Travel

Giant Papier-Mache Figures Appear at Wakayama Hot Spring

Wakayama, Jan 13 (News On Japan) - At Kawayu Onsen in Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture, known for its rare hot springs that bubble up when the riverbed is dug, giant papier-mache figures—a winter tradition—have gone on display.

The jumbo papier-mache figures appear each year at this time as guideposts for Yakushi Nyorai, regarded as the guardian deity of Kawayu Onsen, when the deity is believed to return from the mountains to the village, expressing gratitude for the blessings of the hot springs.

This year, 11 distinctive figures made by pasting paper over bamboo frames and coloring them have been installed along the suspension bridge over the Oto River that flows through Kawayu Onsen, including an ema-style image of the zodiac animal for the year, the horse, as well as bears, which drew particular attention last year.

The giant papier-mache figures will remain on display through mid-February, delighting visitors to the hot spring resort during the winter season.

Source: YOMIURI

New Tropical Depression Threatens Flooding in Southern Japan

A newly formed tropical depression near Taiwan on June 9th is expected to intensify the seasonal rain front lingering over southwestern Japan, raising the risk of warning-level rainfall across Okinawa and the Amami Islands through around June 11th.

Japan National Team Holds First Training Session in Nashville

Japan's national soccer team arrived in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 8th from Monterrey, Mexico, where it had been conducting a pre-World Cup training camp, and held its first practice session at its base camp for the FIFA World Cup in North America.

Sakurajima Eruption Blankets Kagoshima in Volcanic Ash

A prolonged eruption at Sakurajima on June 7th blanketed parts of Kagoshima City in volcanic ash, turning roads gray and prompting long lines of vehicles seeking car washes after a plume of smoke rose 1,300 meters above the crater.

Japan Lifts Tsunami Advisories After Philippines Quake

A powerful earthquake struck off Mindanao Island in the southern Philippines at 8:38 a.m. (Japan time) on June 8th, generating tsunami waves across parts of the Pacific, causing building collapses and casualties near the epicenter, and prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue tsunami advisories along a wide stretch of Japan's Pacific coastline before lifting all of them at 4:50 p.m.

Unlicensed Peruvian Man Conducts Risky Medical Procedure During Delivery

A clinic director and a former Peruvian staff member have been referred to prosecutors after the man allegedly performed medical procedures without a license, including an external cephalic version—a procedure used to manually turn a baby into the correct position before birth—at an obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Fukuoka City, raising concerns about patient safety and oversight in maternity care.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Travel NEWS

JR East to Phase Out Traditional Paper Train Tickets

Passengers traveling on JR East services may soon no longer need to insert paper tickets into ticket gates, as the railway operator announced plans to gradually phase out its traditional black-backed paper tickets beginning next spring.

Foreign Tourists Ignore Fuji Closure Before Official Opening

Foreign tourists continue to climb Mount Fuji despite strict access restrictions ahead of the official climbing season, prompting local officials to renew calls for tougher penalties and requiring climbers to pay for rescue operations conducted during the mountain's closed period.

Rail Service Suspended on Tokushima's Dosan Line After Landslide

A slope collapse alongside the JR Dosan Line between Tsubojiri and Hashikura stations in Tokushima Prefecture, detected after a rockfall warning system was activated in the early hours of June 8th, has forced the suspension of train services with no timetable yet established for the restoration of operations.

JAL to Operate Chubu–Obihiro–Kushiro Flights Again This August

Japan Airlines will once again operate seasonal flights between Chubu Centrair International Airport and the Hokkaido cities of Obihiro and Kushiro throughout August, offering travelers from hot Nagoya a chance to enjoy the region's cooler summer climate.

Bear Spotted Running Through Central Utsunomiya Shopping District

A large bear was captured on security camera footage running through a shopping arcade in central Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, in the early hours of June 7th, as authorities stepped up warnings following a series of bear sightings across the city.

Tokai and Kanto Enter Rainy Season as Heavy Rain Threatens Western Japan

Japan's Meteorological Agency announced on June 7th that the rainy season is believed to have begun in the Tokai and Kanto-Koshin regions, marking the seasonal shift to wetter weather across a broad area of the country.

Yakushima Faces New Tourism Challenges

Yakushima, a world natural heritage island in Kagoshima Prefecture, is marking 60 years since the discovery of Jomon Sugi, the island's iconic cedar tree estimated to be more than 2,000 years old, as concerns grow over the future of the ancient forests that have long supported both tourism and local life.

Japan's Ancient Capitals Await World Heritage Status

Residents in Nara Prefecture are celebrating after UNESCO's advisory body recommended the archaeological complex known as the Asuka-Fujiwara Ancient Capitals for inscription as a World Heritage site, bringing the historic birthplace of Japan's ancient state one step closer to international recognition.

< 2 3 4 5 >