Hunter Mountain Shiobara, one of the largest ski resorts in the Greater Tokyo area, opened for a limited three-day pre-season run in Nasu-Shiobara on November 23rd after a strong cold front brought earlier-than-expected snowfall to the region. (News On Japan)

The Japanese government is moving to substantially raise fees for residence-related administrative procedures for foreign nationals, aiming to secure stable funding for its foreign resident policy as the number of foreign residents in Japan continues to grow. (News On Japan)

A large bear that appeared in central Akita City on November 19th was captured in numerous videos submitted to ABS Akita Broadcasting, with the footage revealing how it moved through tourist sites, school routes and even the city’s nightlife district before disappearing from view. (News On Japan)

Excavation work at the site of a long-lost lecture hall north of the Great Buddha Hall at Todaiji has revealed the scale of its foundation, confirming that the structure, when first built in the Nara period, was second only to the Great Buddha Hall in size. (News On Japan)

Sapporo’s winter sports season officially arrived as Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort in Minami Ward opened on November 21st, welcoming skiers to a handful of summit-area courses that were cleared for the first runs of the season. With fresh snowfall earlier this week, the resort opened 10 days earlier than in 2024, drawing visitors who had been waiting since morning for the first lift to start. (News On Japan)

A coordinated police crackdown on pedal-equipped electric bikes known as mopeds was carried out in Osaka’s Minami district, where traffic violations involving the increasingly popular vehicles have been spreading. (News On Japan)

Osaka City’s proposal to halt new applications for so-called special-zone minpaku at the end of May next year has been approved by the government as noise, waste management issues, and other disturbances continue to draw complaints from local communities. (News On Japan)

Workers began cutting bamboo along the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto on November 19th as the city moved to halt a surge in graffiti damage that has spread across the popular tourist path, where at least 350 stalks have already been defaced. (News On Japan)

Okinawa Hotel in Naha received a commemorative bronze plaque from the Agency for Cultural Affairs after being designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property by the national government. (News On Japan)

Aomori Prefecture was hit by intensifying snowfall on November 18th as the country’s first heavy snow warning of the season was issued, with the hot spring district of Sukayu reporting more than one meter of snow amid rapidly worsening conditions. (News On Japan)

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)