May 23, 2013
HINOEMATA, Fukushima Prefecture—Hikers and alpinists gathered at the Miike climbing gate on May 23 for a ceremony to mark the opening of the mountains in the Oze National Park region.
May 23, 2013
Tokyo Skytree lit up the night sky of Sumida Ward in a blaze of color on May 22 to mark the first anniversary of the landmark tower's opening.
May 21, 2013
Tourism figures at the world's tallest free-standing broadcasting structure have gone sky-high.
May 21, 2013
ASAKURA, Fukuoka Prefecture--The reflection of 3,000 fireworks colored the surface of the Chikugogawa river in the Harazuru hot springs area of Haki district here on May 20, commemorating the opening of the "ukai" traditional cormorant fishing season and heralding the start of summer.
May 20, 2013
A record crowd of 1.87 million turned out for this year's annual Sanja Matsuri festival, which culminated on May 19 with a parade of main portable shrines through Tokyo’s Asakusa district.
May 18, 2013
After intermittent closures since 2010 for restoration work, Hokkedo Hall at the eighth-century Todaiji temple is set to reopen to the public on May 18 to show off its 1,000-year-old national treasures.
May 16, 2013
ABASHIRI, Hokkaido--A great feathery cloud has been making its way north across the sky above the Okhotsk Sea.
May 15, 2013
HIROSHIMA--Foodies living or traveling here had better start booking reservations if they want a seat at some of the best eateries, as French tire maker Michelin announced the establishments that made the pages of its first guide for Hiroshima Prefecture on May 14.
May 13, 2013
KYOTO--Starting in her late teens, Tokiko Nishiyama would trek once every three days from her hometown of Ohara to Demachiyanagi in Kyoto's Sakyo Ward.
May 07, 2013
IWAKI, Fukushima Prefecture--Something is fishy about a new sea creature at Aquamarine Fukushima: it’s not alive.
May 02, 2013
KYOTO--Mother Nature was at her best for the opening day of the “noryo yuka” season on May 1. Patrons enjoying the cool breezes along the Kamogawa river were treated to a large multicolored rainbow arcing across the horizon after a light springtime shower.
May 02, 2013
With her mate and other members of the troop looking on, Momoko, a 29-year-old western lowland gorilla, gave birth to a daughter on April 24 at Tokyo's Ueno Zoological Gardens in Taito Ward.
May 01, 2013
Majestic Mount Fuji, the iconic peak that has inspired artists over the centuries, is set to gain UNESCO World Heritage status in June following a recommendation from a key advisory panel.
May 01, 2013
OGA, Akita Prefecture—A baby polar bear born in December delighted visitors during her first public appearance at Oga Aquarium GAO on May 1.
April 30, 2013
KYOTO--Nostalgia-seekers and history buffs have two spots in Kyoto Prefecture that will take them on a virtual trip back through time through the use of miniature dioramas and a little imagination.
April 28, 2013
SERA, Hiroshima Prefecture—The slopes and fields of Kamu no Sato Rokutan park, a tourist farm, are a sea of seasonal color at this time of year.
April 27, 2013
TAKATSUKI, Osaka Prefecture--Hundreds of carp streamers fluttering in the wind over a riverside park in this western city greeted the start of the annual Golden Week holiday season this weekend.
April 27, 2013
YAMAGATA--A hidden Buddha statue at the revered Risshakuji temple here is on show for the first time in 50 years, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many people to see the centuries-old relic.
April 25, 2013
KYOTO--With its more than 1,000-year-old history, this ancient capital has numerous sacred treasures that are rarely unveiled for public viewing.
April 20, 2013
SAGAMIHARA, Kanagawa Prefecture--Some 1.4 kilometers of shibazakura (moss phlox) flowers are in full bloom along the banks of the Sagamigawa river.