Tag - tokyo

 
 

TOKYO

Flowering cherry blossoms and buds from a sample Somei Yoshino cherry tree at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN
Mar 19, 2026
Tokyo’s cherry blossom season officially begins
The cherry season for Tokyo starts when the official sample tree at Yasukuni Shrine opens at least five flowers.
Kabukicho is a dangerous world for the kids who drift there looking for a place to belong in Ren Akiba’s “Tokyo Strayers.”
CULTURE / Film
Mar 19, 2026
Kabukicho’s streets turn perilous in ‘Tokyo Strayers’
Kabukicho may be packed with tourists today, but Ren Akiba’s film shows how the streets can still be unforgiving for runaway teens.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is developing a "Generative AI Platform," which will allow government employees to create AI applications to assist with their work.
JAPAN
Mar 19, 2026
Tokyo government builds infrastructure to expand use of generative AI
Authorities in the capital aim to boost efficiency in public services and address growing concerns over labor shortages through AI.
The health ministry in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward. Japan has seen a total of 100 confirmed measles cases so far this year.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Mar 18, 2026
Japan raises alarm over recent measles outbreaks in Tokyo and other cities
Tokyo announced Tuesday that a total of nine people, all males in their 20s working for the same eating and drinking venue, had been infected.
The liquefied natural gas tanker Sohshu Maru approaches a thermal power station in Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, in December 2021.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 18, 2026
Japan’s energy dilemma in an era of volatility
Between 30% to 40% of Japan’s power generation relies on LNG, yet the country maintains only two to three weeks of LNG feedstock for electricity generation.
Yamano Music's main store in the Ginza district of Tokyo’s Chuo Ward is the most expensive commercial land site in Japan, according to data released Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Mar 17, 2026
Japan’s average land price rises for fifth straight year
The average land price in Japan as of Jan. 1 rose 2.8% from a year earlier, up for the fifth straight year, the land ministry said Tuesday.
Jinryu Kano, a member of a group affiliated with Yamaguchi-gumi, is taken to the Metropolitan Police Department's Ueno police station in Tokyo on Saturday following his arrest.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Mar 16, 2026
Tokyo robbery suspects bought luxury items with stolen money, police say
Seven were arrested Saturday for allegedly stealing three suitcases containing ¥423 million in cash on a street in the Taito Ward and assaulting a 43-year-old man.
Seven individuals were arrested on Saturday on suspicion of stealing three suitcases containing a total of ¥423 million in cash from a group of people in Tokyo in January.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Mar 14, 2026
Seven arrested over robbery of ¥423 million in Tokyo
Senior members of groups linked to the Yamaguchi-gumi and Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicates were among those arrested.
While Tokyo is becoming a kind of test bed for the world’s leading robotaxi ventures, Japan is lagging when it comes to the regulatory framework needed for autonomous vehicles to gain traction.
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 12, 2026
U.S. self-driving startup Nuro begins testing in Tokyo
While Tokyo is becoming a test bed for the world’s leading robotaxi ventures, Japan is lagging when it comes to regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles.
A memorial service for victims of the Tokyo air raid takes place in front of a monument at Kaneiji, a Buddhist temple in Tokyo's Taito Ward, on Monday.
JAPAN
Mar 10, 2026
Memorial event held to mark 81st anniversary of Tokyo air raid
The massive U.S. air raid during World War II is believed to have killed about 100,000 people.
At 85 years old, Makiko Kimura still works about four times a month at a local snack shop — not to make money in retirement but as a way to stay in touch with her community.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Mar 7, 2026
Working overtime: ‘Silver Jinzai’ centers keep Japan’s seniors employed
With about 3 in 10 adults currently over the retirement age, community agencies keeping seniors in part-time work bring both personal and economic benefits.
Yoyogi-Uehara is home to eclectic dining options, such as La Pita de Maison Cinquantecinq, which offers pita sandwiches and other Middle Eastern fare like falafel and hummus.
LIFE / Food & Drink / TOKYO FOOD FILE
Mar 6, 2026
Pitas, parfaits and more in Yoyogi-Uehara
Just a 10-minute train ride away from bustling Harajuku, the calm residential neighborhood is home to several gourmet options that locals would prefer to gatekeep.
Metropolitan police have arrested a director at NHK on suspicion of sexually assaulting a woman in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Mar 6, 2026
NHK sports news director arrested on suspicion of sexual assault
The suspect, Kensuke Nakamoto, is the chief director for the broadcaster’s sports news programs.
Cherry blossoms are expected to bloom earlier than usual this year, with flowering forecast to begin in Nagoya on March 17 and in Tokyo on March 19, according to Japan Meteorological Corp.
JAPAN
Mar 6, 2026
Cherry blossom season set to begin up to a week earlier than usual
Somei Yoshino cherry trees are expected to begin flowering on March 17 in Nagoya, before those in the Kanto-Koshin, Shikoku and Kyushu regions start blooming.
Cedar and cypress pollen have been dispersing at a much faster pace in western Tokyo than in an average year.
JAPAN
Mar 6, 2026
Pollen dispersing at higher rate than usual in western Tokyo
The hay fever season could die down earlier than in previous years as a result.
Expect beautiful latte art, such as this bonsai drawn by barista Pietro Vannelli, at Vannelli Coffee.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Mar 3, 2026
From Italy to Japan: Vannelli Coffee opens in Tokyo
With fancy gadgets and fragrant brews, the Italian specialty coffee brand brings some pizzazz to an already sophisticated java scene in the Japanese capital.
Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele, Kenya’s Geoffrey Toroitich and Kenya’s Alexander Mutiso compete in the men's category of the 2026 Tokyo Marathon in the capital on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS
Mar 1, 2026
Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele defends Tokyo Marathon title after sprint finish
Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei won the women’s race in 2:14:29, more than two minutes ahead of Ethiopia’s Berukan Welde in second.
From fiery Sichuan to Inner Mongolia feasts, Tokyo's Chinese hot pot scene is heating up.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Feb 27, 2026
Where Tokyoites go for Chinese hot pot
The fiery alternative to Japanese hot pot, “huoguo” is a tongue-numbing Sichuan staple that has found many fans in the Japanese capital.
A woman was arrested for allegedly taking an English proficiency test posing as another person, adding to a series of proxy test-taking cases that have come to light since last year.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Feb 27, 2026
Woman arrested in Tokyo on suspicion of proxy test-taking
Police suspect the woman took an English proficiency exam last year on behalf of a Chinese man and received about ¥1 million from the man as payment.
Consumer prices excluding fresh food in the Tokyo area rose 1.8% from a year earlier in February, the smallest gain since October 2024, indicating Japan’s price growth has entered a cooler phase.
BUSINESS / Economy
Feb 27, 2026
Tokyo CPI falls below BOJ’s target, complicating rate hike message
The data poses a communication challenge for the Bank of Japan as it looks to proceed with interest rate hikes.

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival