From the Japan News and Yomiuri Shimbun.
A gathering for a karuta card-matching game traditionally played during the new year was held at Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto’s Higashiyama ward, the first such event in the three years since the pandemic began. Read more
Special ambulances used to transport pregnant and postpartum women have been operating in Arita, Wakayama prefecture, since the summer. Read more
The Environment Ministry plans to double the amount of metal recycled from sites where electronic devices are discarded, known as urban mines, by fiscal 2030 as part of the country’s goal of decarbonizing Japan. Read more
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The Tokyo Metropolitan Fire Department presented its annual New Year’s Fire Review on Jan. 6. Read more
A research base for lunar exploration is taking shape at the Tottori Sand Dunes, a popular tourist destination in Tottori prefecture with an environment that’s similar to the surface of the moon. Read more
A new wooden building completed in July at Sophia University’s Yotsuya campus in Tokyo was part of the university’s decarbonization efforts. Read more
A research facility in Meguro ward, Tokyo, that specializes in parasites has been drawing a lot of attention since the summer after a visit by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and an impromptu online donation drive. Read more
Shogakukan Inc. will offer new manga artists who debut their work in its weekly magazines up to 2 million yen (about $15,000) per series as part of a financial package to support struggling new mangaka (manga artists) amid the rising costs of living. Read more
Asana Mori is attempting to raise the profile of fish via YouTube, at a time when consumers are buying and eating less of it. Read more
Sony Corp. will begin replacing plastic packaging with eco-friendly materials in April 2023. Read more
Yuki Iozumi was fretting about how her shoulders might look in a wedding dress. Read more
In mid-August, Akio Shimada, 41, a veterinary prosthetist, crafted a leg for Ayumu, a 9-month-old Saint Bernard who had lost his right hind leg to an injury. Read more
Jazz kissa, or cafes with extensive collections of jazz records and high-end audio equipment for playing them, originated in Japan. Read more
As prices for raw materials continue to soar, the Japanese government is working toward using sewage treatment sludge as fertilizer. Read more
The Michigan sightseeing ship, a paddle-wheeler resembling a classic U.S. steamboat, is celebrating 40 years of taking people out on Lake Biwa pleasure cruises. Read more
Production of umeshu (plum liqueur) is in full swing at the Yoshino-Shuzo sake brewery in Katsuura, Chiba prefecture, which is taking advantage of its top-quality junmai daiginjo sake. Read more
This fall, major convenience stores are focusing on smoothies and other frozen drinks, referring to them as “drinkable sweets.” Read more
Major convenience store operators are gradually increasing the number of stores with unmanned payment systems in the face of a continued labor shortage as economic activity recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
Tokyo launched a system Nov. 1 officially recognizing couples with at least one person in a sexual minority, giving them access to some of the same services available to married couples. The system recognizes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning partnerships. Read more
A train station in Tokyo will be transformed into a gateway for a new Harry Potter theme park scheduled to open in 2023. Read more
Japan Airlines Co. will start factoring in the company’s carbon dioxide emission cuts when calculating executives’ pay. Read more
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