Kumamoto, Sep 22 (News On Japan) - The highlight of the annual grand festival at Fujisaki Hachimangu Shrine in central Kumamoto, the sacred procession, was held on September 21st with decorated horses parading through the city center to the sound of festive music.
This year, about 12,000 participants from 59 groups joined the event, bringing energy and color to the streets as the traditional celebration unfolded.
Source: JIJI
A bombshell report has surfaced in Kanagawa Prefecture, the political base of Shinjiro Koizumi, where as many as 826 members of the Liberal Democratic Party aligned with the Takaichi faction were treated as having resigned from the party without their consent, according to an investigation by the weekly magazine Bunshun.
Osaka City decided on September 30th to suspend new applications for so-called special zone minpaku, a category of private lodging that has seen a sharp rise in disputes with local residents.
North Safari Sapporo, a private zoo in the southern district of Sapporo, closed its doors on September 30th after 20 years of operation, leaving around 300 animals including lions and wolves without a confirmed relocation plan.
Tokyo is expected to record a high of 22°C on October 1st, marking the first time in 112 days since June 11th that the temperature has fallen below 25°C, with rainfall cooling the air and bringing an end to the long stretch of summer-like days.
Photos of cult founder Shoko Asahara, whose real name was Chizuo Matsumoto and who was executed for his role in the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack, are being displayed alongside childhood pictures of his son in facilities linked to Aleph, the successor group to Aum Shinrikyo, according to findings by the Public Security Intelligence Agency (PSIA).
A travel vlogger shares their excitement upon arriving in Tokyo from Osaka, calling the city their favorite in Japan and possibly the world.
Osaka is preparing to close the curtains on the Kansai Expo, and a larger-than-usual fireworks display called the "Expo Thanks Fireworks" was staged to express gratitude to everyone involved in the event.
The stone walls of the Takeda Castle ruins in Hyogo Prefecture emerged above the clouds as they were illuminated by the morning sun.
A 43-year-old man was attacked by a bear while walking his dog in a park in Sapporo’s Nishi Ward on Friday night, prompting authorities to close the area and heighten patrols. His injuries are not life-threatening.
Hoshino Resorts announced on September 25th that it will open the Nara Prison Museum in April next year, transforming the former Nara Prison, once used as a juvenile correctional facility, into a combined hotel and museum.
A sea of clouds spread across Lake Kussharo in Teshikaga, eastern Hokkaido, on Wednesday morning, creating a striking early sign of the coming winter.
Inbound tourism to Japan rose nearly 20% from January to August 2025 compared with a year earlier, though most visitors continue to flock to major cities, raising concerns about overtourism.
Ine, a small fishing town in northern Kyoto Prefecture known for its traditional wooden boat houses, has recently become a social media sensation, drawing a record number of visitors.
