NEWSWORTHY
Panel finds 'considerable number' of Suruga Bank officials involved in lending irregularities
A third-party panel set up to investigate lending irregularities at Suruga Bank said in a report Friday that a considerable number of its officials were involved in the systemic misconduct. The panel said that the officials involved include a former managing director, and that document ...
Mount Fuji: Cycling sea to summit for sunrise
Mount Fuji is trying to break me, one hairpin turn at a time. My bike groans with the strain of each pedal stroke and a fine drizzle coalesces into rivulets that run down my skin, cutting a path through the grime of the previous ...
Shizuoka: Where writers go to hide from the world
Ask a Japanese person which part of Japan they most associate with writer Lafcadio Hearn and they are likely to instantly respond: Matsue, a seaside town in Shimane Prefecture. Hearn is the man who introduced Japan to the West in the Meiji Period (1868-1912) through ...
This year's climbing season began on three trails for Mount Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture on Sunday, following a similar season opening on a trail in neighboring Yamanashi Prefecture nine days earlier. The 3,776-meter-high volcano, which straddles the two prefectures, is the nation's highest peak and ...
METI chief cites possible safety breaches in electric fence deaths
Industry minister Yoichi Miyazawa said Tuesday safety measures may have been inadequate at a flower bed in Shizuoka Prefecture where two men were killed and five people were injured by an electric fence. "There is a possibility that appropriate measures such as putting up danger ...
Jimbocho Den brings hot sake and hanami to Shizuoka
On an evening in late March, a group of well-heeled guests arrive at the Nippondaira Hotel, on a high plateau in the center of Shizuoka City, for the fifth edition of Dining Out, a series of creative pop-up dinners held at various locations around ...
Wild wasabi proves a warrior ingredient in many a dish
The pungent green wasabi is native to Japan, as its botanical name Eutrema japonicum indicates. A member of the brassicae family, it grows wild along the banks of mountain rivers and streams throughout the country. There are written records of it as far back as ...
Human waste left behind by climbers using sections of trails on Mount Fuji where there are no toilets have raised concerns about whether the mountain's pristine scenery can be maintained, after the iconic volcano was last year added to UNESCO's World Heritage site list, ...
A power failure on Sunday night briefly suspended Tokaido Shinkansen Line trains between Mishima Station and Shizuoka Station in Shizuoka Prefecture. The power went out at 9:05 p.m. The trains resumed operations after about 25 minutes once the situation was confirmed safe. According to Central Japan ...
Four MV-22 Osprey aircraft flew on Monday to the Atsugi air base, which is jointly used by the U.S. Navy and the Maritime Self-Defense Force, in Kanagawa Prefecture for the third time amid local protests. The tilt-rotor transport aircraft will conduct landing and takeoff drills ...
Atami: What do you make of this statue of a jilted gent kicking a girl while she's down?
Gracing the shoreline in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, is a statue unique among the many in Japan that celebrate local legends or famous historical figures: A work depicting a man kicking a woman.
Atami hosts traditional geisha performances for tourists on a budget
Atami's geisha have created a more affordable performance collection for tourists who want to experience traditional Japanese culture on a budget.
