220-Meter Skybridge Opens at Biwako Valley in Shiga

Aug 25, 2026 | News On Japan

SHIGA - A new 220-meter pedestrian suspension bridge has been completed at Biwako Valley in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, offering visitors sweeping views of Lake Biwa from mountains about 1,100 meters above sea level.

The new attraction, named Skybridge, connects mountains within the Biwako Valley resort and is designed exclusively for pedestrians.

Although fog reduced visibility on August 22, visitors can see across Lake Biwa in clear weather while experiencing the thrill of crossing a suspension bridge surrounded by sky, mountains and Japan's largest lake.

One visitor said, "I thought it was pretty high. I was scared I might drop my smartphone."

Another said, "The weather was bad, but it was beautiful in a different, almost mystical way."

The bridge began a pre-opening period on August 22 and is already open for visitors to cross.

Its grand opening is scheduled for September 14.

Source: ABCTVnews

Typhoon No. 24 Drenches Okinawa Before Expected Turn East

Typhoon No. 24 (Krovahn) was moving south near Okinawa's main island as of 9 p.m. on September 5, bringing extremely heavy rain exceeding 50 millimeters per hour in some areas north of the storm's center, which the Japan Meteorological Agency estimated to be over waters about 100 kilometers southeast of Naha with a central atmospheric pressure of 992 hectopascals.

Tokyo Unveils Design for Symbol Tree at Shinjuku Station

Tokyo has unveiled the design for a major redevelopment of the plaza outside Shinjuku Station's west exit, with a landmark tree, water-play area and event space planned as part of a transformation centered on "greenery, light and people" that is scheduled for completion in 2035.

Japanese Researcher Wins Ig Nobel Prize

A late former professor at Asahikawa Medical University has won the Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine for scientifically examining the proper way to blow the nose, extending Japan's streak of Ig Nobel winners to 20 consecutive years.

Shinkansen Takes on Overnight Travel

Night trains are making a comeback across Japan, with railway operators introducing new overnight services and even experimenting with overnight Shinkansen trains as demand grows for alternatives that combine transportation, accommodation and the experience of traveling through the night.

Bear Attacks Continue as Peak Season Looms

Bear sightings and attacks have been reported across Japan throughout the summer, with animals damaging sheds, attacking livestock and injuring people, while experts warn that autumn is the most dangerous season as bears expand their range in search of food.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Travel NEWS

Japan Customs Blocks Record Number of Imports Over IP Violations

Japanese customs authorities blocked a record 19,568 shipments suspected of infringing intellectual property rights in the first half of 2026, up 12% from a year earlier, as the expansion of cross-border e-commerce drove an increase in imported parcels.

Hikone Castle Selected for UNESCO World Heritage Nomination

Hikone Castle in Shiga Prefecture has been formally selected as Japan's candidate for nomination as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, advancing a campaign that has continued for more than 30 years and aims to secure inscription in the summer of 2028.

Highway Service Areas Become Tourist Destinations

Highway service areas around the Kanto region are becoming destinations in their own right, offering travelers everything from freshly harvested vegetables and popular regional restaurant dishes to baths, observation decks and family events during the busy summer vacation season.

Japan Doubles Fuel Subsidy Rate for Domestic Airlines

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry raised subsidies for aviation fuel used on domestic flights from September 3, doubling the support rate while ending subsidies for international flights.

Shinkansen Takes on Overnight Travel

Osaka Plans to Bar New Minpaku Operations in Wooden Buildings

Osaka City plans to tighten regulations on private lodging businesses, or minpaku, by generally prohibiting new operations in wooden and steel-frame apartment buildings where residents already live, following repeated complaints over noise and garbage.

Bear Attacks Continue as Peak Season Looms

Kashima Shrine Holds Once-in-12-Years Ofune Festival

Kashima Shrine in Kashima, Ibaraki Prefecture, held its Ofune Festival on September 2, with a spectacular fleet of more than 100 brightly decorated boats sailing along rivers and across lakes in a tradition staged once every 12 years during the Year of the Horse.

< 2 3 4 5 >