The Yomiuri Shimbun has created a three-dimensional model of Inuyama Castle a national treasure which is located in Inuyama to spread awareness of its historical value and make its complex structure easier to understand 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 castle is believed to have been built between the late 16th and early 17th centuries making it the oldest extant wooden castle keep in Japan The model was created using photogrammetry a technique employed in the fields of artifact research and architecture It was assembled from about 32,000 photos of the castle taken from various angles with drones and other equipment It features a cross-section of the interior which appears from the outside to have three stories The cross-section also shows the parts repaired during major renovations conducted in 2019 a professor emeritus at Nagoya Institute of Technology who researches castle architecture said: “Images created using photogrammetry look realistic The warping of beams and repairs to pillars and the structure and features of the building can be learned Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Share price 8408.00p 2 May 2025 at 16:42 News releases IHG Hotels & Resorts continues the exciting momentum of its Hotel Indigo brand, expanding its boutique footprint with the opening of Japan’s third Hotel Indigo – Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen Garden Located in the Urakuen Garden together with Inuyama’s National Treasure and perched by the timeless Kiso River and Inuyama Castle the unique surrounds lend itself to an abundance of neighbourhood stories and memorable guest experiences Inuyama is a timeless city full of lively festival culture and cuisine The Inuyama Castle is one of Japan’s oldest castles and sits at the foot of rolling hills with commanding views of the Kiso River offering spectacular scenes throughout the Sakura season The gardens of Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen Garden open the gateway to creating a truly memorable experience combining the modern charm of Hotel Indigo with the historical stories of the surrounds including a mysterious walkway serving as a prologue to two National Treasures: the Jo-An tea house and Inuyama Castle The garden’s walkways evoke a sense of ‘time travel’ taking guests through contrasts of contemporary and vivid patterns majestic landscapes and breathtaking views of Inuyama The Hotel Indigo Urakuen Garden experience Each is designed to uniquely reflect the local culture and history of the area Inuyama bursts to life with 156 guest rooms inspired by the liveliness of the town including large wall-art above the bedding with mountain motifs reminiscent of the sprawling hills vistas and playful character of the region Guests will continue their journey through the neighbourhood motifs with a restaurant and bars philosophy built on the richness of Inuyama flavours Indigo Home Kitchen Yamateras reigns as the hotel’s signature restaurant and focuses on the traditional nostalgic food culture of the region with seasonal produce and local specialties Stories of the neighbourhood are weaved through the dishes to the cocktails For a whimsical escape into the town’s festival culture the BAR Yoyama is a lively bar inspired by the 13 yama motifs (‘floats’) carrying karakuri mechanized dolls Hotel Indigo Urakuen Garden offers the ultimate in relaxation with the region’s only traditional onsen (hot spring): Inuyama Onsen Hakutei no Yu both indoor and open-air natural hot spring with clear alkaline properties to help purify the skin and its tiles take inspiration from the Kiso River The hotel is also home to a fitness centre decorated with wooden louvers and Japanese patterns the Hibiki room is an energetic space where guests can experience the four seasons of Japan through floor to ceiling windows Design cues have been captured to reflect the surrounds with a combination of lanterns and wooden frames inspired by the Inuyama Festival on the ceiling and patterns of the Kiso River’s ripples and glow through the carpet General Manager of Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen Garden said: “Hotel Indigo is a powerful storyteller and we are constantly thinking of new and exciting ways to contribute to the area of Inuyama and the stories that we share to guests in Japan and abroad We are very proud to be able to open the Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen Garden we will do our best to contribute to the development of Inuyama City and the neighbouring areas and we thank the community for their support as we open this beautiful hotel.” Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen Garden is the third Hotel Indigo property to open in Japan, following from successful openings of Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora in January 2020, and Hotel Indigo Karuizawa in February 2022, and the first in the Tokai region.  For more information and reservations please visit here IHG Hotels & Resorts [LON:IHG NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global hospitality company with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good With a family of 17 hotel brands and IHG Rewards one of the world’s largest hotel loyalty programmes IHG has nearly 6,000 open hotels in more than 100 countries and a further 1,800 in the development pipeline InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated and registered in England and Wales Approximately 325,000 people work across IHG’s hotels and corporate offices globally Share your travel photos with us by hashtagging your images with #visitjapanjp Situated at the foot of rolling hills in the far north of Aichi Prefecture Inuyama lays claim to one of the country's oldest original castles including a fertility festival featuring a 300-kilogram phallus Inuyama is just 30 minutes from Nagoya Station, and has good connections only 15 minutes from Gifu Station Sitting atop a small hill with commanding views of the Kiso River below and the rolling hills of Gifu Prefecture beyond Inuyama Castle is one of only five castles whose main keep has been designated as a National Treasure It also gives you a marvellous vantage point for viewing the area's spectacular cherry blossoms in spring or maple trees in autumn Built by the uncle of Oda Nobunaga (1534–1582) the castle's old wooden steps are polished smooth from generations of footsteps Inuyama also has one of the finest examples of a teahouse from the golden age of tea in the 16th century, Jo-an, built by Nobunaga's brother Uraku and considered a masterpiece of early Edo period architecture. The attached Urakuen Garden is an example of the artistry of the age While you amble through the bamboo groves and down Jo-an's stone-paved paths you can sense the stillness and serenity that the Japanese art of tea instills And no wonder: Uraku was one of the seven leading disciples of Sen-no-Rikyu considered an outstanding master of tea ceremony in Japan and the father of the tradition of wabi-sabi which is based on the acceptance of transience and imperfection Inuyama Festival is one of Aichi's most spectacular Its 8-meter-tall wooden floats are pulled through the town by locals and heaved around street corners Try not to fear for the flute-playing children within as the floats seem close to toppling to the ground the floats are lit up with hundreds of paper lanterns that cast a flickering glow upon the cherry trees that line the old streets another nearby festival that you certainly shouldn't miss is the Honen Festival The highlight of this March 15 event is an approximately 300-kilo phallus being pulled through the streets of the small castle town of Komaki You'll be invited to indulge in free glasses of sake as the locals pray for a good harvest in the coming year The scene for most of the festival is Tagata Jinja which also features other examples of manmade phalluses The large phallus is carved new every year from a cypress log Explore revolutionary times around the world and in Japan at Inuyama's remarkable open-air museums. At the Little World Museum of Man a Burkinabe compound and a Swedish Sami tent in a family-friendly celebration of cultures from all over the world Meiji Mura reflects life in the culturally tumultuous Meiji period You can see how Western culture inspired Japanese architects as the nation moved from its samurai past into the modern era * The information on this page may be subject to change due to COVID-19 Browse the JNTO site in one of multiple languages 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 today announced it has acquired an 80% stake in a solar power generation plant in Japan alongside its portfolio company Shizen Energy Inc which went into operation in the last few days has a total solar power generation capacity of 31 MW enough to power the equivalent of 7,850 homes The solar power plant is located in Aichi prefecture This acquisition marks CDPQ’s first co-investment with Japan’s Shizen Energy as part of a JPY 50 billion (CAD 460 million) co-investment framework announced in October 2022 when CDPQ invested JPY 20 billion (CAD 186 million) in the company to support its growth Both partners are currently exploring further co investment opportunities within the framework of this agreement CDPQ’s Executive Vice-President and Head of Infrastructure said: “Japan plays a decisive role in the decarbonization of Asia and as an experienced investor in renewable energy we are delighted to join forces with our portfolio company Shizen Energy for this first joint investment in a solar plant This transaction represents a further step in our partnership as we continue to explore more co-investment opportunities in the energy transition space.” Executive Officer of Shizen Energy responsible for Investment & Finance said: “We are delighted to announce a first co-investment project between CDPQ and Shizen Inuyama is an ideal project for co-investment given that it was developed built and will be operated by Shizen Energy throughout its lifetime We have a pipeline of around 3 GW of renewable energy projects in Japan which we hope to deliver in the next three to five years.” CDPQ is a registered trademark owned by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and licensed for use by its subsidiaries.  Volume 11 - 2023 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.1135789 This article is part of the Research TopicBiogeochemical Changes Across the Mesozoic–Paleogene Climate ExtremesView all 7 articles It is generally accepted that conodonts went extinct at the end of the Triassic but younger conodont fossils have been reported and it is becoming clear that conodont extinction occurred asynchronously across different regions Although some reports of post-Triassic conodonts have been disproven Lower Jurassic conodonts have been found in the Buda area of Hungary and the Inuyama area of Japan we report the discovery of more conodonts Misikella posthernsteini above the first occurrence of the typical Jurassic radiolarian Pantanellium tanuense reaffirming the authenticity of the Lower Jurassic conodonts The conodonts survived into the Jurassic in the Inuyama area might be due to their remote locations relative to the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province which buffered them from hypoxia and ocean acidification Although conodont survived into the Lower Jurassic they failed to recover and quickly went extinct in post-extinction ecosystems The “dead clades walking” (DCWs) of conodont may have been due to protracted ocean acidification in the earliest Jurassic Food scarcity and competition with other organisms may have led to the eventual extinction of conodonts The extinction of the conodonts is one of the most important events in the end-Triassic mass extinction (ETE) Studying the Lower Jurassic conodonts is thus important to both refining stratigraphy and understanding the extinction pattern of conodonts we review well-known reports of post-Triassic conodonts around the world and incorporate the newly discovered Lower Jurassic conodonts in the Katsuyama section to discuss the temporal pattern and mechanism of conodont extinction Figure 1. (A) Global paleogeographic map of the end Triassic (modified after Du et al., 2020); CAMP, Central Atlantic Magmatic Province. (B) Geological map of the Inuyama area (modified after Fujisaki et al., 2018) (C) Location of the Inuyama area in central Japan (D) Annotated photograph of an outcrop of the Katsuyama section; TJB Figure 2. Lithology of the Katsuyama section. Radiolarian biozones are from Carter and Hori (2005), the conodont distribution is from Du et al. (2020) During the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic, Inuyama was in a low-paleolatitude pelagic area of Panthalassa (Figure 1A; Ando et al., 2001; Uno et al., 2015), the deposition rate was very slow (1–7 mm/kyr), and the siliceous rocks were deposited below the carbonate compensation depth (i.e., at least 4,000 M depth; Matsuda and Isozaki, 1991) ranges from −25.7‰ to −24.1‰ The reasons for this difference still need further studies and discussions The new conodonts reported herein were found in chert samples HJ-9, HJ-0, HU 1-1, and HU 1-2 collected from the Katsuyama section in 2019 (Figure 2). About 100 grams of cherts per sample were dissolved in hydrofluoric acid at Kyushu University, Japan, following the method described by Yamashita et al. (2018) Conodonts were picked from the sorted residue under binocular stereoscope The conodonts are now preserved in the Laboratory of Paleoceanography Seventeen conodonts were collected from the Jurassic samples. Most of the conodonts are not particularly well preserved, but some can be identified at species level and consist in Misikella posthernsteini and M. posthernsteini? from samples HJ-9, HJ-0, HU 1-1, and HU 1-2 (Figure 3) Figure 3. SEM photos of conodonts from the Kastuyama and Csővár sections; a and b indicate lateral and lower views, respectively. (1, 3) Misikella posthernsteini?, HJ-0; (2, 4) Misikella posthernsteini, HJ-0; (5) Misikella posthernsteini, HU 1-2; (6) Misikella posthernsteini, HU 1-1; (7) Misikella posthernsteini, HJ-9; (8, 9) Misikella posthernsteini from Du et al. (2020); (10) Neohindeodella detrei from Pálfy et al. (2007) Conodonts in samples HJ-9 and HJ-0 were stratigraphically above the FO of the Lower Jurassic radiolarian Pantanellium tanuense (Figure 2). The positions of sample HJ-0 and HJ-9 are about 6 cm and 33 cm higher than the FO of P. tanuense, respectively. Du et al. (2020) had already described Lower Jurassic conodonts M koessenensis at the levels of HJ-9 and HJ-0 we report the discovery of more conodonts above the P it is a supplement to the study of Jurassic conodonts in the Inuyama area also reaffirming the authenticity of the Lower Jurassic conodonts in the study area conodonts from West Africa generally do not belong to the Upper Cretaceous but the Middle Triassic to lower part of Upper Triassic Furthermore, conodonts, especially pectiniform elements, evolved rapidly, so it highly unlikely that morphological characteristics could have remained unchanged from the Triassic to the Upper Jurassic, much less the Upper Cretaceous (Müller and Mosher, 1970) determinations that conodonts are post-Triassic age must be confirmed by other coeval fossils and/or reliable chronological markers Neohindeodella detrei is the first conodont to have been extant into the Lower Jurassic before the discovery of the Lower Jurassic conodonts in the Katsuyama section (Japan) makes the Jurassic age of Neohindeodella sp but does not rule out the possibility that Neohindeodella sp the T-J boundary is generally defined by radiolarians due to the lack of ammonoid fossils the radiolarian-defined T-J boundary is inconsistent with the standard T-J boundary based on ammonoids although it can be confirmed that some pectiniform conodont elements in the Katsuyama section are Lower Jurassic based on their occurrence relative to Hettangian radiolarians it is necessary to discuss the radiolarian-defined T-J boundary in the Katsuyama section a numerical age has not been obtained in the Kuhjoch East section to constrain the age of the T-J boundary Although not selected as the primary marker of the T-J boundary, the evolutionary turnover of radiolarian fauna remains a landmark event across the T-J boundary transition. Indeed, changes in radiolarian fauna have been used to define the T-J boundary in regions where ammonoids are absent. The Kunga Island section was a candidate section for the Hettangian GSSP based on the major evolutionary replacement of radiolarian fauna at the T-J boundary (Hillebrandt et al., 2013) the change of radiolarian fauna is represented by the disappearance of the Upper Triassic radiolarian Globolaxtorum tozeri the ammonoid-defined T-J boundary is higher than the highest occurrence of G There is thus a brief interval between the disappearance of G tozeri and the FO of the Lower Jurassic radiolarians Canoptum merum and Pantanellium tanuense in the Kunga Island section and the exact position of the T-J boundary could not be determined there due to the absence of ammonoid P there was also a brief period of transition between the disappearance of G tozeri and the first appearance of the Lower Jurassic radiolarian P The ammonoid-defined T-J boundary might be later than the last appearance of G the duration of this conodont is longer than previously known The records in the Katsuyama section indicate that some M posthernsteini survived also into the Lower Jurassic It is important to mention that Hori (1997) first reported conodonts that occasionally occurred in Toarcian (Jurassic) bedded chert from the Inuyama areas in Japan. The reported conodonts are very similar to the Triassic forms according to Hori (1997) the Toarcian radiolarian biostratigraphy reveals that the conodonts could be reworked because it is unlikely that Triassic conodonts suddenly appeared in Toarcian strata the strata of the studied T-J boundary section are continuous and without a clear depositional discontinuity and any intraclast grains have been not found in the samples yet the conodonts found in the Katsuyama section occurred continuously from the Upper Triassic to the Lower Jurassic strata and the radiolarian biostratigraphy of the T-J boundary Katsuyama section is well-correlated with other regions highlighting that there is no evidence that the Lower Jurassic (Hettangian) conodonts might have been reworked During the ETE, one of the five Phanerozoic mass extinction events (Hallam, 1996), a large number of marine and terrestrial organisms were affected or went extinct (McElwain et al., 1999, 2009) The extinction of the conodonts might be the most remarkable event of the ETE and there are three outstanding questions regarding their extinction What was the main reason for their extinction As one of the most remarkable events of the ETE, the cause of conodont extinction remains debated. The most widely accepted hypothesis is that multiple pulses of the CAMP caused the larger ETE (Marzoli et al., 1999; Schlische et al., 2003) and directly led to the extinction of the conodonts (Fujisaki et al., 2018) This also could be the mechanism of conodont extinction why have they only been identified in the Buda area and why have no P and/or M elements been found because the Inuyama area was in an open sea environment far from the CAMP hypoxia and ocean acidification were less severe than areas closer to the CAMP This relatively less harsh environment may have sustained these conodonts into the Lower Jurassic and it could reflect the drops of radiolarian productivity the main anomaly in these NSIEs occurred within ~1 mm interval implying <kyr or up to decadal scale drastic environmental perturbation across the T-J extinction interval This may also be one of the factors resulting in the extinction of conodonts there were various adverse environmental factors in the Inuyama area during T-J boundary transition that may have led to the eventual extinction of conodonts or the disappearance of other organisms its specific mechanism remains to be clarified posthernsteini reaffirm the existence of Hettangian conodonts in the Inuyama area The reason why some conodonts survived into the Lower Jurassic might be that the remote locations of the Inuyama area relative to the CAMP buffered them against hypoxia and ocean acidification resulting from protracted volcanism allowing them to survive beyond the T-J boundary The DCWs of conodont may have been due to protracted ocean acidification food scarcity and competition with other organisms may have led to the eventual extinction of conodonts All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version This work was supported by the Scientific Research Foundation of Chengdu University of Technology (10912-KYQD2021_09147) the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Grants JP19H00711 and JP20H00203 to TO) and the University of Padova The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Zircon U-Pb geochronology links the end-Triassic extinction with the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province Google Scholar CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Google Scholar Google Scholar Molecular and isotopic evidence reveals the end-Triassic carbon isotope excursion is not from massive exogenous light carbon CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Google Scholar Google Scholar CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Google Scholar Google Scholar Google Scholar Google Scholar CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Survival without recovery after mass extinctions PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Google Scholar Google Scholar Google Scholar Google Scholar Extensive 200-millionyear-old continental flood basalts of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Fossil plants and global warming at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary Changes in carbon dioxide during an oceanic anoxic event linked to intrusion into Gondwana coals Fossil plant relative abundances indicate sudden loss of late Triassic biodiversity in East Greenland Google Scholar CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Google Scholar Google Scholar Google Scholar CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Google Scholar CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Mercury anomalies and the timing of biotic recovery following the end-Triassic mass extinction CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Wu Q and Rigo M (2023) Lower Jurassic conodonts from the Inuyama area of Japan: implications for conodont extinction Received: 01 January 2023; Accepted: 24 April 2023; Published: 18 May 2023 Copyright © 2023 Du, Onoue, Tomimatsu, Wu and Rigo. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Manuel Rigo, bWFudWVsLnJpZ29AdW5pcGQuaXQ= Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight whose construction date was determined by the dendrochronology method TOKYO — The Inuyama Castle keep has been verified as the oldest in Japan according to an announcement by the Inuyama board of education The keep is a designated national treasure located in Inuyama According to the board’s announcement on Monday researchers have confirmed that it was constructed between 1585 and 1590 after the Battle of Komaki-Nagakute in 1584 and during the reign of Oda Nobukatsu The approximate date of construction was determined by measuring the rings in wooden materials used in the keep The Inuyama Castle keep was built in the oldest style among the 12 surviving keeps in Japan some documents say it was constructed after the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 The education board claims that the latest measurements provide scientific evidence that it actually is the oldest of the 12 The measurements were made by Kazuyoshi Fumoto a professor of architectural history at the Nagoya Institute of Technology a visiting researcher in dendrochronology at the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties found that a pillar on the first floor was cut down in 1585 and a floor beam on the north side of the fourth floor in 1588 It was also discovered that other parts appeared to have been cut down during the Tensho period (1573-92) Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Would you like to receive our daily news? Signup today Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Today's print edition Home Delivery Aichi Prefectural Police arrested a 33-year-old woman and her common-law husband Thursday on suspicion of assaulting and causing the death of her 7-year-old daughter Minami Shimazaki and her partner Gai Kurata face charges of neglect and causing injury resulting in death Authorities have not disclosed whether they have admitted to the charges.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); The girl was taken to a hospital in Gifu Prefecture following a call to emergency services placed by Kurata Minami Shimazaki is accused of failing to seek appropriate medical care for her daughter despite her complaints of abdominal pain and vomiting Investigators discovered multiple bruises on Nao Shimazaki’s body According to the Ichinomiya Child Consultation Center in Aichi Prefecture the girl had been temporarily taken into protective custody twice between 2022 and 2023 the protective measures were lifted at her request Prefectural authorities will set up a third-party committee to review the child consultation center’s handling of the case 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 Situated in the center of Honshu and a 5-hour drive from the Kanto Plain Meiji Mura (village) in Inuyama City is a 25-acre open-air museum and theme park home to more than 60 historical buildings built in the Meiji era (1868 – 1912) The historical buildings were originally built in other locations in Japan but were relocated into Meiji Mura for preservation 12 are designated as national cultural assets Since old-fashioned buildings are beautifully arranged throughout the vast park many movies and TV dramas have filmed here throughout the years daughter and I recently visited Meiji Mura to step back in time to when Japan transformed from a samurai society into a modern western-style nation to feel its unique quaint bridges and lighthouses in the park made us feel as if we were strayed back in time We saw a restaurant in the preserved Imperial Hotel offering dishes cooked with the recipes from the Meiji era And the majestic Saint Francis Xavier Cathedral overwhelmed us with its gorgeous altar filled with beautiful decors and sculptures barber shop and sento public bath from the early 1900s gave us a glimpse into the life of common people back in the day artifacts and tools displayed at the preserved schools we learned how the Meiji era was full of ups and downs Besides the food and snacks of the Meiji era available in the park’s restaurants you can hop on the nation’s oldest streetcar or steam locomotive running through the park you and your loved one can even tie the knot at one of the beautiful churches Meiji Mura is situated at the side of Iruka Pond and surrounded by green mountains We really enjoyed the extremely refreshing cool mountain air during our trip to old Japan and we were not able to check out all the buildings and monuments by the 5 p.m be sure to give yourself several hours to enjoy whole park We found Meiji Mura a great daytrip spot filled with picturesque attractions perfect for photos Make plans to head to Meiji Mura and walk back in time Sign up for our weekly newsletter of articles from Japan will get its first internationally-branded hotel with IHG® and Nagoya Railroad (Meitetsu) signing an agreement to open Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen Garden in the second half of 2021 No two Hotel Indigo properties are the same with each drawing on the story of its local area to inspire every aspect of the hotel to help guests feel part of the destination The 150-room hotel originally opened in 1965 and currently operates as the Meitetsu Inuyama Hotel the property will be rebuilt with a striking modern design and reopened as Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen Garden taking advantage of IHG’s global reputation and systems it will feature a neighbourhood café and bar The design will ensure the hotel fits naturally into the neighbourhood telling stories of the local culture by weaving together rich materials colour palette and custom pieces from local artists and furniture makers said: “Inuyama has been a popular destination for residents of Nagoya and throughout Japan for many years but there is an opportunity in the market for a great global branded hotel is the perfect location for a Hotel Indigo and from 2021 we will deliver an amazing product that meets the needs of those travellers who are looking for the winning mix of international brand and local experience.” “The global momentum behind the Hotel Indigo is accelerating and this is the second Hotel Indigo planned for Japan following the signing of Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora in 2017” Inuyama is well known for its 16th-century Castle as well as Urakuen a peaceful garden with the centuries-old Jo-an teahouse the Meiji-mura Museum which features restored 19th-century buildings from the Meiji era an open-air museum with traditional houses from across the globe These attractions make it the perfect escape for guests who are looking beyond bigger cities like Kyoto or Osaka as well as business and events travellers.  will take advantage of its transportation connections to develop a tourism route from Nagoya to Kanazawa revitalising the destination and attracting visitors from around Japan said: “We are delighted to be able to bring the world-class Hotel Indigo lifestyle brand to Inuyama We have worked on revitalizing the area for many years including the development of several leisure businesses Through the opening of Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen Garden we can highlight the charm of Inuyama we will contribute to further development and appeal of the whole region.” Hotel Indigo is the world’s first globally branded boutique hotel brand It launched in Asia Pacific in January 2015 with the opening of Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road followed by the opening of Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong Singapore in July 2016 and then Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach in late 2017 There are currently 88 Hotel Indigo properties (10,888 rooms) in the global pipeline.  IHG currently has 33 hotels operating under three brands in Japan including ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa and Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns nearly 5,400 hotels and 800,000 guest rooms in almost 100 countries, with more than 1,700 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG® Rewards Club which has more than 100 million enrolled members InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales More than 375,000 people work across IHG's hotels and corporate offices globally Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report but the keep of Inuyama Castle here really was built for keeps A tree-ring analysis showed that the three-tiered four-storied donjon was built between 1585 and 1590 making it the oldest among the nation’s 12 remaining original castle keeps The board also said the keep’s four floors were likely constructed successively although a study conducted during repairs between 1961 and 1965 suggested that the third and fourth levels were added later “A significant finding is that the keep already had its upper-floor watchtower when it was built just as it does now,” Kazuyoshi Fumoto a professor of architectural history at the graduate school of Nagoya Institute of Technology a visiting researcher at the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties known for its expertise on tree-ring dating An analysis of growth rings confirmed that a pillar straddling the first and second floors and a beam supporting the fourth floor were made from Japanese cypress trees cut down in 1585 and 1588 The floorboards and other parts of the fourth level were also made from timbers presumed to have been felled between 1585 and 1588 spear plane and other tools left traces unique to carpentry in those days on the surface of the timbers Fumoto said Inuyama Castle was commissioned by Oda Nobukatsu after the 1584 Battle of Komaki and Nagakute where he fought against Toyotomi Hideyoshi with Tokugawa Ieyasu Inuyama city government officials previously said the donjon was built in 1537 earlier than the 11 other remaining castle keeps The 11 castles include Matsumoto Castle in Nagano Prefecture the Agency for Cultural Affairs dates the keep of Inuyama Castle to 1601 in its cultural property database and elsewhere questions remained about both theories over the age of the castle’s stone wall and other elements Prewar pictures provide glimpse into daily lives of Okinawans Found sketch to aid rebuilding of dragon sculpture at Shuri-jo castle Nagoya Castle to be stripped of mythical statues for a while Only photo of Fukuchiyama Castle in feudal age causes a stir Lake Biwako’s secret: Warlord’s Osaka Castle bridge is there Hideyoshi castle ruins in Kyoto called ‘discovery’ of this century 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 The perfect itinerary for first-time visitors to Japan: cities Can you really see Japan's best bits on a budget Explore our latest brochure for Japan trip inspiration Pepijn and I (all from the IJT Nagoya office!) headed to Inuyama festival (犬山祭り) Inuyama is a town just 20 minutes train journey from Nagoya and is rapidly growing into a really vibrant tourist destination It is home to Japan’s oldest castle (Well Construction actually began on Matsumoto castle before Inuyama but Inuyama was completed first – you decide which takes the prize!) Leading through the town centre from the castle is a lovely street lined with Edo-style frontages housing a variety of shops On an ordinary day this is pleasantly quiet but during the festival it was packed to the gills with people or “yatai,” line the streets all the way from Inuyama Station to the castle selling everything from chocolate-coated bananas and chicken skewers to delicious “dango” dumplings and bean-paste mochi we made sure to take advantage of the full range of culinary offerings – and were even forcibly bought a round of beers by a strange old Japanese man We tried our hand at throwing ninja shuriken (throwing stars) and I think it’s probably safe to say that I’m never going to qualify as a ninja There were also a couple of stalls where you could win your own baby terrapin – a far cry from the goldfish-in-a-bag combo of my own childhood lantern-laden floats that are the real focus of the festival were paraded through the streets At the very top of the floats are “karakuri” puppets which you inspect up close at the museum of Japanese toys on the approach to the castle and at the bottom tier were children chanting and banging drums to the tune of eerie flute music The costumes they were are incredibly elaborate each float was decorated with hundreds of lanterns each lit with a real candle – no cheating here which has just finished undergoing refurbishment was also looking very photogenic in the floodlights though becoming steadily more and more frequented has yet to reach the heights of popularity attained by similar events such as Takayama festival If you’re staying in Nagoya or anywhere nearby during April Find inspiration for your Japan holiday plans by exploring our latest brochure Visit our main site to read more about this topic or contact one of our specialists Company to offtake from 25MWac solar farm in Inuyama City Microsoft has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to procure solar power in Japan last week announced it has signed a 20-year virtual VPPA with the cloud company to provide renewable energy from a 25MWac solar farm in Inuyama City This is Microsoft’s first PPA in Japan; Shizen said the deal was “instrumental” in helping achieve financial close on the Inuyama project “Shizen Energy’s expertise and presence in the Japanese market is enabling our first renewable energy purchase in Japan and it’s great to see near-term supply for our 100 percent renewable energy goal,” said Adrian Anderson renewable and carbon-free energy at Microsoft “A commercial structure like this is important to promoting grid decarbonization in the country.” is currently constructing the solar farm outside Nagoya which Shizen said will be the largest single-asset solar power plant contracted under a virtual corporate PPA in Japan The plant is scheduled to start operation in December 2023 executive officer of Shizen Energy responsible for investment & strategy said: “The Inuyama project represents the strongest elements of Shizen Energy Group from years of local development through to construction and also PPA arrangement with an innovative and international financial scheme We look forward to enabling more projects with a similar structure as we increasingly focus on PPA projects to support our customers to decarbonize in Japan The development and construction of the project have been financed by non-recourse finance in the amount of 10.9 billion yen from Societe Generale Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation (Toshiba ESS) will manage the electricity from the plant added: “With our knowledge of renewable asset classes in Japan and corporate PPA financings in the other energy markets Societe Generale can capitalize on our expertise in designing and implementing an innovative first-of-a-kind financing for the benefit of Shizen Energy We appreciate the trust that Shizen Energy has placed in us and the opportunity to have contributed to this landmark milestone for financing the energy transition in Japan.” Shizen Energy’s business includes the development and asset management of renewable energy power plants using solar power Microsoft originally launched its azure cloud in Japan in 2014 with two data centers - one in the Saitama Prefecture near Tokyo; and the other PPAs are less common in Japan than in the US or Europe, but Amazon has previously signed a 22MW deal with Mitsubishi and a 38MW deal with Itochu to power its operations in the country Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia *This article is based on the information as of November 2022 and the latest status may have changed The main street of the castle town is called Honmachi-dori a 600m long street lined with old style buildings and houses reminiscent of the Edo period cafés and souvenir shops lining both sides of the street at least don’t miss your chance to take as many photos as possible here I walked around 7 minutes to Inuyama Castle Inuyama Castle is located just at the end of Honmachi-dori and is a fine example of a samurai castle still in its original structure Aichi Prefecture--Lavish floats are once again a key feature of the famed Inuyama Matsuri street parade festival here a sure sign that people have put the COVID-19 pandemic behind them The spring festival has been hosted by Haritsuna Shrine since the Edo Period (1603-1868) called “Yama-gyoji,” is renowned for its gorgeously decorated traditional wheeled floats and designated by the central government as an important intangible folk-cultural property The event was canceled in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic A scaled down version was held last year simply for the purpose of keeping the tradition alive the event was held in all its splendor for the first time since 2019 All 13 floats lined up at a square in front of Inuyama-jo castle Cherry blossom trees were in full bloom as if to welcome back the floats The floats were paraded through the historic castle town’s streets from the morning The top of each float featured a mechanized “karakuri” puppet doll that seemed to perform feats of wizardry the floats were decorated with lit lanterns “I want to share the pleasure of holding this festival and connecting with as many people as possible,” said 77-year-old Yoshihiro Ishida who heads a festival preservation association Mechanical dolls dating to feudal times on display at Aichi museum Aomori Nebuta Festival gets the green light after 2-year absence Test-pull held for massive float set to finally return to Gion Festival Takayama float returns to Gion Festival in Kyoto after 196 years SPONSORED BY CENTRAL JAPAN TOURISM ASSOCIATION deftly pulling ropes tethered to a mechanical karakuri doll used in yama floats in local festivals clad in jewel-toned finery reminiscent of that worn by Japanese feudal nobility The demonstration takes place at the Imasen Inuyama Karakuri Museum in the central Aichi Prefecture town of Inuyama The newly opened facility showcases about 38 karakuri dolls either manually operated or automated by intricate internal mechanisms The dolls’ creation harks back to the Edo Period (1603 to 1867) when mechanical development in Japan began to flourish Aichi’s reputation as a powerhouse for karakuri development and later was partly cemented because of the Owari clan progressive feudal lords with a long history of promoting manufacturing and industrial technologies — carpentry ceramics and steelmaking — within their domains which convey how important maintaining territory was to the rulers of the day The evolution of precision mechanical technology employed in karakuri doll-making can be seen in developments that led to the creation of Japan’s automotive industries A visit to the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology in Nagoya reveals the company’s transformation by the Toyoda family from weaving and loom technology specialists to the motoring behemoth that it is today which continuously ranks well on sites such as TripAdvisor and employs multilingual apps for ease of communication to global visitors The present-day Toyota carmaker is still involved in developing new technologies for the textile industry examples of which can be viewed at the museum The museum’s automobile pavilion explains Toyota’s car-making history as well as showcasing the technologies used since its inception Visitors can learn about deep-rooted concepts of monozukuri (conscientious manufacturing) and craftsmanship where manual skills and advances in technology are seen to progress hand-in-hand Established in 1977 to commemorate Toyota’s 40th anniversary, Toyota Kaikan Museum displays new car models and cutting-edge technologies Plant tours (reservations needed) allow visitors to see the automaker’s assembly line and examples of the firm’s engineering excellence environmentally friendly cars and Toyota’s corporate social responsibility efforts are also addressed encapsulates the achievements made in the region’s rich industrial culture It’s ‘Sanrio Time,’ now and ever after Aichi Prefecture--Spectators who thrill to the sight of the "karakuri" mechanical dolls at the city's famed Inuyama Matsuri float festival can now see them year-round on display The IMASEN Inuyama Karakuri Museum opened here on June 1 which were made in the Edo Period (1603-1867) and later Some of the dolls ride "yama" floats at the Inuyama Matsuri one of the float festivals registered on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list The new museum also offers a rare opportunity to see how mechanical dolls are operated and created in a section used as a branch studio for the ninth-generation Tamaya Shobei The city government spent 160 million yen ($1.5 million) to build the museum as the south annex of the Inuyama Cultural Assets Museum There had been a karakuri exhibition facility on the east side of the main building But because the building rented by the city government to house the facility had fallen into disrepair officials erected a new wooden two-story building with a total floor space of 463 square meters to incorporate more exhibits It was initially scheduled to open in April but the novel coronavirus pandemic forced the postponement Placed on display at the museum are 38 large and small mechanical dolls including manually powered "dashi karakuri" used for the Inuyama Matsuri festival and "zashiki karakuri," or spring-driven automata It is thought that "Baishogi," a karakuri doll performance featuring a doll of a Chinese boy playing on the top of a plum tree was made by the third-generation Tamaya Shobei in 1827 and had been used at the Inuyama Matsuri until 2002 Also featured at the museum are tea-serving automata and other zashiki karakuri dolls created by the ninth-generation Tamaya Shobei Visitors can watch videos of the mechanical dolls at the museum by scanning QR codes with their smartphones Members of the Inuyama Matsuri preservation association also give doll performances in the morning and afternoon every day A re-creation of Tamaya's studio is also set up at the museum in which he shows how he creates karakuri dolls on Fridays and Saturdays "There is no other facility that puts this many karakuri dolls on display," the doll maker said "I hope visitors watch how I make them up close." Bundle tickets for both the IMASEN Inuyama Karakuri Museum and the Inuyama Cultural Assets Museum's main building dedicated to the Inuyama festival cost 300 yen ($2.80) Admission is free for junior high school students and younger children The venue will be closed during year-end holidays COVID-19 could cause 40% of traditional craft companies to fold Colorful floats paraded around Inuyama Castle The audience applauded puppets performing amazing feats on the floats under the blooming cherry blossoms The Inuyama Festival will continue until Sunday The fire crackles in the chilly winter air and they gather around the warm embers of the flame At the Japan Monkey Center in Inuyama Yakushima monkeys crowd around fires built just for them Japan has a bit of a reputation for the ways its monkeys find innovative ways of warming up. The Nagano monkeys floating in warm spa water to fight the bitter snowy winters are images which have circulated on the internet for years it’s quite an ironic sight: people in the cold watching monkeys getting cozily warm.  But where did the tradition of monkeys gathering around fires in Inuyama begin in 1959 during Typhoon Vera — the typhoon considered to be the strongest in Japanese history — baby monkeys approached a fire to get a bit of access to the heat while some park employees were sitting around it warming themselves This practice has become an image associated with winter and a monkey tradition more than 60 years old.  It was cold and rainy on the day the Sankei Shimbun reporter visited and the monkeys looked blissful as they enjoyed the soft heat while trying to warm up next to the flames.  This particular spectacle is open to the public until February 29 as the event is canceled in the event of rain or stormy weather you can see the monkeys enjoying hot boiled potatoes.  What is your hidden wonder in Japan? Submit your photo here.  (Click here to read the related article in Japanese.)  You must be logged in to post a comment ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Studio 8bit is animating the new season under the direction of Shin Tosaka Masafumi Sugiura is doing the series composition Takanori Hashimoto is on the character designs and Takeshi Takadera is the sound director Kimi no ne is performing the opening theme song while Asaka returns in the series to sing the ending theme The main cast members will also reprise their roles: Meiji Mura is literally a hidden wonder of Japan The open-air museum was opened in 1965 with 11 buildings from the Meiji era (1868–1912). Now, Meiji Mura has 67 structures from the Meiji, Taisho (1912–1968), and early Showa (1926–1989) eras from Japan Foreign structures are included because they are part of the Japanese diaspora that began in the Meiji era The creation of the Museum was driven by the architect Yoshiro Taniguchi (1904-1979) and Motoo Tsuchikawa (1903-1974), CEO of Meitetsu, a private railroad conglomerate dominant in the Nagoya area All historical buildings at Meiji Mura are originals carefully disassembled and reconstructed at the Museum Others contain artifacts and furniture typical of when they were in active use Several including a courthouse and prison have mannequins in daily life situations Guided tours are available and in some cases required for certain buildings But most structures are free to view at your own pace with no restrictions on photography The Museum preserves houses belonging to or used by literary figures including Natsume Soseki It also showcases mansions belonging to Meiji-era political heavyweights These include Saionji Kinmochi (1849-1940) and brother of Saigo Takamori who led a rebellion against the Meiji government One building houses industrial machinery important in Meiji era modernization. A 19th-century steam engine and coaches run on a short line within the park as does a similarly antique tram from Kyoto The city was the first in Japan to have electric trams Meiji Mura is 58 minutes by direct bus from Nagoya and 20 minutes by bus (cash only) from Inuyama Station. Kimono rental is available featuring Nagoya area items and "curry bread" made famous by a novel entitled Shokudouraku (食道楽) by Meiji-Taisho era novelist Murai Gensai (1864-1927) Wheelchair access is generally good, but distances within the park are substantial and some slopes are quite steep. In the summer A shuttle bus operates within the Museum at 20-minute intervals Photographs by EH Kinmonth. Find other stories about Tokyo and nearby areas by Dr Kinmonth on JAPAN Forward You must be logged in to post a comment The Laid-Back Camp movie has released a visual of Aoi Inuyama, the latest in its series of candid-themed character visuals The movie is set for an early summer release in Japan The first and second seasons of Laid-Back Camp aired in 2018 and 2021 respectively while a spin-off called ROOM CAMP aired in 2020 Crunchyroll describes Laid-Back Camp as: a high school student who had moved from Shizuoka to Yamanashi Even though she manages to bike all the way to Motosu she’s forced to turn back because of worsening weather Nadeshiko is saved when she encounters Rin This outdoorsy girls story begins with this first encounter between Nadeshiko and Rin Laid-Back Camp is based on the camping-themed manga by Afro which began in 2015 and has 12 tankoubon volumes as of April 2021 The HOUBUNSHA-published manga was first serialized in Manga Time Kirara Forward but is currently running in the COMIC FUZ app and is published under the Manga Time KR Comics label.  The Laid-Back Camp movie’s staff includes Yoshiaki Gyougoku as director Jin Tanaka and Mutsumi Itou as scriptwriters with all four having previous involvement with the franchise C-Station is the animation production company the cast includes Yumiri Hanamori as Nadeshiko Kagamihara, Nao Touyama as Rin Shima, Sayuri Hara as Chiaki, Aki Toyosaki as Aoi Inuyama Source: @yurucamp_anime As the 2023 calendar year has come to an end we embrace the New Year with optimism and an eagerness for adventure With Japan’s return to pre-COVID travel policies in 2023 wanderlust seekers from across the world rushed to visit globally recognized Japanese destinations such as Mt these iconic spaces are faced with over-tourism and crowding all while leaving their rural counterparts comparably vacant Although these popular locations offer easy ways to engage Japanese culture visitors coming to Japan in 2024 should kick off their new year by discovering getting off the beaten path and discover the charming and unique opportunities available only in the countryside The city of Yokote in the southeastern Akita Prefecture hosts an annual winter festival that boasts a number of candle-lit “kamakura” igloos every February 15–16 candle lit lanterns to ones that are large enough for a small group of people to fit in these snowy structures pop up around the city and at 6PM the structures are illuminated to cast a warm glow against a snowy canvas Local children will invite travelers to step inside the larger kamakura and enjoy a cup of “amazake,” a traditional Japanese drink made out of fermented rice The festival is a visual delight and a cultural immersion offering visitors the chance to interact with local people savor regional cuisine and even build their own kamakura If creating lasting memories amid the serene beauty of winter in Japan piques your interest Yokote is accessible via train on the JR Ou Main Line or JR Kitakami Line in Akita Active walkers can comfortably trek to and from the festival from Yokote Station In Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture, the annual Inuyama Festival will satisfy your desire for an authentic cultural experience woven into Japan’s unique cultural tapestry. Set in the historic city of Inuyama this vibrant celebration was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage for Humanity and offers visitors a unique and authentic experience Traditionally held on the first weekend of April this year on April 6 and 7 from 9 AM to 9:30 PM  the historic Inuyama Old Castle Town area hosts parades of three-tiered floats and doll performances using traditional Japanese puppets (known as “karakuri”) alongside flute and taiko drum performances the thirteen floats parade through the cherry blossom-lined streets all 365 lanterns decorating the 13 floats are lit Visitors can take in the dynamic energy of traditional floats adorned with stunning ornaments witness captivating performances and partake in the local festivities that embody the heart and soul of Aichi’s heritage If you’re looking for a different kind of celebration the Kobe 2024 Para Athletics World Championships offer another unique perspective on Japanese cultural appreciation select skilled athletes of different levels of ableness will gather from around the world to compete among peers and test their abilities those visiting the Echizen Daibutsu can witness an ethereal display as the cloud formations envelop shrines and a colossal 17-meter-high Buddha statue one hour after opening and one hour prior to closing This site provides a serene and contemplative environment allowing visitors to connect with Japan's spiritual heritage while embracing innovation This juxtaposition of ancient spirituality and contemporary creativity offers a refreshing and memorable cultural experience making the Echizen Daibutsu cloud installation a must-visit destination for those seeking a unique and enriching journey in 2024 Japanese version Japanese version Aoi Inuyama joined her friends by getting an “off-shot” visual for the upcoming Laid-Back Camp (Yuru Camp) movie The movie will premiere this summer and C-Station is animating it The movie appears to be set post-time skip Laid-Back Camp is based on a manga by Afro which started serialization in 2015 The manga has 12 volumes with Yen Press handling the English translation The first season of the anime premiered in the Winter 2018 season with the second following in Winter of 2021 Side-story Room Camp (Heya Camp) aired during the Winter 2020 season Crunchyroll co-financed and later streamed the anime and describes the plot as:Nadeshiko Source: Official Website© Afro In a country criticized for its lack of political diversity two foreign-born assembly members are trying to make a difference is now in his fourth term as a member of the Tsukuba city assembly in Ibaraki Prefecture When asked why he entered Japanese politics Heese came to Japan as an English teacher in 1991 and obtained Japanese nationality in 2007 He became especially interested in Japanese politics after tougher penalties against drunken driving introduced in 2002 led to the closures of some restaurants he had frequented He wondered if anti-drunken driving measures adopted in Canada could be introduced in Tsukuba Although he consulted with municipal officials and assembly members Heese decided it would be better if he himself followed through on his own idea about drunken driving and acquaintances helped him distribute posters and fliers he has received the most votes for three consecutive elections starting in 2012 Tsukuba is a hub for universities and research institutions it is only natural to have a foreign-born member in the 28-seat city assembly,” Heese said I thought it was necessary to have such a representative.” He said he never thought of becoming a politician when he came to Japan Heese said the city assembly must understand the needs of each resident to achieve political diversity it is not because I am from a foreign country,” he said “It is because I keep seeking what’s needed for the city.” is currently serving his fifth term as an assembly member in Inuyama city Bianchi came to Japan for the first time in 1988 He developed ties with the prefecture through a home-stay program and later became an English teacher there Bianchi became interested in joining politics after moving to Inuyama in 1996 and working with the city’s education board to develop an English program some board members opposed his ideas because there were “no precedents.” He had to decide whether to keep quiet and do his job return to the United States or speak up for himself He took matters into his own hands and ran for a city assembly seat in 2003 His first election experience in Japan was baffling Bianchi said he was particularly perplexed by election rules that allowed campaign vehicles to only repeatedly blare out the names of candidates He also wanted to avoid giving loud street speeches and he once quarreled with his campaign staff over the volume level The native New Yorker also overheard some people saying that his Japanese was terrible and that they didn’t want a foreigner representing them his supporters encouraged him by saying there was nothing wrong with bringing a new perspective to the assembly He felt that his American background worked both positively and negatively Bianchi gained the most votes in the election His first question as an assembly member was why his colleagues appeared reluctant to discuss issues with each other He thought there were more active discussions in the United States He established a system of encouraging talks among assembly members as part of reforms When he was appointed assembly chair in 2017 Bianchi proposed the “Residents’ Free Speech” system under which citizens chosen by lottery can speak freely about the city administration His effort to realize grass-roots democracy through free speech by residents attracted nationwide attention Bianchi feels that Japanese take a reserved stance on politics and shy away from speaking their minds But Bianchi said he must be careful not to simply impose an American way of thinking “Diversity matters not only in terms of where people come from but also in terms of how they participate in politics,” he said Anti-mask politician gets trounced in local election in Oita Suga takes unorthodox route to reach top of Japanese politics ‘This is from Abe.’ Politicians received bulk of Kawai’s cash Musashino’s foreign vote plan squeaks through assembly panel Leaders appeal to voters week before Tokyo assembly races Newer parties to wage fierce fight for Tokyo seats in July 10 poll Japanese version registered as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO features 13 large three-tiered floats that are eight meters high loud cheers and the sound of Japanese flutes and drums could be heard as the floats were drawn past Inuyama Castle For more videos like this The film will open throughout Japan in early summer Akihiro Yamada has drawn art and character designs for such various manga, anime, and novels as RahXephon, The Twelve Kingdoms, and The Record of Lodoss War: The Lady of Pharis Sion Sono previously directed the live-action adaptation of Usamaru Furuya's Suicide Club manga in 2001, as well as the live-action adaptation of Minoru Furuya's Himizu manga in 2011 including Best Director at the Mainichi Film Awards for his film Love Exposure Sources: Crank-In!!, Comic Natalie Japanese version Japanese version Little World's path is only about a mile and a half long but along that short walk are houses from more than 20 different countries visitors can travel all around the world in just a few hours While most of the houses were painstakingly recreated according to their national style some were taken directly from their country of origin and relocated to Little World They represent traditional and indigenous dwellings from different cultures across the globe The tent section contrasts the temporary dwellings of the Swedish Sami An entire Kassena mud compound from Burkina Faso sits nearby A gorgeous Nepalese Buddhist monastery offers guests a tranquil place to rest on their world tour visitors can purchase a passport to have stamped at each of the "countries" they visit The interior details are intricate and authentic filled with all the items that would be have been found in a traditional Italian Alberobello cottage or a Micronesian Yap house  Some of the houses even have national costumes available to try on for added immersion Performers will demonstrate traditional music But the best part may be the restaurants where ethnic cuisine from all of the 20+ countries represented is available The African Plaza even offers ostrich and alligator meat This extraordinary art museum is like a secret world on the edge of Mexico City This fascinating museum in an old water tower holds the world's largest collection of Vodou artifacts from western and central Africa This theme park presents 5,000 years of Shanghai history and includes a "sunken" exhibition hall This fascinating and poignant museum chronicles every imaginable aspect of Spanish colonialism in the Americas Play everything you see at a museum dedicated to a town's historic organ industry A collection of the specialized tools used to construct Japan’s beautiful architecture One of the largest collections of traditional Māori artifacts in New Zealand Tracking the 1,500-year history of Korea's star cabbage Japanese version gumi’s Phantom of the Kill mobile RPG is having a special collaboration with Kagura Mea and Inuyama Tamaki from March 12 This will be the first collaboration between Phantom of the Kill and the two famous V-Tubers: Mea Kagura The collaboration event will feature newly drawn illustrations as well as newly recorded voices exclusive to the game special items to strengthen the characters and weapons will also be available as original collaboration items Kagura Mea is a female Japanese Virtual YouTuber who sings Her overall outfit is akin mixture of a french-style maid with military theme on it notably her long coat that is “strapped” behind her back like a cape She generally acts nicely but playing games or becoming frustrated can result in a fearsome amount of screaming and noises that stretch the capabilities of the human body Inuyama Tamaki is a Japanese V-Tuber who loves to talk He works hard every day while being worked hard by Norio’s mom He likes people with a strong sense of humor a VTuber agency managed by Tsukudani Norio as its founding member along with Shirayuki Mishiro Japanese version Japanese version Himegoto manga creator Norio Tsukudani announced on her official Twitter account on Friday that she has gotten married to a company manager 【ご報告】この度私、佃煮のりおは先月結婚しましたことをご報告致します💍お相手は会社経営者の方です。今後も変わらず、犬山たまき＆のりプロの運営・プロデュースをより一層頑張って参ります。これからもよろしくお願い致します！本日23時より✨佃煮のりお生誕祭＆結婚報告生放送をします🎥 pic.twitter.com/6hgqULun6g The manga artist, who is also active as a Virtual YouTuber under the name of "Inuyama Tamaki," vowed to keep doing her best at both her VTubing career She also held a stream on her YouTube channel to discuss the news and interact with her fans Tsukudani was in high school when her Himegoto four-panel cross-dressing manga debuted in 2011. The series inspired a 13-episode television anime series of five-minute shorts in 2014. The manga concluded in 2015 Tsukudani debuted the "Inuyama Tamaki" character in 2017 and began streaming activities in September 2018 she refers to herself as the "manager" or "mother" of the character rather than as the character herself she launched the "Nori Pro" Virtual YouTuber agency On her website Tsukudani describes her manga work as "open but having virtually no business." Source: Nikkan Sports The world's first successful generation of "time crystals" Headline news on October 7, 2016 Oct 07, 2016 19:00:00 in Coverage Mr. Shinsuke Chung Eyu who is very popular all over the world appeared as a deformed figure again From 'Yuasaguso no Yuinna-san', Yuno Yuno, Ame Nogei, Miyazaki Chisaki become a figure, I want to embrace casually I feel cute Jul 29, 2018 17:06:00 in Coverage,   Manga,   Anime,   Design April is the month of Spring when you can see the cherry blossom in full bloom There are many related events and festivals about cherry blossom viewing and one of these is the Hanami (花見) which are cherry blossom viewing parties that take place in Japan during this time of the year and festivals for spring flowers are held such as tulips that come in different colors There is also the nemophila known as “baby blue eyes” The month of April in Japan is also known for the celebration of Easter and the traditional spring festivals This is a perfect month to visit Japan because of the nice weather with moderate temperatures during the daytime and cool at nighttime the climate is still changing from time to time so it is better to check the weather before visiting I would like to share with you our picks for the best events in Japan in April 2025 Including events from different categories as well as the locations *Please note that this article contains affiliate links Viewing cherry blossoms is the main thing to do in spring And there are many places to view the cherry blossom across Japan Most of them are in well-known parks in various prefectures of Japan such as Tokyo and Kyoto where most tourists usually visit For more information about cherry blossom viewing ▶︎Best Spots to See Late Blooming Cherry Blossoms in Japan Fuji Kawaguchiko Cherry Blossom Festival is one of the most popular cherry blossom festivals in Japan where many visitors come to join the festival and witness the breathtaking view of cherry blossom with the lake and Mt Here are also two more cherry blossom festivals in Japan ▶︎10 Best Cherry Blossom Festivals in Japan 2025 Strawberries are in season in Japan from January to May and many hotels hold an event for a strawberry buffet collection where you can taste different sweets made from strawberries Here are some examples of strawberry buffets that you can go to ▶︎Best Strawberry Afternoon Teas in Tokyo 2024-2025 ▶︎Best Strawberry Afternoon Teas in Osaka 2024-2025 ▶︎6 Best Strawberry Picking Farms near Tokyo As the spring season approaches many cherry blossom events are held throughout Japan One of the popular is the NAKED artworks that bring the beauty of cherry blossoms to life It gives the magical fill bloom of the cherry blossom at night For more information about this event as well as other NAKED cherry blossom events ▶︎Nijo Castle Cherry Blossom Light-Up by NAKED 2025 ▶︎NAKED SAKURA AQUARIUM at Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa The Inuyama Festival is held every first Saturday of April in Inuyama city in Aichi prefecture It is an old festival with almost 300 years It is about offering gifts of “Karakuri” to the deity of Haritsuna Shrine (針綱神社) The Takayama spring festival is an annual festival of Hie Shrine to celebrate the upcoming of spring This festival consists of various events such as Procession Nemophila is a small blue flower that blooms during spring The Nemophila Flower Festival is held in Osaka Maishima Seaside Park from the beginning of April and May every year You can enjoy a large number of tulips in full bloom with red You can also see other spring flowers such as nemophila in the tower of the sun Miyako Odori is one of the most famous dance festivals in Japan held annually in Kyoto and ceremonies are featured that show the beauty and history of Kyoto many different types of flowers bloom during spring including tulips which come in different colors A special annual event in Tokyo Disney Sea featuring various foods and beverages across the parks showcasing different types of wine and other beverages such as cocktails >>Book Your Tickets Here!!<< ▶Tokyo Disneyland vs DisneySea: A Comparison of Two Disney Theme Parks in Japan ▶Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea Event Schedule 2025 A colorful and ultimate Easter celebration this year full of entertainment and beautiful decorations throughout the park and parades to enjoy during Easter festivals at the park >>Book Your Tickets Here!!<< ▶Best Things to Do at Universal Studios Japan ▶Universal Studios Japan Ticket and Pass List I hope this article helps you and provides information about the places and events in Japan in April For more related articles visit the articles below Greetings to all mommies I am a supermom from Philippines I worked and lived in Dubai for seven years I am happily settled here with my Japanese husband and our 7 months old baby I could only describe my almost 6 years of living here as a roller coaster ride more so I was able to witness firsthand the pros and cons of living in the country Those years were enough to give me quite personal and memorable experiences which I would be more than delighted to share with you 3 Biggest Traditional Festivals in Japan in April Kamanara Festival (かなまら祭り) is held usually held on the first Sunday of April in Kanayama Shrine in Kawasaki City It’s known as one of the most unique and bizarre festivals in the world Kanamara Festival is also called “Festival of the Steel Phallus” and the main theme of the event The festival has been welcoming more and more visitors every year and becoming one of the most popular spring events in Japan Access: 2 mins walk from Kawasakidaishi station (Keikyu line) Inuyama Festival (犬山祭) is held on the first weekend of April every year since 1635 at Inuyama city The highlight of this festival is the parade across the city by 13 gigantic three-storied floats with the sound of Japanese flutes and drums every float is lit by 365 Japanese lanterns Usually the festival can be enjoyed with the view of fully blooming cherry blossoms and it’s one of the most picturesque scenery of spring in Japan Takayama Festival (高山祭) is held at the popular historic town in Japan Alps It’s considered as one of three most beautiful festivals in Japan along with Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri and the Saitama’s Chichibu Yomatsuri Takayama Festival is held twice a year in spring and autumn The festival is known for traditional floats decorated with traditional and vivid design with marionettes Usually the festival is held at the same season of cherry blossoms in this area Access: 15 mins walk from JR Takayama station Website: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/hidatakayama/maturi_spring/index.html Looking for more information about spring in Japan Then you may wanna check out these articles "The world is my oyster." As a dedicated globetrotter and hammock enthusiast and discovering the world’s most incredible destinations I’ve always had a deep connection to my roots but my love for adventure has led me to spend over a decade exploring countries across the globe—from culture-rich cities to remote hideaways Travel isn't just a hobby for me; it's a lifestyle I'm constantly searching for new ways to fuel my wanderlust I’ve developed a wealth of knowledge and a treasure trove of tips that make traveling more enjoyable I've come to appreciate not only the beauty of travel but also the importance of understanding diverse cultures and I’m excited to share those lessons with others and firsthand stories that help travelers navigate their journeys to Japan or setting off on a global adventure From hidden gems in Japan to travel hacks that make any trip smoother I hope my insights inspire you to embark on your own adventures and make the most of every moment You can also find my stories here ▶ https://medium.com/@nahobm