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.
With just three weeks remaining until the closing of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, a growing problem has emerged: many visitors holding tickets cannot enter the venue, creating what is being called the issue of "dead tickets."
Wakayama Prefecture, home to the largest number of remote islands in the Kansai region, offers travelers a mix of uninhabited and inhabited islands, breathtaking coastal scenery, and fresh seafood delicacies. The prefecture is dotted with 655 islands, each with its own natural and cultural attractions.
Osaka’s landmark Shochikuza Theater in Dotonbori will close in May next year due to aging facilities, raising concerns about the future of the entertainment culture that has defined the district for centuries.
Shizuoka Prefecture saw no fatalities from mountaineering accidents this summer for the first time in three years, while deaths from water-related accidents increased sharply.
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.
Katsuura Hachiman Shrine in Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Prefecture, held its annual festival on September 21st, drawing tourists with the spectacular "Underwater Purification" ritual in which carriers of the mikoshi, or portable shrine, leapt into the sea from the fishing port pier.
The Akasaka Hikawa Festival, a traditional event dating back to the Edo period, reached its final day in Tokyo’s Akasaka district with sixteen portable shrines parading through the streets, filling the area with lively chants and large crowds of spectators.