A man in his 40s was injured after being attacked by a troop of wild monkeys in Yugawara, a popular hot spring resort town in Kanagawa Prefecture, on September 17, marking the area's first reported case of a person being bitten by a monkey and prompting authorities to strengthen monitoring of the animals using GPS tracking devices. (News On Japan)

Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward will expand restrictions on private lodging businesses across the entire ward from January 2027 after the ward assembly approved an ordinance amendment on October 7 aimed at tightening controls on minpaku short-term rentals. (News On Japan)

Bears are becoming increasingly active across Japan ahead of winter, with poor acorn harvests in parts of the country raising concerns that hungry animals may venture closer to homes and tourist areas in search of food. (News On Japan)

Japan Airlines has revamped its domestic lounge at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, adding private workspaces, meal options timed to passengers' departures and facilities for families as it seeks to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse range of travelers. (News On Japan)

Fans from across Japan gathered in Furano, Hokkaido, on October 3 to visit filming locations from the television drama "From the Northern Country," marking the first weekend since the death of the series' screenwriter, So Kuramoto. (News On Japan)

Young men leaped onto horses racing at full speed through the grounds of Kasuga Shrine in Takahama, Aichi Prefecture, on October 3 as the city's traditional Takahama Omanto Festival got underway. (News On Japan)

Around 38,000 dolls, including traditional Japanese dolls and stuffed animals, were brought to Meiji Shrine in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward for the annual Doll Appreciation Festival, where visitors bid farewell to old and damaged dolls in a ceremony expressing gratitude for the years they had been cherished. (News On Japan)

Nearly one year after the Osaka-Kansai Expo closed, the former exhibition grounds were opened to the media on October 2, revealing that around 90% of the pavilions and other facilities have been demolished, while the Forest of Tranquility remains a peaceful green space at the center of the site. (News On Japan)

Osaka will launch regular nighttime sightseeing cruises on October 3, offering visitors a new way to enjoy the city's illuminated waterfront, including the historic architecture of Nakanoshima and the skyline surrounding Osaka Castle. (News On Japan)

Hokkaido's highest peak, Mount Asahidake in the Daisetsuzan mountain range, recorded its first snow cover of the season on October 2, with the area around the Asahidake Ropeway's Sugatami Station, at an elevation of approximately 1,600 meters, blanketed in snow. (News On Japan)

The 2026 Kishiwada Danjiri Festival brought generations together in Sakai-cho, where young men hauling a four-ton wooden float, veteran organizers guiding its course and a first-year rooftop performer worked side by side to carry forward a tradition dating back more than 300 years. (News On Japan)

A spectacular sea of clouds appeared over Mount Oe in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto Prefecture, on the morning of September 30, creating a breathtaking landscape as the rising sun gradually turned the mist a deep crimson. (News On Japan)

Tokyo recorded rain for a 34th consecutive day on September 29, setting a new all-time record for the capital, but the prolonged wet spell could finally end after Typhoon No. 26 passes the Izu Islands between the night of September 30 and the morning of October 1. (News On Japan)

Nagoya Castle welcomed crowds of domestic and international visitors on September 27, the final holiday before its adult admission fee doubles from 500 yen to 1,000 yen in October. (News On Japan)

A popular temple in Fukuoka Prefecture has introduced a 500 yen admission fee for foreign tourists while allowing Japanese residents and foreigners living in Japan to enter free, a measure aimed at reducing disruptive behavior and helping protect the religious site. (News On Japan)

Rain fell again in central Tokyo on September 28, extending the capital's unusually long wet spell to 33 consecutive days and matching the longest run on record, while persistent rainfall is beginning to disrupt autumn tourism, fall foliage and the harvest of seasonal crops. (News On Japan)

Giant whirlpools measuring more than 15 meters in diameter have appeared in the Naruto Strait in Tokushima Prefecture, drawing crowds of tourists as the autumn spring tide season brings some of the year's most spectacular tidal displays. (News On Japan)

A new 220-meter suspension bridge has opened at Biwako Valley in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, offering visitors a thrilling walk high above the mountains with panoramic views of Lake Biwa. (News On Japan)

Japan's overnight trains are attracting renewed attention as railway companies introduce special services that combine affordable travel with exclusive experiences, highlighted by the country's first overnight Shinkansen service, which carried passengers from Osaka to Tokyo during the Silver Week holidays on September 22. (News On Japan)

An All Nippon Airways (ANA) flight bound for Saga Airport made an emergency landing at Naha Airport in Okinawa at 10:05 p.m. on September 23 after developing trouble with its right engine shortly after takeoff, with some passengers suffering minor injuries during an emergency evacuation. (News On Japan)