With just three weeks remaining until the closing of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, a growing problem has emerged: many visitors holding tickets cannot enter the venue, creating what is being called the issue of "dead tickets." (News On Japan)

A tear gas spray accident at an elementary school in Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture on September 22nd left 13 children hospitalized, though all are conscious and suffered only minor injuries. (News On Japan)

A shopping street in Gifu City was the scene of an unusual theft when a man stole six anime-related novels from a café storefront in just 20 seconds. (News On Japan)

Utagaki 歌垣, a wholesome Japanese festival that’s not at all inappropriate. (Linfamy)

Wakayama Prefecture, home to the largest number of remote islands in the Kansai region, offers travelers a mix of uninhabited and inhabited islands, breathtaking coastal scenery, and fresh seafood delicacies. The prefecture is dotted with 655 islands, each with its own natural and cultural attractions. (News On Japan)