Tag - kansai

 
 

KANSAI

Mizue Fukagawa's works explore of the fragility of memory and the regenerative beauty of nature.
CULTURE / Art
Jun 8, 2026
Emerging Kansai artists to watch
Among the artists featured at Art Osaka, several offered particularly engaging takes on the ubiquity of digital technology and relationships between people and nature.
A survey among junior high school students found that the delinquency rate was highest, at 12.2%, among respondents who had experienced parental violence and whose families are not financially comfortable.
JAPAN / Society
May 13, 2026
Children facing parental violence more likely to turn to delinquency
A group of researchers surveyed students at five junior high schools in the Kansai region between December 2024 and January 2025 for the study.
The new edition of "In Praise of Shadows" also includes 30 mood-enhancing photos of evocative corners and shadowy spaces such as tearooms and gardens.
CULTURE / Books
Apr 8, 2026
New Tanizaki collection illuminates ‘In Praise of Shadows’ origin
The new edition of “In Praise of Shadows” also includes 30 mood-enhancing photos of evocative corners and shadowy spaces such as tearooms and gardens.
Stars Kobe (in solid blue), the Kansai region's first professional ice hockey team, has introduced the sport to a whole new audience since beginning play in September of last year.
MORE SPORTS / Ice Hockey
Jan 28, 2026
Kansai’s first pro ice hockey team chases fans and wins
Stars Kobe’s first win gave Kansai its first taste of pro hockey joy, but now comes the hard part: growing the fan base in a market ruled by baseball.
Heavy snow hits the city of Aomori on Jan. 17.
JAPAN
Jan 23, 2026
Four dead after heavy snow pounds Sea of Japan coast
The injuries were reported in a wide area, from Aomori Prefecture in the Tohoku region down to Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region.
An intricate and massive wooden ring encircles the 2025 World Expo site in Osaka on April 9.
JAPAN
Jul 13, 2025
Visitors to Osaka Expo likely to exceed 10 million soon
The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition is working to reach its target of 22 million visitors, the Osaka Expo’s break-even point in terms of operating costs.
People check out Mie Prefecture's exhibit inside the Kansai Pavilion at the Osaka Expo in May.
JAPAN
Jul 12, 2025
Local governments leverage Osaka Expo to attract tourists
Officials of local governments are feeling confident about their promotion activities, with some events to introduce local food and culture at the expo proving popular.
People push a cart to receive water to distribute to neighbors in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Jan. 5, 2024, after a massive earthquake hit the area.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jun 28, 2025
Megaquake may hit central Japan within next 30 years, government panel says
There is a 16% to 18% chance of a large temblor hitting the Kinki western region and Hokuriku central region, according to a government panel.
Japan is mad about pets, and the Interpets trade fair showed to what lengths some owners will go for their furry friends.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jun 28, 2025
Cats, dogs, meerkats, goats: Interpets trade fair draws furry hordes
From June 19 to 21, a veritable animal kingdom (and their owners) descended on the Intex Osaka convention center to try new foods and meet new friends.
Visitors to the Osaka Expo walk under the sun in the city of Osaka on Friday as the rainy season ended at the earliest date on record in the country's western regions that day.
JAPAN
Jun 27, 2025
Western Japan sees earliest end to rainy season on record
The rainy season usually lasts from June to July, but for a large swath of the country — from Kyoto to Kyushu — it ended about three weeks earlier than usual.
Though Kyotoites play down their reputation for not meaning what they say, there are certain phrases you should look out for if you’re invited to a home.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jun 20, 2025
How to get kicked out of a Kyoto home with a smile
In Kyoto, a polite offer of tea might really mean “please leave.” Learn how to decode Kansai’s indirect dialect through a few phrases.
The crowded center circle of the Kansai Pavilion at the Osaka Expo, featuring photos and videos of various prefectures
JAPAN
May 25, 2025
Osaka Expo highlights uniqueness of Kansai region
The Kansai Pavilion offers numerous experiences to allow visitors to understand the rich history and culture of the region.
A system failure at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation has made automated teller machines at some branches in the Kansai western Japan region unavailable.

The cause of the failure is under investigation, and there is no prospect of when the system will be restored, the Japanese bank said.
JAPAN
Apr 29, 2025
System failure hits Sumitomo Mitsui ATMs
The cause of the failure is under investigation, and there is no timeline yet for restoring the system, the Japanese bank said.
The flags of participating countries are displayed near the entrance during a media preview day for the 2025 Osaka Expo on Wednesday.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 11, 2025
Japan’s second city is hosting a $66 billion coming-out party
First held in London in 1851, world expos have been promoted as venues to bring nations together and foster global coordination.
The Osaka Expo site on Yumeshima island in December.
JAPAN
Mar 11, 2025
Osaka Expo-linked spending expected to hit ¥1 trillion
The estimated spending related to the expo was based on the assumption that 28 million people will visit the event through October.
While Osaka’s 2025 World Expo may strengthen Japan’s global ties through diplomatic engagements, its success will depend on fostering long-term innovation, economic cooperation and international collaboration beyond visitor numbers.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 25, 2025
Will Expo 2025 in Osaka be a success?
Osaka has hosted the Expo twice before, in 1970 and 1990, with the 1970 affair in particular occupying a special place in many local residents’ hearts.
A car is buried under snow in a residential parking lot in the city of Toyama on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Feb 7, 2025
Heavy snow blankets Japan with one dead and four severely injured
More snowfall is expected through Saturday as another wave of frigid air moves in.
Death row inmate Chisako Kakehi, who was convicted of murdering three elderly men between 2012 and 2013 with the intent of inheriting their assets, has died, local media reported Thursday.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Dec 26, 2024
Chisako Kakehi, sentenced to death for cyanide murders, dies in custody
The 78-year-old death row inmate was convicted of murdering three men — her husband and two common-law spouses — to inherit their assets.
A staff member transfers baggage into a Cathay Pacific flight for departure at Kansai International Airport in Osaka Prefecture in September.
JAPAN
Nov 2, 2024
The Japanese airport that says it never loses a bag
Kansai International Airport was ranked the World’s Best Airport for Baggage Delivery by U.K.-based airport rating organization SKYTRAX in April.
The wellness amenities at Six Senses Kyoto are just the latest example of hotels in Japan bolstering their relaxation offerings to attract guests.
LIFE / Travel
Oct 12, 2024
Can’t choose a Kansai hotel? Perhaps a wellness screening will help you decide.
The holistic offerings at Six Senses Kyoto and Four Seasons Osaka are part of a growing wellness travel trend sweeping Japan.

Longform

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