Foreign luxury hotels are increasingly incorporating kumiko, a traditional Japanese woodworking technique, into their interiors, with the Four Seasons Hotel Osaka drawing particular attention from overseas visitors for its striking geometric patterns crafted without the use of nails. (News On Japan)

Autumn seems to be passing quickly this year, with peak foliage arriving almost before many have had time to notice. To help readers avoid missing the season’s highlights, reporters visited some of the best spots now at their most vibrant. (News On Japan)

A strong winter-pattern pressure system drove the season’s coldest air across the country on November 18th, making snow and rain more likely along the Japan Sea coast while bringing heavy snow and blizzard conditions to parts of northern Japan, with temperatures falling sharply nationwide and even areas that see sunshine experiencing a biting northerly wind. (News On Japan)

Sakurajima erupted in the early hours on October (date not provided in source), sending a plume of ash soaring to 4,400 meters above the crater, the first time it has exceeded 4,000 meters since October last year, with volcanic rocks reaching as far as the sixth station on the mountainside as the volcano continued erupting intermittently throughout the morning and caused ash to fall over Kagoshima Airport, where a thin layer accumulated on aircraft. (News On Japan)

JTB’s domestic travel and inbound tourism demand have rebounded sharply as the company’s annual revenue has surpassed 1 trillion yen, and it is now taking on a major transformation of Japan’s travel industry through a series of unconventional strategies. (News On Japan)

Toyooka City in Hyogo Prefecture has begun a trial pedestrian zone in the Kinosaki Onsen district to create a safer environment for tourists strolling through the hot spring town. (News On Japan)

Japan Airlines (JAL) has introduced a new policy starting November 13th allowing its cabin crew and ground staff who serve customers at airports to wear sneakers during work hours. (News On Japan)

The ski season has officially begun in western Japan, with Grand Snow Okuibuki in Maibara City, Shiga Prefecture, becoming the first resort in the region to open on November 14th. (News On Japan)

An aurora colored the night sky red over Hokkaido on November 12th, offering a rare sight for residents and visitors. Footage from Kushiro Town captured the sky gradually glowing red as waves of light curved and streamed across the horizon, painting a vivid display. (News On Japan)

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) policy committee has drafted a resolution calling on the government to raise the “departure tax” to secure funds for overtourism countermeasures. The proposal seeks to increase the current 1,000 yen per-person levy to 3,000 yen, and to set the rate at 5,000 yen for travelers using business class or higher. (News On Japan)

About one month after the Expo’s closing, a guerrilla live broadcast showed the site as seen from a helicopter. This footage has now been released as an archived video, offering a rare aerial look at the grounds one month after the event’s conclusion. (News On Japan)

A sightseeing hot air balloon offering aerial views of the World Heritage-listed Daisen Kofun in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, has drawn more than 7,000 visitors within its first month of operation. (News On Japan)

Aerial images of Hokkaido showed a solitary round “hole” in the mountains near Mt. Yotei, leading a reporting team to Kyogoku Town where an unpaved forest road ended at a dam and, beyond a locked gate and warning signs, at a restricted facility on a ridge that turned out to be a perfectly circular reservoir built on the mountaintop. (News On Japan)

A special train designed to resemble a park filled with greenery ran on Tokyu lines in Tokyo, transforming the interior of an ordinary carriage into a lush, nature-themed space. (News On Japan)

A special nighttime viewing has begun at Eikando, one of Kyoto’s most famous spots for autumn foliage, where visitors can now enjoy a breathtaking illumination of maple trees. (News On Japan)

Nighttime offers a completely different perspective on the cityscape. From shimmering lights reflecting on riverbanks to quiet streets revealing hidden cafes and bars, traveling at night can be both magical and practical. (News On Japan)

Traveling with family can be a rewarding adventure, but it often comes with unique challenges. Balancing entertainment, comfort, and convenience is key to creating memorable trips for all ages. (News On Japan)

Passenger traffic at Fukuoka Airport reached an all-time high in the first half of the current fiscal year, marking a strong rebound in both domestic and international travel and putting the airport on track to post its first profit since being privatized in 2019. (News On Japan)

Autumn foliage has reached its peak along the Hida-Mino Seseragi Highway, which connects Takayama City and Gujo City in Gifu Prefecture. (News On Japan)

As snow approaches, auto supply stores in Sapporo are entering their busiest period of tire changes. (News On Japan)