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)

As Japan enters an era of greater diversity in the Reiwa period, the shape of marriage is evolving, with some couples choosing “friendship marriages” without romance and others even selecting artificial intelligence as a life partner, reflecting a broader search for happiness and trust beyond traditional expectations. (News On Japan)

Japanese automakers that have long relied on domestic or Western-made semiconductors are increasingly adopting Chinese-made automotive chips, marking a significant shift in procurement strategy as companies such as Toyota and Suzuki move to install Chinese systems not only in vehicles sold in China but also in models destined for other markets. (News On Japan)

Japan’s nationwide consumer price index in January rose 2.0% from a year earlier, slowing from the previous month as lower energy prices, driven by the abolition of the provisional gasoline tax rate, helped ease inflationary pressures. (News On Japan)

A temple in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, was completely destroyed in a fire early Friday morning, with two bodies were discovered in the ruins. (News On Japan)

The family of a female nurse who took her own life after being severely reprimanded by a doctor while working under the risk of COVID-19 infection has filed a lawsuit seeking damages from the Japanese Red Cross Society, following official recognition of the case as a work-related accident. (News On Japan)

Air will remain chilly across much of Japan on February 20, but temperatures are set to surge over the three-day weekend from February 21 to 23, bringing with them sharp temperature swings, strong winds, heavy pollen and yellow sand—dubbed the “Spring 4K”—that could affect travel and outdoor plans. (News On Japan)

A blizzard warning issued for Sapporo, Hokkaido, on February 19th brought typhoon-level gusts reaching 26 meters per second, triggering whiteout conditions, grounding flights at New Chitose Airport, suspending trains, closing 341 schools, and leaving roads, cars, and daily life buried under rapidly accumulating snow. While the main storm has weakened, hazardous conditions such as reduced visibility, icy roads, and drifting snow remained a concern into February 20th. (News On Japan)

Ski resorts in Japan are experimenting with sharply contrasting pricing strategies—from free weekday lift tickets to premium passes costing 33,000 yen—in an effort to revive a declining ski population and stimulate local economies, as operators seek new ways to attract visitors amid rising costs. (News On Japan)

JR East announced today that it will launch a new service around autumn this year allowing passengers to reserve Shinkansen seats in as little as one minute. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who launched the second Takaichi Cabinet on February 18th, signaled strong determination to secure passage of next fiscal year’s budget within the current fiscal year, even as a proposal to drastically shorten parliamentary deliberations has triggered backlash from opposition parties accusing the government of disregarding the Diet. (News On Japan)

Three adults were stabbed by a man armed with a knife inside a library in Fukuoka’s Sawara Ward on Thursday night, leaving one person seriously injured, and police arrested the suspect at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder. (News On Japan)

A brutal stabbing in Osaka’s Minami district late last week left three young men wounded, one fatally, raising new questions about the changing environment around a well-known youth gathering spot beneath the Glico sign in Dotonbori. (News On Japan)

The second Takaichi Cabinet was inaugurated on the evening of February 18th following the prime minister’s appointment ceremony and the attestation of ministers at the Imperial Palace, with all cabinet members reappointed. (News On Japan)