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Okinawa’s bashofu textile endures into modern era
Bashofu, a light, cool fabric well suited for a summer kimono, is a traditional textile of Okinawa prefecture. The production of this unique fabric relies heavily on manual labor. Read more
The latest news, trends and photo galleries from Japan by Japan News and Yomiuri Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper founded in 1874.
Bashofu, a light, cool fabric well suited for a summer kimono, is a traditional textile of Okinawa prefecture. The production of this unique fabric relies heavily on manual labor. Read more
Fujitsu Ltd. and Tokai University have successfully used artificial intelligence to determine the freshness of frozen tuna. Read more
Wataru Yoshida had had enough. He wasn’t going back to school. Read more
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In late January in Yokote, Akita prefecture, eight men ranging in age from 40 to 90 gathered for an annual contest. The prize? The title of top bald head in Yokote. Read more
Weather companies have released their forecasts for the “cherry blossom front” — the advance of cherry blossoms across the country — which is expected to begin within days. Read more
Japanese space startup Iwaya Giken announced Feb. 21 it will launch manned viewing balloons into the stratosphere as early as fiscal 2023. Read more
A climber used an ice ax to ascend a frozen waterfall last month in the Sounkyo gorge in Kamikawa, Hokkaido, Japan. Read more
A manufacturer in Hiroshima prefecture has developed a stucco made from oyster shells, which typically go unused. Read more
Leading tire makers are accelerating the development of tires made with biomass. Read more
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. plans to commercialize a new technology that can instantly analyze data from tens of millions of vehicles, perhaps as early as the end of fiscal 2023. Read more
Hina dolls placed in bamboo stands sat in rows at the Matsui Kogeisha workshop in Kamigori, Hyogo prefecture, in late February. Read more
White T-shirts hang neatly across the walls, their sheer whiteness even more bright under the illumination of a spotlight. Read more
In landlocked Saitama prefecture, a project will soon be underway to cultivate a delicacy of the ocean: sea urchin. Read more
Efforts to utilize pumice generated by an underwater volcano near the Ogasawara Islands in March have begun in Okinawa and Kagoshima prefectures, where huge amounts of the volcanic rock washed ashore at fishing ports and beaches, causing tremendous damage. Read more
A hardy group of swimmers recently demonstrated an ancient battle-focused swimming technique in the Hiji River in Ozu. Read more
Staff at the Kameido Tenjin shrine in Tokyo crafted 30,000 cypress figurines of the Eurasian bullfinch for its annual rite last month. Read more
Shrine parishioners doused themselves with cold water during an annual ritual at the Kanda Myojin Shinto shrine in Tokyo last month. Read more
Clever are the entrepreneurs who have figured out how to tap into the bottomless well of unclaimed lost items found on trains and buses in Japan. Read more
Hotels that cater to guests’ preferences and interests, such as pets, cycling, movies or books, have been popping up one after another in Japan, as businesses work hard to set themselves apart from their competitors and improve a diminished occupancy rate amid the pandemic. Read more
Prior to the pandemic, it was common to see cheerful groups of volunteers picking up trash on the streets, but COVID-19 put a kink in such community service. Read more
At Kobe East Park in Kobe, Hyogo prefecture, a memorial event called “1.17 no tsudoi” (A gathering for Jan. 17) was held for the victims of the Kobe Earthquake by the city’s municipal government and other groups, with thousands of people attending. Read more
