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)

Kyoto's traditional Gozan Okuribi bonfire ceremony was held on the night of August 16, lighting the skies above the ancient capital as residents marked the end of the Obon season by sending off the spirits of their ancestors. (News On Japan)

Train stations, airports and expressways were crowded on August 16 as travelers returned from vacations and hometown visits on the final day of the Obon holiday. (News On Japan)

The Miyazu Lantern Floating and Fireworks Festival, a traditional summer event said to have a history of more than 400 years, illuminated the waterfront in Miyazu, Kyoto Prefecture, as lanterns carrying prayers drifted across the sea and fireworks lit the night sky. (News On Japan)

Donguri Village, an interactive tourist attraction in Saga city that has welcomed visitors for nearly four decades, is expected to close as early as autumn 2027 because of aging facilities and a decline in visitor numbers. (News On Japan)

Osaka police have arrested or referred 38 men and women in their 20s to 40s over suspected dangerous group driving and other offenses on Hanna Road, a mountain route linking Daito in Osaka Prefecture with Nara, as illegal street racing continues to disturb residents despite years of enforcement. (News On Japan)

A woman believed to be a foreign visitor has drawn criticism after posting images on social media showing herself climbing and posing on an ancient camphor tree more than 800 years old at Onamuchi Shrine in Hioki, Kagoshima Prefecture, where climbing the protected tree is prohibited. (News On Japan)

Bear sightings are increasing across Japan as the animals become more active during their summer breeding season, with encounters reported near major tourist destinations, campsites and fishing areas, including an attack that left a man injured in Gunma Prefecture. (News On Japan)

The return rush at Kansai International Airport peaked on August 14 as travelers who spent the Obon holiday overseas arrived back in Japan, with 39,300 international passengers expected to land at the airport during the day. (News On Japan)

Japan's weather agency raised the volcanic alert level for Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture from Level 2 to Level 3 on August 14 after volcanic tremors strengthened and gas emissions increased sharply, warning people to stay away from areas within about 2 kilometers of the Nakadake No. 1 crater. (News On Japan)

Japan is often introduced to first-time travellers through Tokyo, but the country’s appeal extends far beyond its futuristic capital. (News On Japan)

A male employee in his 60s was injured after being attacked by a bear while working on the grounds of a garden center in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, at around 8:30 a.m. on August 13. (News On Japan)