For Kimio Ida's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
OMIHACHIMAN, Shiga Pref. -- Among the many tours available for enjoying the beauty of Lake Biwa is a ride aboard a small wooden boat rowed by a skilled sculler who also serves as a guide. The two-hour tour, which starts and ends at Honenbashi Bridge ...
IMAZU, Shiga Pref. — Grabbing a firsthand taste of Japanese country life for a few days is proving to be a popular pursuit here, especially among children from the city. Hakodateyama Minshuku Kumiai, an association of inns on Mount Hakodate in Imazu, northwestern Shiga Prefecture, ...
OSAKA -- The Japanese diet has evolved in recent years to the point that almost any food from any country is available. But one shortcoming of this burst in variety has been waste, as curious consumers find themselves stuck with half-empty bottles of seasonings ...
NARA -- Jellyfish swimming up and down inside a water tank may be a comforting sight to see, but keeping them alive is another matter entirely. Help, however, is on the way, said Hideaki Okuda, a maker of artificial jellyfish. Okuda, a 37-year-old engineer who ...
NAGAHAMA, Shiga Pref. -- An annual exhibit of dwarf "ume" (plum) trees at Keiunkan Hall here is giving visitors a glimpse of early spring. Of 300 bonsai trees prepared for the event, about 100 will be shown till March 10. Visitors view dwarf "ume" (plum) ...
OSAKA -- Amid rising environmental awareness across the business spectrum, the construction sector is often hit for lagging in this regard. Takenaka Corp., an Osaka-based major contractor, is trying to dispel this reputation by recycling construction materials and reducing waste. The firm aims to achieve ...
MAIHARA, Shiga Pref -- In an effort to draw more visitors to this area, the Shiga Prefectural Government is running a one-month ecotourism campaign. A visitor to the "eco-festa" exhibition near JR Maibara Station plays "kapla," using small wood tips to create a minature castle. As ...
OSAKA -- People often go to great lengths for spiritual enlightenment, and a 1,400-km pilgrimage to 88 key temples on the island of Shikoku is certainly no exception. To find out what has drawn people to the area for over 1,000 years, Aru Nomoto, a ...
MORIGUCHI, Osaka Pref. -- Other than the odd rice paddy, the city of Moriguchi now has little evidence of its pre-1960s days as a farming area. The Moriguchi Rekishikan, which dates back to the 18th century, opened earlier this summer to showcase the city's past. However, ...
There was a time when parents in Osaka used to scold their kids by threatening, "I will send you to Yoshimoto!" if they were fooling around. Today, though, Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. has become Japan's largest entertainment agency, and most parents would be happy if ...
