Today's print edition Home Delivery The 68.5-kilometer section of the JR Geibi Line running through the Chugoku Mountains between Bingo-Shobara Station in Shobara is one of the least used railway routes in Japan Amid acute depopulation and the widespread use of cars as means of transportation discussions are underway over whether to maintain or abolish the section.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); While the number of passengers has continued to decline the Geibi Line has served as a lifeline for some residents It is also helping to draw visitors from outside the region and invigorate the local economy 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 At 23, he made his long-awaited first trip to Japan. "I was amazed by the rich history and traditions of Japanese culture I felt like this was where I truly belonged." However, with no precedent for a foreigner becoming a swordsmith after completing his mandatory military service in Switzerland During a training workshop for aspiring swordsmiths hosted by the All Japan Swordsmith Association Mr Kubo decided to take him on as an apprentice To become a swordsmith, one must train under a master for at least five years. They must also complete a workshop organized by the Agency for Cultural Affairs making him the first non-Japanese swordsmith Now, Johan is fully dedicated to crafting his first Japanese sword at a workshop within a national park in Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture "I want to create a sword that can move the hearts of even those who are unfamiliar with them," he says like the flames of the forge that heat the steel Read the article in Japanese Author: Hideyuki Matsui The Sankei ShimbunPhotos and video: Hideyuki Matsui You must be logged in to post a comment ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " a Swiss man who last spring became the first non-Japanese katana kaji — a swordsmith who makes Japanese swords — has opened his own workshop studio in the city of Mihara captivated by the beauty of Japanese swords came to Japan to train in the city of Shobara in the prefecture he moved to the Kui district of Mihara in December.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); “I hope to promote the charm of Japanese swords as works of art,” he said with determination During the early 1970s there were multiple reported sightings of a frightening ape-like creature that emerged from deep in the Chugoku Mountain range in western Japan sparking angst among locals and even a police investigation with dozens of sightings reported around Mt the beast eventually came to be known as "Hibagon." More than five decades have passed since the first sightings but believers from around Japan have continued to search in hopes of laying eyes on the mysterious creature According to the local Saijo Tourism Association the Hibagon stands about 160 centimeters tall has a hairy body and an inverted triangular face with a head twice the size of a human's Hiba has been a place of worship where myths abound related to Izanami-no-Mikoto the goddess of birth and death in Japanese folklore that a man in his 30s said he saw from his car an unusual two-legged creature walking down a mountain road in the Yuki district in the former town of Saijo before it slowly retreated back up the trail after noticing it was being watched Eyewitnesses have described the unidentified figure as resembling a gorilla covered in dark brown bristles -- the Japanese equivalent of the North American Bigfoot or Himalayan Yeti Many people reported spotting the Hibagon over time causing some residents to be wary of leaving their homes with an article published in the Chugoku Shimbun newspaper on Aug recounting the tales of three now-deceased local farmers who spoke about seeing the Hibagon on separate occasions One man who was mowing grass near his home early in the morning of July 23 claimed to have seen a creature in a grassy area with a "human face." Another man on July 30 called out to a person whom he believed was a relative walking along a footpath to a rice field but it turned out to be a "gorilla-type monster." News of the sightings caused a sensation that eventually drew the attention of police then Shobara bureau chief of the Chugoku Shimbun was quoted in the Hiroshima-based daily as saying "I didn't take the first call seriously because I thought it was just a hoax but then I got another call from someone else who gave an eyewitness account." After meeting separately with the three eyewitnesses to hear and compare their stories "I can't live here anymore." Another complained of people accusing him of "faking" the story and not believing him The Saijo town office later set up a consultation center to deal with residents concerned about the Hibagon sightings and the consultation center was closed in June 1975 the Hibagon has become a symbol of the town and signs with its imagined likeness are everywhere A plaster "footprint" purported to belong to the Hibagon was kept in the chief's office of the Shobara Police Station which is part of the Hiroshima Prefectural Police when the town's tourist association introduced the footprint in a video on its website especially among Japan's cryptid enthusiasts The police department states that although there is a record of having collected it on Dec "Tsuchinoko" serpentine monsters are rumored to exist in Nara Prefecture and local tourism authorities in that region are attempting to cash in on visitors' curiosity the Shobara Police Department donated the "footprint" to the tourism association The tourist association used the donation as an opportunity to start recruitment for a "Hibagon Explorers" fan club that has seen about 40 people from around Japan join A tour of the mountain road where the first sightings supposedly took place is planned for May We would like to promote it as our strength to appeal to the charms of the northern part of the prefecture." FEATURE: Domestic strawberry producers of "Warring States" eying new breeds FEATURE: Capturing the cormorants that do cormorant fishing FEATURE: Tokyo ramen shop created close-knit community shown in film 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 Share your travel photos with us by hashtagging your images with #visitjapanjp Get off the beaten track and join the local community through a stay at Japan's traditional houses called 'kominka' Getaways like this are on top of everyone's wish list right now and they are perfect to share with your friends and family Travel beyond Japan’s cityscapes and instead of just seeing truly experience Japanese culture and history in the astonishing Setouchi region The kominka we are raving about were built between 100 and 250 years ago in the Setouchi Area – in Hiroshima Prefecture’s Shobara and Uchiko in Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku. Setouchi Cominca Stays enable you to rent a whole house and thoroughly immerse yourself  in Japanese architecture and design Definitely what we call an extraordinary holiday Do something different and discover unknown sides of Japan in rural areas all of the kominka on our list have been skilfully adapted to provide you with the classiest amenities It’s time to get your groove back and start planning the long-awaited holidays in Japan Don't forget to add extraordinary outdoor experiences like hiking mountain climbing to your itinerary because they will not disappoint Here you can slow down and get to know the local community through activities like vegetable picking or foraging Then after a fulfilling day of rekindling with nature cook your food on a wooden stove or...have a professional local chef Kouji Mikawa visit you Who would say no to a seven-course meal created with local ingredients This gorgeous kominka represents regional revitalisation in a nutshell this 250 year old farm house has gone through a major glow-up Chojaya with its thatched roof and modern amenities is an amazing country getaway Japan has many hidden gems that are just waiting for you to notice and appreciate them Uchiko candles are produced from haze sumac tree berries without the use of animal products which made them popular around the world you can even find them in the British Museum take a walk to Omori Candle Shop where the 7th generation candle maker crafts with his bare hands Breathe in the fresh air at Uchiko's Ori villa which used to be a miso factory and wood merchant's house Maybe the smell of freshly produced miso still lingers in the area and a private garden which you can view from a bath For more details contact reservation@wondertrunk.co or check out their website and Instagram Browse the JNTO site in one of multiple languages Baleen whales are amongst the largest animals to have ever lived and yet very little is known about their breeding habits One researcher's second look at previously found baleen whale fossils from Japan provides new evidence of a now long-gone breeding ground of the extinct baleen whale Parietobalaena yamaokai dating back over 15 million years The research published in the open-access journal PeerJ elaborates on the evidence of the presence of a very young individual of an extinct baleen whale along with the occurrence of several fossil specimens of the same whale species This study claims to have discovered a very uncommon case -- a breeding ground for a long extinct large whale Researcher Cheng-Hsiu Tsai noticed the open suture in the skull of one fossil specimen which indicates the preservation of a very young whale -- under six months old The fossil specimens investigated were originally found in the 20th century and are currently held at the Hiwa Museum for Natural History Identifying breeding grounds of living species of whales are incredibly rare scientists are not certain where the endangered western gray whales reproduce in turn leading to no concrete strategies to recover this critically endangered population of around 100 individuals The discovery of an ancient paleo-breeding site could provide new insights into the future of baleen whale survival locating breeding sites and understanding why a breeding site disappeared may subsequently lead to information on how best to respond in order to conserve these living endangered populations Full Media Pack including image: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzGrFBtalE6wV3d6RmUtM0xsT2ZvY1d0SVR6bjJGY18tQlRj PDF of this Press Release: http://static.peerj.com/pressReleases/2017/08/Press-Release-Tsai.pdf Link to the Published Version of the article (quote this link in your story - the link will ONLY work after the embargo lifts): https://peerj.com/articles/3711 your readers will be able to freely access this article at this URL A Miocene breeding ground of an extinct baleen whale (Cetacea: Mysticeti) PeerJ is an Open Access publisher of two peer-reviewed journals and a preprint server. PeerJ is based in San Diego, CA and the UK and can be accessed at https://peerj.com/ PeerJ's mission is to help the world efficiently publish its knowledge All works published in PeerJ are Open Access and published using a Creative Commons license (CC-BY 4.0) Everything is immediately available -- to read include in databases and otherwise use -- without cost to anyone subject only to the condition that the original authors and source are properly attributed PeerJ has an Editorial Board of over 1,600 respected academics, including 5 Nobel Laureates. PeerJ was the recipient of the 2013 ALPSP Award for Publishing Innovation. PeerJ Media Resources (including logos) can be found at: https://peerj.com/about/press/ For PeerJ: email: press@peerj.com , https://peerj.com/about/press/ Note: If you would like to join the PeerJ Press Release list, please register at: http://bit.ly/PressList 10.7717/peerj.3711 are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system Copyright © 2025 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to view performances on a specially constructed outdoor stage and to shop at stalls selling food and local specialties Particularly popular is a ride through the tunnel of pink blossoms on an open-air double-decker bus air that was used in the victory parade for the Hiroshima Carp baseball team Sakura 100: Japan’s Best Blossoms Banner photo © Shobara Tourist Association.) HIROSHIMA (Jiji Press) — Officials from local governments and West Japan Railway Co on Tuesday agreed to reach a decision in the next three years on the future of a struggling section of the Geibi Line between Okayama and Hiroshima prefectures 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 officials gathered in the city of Hiroshima in the first meeting of a council established under a law aimed at allowing local governments and railway operators to hold discussions to decide what to do with struggling train lines The Geibi Line council focuses on the section running between Bitchu-Kojiro Station in Niimi “Our discussions are based on detailed facts and data and not based on pre-determined decisions of either abolishing or keeping the section,” said Hiroshi Masuda a transport ministry official who chaired the council said that from the viewpoint of mass transportation the Geibi Line has not been performing properly as a railway line Katsunori Kamibo said that the Geibi Line is “indispensable for the local community,” asking the line to be kept as it is Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Leaves dyed yellow and red by autumn catch the eye on the hiking trail of Mt The rich foliage strikes a contrast with the white trunks of the birch forest the leaves are changing about a week later than usual Visitors should be able to enjoy the colors until around November 20 For more videos like this This week for Shoujo Saturday I’m covering another of Kouji Seo’s works. Like his other work I’ve covered it’s not technically a Shoujo manga but that’s only terms of it’s art style Haruto Kirishima befriends Yuzuki Eba and asks her to return to his hometown Yuzuki transfers to Shōbara due to her estrangement with her step-family Plot: The plot is a fairly standard romance comedy but it includes much more drama rather than comedy It’s also much more serious compared to something like Nisekoi although that’s because they are aimed at different age groups  Expect plenty of standard tropes to occur Characters: Haruto is a bit of an ass in the beginning while poor Yuzuki is trying to get over her step-family However it’s almost a trademark of Seo’s work in that his characters grow up in decent ways as the series continues but it’s definitely not a standard Shonen manga In fact the topics it covers generally are never covered in Shonen series That’s the reason I’m talking about it on Saturday rather than on Monday Overall: If you like Kouji Seo’s work or if you enjoy a good Romance-Comedy with more romance than comedy try this Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above The official website for the original anime DVD adaptation of Kouji Seo's Kimi no Iru Machi manga revealed the anime's cast on Tuesday The limited edition of the manga's 17th volume will bundle the first DVD when it ships on March 16, and the limited edition of the 18th volume will bundle the second DVD when it ships on June 15 The project is a collaboration with Shōbara, the city in Hiroshima Prefecture where Seo's birthplace is now located. The city had posters drawn by animator Akemi Takata for its Shōbara Yoitoko Festival during the August 27-28 weekend Seo launched the school romantic comedy in Weekly Shōnen Magazine in 2008 after ending Suzuka in the same magazine in 2007 [Via Jam Guru] Image © Tatsunoko Productions, Kouji Seo/Kodansha Passenger numbers had already been on the decline due to depopulation and a shift toward car use over the years but the coronavirus pandemic has led to a further plunge and triggered a wave of changes to unprofitable lines the first day of the new term at Saijo Shisui High School 17-year-old Tasuku Nakakura got out of a car at 7:35 a.m in front of the empty Taka Station on the Geibi Line in Shobara and went through the unmanned station building to the platform he boarded a one-car train.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); the train was near-deserted with only nine passengers on board he got off the train two stops away at Bingo-Saijo Station and walked to school from there from the 30th episode ``Crossing Border Operation'' to the ``Luxury Cruise Ship Chapter,'' in which the Folger family board a luxury cruise ship due to their own circumstances it has been decided that the Tokyo Bay Night View Cruise collaboration will be held on Saturdays and Sundays from November 25th to February 25th The boarding ticket comes with a special novelty item and costs 2,000 yen including tax for adults and 1,500 yen including tax for children Collaboration goods will also be sold on board the ship Appearance review of Amazon's genuine tablet 'Fire HD 10' with excellent cost performance that can be purchased from about 20,000 yen Microorganisms that live in the human body continue to live by decomposing corpses even after the person dies. Nov 12, 2023 22:35:00 in Vehicle,   Anime