Heavy snow, freezing temperatures and strong winds are threatening transportation across Hokkaido on Tuesday, November 10, with Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways warning of possible flight disruptions at several airports and JR Hokkaido reporting train cancellations and delays across parts of its northern network as of 6 a.m. (News On Japan)

Japan's younger generation is increasingly turning away from driving and car ownership, with the number of driver's license holders aged 24 and under falling by approximately 590,000 over the past decade to around 5.15 million in 2025, reflecting changing attitudes toward transportation, spending and the traditional appeal of owning a car. (News On Japan)

A field of approximately 20,000 cosmos flowers has reached peak bloom at Nagai Botanical Garden in Osaka's Higashisumiyoshi Ward, where a limited-time installation by art collective teamLab is transforming the autumn landscape into a glowing display of light and sound after dark. (News On Japan)

Osaka's iconic Midosuji boulevard hosted its first-ever bread-eating race on November 6 as part of a three-day event exploring new ways to use public space, with 1,200 servings of sweet bean buns and dorayaki pancakes prepared for participants over two days as the city moves ahead with plans to transform the major thoroughfare into a more pedestrian-friendly destination by 2037. (News On Japan)

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck central Japan early on November 8th, registering an upper 5 on Japan's seismic intensity scale in Aichi Prefecture and injuring at least 21 people, while damaging buildings and disrupting Shinkansen and conventional railway services across the region. (News On Japan)

Sapporo deployed its distinctive Sasara snow-clearing tram for the first time this season early on November 7th, the second-earliest deployment in 10 years, after snowfall reached 8 centimeters at 4 a.m., prompting a vehicle to leave its depot to clear snow from the city's streetcar tracks. (News On Japan)

Central Tokyo recorded its first November summer day in three years on November 6, with temperatures climbing to 25.3 degrees Celsius, while northern Japan faced the threat of violent winds and severe snowstorms from the evening and a tropical depression far south of the country threatened to develop into Typhoon No. 32, potentially the first such storm in 32 years. (News On Japan)

East Japan Railway (JR East) opened its Haneda Airport Access Line construction site to the media on November 6, offering a glimpse of a major underground railway project that will connect Haneda Airport directly with central Tokyo, with services scheduled to begin in fiscal 2031. (News On Japan)

Residents of Awaji Island, one of the Kansai region's most popular resort destinations, are facing growing disruption from vacation rentals, with complaints involving late-night drinking, outdoor barbecues, fireworks, illegal parking and garbage disposal violations, while one property operator has been accused of destroying a warning sign installed by neighbors. (News On Japan)

A bear cub charged toward a family standing outside their home in Ome, western Tokyo, on November 3rd, rushing straight toward the front door moments after a high-pitched cry was heard from nearby bushes, in an encounter that left the resident shaken. (News On Japan)

Six Pakistani nationals have been arrested on suspicion of repeatedly operating unauthorized taxi services for foreign tourists in Kyoto and other sightseeing destinations, with police investigating what they believe may be an organized operation involving additional suspects. (News On Japan)

Osaka's annual Midosuji Illumination began on November 3rd, lighting up approximately four kilometers of the city's main thoroughfare from Umeda to Namba with colorful displays celebrating the street's history as one of Osaka's most recognizable winter attractions. (News On Japan)

A smartphone caught fire at Narita Airport's Terminal 1 shortly after 7:30 a.m. on November 4th, prompting the dispatch of 10 fire trucks and other emergency vehicles before the blaze was extinguished about 30 minutes later, with no injuries reported. (News On Japan)

Kyoto's popular Sagano Romantic Train is attracting large numbers of foreign tourists for its final autumn season, with the familiar red-and-black carriages set to retire at the end of 2026 after carrying a cumulative 30 million passengers, making way for new trains scheduled to enter service in 2027. (News On Japan)

Tokyo's historic Sensoji Temple in Taito Ward was transformed into a dazzling nighttime spectacle on October 30th as a projection mapping event began, bringing 1,400 years of history and culture to life across the temple's main hall and Hozomon Gate. (News On Japan)

A new rest facility featuring the first cafe inside the Imperial Palace opened in Tokyo's East Gardens on November 3, offering visitors a rooftop terrace with panoramic views, exhibits on the Imperial Family, and exclusive souvenirs. (News On Japan)

Kyoto City announced plans on November 2nd to introduce tougher regulations on private lodging facilities, including a requirement for staff to be stationed permanently inside the properties or in nearby buildings, as complaints from residents continue to rise over noise and disruptive tourist behavior. (News On Japan)

The Museum of the Imperial Collections at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo will reopen on November 3 following a major renovation that has expanded its interior space eightfold, with a series of special exhibitions featuring artworks associated with Japan's Imperial Family, including folding screens depicting scenes from The Tale of Genji and a celebrated painting by Ito Jakuchu. (News On Japan)

Tokyo's Shibuya Ward issued 394 fines of 2,000 yen each for littering and street smoking during Halloween celebrations on October 31, while neighboring Shinjuku Ward recorded 498 cases of street drinking and smoking despite efforts to discourage disruptive behavior. (News On Japan)

As of 3 a.m. on November 6, Typhoon No. 31 (In-fa) was moving northeast across the Pacific Ocean east of Japan at 75 kilometers per hour and was expected to become an extratropical cyclone by Friday afternoon, although dangerous swells and high waves could continue along Japan's Pacific coast throughout the day. (News On Japan)