Tag - tohoku

 
 

TOHOKU

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako wave to well wishers on the emperor's birthday on Monday at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The couple and their daughter will visit the Tohoku region in March and April.
JAPAN
Feb 26, 2026
Emperor and his family to tour Tohoku region 15 years after disaster
During their visit, the imperial family will inspect progress made in reconstruction efforts and meet with people in areas affected by the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
A stone monument marking the tsunami’s furthest reach stands beside cherry trees, planted by Sakura Line 311 after the 2011 triple disaster, in full bloom at Jodoji Temple, in the city of Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, in April.
JAPAN
Feb 26, 2026
Flowers bloom in Tohoku as symbol of resilience
Colorful seasonal flowers bloom to symbolize the resilience of communities hit hard by the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.
A worker shovels snow in front of a shop in Aomori on Friday.
JAPAN
Feb 3, 2026
Heavy snowfall along Sea of Japan coast claims at least 30 lives
The highest death toll was seen in Niigata Prefecture, with 12 fatalities, followed by six deaths in Akita Prefecture and four in Aomori Prefecture.
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.
Asahikawa, Hokkaido, in 2013 after a major storm. Much of Japan, including Hokkaido, is forecast to receive heavy snows starting Wednesday.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jan 20, 2026
Sea of Japan side of Honshu likely to be hit by heavy snowfall
Hokkaido and parts of Japan’s Pacific coast could also be affected.
What appeared to be a bear's footprint was found in Akkeshi, Hokkaido, on Jan. 1.
JAPAN
Jan 15, 2026
Bear sightings in Japan continue into 2026
A slew of sightings, mainly in the Tohoku region, includes reports of collisions with vehicles and damage to property.
Actor Ken Watanabe responds to customers' requests to take a selfie with him at his cafe called K-port in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, on Saturday.
JAPAN
Dec 22, 2025
Actor Ken Watanabe closes cafe he opened to support Tohoku reconstruction
The actor began visiting evacuation centers in affected areas soon after the March 2011 disaster and opted to open the cafe to offer a place where people could enjoy chatting.
An electronic road sign posts an advisory for subsequent quakes in Mutsu, Aomori Prefecture, last Wednesday, after the first such advisory was issued the previous day.
JAPAN
Dec 16, 2025
Japan lifts quake advisory but urges continued caution
The Japan Meteorological Agency says there is still a possibility of a sudden, massive earthquake, despite the lifting of the advisory.
A car is seen trapped in a caved-in road on Tuesday in the town of Tohoku, Aomori Prefecture, after a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off the coast of the prefecture on Monday night.
JAPAN
Dec 9, 2025
More than 30 injuries reported after Aomori earthquake
Evacuation orders issued across five prefectures, including Aomori and Hokkaido, have all been lifted.
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off eastern Aomori Prefecture around 11:15 p.m. Monday.
JAPAN
Dec 9, 2025
Tsunami warnings lifted after M7.5 quake rocks northeastern Japan
The Japan Meteorological Agency registered a seismic intensity of upper-6 on the Japanese scale in the city of Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture.
Poor harvests of beechnuts are thought to be one of the major reasons behind the increase in bear attacks and sightings.
JAPAN
Dec 8, 2025
High number of bear attacks possible in 2027 due to expected poor nut harvest
Beechnut harvests are considered to influence the number of bear incidents Japan sees each year.
Bear bells are displayed for sale at a souvenir shop at Shirakawa-go, a popular tourist spot and one of Japan's UNESCO World Heritage sites, in the village of Shirakawa, Gifu Prefecture, on Nov. 15.
JAPAN / Society
Dec 6, 2025
Japan’s bear-related casualties hit record on escalating attacks
A record 230 were killed or injured by bears in Japan since April, putting more pressure on the government to intervene.
A security camera captures a bear outside the entrance of the Omura Museum of Art in Semboku City, Akita Prefecture, on Nov. 5.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 2, 2025
A five-point plan to address Japan’s bear crisis
A deeper, long-term driver is reshaping the landscape. Over the 40 years leading up to 2018, the distribution of bears in Japan expanded to nearly twice its former size.
A bear is seen near a house in the city of Akita on Oct. 30.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 5, 2025
Bear threat casts shadow over autumn outdoor activities
Twelve people have been killed by bears this fiscal year, and 108 have been attacked in Japan as of the end of September — both the highest figures on record.
Hisako Aihara looks at a photo of central Sendai taken by the U.S. military before the July 1945 air raid on the city, at Sendai's War Reconstruction Memorial Hall.
JAPAN / History / Regional Voices: Tohoku
Nov 3, 2025
How a family in Sendai narrowly escaped a U.S. air raid in 1945
While the city was reduced to ashes, Hisako Aihara and her family managed to evacuate in time thanks to a tipoff from a worker at a military facility.
The city of Obihiro, Hokkaido, under the scorching sun on July 23
JAPAN
Sep 8, 2025
Heatstroke patient numbers jumped in cooler Hokkaido and Tohoku this summer
In Hokkaido, the number of heatstroke patients rose 1.7-fold from the previous year, while Aomori Prefecture saw a 1.53-fold rise and Akita Prefecture saw a 1.42-fold rise.
Hiroyuki Adachi, managing director of Shelter, a wooden architecture construction firm in Yamagata, speaks during a seminar in Sendai in July.
BUSINESS / Regional Voices: Tohoku
Sep 1, 2025
Wooden high-rise buildings increasing in Tohoku amid decarbonization trend
Major real estate developers and construction companies are focusing on wood, pushed by legislation and systems encouraging the use of domestically produced lumber.
Police officers ask a man to evacuate from an empty beach following a tsunami warning, in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Jul 30, 2025
Japan on edge but prepared for tsunami after huge Kamchatka earthquake
Tsunami waves measuring up to 1.3 meters were observed off the Pacific coast of Japan, with authorities urging people in coastal areas to evacuate to higher ground.
The city of Obihiro in Hokkaido amid scorching heat on Thursday
JAPAN
Jul 25, 2025
Extreme heat grips Japan, including even Hokkaido
Several cities in Hokkaido experienced record-high temperatures on Thursday, and Hokkaido Railway has suspended portions of its rail lines as a safety precaution.
As the rainy season appears to have ended in most regions, including Kanto, the Meteorological Agency is calling on people to take measures against heat waves.
JAPAN
Jul 18, 2025
Rainy season ends in the Kanto region, a day earlier than average
Areas from southern Tohoku to the Kyushu region are expected to see extremely hot days next week.

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
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