Today, we explore Hiroshima, Japan. On 6th August, 1945, the US dropped an atomic bomb on this city, reducing it almost entirely to ash in a single second. Today, it stands as a modern metropolis like any other. (Oli Barrett Travel)

Ski areas across Japan are gradually opening for the winter season as fresh snow settles along mountain regions, with JR SKISKI releasing its weekly outlook that highlights changing weather patterns and early-season conditions. Snow was already falling in mountainous areas at the start of the week, and while the weather is expected to shift periodically in the days ahead, many resorts are reporting enough new snow for visitors to enjoy their first runs of the season. (News On Japan)

A rare winter spectacle known as Diamond Fuji, in which the sun rises directly from the summit of Mount Fuji, illuminated the skies over the Takashimo district of Fujikawa Town in Yamanashi Prefecture on the morning of December — a seasonal scene that can be viewed only for a short period through early January. (News On Japan)

Ueno Zoo’s panda will be returned to China in late January, according to an announcement made by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government on December 15th, prompting long lines at the zoo on the morning of December 16th as visitors gathered to catch a final glimpse and shared their sadness over the approaching farewell. (News On Japan)

Record snowfall across eastern Hokkaido on December 15th continued to disrupt daily life on the 16th, with widespread school closures, suspended waste collection and transportation delays. In Kitami, where accumulated snow reached as much as 53 centimeters on December 15th, residents spent the morning clearing heavy, wet snow from their entrances and driveways. (News On Japan)

The latest “Jalan Popular Hot Spring Destinations 2026” ranking, based on responses from more than 12,000 members of the travel site Jalan, has named Gunma Prefecture’s Kusatsu Onsen as the top hot spring area people most want to revisit, marking its third consecutive year at No. 1, with Hakone Onsen in Kanagawa coming in third and Beppu Onsenkyo in Oita second. (News On Japan)

At Oi Racecourse, the Tokyo City Flea Market has emerged as an unlikely gathering spot for overseas visitors even though it is far from a standard sightseeing destination, with the walkways filled on recent weekends with a mix of languages that reflects how sharply foreign tourism patterns are shifting. (News On Japan)

Otsu’s centuries-old festival tradition has been approved for inscription on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, marking a significant recognition of the cultural and communal value of the Otsu Festival’s Hikiyama parade. (News On Japan)

JR Group companies will introduce extensive timetable changes in March next year, with JR Central announcing that it will raise the maximum number of Tokaido Shinkansen Nozomi services to 13 per hour during peak periods. (News On Japan)

As the end of the year approaches, companies across Japan are scaling back on traditional calendar giveaways, with major airlines such as JAL and ANA joining a growing list of firms ending long-standing distribution programs even as demand among some consumers remains strong. (News On Japan)

A nationwide survey of popular hot spring destinations released on December 10th shows Oita Prefecture rapidly climbing in traveler preference, underscoring shifting tourism trends as visitors seek both tradition and new experiences. The annual rankings, based on votes from travel site members, again placed Kusatsu in Gunma at the top for the third consecutive year, while Beppu rose from fifth to second and Yufuin made a notable leap to fifth from eleventh. (News On Japan)

When the sun dips below the horizon and paints the sky in shades of gold and crimson, Dubai's vast desert transforms into a playground for thrill-seekers and explorers. (News On Japan)

A regular passenger ferry connecting Okayama City and Shodoshima is set to begin commercial operations using autonomous navigation technology within the current fiscal year, according to an announcement on December 10th by the Nippon Foundation, which confirmed that the vessel Orinpia Dream Seto has been certified by the national government as the world’s first regular passenger ship approved for commercial autonomous operation, a milestone expected to ease the industry’s chronic crew shortages. (News On Japan)

On the morning of December 9th, the chill in the air surrounded the Imperial Palace as a long line stretched from the Otemon Gate along the moat, with more than 200 people waiting from the early hours in pursuit of what has become known as the “Imperial Palace Wallet.” (News On Japan)

Shibuya Ward has approved an ordinance that would impose a 2,000-yen fine for littering on public streets, while also penalizing shops that fail to provide trash bins. The measure was passed on December 10th and targets both individuals who discard waste and businesses near major stations that offer takeout services, raising questions about whether the approach will meaningfully reduce trash on the streets. (News On Japan)

Fukuoka Mayor Takashima said during a press conference held on December 9th that the city will begin studying a subway extension to the international terminal at Fukuoka Airport as part of broader efforts to address transport challenges across the city. (News On Japan)

A plan to sharply raise Japan’s departure tax is taking shape as the government and ruling coalition have begun coordinating a proposal to lift the current 1,000 yen levy to a flat 3,000 yen per person in next fiscal year’s tax reform, adding new momentum to calls for expanded funding to deal with overtourism across the country. (News On Japan)

A powerful earthquake with a seismic intensity of 6+ struck Aomori late on December 8th, prompting the Meteorological Agency to issue a temporary tsunami warning for coastal areas along the Pacific side of the prefecture. While the warning has since been downgraded, the government is urging caution after authorities announced, for the first time, a heightened possibility of another large earthquake occurring off Hokkaido and the Sanriku coast. (News On Japan)

Chinese tourists are disappearing from major destinations across the Kansai region as diplomatic tensions between Japan and China continue to deepen on the heels of comments by Prime Minister Takaichi regarding a potential Taiwan contingency, prompting Beijing to urge its citizens to refrain from traveling or studying in Japan. (News On Japan)

China’s major airlines have extended the period during which Japan-bound tickets can be cancelled free of charge, with carriers announcing by today that the deadline—initially set to run through the end of this year—will now continue until March 28th 2026. (News On Japan)