Nagashima Jumbo Seawater Pool in Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, was packed with visitors on Marine Day, the final day of a three-day weekend, as families sought relief from intense summer heat following the end of the rainy season in the Tokai region. (News On Japan)

A beach where visitors can swim alongside whales has opened in Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, drawing families and children eager to see the animals at close range. (News On Japan)

The rainy season ended in the Kanto-Koshin and Tokai regions on July 20 as strengthening high pressure brought intense heat across Japan, with temperatures forecast to reach 38 C in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, and Kofu. (News On Japan)

An interactive exhibition recreating the world of Studio Ghibli will open at Osaka's ATC complex on July 18, offering visitors of all ages the chance to experience famous scenes and characters from the studio's animated films. (News On Japan)

Heavy rain flooded railway tracks in Hokkaido, forcing the cancellation of 32 trains, including limited express services linking Sapporo and Hakodate. (News On Japan)

Severe heat spread across Japan on July 20 as a Pacific high-pressure system covered much of the country, pushing the temperature in central Tokyo to 35 degrees Celsius for the first time this year. (News On Japan)

All hiking trails on Mount Rausu in eastern Hokkaido reopened on July 16, one week after a descending hiker was chased by a bear. (News On Japan)

The Yamaboko float procession, a highlight of the Gion Festival’s Saki Matsuri festivities, was held in Kyoto on July 17, with 23 elaborately decorated floats known as "moving art museums" making their way through the city center. (News On Japan)

Japan is likely to face increasingly long and dangerously hot summers as global temperatures continue to rise, with advanced climate simulations also pointing to more frequent torrential rain, rising seas and accelerating ice loss by the end of the century. (News On Japan)

A tropical depression near the Truk Islands is expected to strengthen into a typhoon within 12 hours, but forecasters say it is unlikely to have any direct impact on Japan. (News On Japan)

Japan is famous for its temples and cherry blossoms. It is known for incredible food and futuristic cities. The country is also a fantastic destination for sports fans and outdoor adventurers. (News On Japan)

Herds of deer are increasingly roaming residential areas of Nara after a record rise in the population at Nara Park pushed more of the animals into surrounding neighborhoods, where they are damaging gardens and raising concerns over traffic and public safety. (News On Japan)

Japanese kitchen knives are selling rapidly among foreign tourists, who are drawn not only to their exceptional sharpness but also to Japan's highly specialized knife-making culture. (News On Japan)

Tobu Railway has introduced walk-through facial recognition ticket gates at Ikebukuro and Kami-Itabashi stations on the Tobu Tojo Line, allowing registered commuters to enter without presenting a ticket or IC card. (News On Japan)

Officials from the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party have agreed to adopt the Katsuragawa plan for the Obama-Kyoto route of the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension from Tsuruga in Fukui Prefecture to Shin-Osaka. (News On Japan)

Tokyo Disney Resort will raise the maximum price of its one-day tickets from October, with adult admission to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea rising by as much as 1,500 yen to 12,400 yen on selected high-demand days. (News On Japan)

Two typhoons are currently near Japan, with Typhoon No. 9, Bavi, over North China and Typhoon No. 11, Haishen, east of the Philippines, but only Bavi is expected to have any indirect impact on the country. (News On Japan)

An abandoned concrete arch bridge deep in the forests of Kamishihoro in Hokkaido's Tokachi region is slowly being reclaimed by nature, its exposed reinforcing bars and weeds marking the passage of time. (News On Japan)

Osaka’s Minami district, now entering another period of major change with the planned opening of the Naniwasuji Line, the redevelopment of Midosuji and improvements around Nankai Namba Station, has transformed from an area once described as "scary" and "dirty" into one of Japan’s leading tourist destinations. (News On Japan)

A 10-ton hoko float was pulled through central Kyoto on July 12 in a trial run ahead of the Yamahoko Junko procession during the Gion Festival's early parade. (News On Japan)