If you get off the Seibu Railway train at Higashi-Murayama station, a gateway to the suburban Tokyo city of the same name you will be greeted by a somewhat surreal statue of a feudal lord in kimono giving a chin-level salute It might leave you puzzled if you don't know the context but a majority of the Japanese public is likely to take it as a touching tribute to a superstar He performed for audiences from 1970 to 2020 when he passed away from COVID-19 complications He was arguably the most beloved comedian in Japanese culture known for many television appearances and original gags One of his TV shows, Fun TV with Kato-chan and Ken-chan (1986–1992) was so successful that it got a localized spinoff in the U.S Shimura released a cover of "Higashimurayama Ondo," a song originally written by the local farmers association in 1963 which became a surprise novelty hit of the year the city planted a trio of zelkova trees outside Higashi-Murayama station and dedicated them to Shimura which have since come to be nicknamed Shimura's Trees the station has used the melody of his "Ondo" as its signature jingle The statue of Ken Shimura was created from a crowdfunding campaign that raised 32 million yen from 6,600 donors the statue was completed and inaugurated in June 2021 depicting the actor in his iconic Baka-tono ("silly lord") persona striking his trademark pose Behind the statue is a mural with a composite picture of Shimura and a message from the city: "Thank you for all the laughs and deep emotions that you gave us." Higashimurayama is a city in Tokyo Metropolis but outside the 23 special wards; Higashi-Murayama Station can be reached from Seibu-Shinjuku Station in about 40 minutes Honoring the star of the “The Bob Newhart Show” which took place in the city of Chicago in the 1970s this local jester concocted a clever return Dedicated to the legendary comedian Eric Morecambe depicting his iconic "Bring Me Sunshine" stance The "punniest place on Earth” has nearly as many bull-themed puns as it does people poker-waving elephant statue stands in a Viking longboat in Kirkby town center A unique tribute to the chocolatey past that helped shape one British city The 100-foot-tall (30-meter) bronze statue was built to recognize the world's only documented all-female army and the enduring spirit of Japanese craftsmanship the Wakuni Shoten café will open in January 2024 images courtesy Kengo Kuma & Associates The Wakuni Shoten café is the result of a collaboration between Kengo Kuma & Associates, Okaniwa Construction Co., and Tomokazu Uchino The space was born from a deep love for Uchino’s childhood home Witnessing the district’s gradual decline the team sought to breathe new life into the area while celebrating its rich heritage The collaboration with Kengo Kuma and his design team proved to be the perfect marriage of vision and expertise as the Japanese architect is known for his work with salvaged materials The defining feature of Kengo Kuma’s Wakuni Shoten café is undoubtedly its exterior a patterned composition of seven hundred patinated bronze plates each sourced from the roof of Hayatani Shrine in Hiroshima Prefecture Rather than discarding these disused plates Tomokazu Uchino and his team of skilled craftsmen painstakingly reshaped and repurposed them The result is a mesmerizing facade that shimmers with a spectrum of greens and blues The café’s interior walls are finished in a stark black plaster designed by Kengo Kuma and crafted from salvaged seats of the former National Stadium Sustainability is woven into the very fabric of the project The decision to reuse the cafe’s original 52-year-old framework honors the past while minimizing environmental impact By reinforcing the foundation and strategically integrating new wood the team has revived the derelict structure demonstrating a respect for both the environment and the district’s history project title: Wakuni Shoten Café | @wakuni_cafe architecture: Kengo Kuma | @kkaa_official materials collaborator: Tomokazu Uchino | @tomokazu_uchino, @uchinobankin design, construction: Okaniwa Construction Co. | @okaniwastyle client: Wakuni Shoten | @wakunishoten AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style Space Data Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku President; hereinafter "Space Data") and KDDI Corporation (headquartered in Chiyoda-ku President & CEO; hereinafter "KDDI") will conduct a demonstration (hereinafter "the Demonstration") from April 2025 to October 2025 in which a robot will operate inside the Virtual International Space Station (hereinafter "Virtual ISS") which was developed in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (hereinafter "JAXA") Tokyo; President and CEO: Makoto Takahashi; hereinafter "KDDI") will conduct a demonstration (hereinafter "the Demonstration") of robot operation in the Virtual International Space Station (hereinafter "Virtual ISS") which was developed in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (hereinafter "JAXA")1.For this demonstration we developed a technology to operate the robot in the virtual ISS (hereinafter referred to as "this technology") using the commands used to operate JAXA's space robot (Int-Ball2) which is currently in operation on the actual ISS.In this demonstration space robot behavior is reproduced in the virtual ISS and compared with the behavior of a space robot in the actual ISS when operated with similar commands.Through this verification the two companies will improve the accuracy of this technology and the reproducibility of the virtual ISS based on the video images and physical environment data such as gravity acquired from the space robot in the actual ISS This will enable multifaceted verification using the virtual ISS during the design and development phases of spacecraft and robots with the aim of significantly reducing development costs and improving the efficiency of space station operations through the use of robots.The two companies will exhibit the Virtual ISS at MWC Barcelona 2025 The two companies will have partner companies experience the Virtual ISS to confirm its usefulness and consider adding functions that are in high demand MWC Barcelona 2025:https://www.kddi.com/mwc2025 With the government announcing the creation of a 1 trillion yen "Space Strategy Fund" (Note 2) in April 2024 and the space market projected to be worth 1 trillion dollars (Note 3) by 2040 the space business is becoming a business opportunity for private companies.On the other hand space is a special and harsh environment with weightlessness as well as difficult to verify for commercialization and the barriers to entry are high due to business uncertainty and cost Space Data is working to digitally recreate space in an effort to make space as accessible as the Internet through the use of digital technology and to create a future in which anyone can participate in space development.The Virtual ISS is a digital reproduction of the ISS's highly accurate three-dimensional spatial information and physical environment It is expected to be used in various fields such as simulation of space robot and spacecraft development and environmental monitoring of the ISS.It is currently available free of charge worldwide on Steam@ for use by game users and in education (Note 4).On May 30 KDDI launched the "MUGENLABO UNIVERSE" (hereafter "the Program") a co-creation program between startups and business companies that aims to solve problems on Earth by utilizing space the Company is expanding the number of users of the simulation environment built by Space Data and providing financial support for commercialization (Note 5) The JAXA space robot (Int-Ball2) operating on the ISS is reproduced in the Virtual ISS and the robot in the Virtual ISS is operated by this technology By establishing an environment in which the robot in the virtual ISS can operate with actual commands we will enhance the verification in the virtual ISS in the design and development phase.We will compare the simulation results of the Virtual ISS with the behavior of a space robot on the actual ISS when similar operation commands are sent to the space robot the accuracy of the Virtual ISS will be improved by utilizing environmental data of the ISS obtained through the space robot.This demonstration will utilize JAXA's "Kibo" paid use program.The Virtual ISS which has been made more accurate through this verification will be provided to startups and large companies through this program to support the verification of space robots and buildings developed by each company in the digital space (Note 6) we also aim to build a system that enables the Virtual ISS to be used for space experience contents MUGENLABO UNIVERSE is a program in which KDDI serves as the representative company aiming at the co-creation of space business by startups and large companies and the solution of issues on the ground using space technology.This program aims to co-create space projects between startups and large companies and to solve problems on the ground by utilizing space technology.In September 2024 on behalf of the companies participating in MUGENLABO UNIVERSE was selected as a participant in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's "Cluster Creation Project for Challenging Global Innovation (hereinafter TIB CATAPULT)" (Note 7) (Note 7) The TIB CATAPULT project will contribute to the development of new commercial products and business growth of startups while receiving network and financial support from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government for the operation of MUGENLABO UNIVERSE.Space Data will provide the participating companies with the "Space Digital Twin," a digital space that reproduces the space environment of the ISS and the Moon's surface to enable them to experiment and demonstrate space robots and other products they develop in the digital space This will lower the barriers to the development and testing of space equipment and promote open innovation that takes advantage of the diverse technologies of each company Space Data aims to "democratize" space and make it accessible as infrastructure that anyone can use we are focusing on digital twin technology to reproduce the earth and space environment and on the development of space robots and space station operating systems.By combining "space" and "digital" technologies we are working to promote a new revolution in the space industry and realize a sustainable space society For those wishing to publish articles/promotional support Those who wish to support open innovation A bronze statue of the late Japanese comedian Ken Shimura was unveiled Saturday in his hometown of Higashimurayama in Tokyo in memory of the slapstick legend who died of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus last year The statue showing Shimura's signature pose widely known as "Aiin" throughout the country was installed at an entrance of Seibu Railway's Higashimurayama Station after funds were raised through a crowdfunding project The organizers of the crowdfunding campaign raised more than 27 million yen ($243,000) from about 6,500 people to make the statue of Shimura who was also a one-time member of rockabilly band and comedy group The Drifters Shimura's older brother Tomoyuki and Boo Takagi one of the surviving members of The Drifters "I am happy to unveil the magnificent statue with the support of my brother's fans all over the country from Okinawa to Hokkaido," Tomoyuki Shimura said died on March 29 last year at the age of 70 To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Tokyo World-renowned architect Kengo Kuma does not limit himself to headline-grabbing, mega-scale projects such as his Japan National Stadium or Shibuya Scramble Square a new cafe showcasing the work of sheet metal artisans illustrates his vision for more modestly sized projects Around 700 bronze plates – ‘upcycled’ from the former roof of a Shinto shrine in Hiroshima prefecture – cover the striking facade of this premises in west Tokyo’s Higashi-Murayama neighbourhood you can check out origami-inspired sheet metal cranes and other objects crafted by local firm Uchino A selection of products is available to purchase Wakuni Shoten may well make this suburb a destination on the global design map: it’s certainly worth the journey off the beaten track. facebooktwitterpinterestinstagramAbout us Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors The leading authority for the Architecture & Design community Recharge in a Restored Spanish Farmhouse in Menorca Words: Danielle Demetriou Photography: Jimmy Cohrssen The scales of a living fish are not a typical starting point for a design concept. Yet this is an idea that underpins Wakuni Shoten, a café in suburban Tokyo by Japanese architect and Interior Design Hall of Fame member Kengo Kuma that boasts a rhythmic three-dimensional facade of more than 700 verdigris copper plates repurposed from a shrine The tidy 600-square-foot spot occupies a former tobacco store in a 55-year-old wooden building on a quiet shopping street in Higashimurayama The project was helmed by local sheet-metal artisans aiming to revitalize the neighborhood and create an innovative community base coffee and Shiba dog-shaped cookies are served amid such crafted brass details as angular counters and shapely pendant fixtures the warm metal juxtaposing the concrete flooring and black plaster walls Explore our comprehensive collection of interior design jobs as well as curated career resources that align with your skills and creative vision. Image source, Aly VanceImage caption, The snow has settled on Tokyo racecourse in Funchu city, raising questions about the Japan Cup due to be held there on Sunday. Image source, Aly VanceImage caption, Journalist Aly Vance took this picture of horses training ahead of the Japan cup on Sunday saying the horses didn't seem too pleased by the weather! Image source, Bav MajithiaImage caption, Bav Majitha, who is visiting Japan, took this picture of the snow falling down on Tokyo. Image source, @notesofnomadsImage caption, Snow has settled on the traditional torii gate at Hikawa shrine in Higashimurayama, Tokyo. Image source, Ayaka KazamaImage caption, Students on The International Christian University campus in Mitaka, Tokyo woke up to a snowy view today. Image source, Celina AlejandroImage caption, After a trip to Kyoto in Japan, Celina Alejandro, came back to find that winter had arrived in Tokyo with the trees covered in snow. Image source, Celina AlejandroImage caption, Settling on trees and fences, the early snow has covered this garden in the city. Image source, Kohei Morita Image caption, Here's the snowy scene in Higashi-Kurume city in Tokyo, where the Seibu Ikebukuro railway line crosses Kurome river. Image source, FuutaImage caption, So far the covering of snow has only been light, but there's always enough snow for a snowman! Royals watch Red Arrows flypast for VE Day 80th anniversary Experience the VE Day flypast from inside a Red Arrows cockpit in 360 video Israel security cabinet approves plan to 'capture' Gaza, official says What impact might Trump's Hollywood tariffs plan have? 'I want to give my island business away for free' VE Day moments so far - and what's still to come Custom fireworks and standby firefighters: How the Vatican makes its smoke signal Long-distance romance and closure from husband's death - your memories of Skype Parking chaos and poo: The price of Mam Tor's fame Polygamy and pageantry on display at a mass wedding in South Africa How Katy Perry became the Hot and Cold popstar Politics Essential: Get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox every weekday The final series of Man Like Mobeen has arrived Louis Theroux visits the West Bank to meet Israeli settlers TOKYO - A man was arrested in the western Japanese city of Osaka on suspicion of attempted murder after he allegedly plowed his car deliberately into seven schoolchildren on Thursday who had been on their way home from an elementary school in Nishinari Ward but all seven reportedly remained conscious The suspect told investigators that he was "fed up with everything," so he rammed the car into the group of children in an attempt to kill them Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report Four residents died in a raging house fire that broke out in the early hours of May 9 in western Tokyo according to the Metropolitan Police Department in a two-story house in the capital’s Higashi-Murayama burning roughly 80 square meters of the residence “I was awakened by a bright red light streaming from the window,” said an 82-year-old woman who lives near the site about 1.3 kilometers west of Seibu Railway Co.’s Higashi-Murayama Station The blaze broke the glass and spread to the road.” lives there with his wife in her 60s and their two sons in their 20s and 30s Police said the four were all pulled from the residence Police suspect they died of carbon monoxide poisoning The four were found unconscious on the second floor of the house according to the Higashi-Murayama Police Station Police believe that the blaze broke out on the first floor but it was burning even more fiercely," said another nearby resident in his 50s "I was so terrified that I couldn’t even get near the site I’m worried about the safety of the couple who live there because I became acquainted with them at a meeting of the residents’ association several years ago.” Death toll from fire at Niigata rice cracker plant rises to 6 Police: Victims in arson attack died from stab wounds 1 missing in late-night blaze at Niigata rice cracker plant Teen arrested on suspicion of hitting girl prior to a deadly arson Police: Osaka fire suspect may have copied Kyoto arsonist Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission Unlock discounted publishing that highlights your organization and the peer-reviewed research and clinical experiences it produces Find out how channels are organized and operated including details on the roles and responsibilities of channel editors Offering a variety of advertising and sponsorship options for reaching influential specialists from targeted demographic splits efficient publishing and peer reviewing experience without sacrificing publication times Generate broad awareness and deliver relevant peer-reviewed clinical experiences directly to potential customers Dedicated Cranial Radiosurgery: Clinical Experience with New & Innovative SRS Technologies Real-Time Adaptive Motion Management on Helical and Robotic RT Platforms Please note that by doing so you agree to be added to our monthly email newsletter distribution list Japanese comedian-turned-actor Masanori Ishii is hoping his recently opened exhibition of photos of leprosy sanatoria across Japan will serve as a reminder of the historic discrimination sufferers faced and help prevent similar prejudice against COVID-19 patients and health care workers His exhibition at the National Hansen's Disease Museum in Higashimurayama such as a chamber filled with urns containing the ashes of sufferers whose family cut ties with them due to prejudice surrounding the illness; an old bathtub where new patients were disinfected to "cleanse" them; and dismantled buildings that once comprised a prison specifically for inmates found to have leprosy Ishii started taking his 27 black-and-white photos of Japan's 13 remaining leprosy sanatoria in 2016 inspired by a TV documentary on a sanatorium in Kagawa Prefecture in western Japan from the southernmost island prefecture of Okinawa to Aomori the prefecture on the northernmost tip of the main island of Honshu While the policy of segregating those with leprosy was abolished almost a quarter of a century ago and the disease has been curable for even longer all of whom no longer suffer from the disease have generally lost family ties or any means of livelihood due to the decades they spent in isolation and the discrimination that continues to exist in society made his debut as a member of the stand-up duo "Ari to Kirigirisu" (The Ant and The Grasshopper) in 1994 before making a career move into acting in the late 1990s he has contributed photos to previous exhibitions is the first time his work has appeared on its own He has appeared in several TV dramas and movies including the film "Fukushima 50," a film depicting workers handling the meltdown of the nuclear power plant following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disasters He is less known for his prowess as a photographer The photo exhibition had been initially scheduled to be held this spring but was postponed due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus Ishii's original intention had been to portray the tragic history of leprosy patients in Japan but his understanding of the significance of the photos expanded once the pandemic hit "I think my photo exhibition acquired additional meaning following the virus outbreak given that leprosy patients faced severe discrimination in the past," he said in a recent interview with Kyodo News an isolation policy for leprosy patients was in force between 1907 and 1996 forcing them to live in facilities segregated from their family members and the rest of society Leprosy is a chronic bacterial disease that mainly affects the skin and nerves but it is not highly contagious -- as originally believed -- and has been curable using drugs developed since the 1940s fell on Japan's early response to the novel coronavirus outbreak a research director at the Tokyo Foundation caused a stir when he drew a link between the limited number of PCR tests Japan was conducting for the virus in the initial phase of the pandemic and a ruling that the courts had eventually made against the isolation policy for leprosy patients several years after it ended "Segregation for those who test positive for the coronavirus is needed but the government does not want to face criticism that it is violating human rights again," he said during a television appearance as a commentator on a TV Asahi program those who test positive for the novel coronavirus who show either mild or no symptoms are requested to "voluntarily" stay home or in a hotel room offered by local authorities for a certain period as a public health measure to curb infections while those who develop serious cases of COVID-19 are hospitalized for treatment TV Asahi later apologized for the comment after receiving protests from former leprosy patients and plaintiffs who had sought damages over the central government's discriminatory policy there had never been any medical need for isolation at all "The isolation policy was based on discrimination against leprosy patients not aimed as a medical countermeasure," Isao Tateyama the Kumamoto District Court in southwestern Japan ruled the isolation policy for leprosy patients was unconstitutional and awarded 1.8 billion yen ($17 million) in damages to 127 former patients who had sued the central government the coronavirus pandemic has aroused concerns that discrimination and ostracism may be occurring again as a response to a disease with not only COVID-19 patients but also health care workers who treat patients being targeted In a survey conducted in August by the Japan Federation of Medical Worker's Unions 20.8 percent of its 120 medical facilities responded that its workers encountered discrimination or harassment due to the pandemic such as the refusal of hair salon reservations and verbal attacks from neighbors Iwate Prefecture in northeastern Japan was for some time the only prefecture in Japan with no COVID-19 patients only seeing its first two cases in late July But the company where one of the two men testing positive worked received about 80 calls or emails in just two days criticizing it over the infection "A lot of former leprosy patients have voiced their concerns that Japan should never again discriminate against people because of their illness," said Tetsuya Kimura chief curator at the National Hansen's Disease Museum viewers come to understand the fact that everyone faces the possibility of becoming a patient of an infectious disease by chance and being discriminated against." Ishii held an online talk event from the museum to explain his photos which he said can "project enormous amounts of information." "I decided to take photos with this size of film to express the history of the sanatoriums," he said Ishii's photo exhibition will be held through Nov but online reservations are required to visit the museum as it accepts only 10 visitors in the morning and the afternoon "I believe my photos can help show that discrimination is wrong I hope those who have not been interested in these kinds of social issues come and see my exhibitions," Ishii said in the interview Ishii will hold another online talk event through the National Hansen's Disease Museum website at 3:30 p.m the residence is designed for a client who requested a very secluded space closed-off volume is placed on top of the ground level structure and cantilevers 4.8 meters over the site.all images by nobuaki nakagawa I.R.A. / international royal architecture
 has designed the ‘spiral’ house for two couples who requested an ultra-closed off space on the narrow corner site of tokyo’s higashimurayama city the detached residence caters to the secluded request of the client while making maximum use of the limited space its structure reaches three levels in height the house is developed according to three main ideas which include: visually give as much space as possible on the ground level; depth on the second floor; and height on the third floor the architects have used a steel frame structure which occupies the least amount of space possible and chose white hues and minimal materials to create a lightweight construction openings can be found mainly on the upper levels of the house to secure privacy for the residents international royal architecture has arranged spiral stairs and voids in each floor which subtly connect the different levels to each other and to the exterior environment architects: I.R.A. / international royal architecture
 A city in western Tokyo is giving pandemic-frustrated children a chance to release pent-up enthusiasm and stifled excitement by attending an Olympic torch relay ceremony held at a sanitarium for leprosy patients Schoolchildren in Higashimurayama city have seen many of their school activities canceled as a precaution against the spread of the novel coronavirus in the capital But city officials have asked children at elementary and junior high schools to join the ceremony to welcome the Olympic torch’s arrival on the evening of July 13 Bewildered teachers and parents questioned the city’s decision “Why in the world is there an exception in the case of the Olympics?” one of them asked City officials have insisted that attendance “is not mandatory.” The torch ceremony will be held at Tama Zenshoen a national sanitarium for leprosy patients which has suspended annual visits of school children to avoid the risk of novel coronavirus infections The event is being hosted by the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m 2,000 to 3,000 schoolchildren would attend the Olympic torch ceremony But the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the city to halve the number of attendees the principals of 22 elementary and junior high schools in the city received a request from the Higashimurayama government to each select two children and their parents or guardians to attend the event The city explained that the ceremony will provide an opportunity for children “to welcome the torch’s arrival together deliver smiles and think about the importance of human rights and the realization of an inclusive society.” But many principals were not comfortable with the explanation A principal of a junior high school said discussions among educators about the invitation were like: “It’s difficult The principal decided to let all of the school’s students know about the invitation because  “some parents and students might be willing to attend because it is a once-in-a-lifetime event.” Noting that the torch ceremony falls under the “after-school activity” category 18 people at the school said they wanted to attend The principal said there will be a lottery to select the attendees only notified parents of sixth-graders about the city’s invitation the email said: “This request came from the city It is the parents’ choice to attend the event or not The school recently selected attendees in a drawing Another principal of an elementary school said the school has declined the invitation we thought we had to select attendees,” the principal said “But then we heard from the city that it is not mandatory as well as a problem in the selection process Parents and teachers have also raised questions about the city’s decision A 38-year-old woman said her child’s elementary school has canceled or suspended many school activities out of safety concerns “It doesn’t make sense that only the torch relay event gets the OK,” she said She also expressed fears that the virus could spread during the torch welcoming ceremony “What happens if it becomes an infection cluster ‘We don’t know,’ because they are calling for participants through the schools.” whose child attends a junior high school in the city but I don’t know what kind of event it will be I am worried that the bus going home will be really packed,” she said who teaches at a public elementary school in Higashimurayama “The city has yet to tell schools about safety measures so I cannot assume responsibility as a teacher who has the children’s lives in my hands.” students in the higher grades at Miyazawa’s school visit Tama Zenshoen to learn about human rights issues by listening to people who have recovered from leprosy the sanitarium has had to suspend such visits because of the pandemic keeping children from participating in many activities,” Miyazawa said “How can we tell them that we’ll make an exception A city official insisted that COVID-19 preventive measures will be in place at the ceremony use hand sanitizers and have their body temperatures checked “If many parents are worried and nobody wants to attend then it is not an obligation for schools to select attendees,” the official said OLYMPICS/ Tokyo neighbor Chiba shuts out torch relay over virus concerns Olympic torch relay staff part of remote island’s 1st virus cluster Tokyo Olympic torch staffer becomes event’s 1st COVID-19 infection OLYMPICS/ Matsuyama torchbearers 1st to lose chance to run due to virus Alternative Olympic torch relay kicks off in virus-hit Osaka OLYMPICS/ Torch departs Fukushima for 121-day relay around Japan Here is a selection of photos taken by Kyodo News photographers this week in Japan and beyond Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - June 19~25 Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - June 12~18 Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - June 5~11 Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - May 29~June 4 you will need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser GO TOKYO The Official Tokyo Travel Guide Detailed search: You can do a detailed search by keyword open calendar Search Nishitokyo is one of the 30 municipalities in the Tama region which lies to the west of Tokyo's 23 special wards It is mainly a residential area for commuters who work in the city While often not publicised as a tourist location While the major shrines and temples within Tokyo can become quite crowded with tourists, Nishitokyo offers you the chance to experience the spiritual side of the city without the crowds. Pay a visit to Tanashi Jinja Shrine with its origins dating back to the 13th century a market of handmade goods called "Yaoyorozu no Sanpoichi" is held in the precincts of Tanashi Shrine find an interesting souvenir made by local craftsmen and artists and sample some delicious food from the local restaurants and cafes Tripadvisor Copyright © Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau Return to top of page The early fifteenth-century Jizodo (Jizo Hall) at Shofuku-ji Temple in Higashimurayama City is a national treasure revered for its quintessential “Zen-style” architecture and for housing around 900 Jizo statues No article or any part there of may be reproduced without the express permission of the Cabinet Office. Copyright inquiries should be made through this form Animation giant Hayao Miyazaki depicted leprosy patients in his blockbuster film "Princess Mononoke" (Mononoke Hime) because he wanted to shed light on the little-known history of people who were discriminated against in Japan Stories about the old days in Japan depicted in TV dramas and other media typically focus on samurai warriors and farmers Miyazaki said in a lecture he delivered at the National Hansen's Disease Museum in Higashimurayama The museum is adjacent to a 110-year-old leprosy sanatorium called Tama Zenshoen which effectively functioned as a segregation facility for much of its history and witnessed human rights abuses caused by prejudice and discrimination "I thought it would be wrong to make a story about the old days that only featured samurai warriors and farmers even though (society included) a wider variety of people," Miyazaki said looking back on the process of formulating the plot of the film "And if you want to create a world (in film) featuring people with an obscure place in history you have to come face to face with Hansen's disease Miyazaki said he had known of the sanatorium for decades because as a resident of the nearby city of Tokorozawa he passed it on his way to his child's nursery school and his workplace But he said he hesitated about entering the premises "for a long time," even after he learned the disease was now curable "I had no idea at the time about how I should behave when meeting people who were segregated there," he said referring to the state-run sanatorium that a Zenshoen resident who headed its residents' association and through his visits to the sanatorium became friends with him Miyazaki invited Sagawa to his home twice before Sagawa's death on Jan I often visited a memorial" to people who died in the sanatorium Miyazaki met Sagawa for the last time at a hospital in the sanatorium after he was notified one snowy night that his longtime friend was in a critical condition "I saw a part of the bone exposed on one of his fingers where the flesh had gone Sagawa.' My encounter with him has been important to me," a tearful Miyazaki said Miyazaki delivered his lecture in front of around 200 people during an event on Jan 27 to mark the first anniversary of Sagawa's death At the end of the event Miyazaki handed Sagawa's wife Sachiko a picture drawn by Studio Ghibli artist Noboru Yoshida "Puromin no hikari" (The Light of Promin) expresses the joy of Hansen's disease patients at the development of the U.S which offered the hope of a cure and was first given to patients in Japan after the war The painting is now on display at the museum which plans to play the video of Miyazaki's lecture on Feb according to its spokesman Takumi Kiyohara The average age of residents at a total of 14 sanatoriums nationwide originally established as leprosaria has topped 85 "We hope the release of lectures by noted people such as Mr Miyazaki will help hand down various lessons concerning the disease and discrimination to younger generations," Kiyohara said A total of 1,338 people were living in the 14 sanatoriums as of May 2018 The law authorizing the segregation of leprosy patients was abolished in 1996 and many events have been held since to restore the honor of those incarcerated in the past [Photo courtesy of the National Hansen's Disease Museum] Vox Populi Vox Dei is a daily column that runs on Page 1 of The Asahi Shimbun a bus company in the western Tokyo city of Higashimurayama is decidedly unconventional in its approach to doing business the company takes on the role of a "community transportation" provider Local seniors who have surrendered their driver’s licenses can ride Ginga's bus for free for one year After the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami of 2011 the company transported volunteer relief workers to the region on many occasions Ginga started running a free commuter service between Higashimurayama and central Tokyo we are barely hanging in there," said Ginga president Hiroaki Yamamoto "But precisely because everyone is having a rough time now I want to repay them for their loyal patronage." Yamamoto is using his tour bus that has remained idle since the outbreak of the pandemic The interior of the bus is sterilized thoroughly and frequently And in observation of social distancing rules The bus departs from Higashimurayama Station each weekday at 6 a.m Many of the passengers are repeat customers Yamamoto was born to a family of sake merchants and among their regular local customers was the family of comedian Ken Shimura He would come home for local "bon odori" dance festivals and he put the town on the map in a big way with "Higashimurayama Ondo," a parody he created of a popular traditional "ondo" bon odori song This was the biggest favor Shimura did for the community I realized that the news of Shimura's sudden death was what really awakened me to the horror of the novel coronavirus I was deeply shaken by the fact that even he could not kick the virus and that his family was not allowed to hold his hand in his final moments Upon concluding my interview with Yamamoto I joined my hands in prayer before a statue of "ojizo-san" (a Buddhist guardian deity of children and travelers) that was placed at the front door of the Ginga Tetsudo company building This statue is nicknamed "Daijobudaa Jizo" for Shimura's signature comic phrase--"daijobudaa"--meaning "I'm A-OK!" I reminded myself to not be too pessimistic; although I obviously shouldn't get unrealistically optimistic Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture VOX POPULI: Americans fight to breathe as society again chokes on racism VOX POPULI: Sidewalk cafe culture a safe alternative in the ‘new normal’ VOX POPULI: Controversy over Olympic parody shows no love for political satire Copyright © The Asahi Shimbun Company. All rights reserved. No reproduction or republication without written permission. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker a veteran slapstick comedian and a one-time member of rockabilly band and comedy group The Drifters died Sunday of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus Shimura last week became the first Japanese entertainment figure to announce an infection with the virus His agency announced his death from the disease known as COVID-19 on Monday Shimura was admitted to a Tokyo hospital on March 20 after developing a fever and was diagnosed with severe pneumonia The comedian was put on a ventilator on March 21 and never regained consciousness He tested positive for the virus on March 23 "I don't think he imagined he would die a death like this," said a representative of his agency "I am sure he was working hard with his sense of mission to deliver laughter to people." Formed by the late actor Chosuke Ikariya and four other men in 1964 which opened for The Beatles in Japan in 1966 became one of the biggest successes in Japanese comedy history The surviving members of The Drifters -- Cha Kato were too shocked to issue a statement immediately after the news "I feel hatred for the coronavirus that took away the life of The Drifters' treasure I want everyone to take his death as something that could happen around you and take care of themselves," Kato said in a statement Nakamoto said in the same statement that it is "really regretful" that Shimura I extend my deepest condolences," said Takagi in the statement Famous Japanese songstress Naoko Ken tweeted of her friend's death who played Shimura's wife in TV comedy skits 志村けんさん、国境を超えて台湾人にたくさんの笑いと元気を届けくれてありがとうございました。きっと天国でもたくさんの人を笑わせてくれることでしょう。ご冥福を心から祈ります。 pic.twitter.com/8TCe9udxpC His death also made headlines outside of Japan Reuters reported that he "was one of the country's best-known comedians." The BBC CNBC and Turkish state-owned Anadolu news agency also reported the news as did media in other countries and regions such as Taiwan Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen tweeted in a condolence message written in both Japanese and Chinese "Thank you very much for a lot of laughter and energy you delivered to Taiwanese people beyond national boundaries." replaced Chu Arai in The Drifters in 1974 after graduating from high school (Ken Shimura poses with golfer Ai Miyazato in 2009) Shimura rose to prominence after starring in the group's prime-time television slapstick comedy show "Hachijidayo Zeninshugo!" (It's 8 o'clock The show fascinated schoolchildren across the nation in the 1970s and 1980s but was often frowned upon by parents for being vulgar he gained popularity for his easy-to-understand gags and range of parodies including the "mustache dance" and the song "Higashimurayama Ondo," a reference to his hometown in western Tokyo He was later known for performing popular characters such as "Baka Tonosama" (stupid lord) and "Henna Ojisan" (strange uncle) on TV shows he also led theater troupe "Shimurakon" (Shimura spirit) Shimura was known for his wild facial expressions and said in a memoir that he drew inspiration from American comedian Jerry Lewis Critics say the Japanese comedian captured the hearts of all generations with his penchant for funny faces and ability to deliver jokes as if they were unscripted as well as other TV programs currently on air Shimura was also scheduled to start working in April on a movie based on the book "The Name Above the Title," a commitment he canceled upon his hospitalization earlier in the month "The 150,000 citizens of Higashimurayama were praying for his recovery and we regret that our wish did not come true We offer our heartfelt condolences and pray that his soul may rest in peace," tweeted Takashi Watanabe Shimura was slated to carry the Olympic flame through part of the city during the torch relay for the Tokyo Games which were postponed by roughly one year due to the virus epidemic "He was popular among a wide range of generations and was the No 1 source of pride for locals," said Minoru Hasegawa "I'm the same generation and (his death is) very regrettable." I wish he could entertain us more," said Toshio Takazawa who recalled going to theaters to watch The Drifters' live performances when he was young Today's print edition Home Delivery A fugitive wanted in connection with a string of violent robberies in Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture has been arrested by Saitama Prefectural Police in Niigata Prefecture was apprehended and taken into custody for charges including armed robbery resulting in injury Morita has admitted to the allegations.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Morita was taken into custody on Monday evening in the city of Kashiwazaki in connection with a separate fraud case being investigated by the Niigata Prefectural Police In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version Japanese version Seven children were hit by a car on a street in Nishinari Ward One of the children is seriously injured and six others have minor injuries please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent The Osaka Prefectural Police arrested a 28-year-old man from Higashimurayama so I drove into the students and tried to kill them.” the injured children were students walking home from nearby Osaka Municipal Senbon Elementary School Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Japanese version Police have arrested a man on suspicion that he had attempted to kill schoolchildren by driving into them in western Japan Seven children of an elementary school in Nishinari Ward were hit by a car near the school at around 1:30 p.m The suspect told investigators that he drove his car into the group of children in an attempt to kill them as he was fed up with everything in his life On Sunday, anime director Hayao Miyazaki joined 200 other people in doing volunteer work to maintain Fuchi no Mori, the forest area near Tokyo that inspired the scenery in Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro film The volunteers cleared the weeds and other materials that prevented some of the natural vegetation from growing Source: NHK Update: A layman's description of the forest's size has been added Tokyo-area business interests said on September 14 that they would halt plans to commercially develop a patch of trees near the Fuchi no Mori forest area — best known as the real-life scenery inspiration for director Hayao Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro film Citizens in the nearby city of Higashimurayama and director Miyazaki himself protested the project which led to the city buying the patch from the owners to convert it into public land The patch that had been planned for development spanned 1,500 square meters (0.37 acre, just over a quarter the size of an American football field), and is located next to the 4,600-square-meter (1.1-acre) Fuchi no Mori. The Chunichi Shimbun paper posted a map of its location which is west of the Shin-Akitsu station on Japan Railways' Musashino Line and the Akitsu Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro train line Urban development had already isolated this patch of trees from the Fuchi no Mori area which inspired the backgrounds in Miyazaki's movie media coverage of the controversy have nicknamed the patch "Totoro's Forest." in his role as chairperson of the Council for the Preservation of Fuchi no Mori met with the landowners and developers on September 13 to convey the council's requests: "Stop the development "I'm glad we could preserve this landscape with the help of so many people." This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Open in NewsBreak|Sign inChoose your location AT least seven children have been injured after a car ploughed into a crowd of students leaving school in Japan Yazawa Yuki, 28, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following the horror ram attack in Tokyo chillingly confessed: “I was fed up with everything and ran over several elementary school students with my car.” The terrifying incident unfolded around 1.30pm local time on Wednesday when a passerby frantically called emergency services after the car mowed down a group of students from Senbon Elementary School All seven children are conscious, but one girl has been seriously hurt with a broken lower jaw, Japanese outlet NTV reports The rest are being treated for minor injuries Five of the victims are second graders – one girl and four boys – while the remaining two are third grade boys The pupils had been dismissed early from school and were walking home in small groups, according to Japan local media Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and horror on the quiet residential street One parent told NTV: “The car was twisting and turning and the other children looked to be bleeding from scrapes.” Another added: “The driver didn’t get out of the car for a while The area was swarmed with emergency crews and police The motive behind the sickening attack is still being investigated but officers say Yazawa has shown no remorse Last month, three people were killed after a medical helicopter carrying a patient plunged into the sea in Japan A further three people including the pilot nurse and helicopter mechanic were rushed to hospital after being rescued by the coastguard The medical transport carrier fell into the sea in southwestern Japan o n April 6 The coast guard deployed two planes and three ships to the area as part of the rescue operation were rescued by the coast guard shortly after the crash The trio were found in the water clinging to inflatable lifesavers before they were rushed to hospital It comes after a Japanese influencer was brutally stabbed to death whilst streaming to thousands of horrified viewers was confirmed dead in March after she was attacked by a man with a knife – stabbing her in the neck She was live streaming to more than 6,000 people at the time of the attack before she was killed by 42-year-old Kenichi Takano Sato’s content centred around vlogging her daily life and filmed herself walking around metro lines Police told local media that the man had tracked the influencer down after recognising one of the buildings in the back of her stream More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun Several people were injured after a huge blaze ripped through the Rituraj Hotel in central Kolkata – forcing guests to climb out their windows to escape The Family Feud host often posts personal pics to his Facebook page where he has amassed a whopping 38 million followers performed the traditional "Riders up" call signalling the jockeys to climb aboard their horses before the iconic race The seven-time Olympic champion donned a lavender dress and matching hat as she was flanked by.. Avid stone collector David DeCook made the groundbreaking find while scanning the floors at Crater Of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas best known for his big-screen debut in the critically acclaimed box office hit Owen Jenner and Shane Richardson have both died as a result of their injuries A statement from the British Superbike Championship confirmed the sad news and it read: “At the start of this afternoon’s Quattro Group […] 79: From 'Pollyanna' to 'Parent Trap,' Bulemia Money Matters & MoreBeloved former child star Hayley Mills best known for classic feature films like Pollyanna the the youngest daughter of renowned actor Sir John Mills (Great Expectations) The 73-year-old coaching legend is looking to hire a PR specialist in lieu of Hudson and has been in talks with former Bears VP of communications Brandon Faber for several months The PR hire would help manage both Belichick’s new role as head football coach of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his public image which was badly bruised by Hudson’s cringeworthy PR moves was hospitalised on Wednesday with severe headaches – she tragically passed away just two days later Her mum Thays Brandão had revealed days earlier that doctors had diagnosed Milena with a brain tumour Go Under the Knife to Fix His 'Fat Pad' Baggy Eyes Selfish celeb wife Hilaria Baldwin admits she's had some nip/tucks to revitalize her looks and RadarOnline.com can reveal she's demanding that her Emmy-winning hubby go under the knife to fix up his baggy eyes – so she'll look good "She wants Alec to get cosmetic surgery to correct them ASAP because they make him look bad and that's a reflection on her," explained an insider "Alec will likely do it because he does everything Hilaria wants." The 67-year-old actor's appearance has been slipping in recent years especially after he was charged with manslaughter in the 2021 accidental.. died from severe blood loss after being stabbed multiple times outside her home in Trémolat Emmy-winning actress Marcia Wallace died at only 70 years old from breast cancer complications (pneumonia and sepsis) Best known as Carol Kester from TV's classic sitcom Wallace was also known for The Simpsons animated series (Fox for which offered her vocal talents as Edna Krabapple Wallace suffered a challenging childhood littered with alcoholic parents who physically abused her she struggled for years with issues of self-esteem and weight The retail giant apologized after the angry customer took to social media to complain The patron at Walmart claimed that they had called the store’s customer service line after experiencing issues with an […] was hospitalized after he was injured during some kind of incident at the jail said attorney Belkis Plata of Belkis Schott Law we’d suggest not trying to skirt the rules when it comes to bringing alcohol onto the ship if you are sailing Carnival Doing so could mean you can’t sail with the line anymore Everyone can see the gorgeous spring tulips but only the most eagle-eyed will be able to spy the hidden pearl necklace in under 30 seconds Whether you’re hoping to improve your problem solving skills or boost your memory But could Nick Newman’s cool exterior start to crack if she truly moves on? Sharon might start dating again at some point Could Nick Newman's anger finally start to show Nick has a sixth sense when it comes to Sharon so he knew she felt more than just friendly feelings for him The legendary performer died from pneumonia at Jefferson Abington Hospital a mere three weeks before what would have been his 80th birthday The man found out his personal information had been tracked and sold after a pop-up window gave it away during an online insurance sign-up best known for their groundbreaking classic TV sitcom What’s Happening!! recently reunited on NBC's Today Show cast members Ernest Lee Thomas and Haywood Nelson are two of the three remaining cast members of the show They recently appeared on The Today Showto celebrate the 49th Anniversary of their legendary series and to chat about their appearance at the Chiller Theater Expo killed after bomb explodes in her hands in massive blast in Greece as cops probe plot to blow up bankA WOMAN has been killed after the bomb she was carrying exploded in her hands The 38-year-old woman was reportedly carrying the bomb to place it outside a nearby bank in the Greek city of Thessaloniki Several storefronts and vehicles were damaged by the blast on Saturday morning Footage from the scene shows forensic experts […] His name was Rick "Ricky" Nelson who first found fame on TV with his beloved family on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and then later ventured into edgier roles.