritime parade featuring the iconic Japanese tall ship Nippon Maru and around 50 small yachts took place in Osaka Bay on May 31st near Yumeshima, the man-made island hosting the Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai.
Okinawa Prefecture announced during a meeting with the tourism industry on May 27th that it is aiming for its annual tourism revenue to exceed 1 trillion yen for the first time in fiscal 2025, and plans to introduce a lodging tax during fiscal 2026.
A 20-year-old man who went missing while attempting to swim across Hakata Bay from Nokonoshima Island to the mainland was found in the water and later confirmed dead.
A British couple in light clothing was rescued from Mount Yotei in Hokkaido on May 13th, after sending an SOS due to the cold. The incident has reignited concern over poorly prepared climbers, especially foreign visitors, as mountain guides emphasize the need for greater awareness of hypothermia risks, particularly in northern Japan.
Naha is the gate city for Okinawa vacation. It's not a place with beautiful beaches, but it's great base for traveling across Okinawa main island and other islands. Naha also has charm that you can explore, without getting a rental car. (Tokyo Kenchan)
The city of Sapporo announced that this year's Lilac Festival, which concluded on May 25th, drew a record-breaking 769,000 visitors.
While working as a civil servant in Sapporo, Mitsuhiko Kamata spent decades capturing the natural beauty of Hokkaido through his lens. Now, having taken early retirement after 35 years, he has dedicated himself full time to pursuing the fleeting, miraculous moments found in nature—moments he believes must rise to the level of art to truly move the viewer.
