April 11, 2014
KYOTO--The Kyoto Imperial Palace started its annual spring public exhibition on April 9, allowing visitors to see the Kenreimon gate open for the first time in 17 years.
April 08, 2014
A man wearing a dark outfit as stealthily as the night performs an incantation in a candle-lit room to expel evil spirits at the start of a program.
April 07, 2014
AnimeJapan 2014 ended its two-day run at the Tokyo Big Sight convention center in the capital's Ariake district with a sell-out crowd. The event wound up March 23.
April 04, 2014
UJI, Kyoto Prefecture--Byodoin temple’s Phoenix Hall, a World Heritage site home to a number of national treasures, reopened to the public on April 3 after about 18 months of major repairs and restoration.
April 02, 2014
KYOTO--Geisha and “maiko” apprentices performed annual spring dances April 1 to kick off the 142nd Miyako Odori event at the Gionkobu Kaburenjo theater in the ancient capital’s Higashiyama Ward.
March 31, 2014
NAGOYA--Just in time for an afternoon of fun, the rain let up on March 30, allowing nature lovers to get out and enjoy a relaxing few hours under the cherry blossoms in Tsuruma Park in Showa Ward.
March 22, 2014
TAKARAZUKA, Hyogo Prefecture--The famed, all-female Takarazuka Revue kicked off its centennial anniversary series of shows on March 21 with a total of 100 dancers taking to the stage at the Takarazuka Grand Theater.
March 20, 2014
SUSAMI, Wakayama Prefecture--Fish aficionados have gotten hooked on swimming with ocean sunfish in an enclosed area of Susami port.
March 20, 2014
To pray for recovery from the 2011 disaster, a major exhibition of Horyuji temple treasures will be held in Tokyo from April 26 through June 22 for the first time in 20 years at the University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts.
March 18, 2014
UJI, Kyoto Prefecture--A nearly 1,000-year-old temple hall here has undergone a major facelift to show its true colors.
March 15, 2014
Japan's only facility exclusively dedicated to electronic sports has been drawing crowds to Tokyo's Akihabara since its opening on Jan. 25.
March 14, 2014
KYOTO--One of Japan’s biggest and most renowned paintings by feudal era artist Hasegawa Tohaku is being exhibited for a limited time at Honpoji temple in the city’s Kamigyo Ward.
March 11, 2014
TAKARAZUKA, Hyogo Prefecture--Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum here is holding a major exhibition of the profound works of "Astro Boy" creator Osamu Tezuka, one of Japan’s most renowned manga and anime artists.
March 11, 2014
NARA--Free Wi-Fi services will soon be available to help visitors to Nara Park access online information about sites of interest more speedily.
March 10, 2014
TONOSHO, Chiba Prefecture--Local officials are trying to revitalize the popularity of classic gangster tale “Tenpo Suikoden” to promote the town of Tonosho.
March 04, 2014
GIFU--Japan has its share of maid cafes, cat cafes and even bunny rabbit cafes. It was only a matter of time until someone came up with a railroad cafe.
March 01, 2014
HITA, Oita Prefecture--A planning and distribution company is using bottles featuring manga characters from “Attack on Titan” to help peddle juice and liqueur made from ume Japanese apricots in the city’s Oyama area.
February 22, 2014
KAWASAKI--Earthlings will soon be able to sip on out-of-this-world drinks at a bar here devoted to space aliens and "kaiju" monsters.
February 21, 2014
BUNGO-ONO, Oita Prefecture--Divers have discovered a cavern of great proportions within the Inazumi Underwater Stalactite Cave here in southwestern Japan, believed to be the longest of its kind in the country.
February 14, 2014
MATSUE--She’s an African penguin and he’s a Japanese man, but 10-year-old Sakura is determined not to let their differences get in the way of her love for her sweetheart, particularly on Valentine’s Day.