A traditional strength-offering ritual known as “Mochiage Chikara Hono,” in which participants lift massive rice cakes to pray for good health, was held at Daigoji, a UNESCO World Heritage temple in Kyoto. (News On Japan)

A malfunction struck Nana-chan, the iconic mannequin standing in front of Nagoya Station and serving as a promotional “staff member” for the Meitetsu Department Store set to close on February 28th, when the figure’s arm suddenly drooped on February 22nd after days of waving to visitors. (News On Japan)

Aichi Prefecture recorded the highest number of car thefts nationwide in 2025, with more than 1,000 cases as thefts continue to rise in recent years, and Land Cruisers account for 40 percent of the vehicles targeted, prompting authorities to warn that multiple layers of security are essential to deter increasingly sophisticated methods. (News On Japan)

Today, I'll be showing you some of the BEST activities to do on your next Japan trip that MOST tourists miss! (Mrs Eats)

Japan’s largest rice wholesaler, Shinmei Holdings, has laid out its view of where rice prices are heading and how it plans to secure the staple’s future, as households grapple with the sharpest price pressure in years and farmers continue to exit an industry where profits are thin. (News On Japan)

How will AI transform marketing? The answer, according to leading marketer Kazuki Nishiguchi, lies not in marginal efficiency gains but in a dramatic restructuring of business itself, as AI agents move closer to consumers and potentially displace even dominant platforms such as Amazon. (News On Japan)

An elevator at Tokyo Skytree in Sumida Ward made an emergency stop on February 22nd, trapping 20 passengers for about six hours before they were safely rescued with no injuries reported, and the landmark tower remained closed on February 23rd while the operator announced it would also remain temporarily closed on February 24th for further safety inspections and investigation. (News On Japan)

A 21-year-old navigation officer was arrested after a cargo vessel collided with a recreational fishing boat off the coast of Toba, Mie Prefecture, leaving two men dead and multiple others injured. (News On Japan)

The third launch attempt of the private-sector small rocket Kairos, which had been scheduled for three days later in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, has been postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions. (News On Japan)

Gold prices continue to surge, while China’s restrictions on rare earths and other developments are drawing renewed attention to mineral resources, prompting a closer look at resource strategies in an increasingly geopolitical era through an interview with Sumitomo Metal Mining President Shinsuke Matsumoto. (News On Japan)

Emperor Naruhito turned 66 on February 23rd, marking the occasion with a press conference in which he reflected on the state of the nation and expressed his concern for people affected by natural disasters, as tens of thousands later gathered at the Imperial Palace for a public greeting held under unseasonably warm weather. (News On Japan)

The arrival of early spring is being felt in Ome, western Tokyo, where a plum festival has opened against the backdrop of a community that overcame the loss of tens of thousands of trees to a devastating virus. (News On Japan)

February 22 marked “Takeshima Day,” designated by ordinance in Shimane Prefecture, and although the prefecture has continued to call for cabinet-level attendance at the annual ceremony, this year as well the only representative from the central government was a parliamentary vice-minister in charge of territorial issues. (News On Japan)

Three men were left unconscious and in critical condition after a violent scramble for sacred wooden sticks during the Saidaiji Eyo naked festival in Okayama Prefecture on February 22nd, with a total of six participants transported to hospital. (News On Japan)

The new "S Work" carriage on the N700S Shinkansen, which feels just like a Japanese Internet Cafe on wheels. (ITSUKA JAPAN)

We are heading to a traditional Japanese onsen ryokan, deep in the snowy mountains. (News On Japan)

Lawson has decided to enter the Indian market, with plans to open five directly operated stores in Mumbai in 2027 before expanding to 100 outlets by 2030 and ultimately aiming for 10,000 stores by 2050 as it seeks to establish a new pillar of overseas earnings in a country expected to see sustained growth driven by the world’s largest population. (News On Japan)

Japanese 7-Eleven feels like a different universe, while the American version is struggling and trying to “be more like Japan.” But what if the real reason has nothing to do with fresh sandwiches at all? (Asian Boss)

Around 16,500 students travel to Ireland each year to study English. In this report, 34 students from Immaculate Heart University in Kagoshima, Japan, spend a month in Dublin attending classes at the Language Centre of Ireland on Grafton Street , the third group from their university to do so. (TRNGL)

Record-low rainfall has exposed parts of a “phantom village” that sank beneath a riverbed more than 40 years ago in Niyodogawa, Kochi Prefecture, while the water shortage has also left sections of the Shimanto River nearly dry, raising concerns about its impact on ayu fishing and daily life. (News On Japan)