Water Supply Disruptions Continue in Hakone

Feb 12, 2026 | News On Japan

KANAGAWA, Feb 12, 2026 (News On Japan) - A renewed water outage struck Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture after supplies briefly resumed on February 11th morning, with authorities reinstating water restrictions from 9 p.m. as frozen pipes and low reservoir levels linked to an intense cold wave continued to disrupt supply across the region.

Water service was restored earlier in the day, but officials were forced to halt supply again overnight in the Yumoto district from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., leaving restaurants and residents scrambling to prepare. At one local eatery, staff rushed to finish washing dishes ahead of the cutoff, ultimately closing two hours early because they could not operate without running water. Employees said water pressure had already dropped significantly during the day, with only a trickle coming from taps.

The outages, which affected about 1,300 households between February 10th and the morning of February 11th, were caused by frozen and damaged pipes following what authorities described as the strongest cold wave of the season, compounded by low rainfall that reduced water levels in supply reservoirs. Although reservoir levels temporarily recovered and service resumed on February 11th morning, water levels fell again, prompting the renewed nighttime shutdown.

Visitors have also been caught off guard. A high school student visiting Hakone on a graduation trip said there had been relief when service resumed, but the renewed outage left them worried. Residents and business owners expressed frustration but said they were preparing by storing water for toilets and other essential uses while hoping for a swift restoration.

Similar disruptions have occurred elsewhere. In Sagamihara, also in Kanagawa Prefecture, around 50 households experienced a water outage lasting until 1 p.m. on February 12th. One resident said he collected water in bottles and kettles but was most concerned about bathing and toilet use. In Ito, Shizuoka Prefecture, officials warned that up to 1,890 households could face water cuts, though they expect conditions to improve by Saturday.

Source: TBS

Google Opens Flagship Store in Tokyo's Omotesando

Google opened its first flagship store in Japan in Tokyo's Omotesando district at 2 p.m. on August 13, marking the company's first flagship retail location outside the United States.

The Unseen Reality of Kumamoto Quake Survivors

Fifteen days after the Kumamoto earthquake, restoration of electricity and transport infrastructure is progressing, but thousands of people are believed to remain outside official shelters, while rising construction costs and interest rates are creating new challenges for rebuilding homes and restoring livelihoods.

Jellyfish-Like Red Glow Lights Up Kanagawa

A mysterious red light stretching vertically across the night sky over Kanagawa Prefecture has been identified as a rare "sprite," a brief luminous phenomenon that occurs high above thunderclouds at roughly the same time as powerful lightning strikes.

Awa Odori Dancers Fill Tokushima Streets

Street performances began across Tokushima on August 12 as the city's Awa Odori festival entered its second day, with leading dance groups showcasing graceful routines after months of practice.

Newly Formed Typhoon No. 17 Could Near Kanto by Weekend

A large new typhoon formed near the Ogasawara Islands on August 12 and could approach Honshu around the end of the Obon holiday period, while the remnants of Typhoon No. 15 continue to bring unstable weather and a risk of heavy rain across a wide area of Japan.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Pythons Escape From Apartment in Kawasaki

Two pet pythons measuring about 2 meters in length escaped from an apartment in Kawasaki's Tama Ward early on August 13, prompting police and firefighters to search the surrounding residential area and warn local residents.

Teens on Stolen Motorcycle Fire Rockets at Police Officers

Two teenage boys from Tokyo's Adachi Ward have been arrested on suspicion of stealing a motorcycle and firing aerial fireworks toward police officers at two police boxes, telling investigators they were annoyed that a new police box had opened in the area.

Japanese Woman Trapped in North Korea for 40 Years

Hiroko Saito was 19 years old when she left Japan for North Korea in June 1961 with her Korean husband and their one-year-old daughter, persuaded by assurances that they were heading to a "paradise on earth" and that she could return to Japan after three years. Instead, she would spend four decades in North Korea, enduring chronic hunger, the deaths of her husband and children and a desperate struggle to survive before finally escaping and returning home in 2001.

Fire Breaks Out at Daido Steel Chita Plant in Aichi

A fire broke out late on August 11 at Daido Steel's Chita Plant in Tokai, Aichi Prefecture, burning through an outdoor area containing scrap metal and other materials, with no injuries reported and no flames spreading to nearby buildings.

Fake Images of Kumamoto Earthquake Spread Online

Two weeks after the Kumamoto earthquake, the spread of malicious fake images has emerged as a problem in disaster-hit communities, with one resident saying the manipulation feels like an insult to everyone in his area.

Osaka Police Pound on Door Before Raiding Yakuza Office

Osaka Prefectural Police searched an office linked to the Yamaguchi-gumi crime syndicate in Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture, on July 29 as part of an investigation into suspected receipt of money obtained through special fraud.

Zombie Cigarette Drug Busts Rise Across Kansai

Authorities in Kyoto and Osaka have arrested three men in separate drug cases involving so-called zombie cigarettes containing the designated drug etomidate, as investigators step up efforts against the illegal trade in the Kansai region.

Raccoon Damage Surges Across Japan

Raccoons are increasingly invading homes across Japan, damaging roofs and wiring, contaminating buildings with large amounts of urine and feces, and raising concerns over agriculture, native wildlife and the spread of disease as their population continues to expand.

< 2 3 4 5 >