The calming smoke and subtle fragrances of Japanese incense are fueling growing global interest, pushing exports to a record high of more than 1.8 billion yen.
Japan's public bathhouse industry is being reshaped by the sauna boom, with a growing number of "next-generation bathhouses" succeeding in tripling customer spending and returning to profitability even as many traditional neighborhood bathhouses struggle with rising costs and aging facilities.
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 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.
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.
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.