A new 220-meter pedestrian suspension bridge has been completed at Biwako Valley in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, offering visitors sweeping views of Lake Biwa from mountains about 1,100 meters above sea level. (News On Japan)

Police have established a temporary police post in the whaling town of Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, ahead of the September 1 opening of the annual drive hunt for whales and dolphins. (News On Japan)

Air travel in Okinawa is beginning to be disrupted by the approach of Typhoon No. 18, with All Nippon Airways canceling 119 flights and more than 20,000 passengers expected to be affected. (News On Japan)

Kyoto is stepping up efforts to capture Japan's growing nighttime economy, with Toei Kyoto Studio Park extending its hours to 9 p.m., a new theater drawing visitors near Kyoto Station and nighttime tours expanding in Gion as the city seeks to encourage tourists to stay out longer and explore more areas after dark. (News On Japan)

The whistle of a steam locomotive still echoes through the mountains of Engaru in northeastern Hokkaido, where the historic Amemiya No. 21 continues to run through a region once sustained by forestry. (News On Japan)

A foreign tourist was injured after being attacked by a bear near an observation deck on the shore of Lake Towada in Towada, Aomori Prefecture, on August 22, suffering a bite to his right arm and a bruised right shoulder. (News On Japan)

A 56-year-old woman who was swept away by a flash flood while climbing a mountain stream in Minakami, Gunma Prefecture, was rescued alive on August 17 after surviving eight days in the remote mountains with a broken heel, relying on food she had brought with her, stream water and her knowledge of the area until anglers found her sitting on a forest road. (News On Japan)

The measures were introduced in response to concerns over reckless climbing, including attempts to reach the summit without staying overnight at a mountain hut or taking sufficient rest. Under the current system, climbers who do not have reservations are restricted from beginning their ascent after 2 p.m., helping discourage people from climbing through the night without adequate preparation. (News On Japan)

A pond at Inokashira Park, a popular destination in Tokyo's Kichijoji area, has turned a striking matcha-like green, a phenomenon that has become particularly noticeable in 2026 and is believed to be caused by an accumulation of phytoplankton. (News On Japan)

Japan welcomed a record 3.44 million foreign visitors in July, the highest figure ever recorded for the month, even as the number of travelers from China fell sharply from a year earlier. (News On Japan)

Plans to bring Shinkansen service to Shikoku have taken a significant step forward for the first time in 53 years, with the transport ministry beginning preliminary studies that could eventually cut travel times from Osaka to major cities including Tokushima, Takamatsu and Matsuyama to around 90 minutes. (News On Japan)

Tokyo Metro has unveiled its new headquarters ahead of a full relocation at the end of August, featuring an open office design filled with route symbols, station names and other elements inspired by the subway network. (News On Japan)

A playful young dolphin named Yuki at Kagoshima City Aquarium has become a social media sensation after videos showed her freely sliding along the poolside, spinning around and plunging back into the water while other dolphins followed their usual routines. (News On Japan)

After 10 p.m., the clouds that had covered the sky above Shirakoma Pond gradually began to clear, revealing countless stars and the Milky Way rising vividly over the mountain lake in Nagano Prefecture's Northern Yatsugatake range. (News On Japan)

Nagoya City has begun individual consultations with disability advocacy groups over accessibility plans for the proposed wooden reconstruction of Nagoya Castle's main tower, as the two sides remain divided over how people with disabilities should be able to move between floors. (News On Japan)

All Nippon Airways has come under criticism over a new three-tier domestic fare system introduced from May 19, with complaints over seat assignments and reports that some passengers booked on the cheapest fares were unable to board their scheduled flights, prompting ANA to consider changes as it seeks to improve the profitability of a domestic network where about 60% of routes are in the red. (News On Japan)

About 10,000 fireworks illuminated the Kumano-nada Sea in brilliant colors on August 17 as the Kumano Grand Fireworks Festival was held in Kumano, Mie Prefecture, drawing about 80,000 spectators, according to organizers. (News On Japan)

Severe disruption continued across Chiba Prefecture after the holiday period, with rail closures forcing some commuters into three-hour journeys while more than 2,700 vehicles remained immobilized by flooding caused by last week's torrential rain. (News On Japan)

Nagoya's municipal subway will introduce a contactless credit card payment service at all 87 stations from September 3, allowing passengers to pass through ticket gates simply by tapping a compatible card. (News On Japan)

Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways are preparing to coordinate schedules on some domestic routes as the longtime rivals seek ways to maintain air services. (News On Japan)