Avani makes its Japan debut in the former Kyoto Shimbun headquarters: a 240-room hotel in central Kyoto, opening around fiscal 2029, with a restaurant in the old printing-press hall.
Kenzo Tange's 1964 'Ship Gymnasium' in Kagawa is being torn down despite a citizens' buy-and-reuse plan, with demolition starting mid-lawsuit and an 847-million-yen cost drawing scrutiny.
Steps from Nikko's World Heritage shrines stands a vending machine selling antique kimono jackets for a flat 1,000 yen, with the catch that you never know which one you'll get. Here's the story behind Japan's kimono gacha and the small theater that created it.
Roadkill of the Amami black rabbit, a 'living fossil' found only on two southern Japanese islands, hit a record 185 in 2025. The grim milestone is a side effect of Japan's celebrated invasive-species eradication programs — including a 24-year mongoose campaign declared complete in 2024.
In April 2026, all six Tohoku prefectures issued their earliest-ever bear alerts. A fatal attack in Iwate, Aomori's first urban emergency hunting in Hachinohe. Meanwhile, Shirakawa-go deployed 10 'Bear Sonic' units emitting a chalkboard-scratching sound. In Toyama, sightings dropped to zero for a year after installation. Can this Japanese acoustic technology save the day?
Frass discovered on a wild cherry tree at Yoshinoyama, Nara—home to 30,000 sacred cherry trees revered for 1,300 years—has been confirmed as damage from the invasive red-necked longhorn beetle. The first such case in any Japanese national park. A story at the intersection of invasive species, climate change, and cultural heritage.
Japan's Cabinet approved a new 5-year tourism plan expanding overtourism countermeasures from 47 to 100 regions by 2030, tripling the departure tax to ¥3,000 ($19). Learn about specific measures in Kyoto, Mt. Fuji, and Kamakura, plus how to enjoy Japan responsibly.
A 25-room luxury accommodation is coming to the former grounds of Todai-ji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Nara, Japan. Kintetsu Miyako Hotels will build low-rise pavilions across a 12,000 m² site where the ancient Western Gate once stood. Opening fall 2028, the retreat will feature a tea ceremony room, local cuisine restaurant, and immersive cultural experiences. Here's what this historic collaboration means for Nara's tourism future.
Over 5,200 protected hermit crabs were illegally poached from Japan's UNESCO World Heritage island of Amami Oshima. Explore the growing crisis of wildlife trafficking driven by overseas pet markets, the limits of current law enforcement, and community-led conservation efforts to protect endemic species.