Jun 09 (VIRTUAL JAPAN) - Wandering around Tokyo's most famous temple, Senso-ji, in the Asakusa district from day to night. As the sun sets on Japan, the temple and pagoda are illuminated, and is a beautiful sight with Tokyo Skytree lit up in the background. For sure one of my favorite even spots to wander around and take in the sights.
Japan welcomed more than 40 million foreign visitors in 2025 for the first time, setting a new annual record, even as arrivals from China fell sharply in December.
A strong winter pressure pattern is expected to persist through the weekend, raising the risk of additional snowfall mainly along the Sea of Japan coast, including the Hokuriku and Sanin regions, with authorities urging caution against potential heavy snow disasters.
A traditional New Year event known as “Jaduna” was held in Miyazu, Kyoto Prefecture, with local residents praying for a year of good health and protection from illness.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced on Monday that she will dissolve the House of Representatives on January 23rd, the opening day of the regular Diet session, and hold a snap general election with voting set for February 8th.
Japan’s two-day nationwide university entrance exam has concluded without major disruption, even after introducing its first online application system and requiring students to print their own admission tickets.
A fire festival was held on January 17th at Cape Shionomisaki in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, the southernmost point of Honshu, where organizers set ablaze the roughly 100,000-square-meter “Boro no Shiba” grassland overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Dozens of suitcases lined the shelves of a police warehouse near Narita Airport, with around 200 pieces of luggage being stored after being left behind inside the airport, highlighting a growing problem that has become increasingly visible across Japan.
All the tips you need to get started planning your trip to Japan! (japan-guide.com)
The long-delayed extension of the Hokkaido Shinkansen to Sapporo is facing further setbacks, with the opening now pushed back by more than a decade and total project costs projected to more than double, even as construction steadily advances on the ground.
A group of wild animals startled a driver on a mountain road in Toyama Prefecture, highlighting the risks of unexpected wildlife encounters on rural routes.
A powerful winter pressure pattern is expected to bring severe blizzard conditions mainly to northern Japan through January 15th, prompting authorities to warn of violent snowstorms and high waves that are likely to disrupt transportation. In Hokkaido, flight cancellations mounted as the storm intensified, forcing around 900 passengers to spend the night at airports after services were suspended.
Hokkaido is set to relax the criteria for issuing its so-called “brown bear alert,” making it possible to release warnings even before human injuries occur, as the prefecture seeks to respond more flexibly to the early appearance of dangerous animals.
Wintersweet flowers, often said to herald the arrival of spring, have reached their peak at a shrine in Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture. The wintersweet, which produces small, glossy pale yellow blossoms, is in full bloom on the grounds of Sasaki Shrine in the Azuchi district of Omihachiman. About 20 trees have been planted there, including both early- and late-blooming varieties.
