A collection of bonsai carefully preserved and passed down by staff of the Imperial Household Agency’s garden division continues to play an important role within the Imperial Palace grounds, where roughly 500 trees across about 90 varieties are maintained and around 300 are used annually in official settings. (News On Japan)

The first fawn of the year has been born in Nara Park, where the deer designated as a national natural monument are entering their annual birthing season. (News On Japan)

A seasonal rafting attraction offering both adrenaline-pumping rapids and serene mountain scenery opened on May 3rd in Kitayama Village, Wakayama Prefecture, drawing visitors eager to experience the region’s natural beauty while riding traditional log rafts through a winding river course. (News On Japan)

Shirarahama Beach in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, opened for the swimming season on May 3rd, marking the earliest “sea opening” on Honshu and the start of operations for the popular beach destination. (News On Japan)

The Japan Meteorological Agency announced that the Okinawa region is believed to have entered the rainy season, marking the second such declaration nationwide following the earlier onset in the Amami region of Kagoshima Prefecture, with the timing coming six days earlier than the average year and one day earlier than in 2025. (News On Japan)

Roads leading into forested areas of Towada Oyu in Kazuno City, Akita Prefecture, have been closed at 45 locations following a series of past bear attacks that left people dead or injured, with the measures set to remain in place until the end of June. (News On Japan)

JR West announced on April 30th that it has signed a cooperation agreement with Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways to address social challenges in western Japan, aiming to boost inbound tourism and explore future integration of reservation systems. (News On Japan)

Japan’s Golden Week holiday period got fully underway on April 29, drawing large crowds to major tourist destinations and airports, where long lines formed as overseas travel surged. (News On Japan)

A long-standing hot spring facility in Kagoshima brought down the curtain on nearly six decades of history on April 29, Showa Day, as a cameraman documented its final day, capturing memories of an era shaped by Japan’s postwar growth. (News On Japan)

A series of sightings involving unusually large brown bears in Hokkaido has heightened concerns among local residents, with one 330-kilogram animal captured in Tomamae and another 280-kilogram bear attacking a hunter in Shimamaki. (News On Japan)

International passenger traffic at Kansai Airport reached a record high of 27.08 million in fiscal 2025, up around 2 million from the previous year and highlighting strong demand for overseas travel across western Japan. (News On Japan)

Residents of Okinawa were given an early preview on April 27 of a new thrill ride at theme park JUNGLIA OKINAWA in Nakijin Village, Okinawa Prefecture. (News On Japan)

A rare spring mirage appeared over Toyama Bay on April 26, creating a striking optical illusion in which a bridge seemed to transform into a flattened diamond shape floating above the water. (News On Japan)

Regular service by an electric passenger ferry linking Tokyo's Nihonbashi and Toyosu began on April 26. It marks Japan's first scheduled service using a fully electric passenger vessel operated by a private company. (News On Japan)

A new sightseeing train operated by Nankai Electric Railway began service on April 24, connecting Osaka's Namba Station with Koyasan, a World Heritage site, raising expectations for regional tourism growth. (News On Japan)

Bear sightings are surging across northeastern Japan in an unusually early spring trend, prompting the fastest issuance on record of bear alerts in multiple prefectures including Aomori and Iwate. Incidents have already left a police officer seriously injured and a member of the Self-Defense Forces attacked. (News On Japan)

The planned extension of the Hokkaido Shinkansen to Sapporo has come under renewed scrutiny after Japan's Finance Ministry said the project had reached a level at which it should, in principle, be canceled. (News On Japan)

The Nara Prison Museum, created from the former Nara Prison, a nationally designated Important Cultural Property built in the Meiji era, will open to the public on April 27. (News On Japan)

Japan has enacted a revised Passport Act that will sharply reduce passport application fees from July 1, as the government seeks to encourage more citizens to obtain passports. (News On Japan)

All Nippon Airways is considering introducing a fuel surcharge on domestic flights as early as the next fiscal year, amid surging fuel costs driven by tensions in the Middle East. (News On Japan)