Kyoto’s scenic Philosopher’s Path has become the center of a growing debate, as local residents remain divided over whether the gravel trail should be fully paved. (News On Japan)

Police have arrested the president of Kanetanaka, a prestigious kaiseki restaurant regarded as one of Japan’s top three ryotei, on suspicion of possessing stimulants and marijuana. (News On Japan)

Japan’s largest crime syndicate, the Yamaguchi-gumi, based in Kobe City, has announced it will end its long-running feud with rival groups. (News On Japan)

With just three days until the opening of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, a photo taken during a trial run showing a row of children's toilets without partitions and a wide, exposed space—including a visible men's urinal—has drawn widespread attention on social media. (News On Japan)

A lightning strike at a school ground in Nara City sent six male students to the hospital, with one confirmed to be in cardiopulmonary arrest. (News On Japan)

A Russian social media influencer has come under fire for inappropriate behavior at a Japanese hot spring and in Nara Park, with critics calling her actions disrespectful and dangerous. (News On Japan)

A post shared on social media by a cat rescue café in Toyokawa, Aichi Prefecture, read: "Is this an abandoned cat in front of the store from this morning? Abandoning a cat is a crime." The angry message came after someone left a cat in front of the café in a cardboard box labeled "Please take care of it." (News On Japan)

A woman in her 40s was hospitalized with food poisoning after eating fugu purchased from a supermarket in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture. (News On Japan)

A foreign social media influencer sparked outrage online after posting a video of himself hanging from a fully bloomed cherry tree and performing a pull-up, a stunt seen by many as a serious disregard for Japanese culture. (News On Japan)

At a special nursing home in Kadoma, Osaka, foreign caregivers have become an essential part of operations. One of them is Chandra, a 39-year-old from Indonesia, who has been working at the facility for a year and a half under Japan’s Specified Skilled Worker visa program, which allows foreigners with certain skills to work in sectors suffering from severe labor shortages. (News On Japan)

Methane gas was detected at levels exceeding safety standards in the western area of the Osaka-Kansai Expo site around 4 p.m. on April 6th, raising concerns due to the potential risk of explosion. Ventilation measures have since been implemented, bringing gas concentrations back below the threshold. (News On Japan)

Bear activity is increasing in Hokkaido as spring temperatures rise, with sightings in 2025 already surpassing last year's total at over 100 cases. (News On Japan)

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 6th at the Five-Story Pagoda of Kofukuji Temple in Nara City to pray for the safety of a large-scale restoration project. (News On Japan)

I heard Japanese tattoos are really cool in other countries, but when I saw some of the actual tattoos... They're not as cool as I thought! Unfortunately some of these people got the most terrible tattoos in Japanese and we're gonna take a look! (Mrs Eats)

On April 3rd, three auspicious days on the traditional calendar—Ichiryū Manbaibi (a day when a single grain multiplies a thousandfold), Tora no Hi (Day of the Tiger), and Taian Nichi (a day of great brightness)—coincided, making it a so-called "super lucky day." Many people took the opportunity to test their fortune. (News On Japan)

In response to a sharp rise in women soliciting prostitution on the streets of Osaka's Kita entertainment district, police and local authorities implemented countermeasures last year. But how effective have those measures been? (News On Japan)

As Japan marks 80 years since the end of World War II, Angelita Oshiro, an 86-year-old second-generation Japanese woman living in Davao on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, was finally granted the restoration of her long-awaited Japanese citizenship on April 2nd. (News On Japan)

Cherry blossoms are now in full bloom. On April 2nd, crowds gathered along the Okawa River in Osaka to enjoy the hanami season. While spring typically lifts spirits, this year’s celebrations come with a pinch.While moods may be rising, so are prices. (News On Japan)

A fire broke out on the morning of April 2nd at a farm in Kamishihoro, a town in the Tokachi region of Hokkaido, killing approximately 20 cattle housed in a barn. (News On Japan)

The Imperial Household Agency launched an official YouTube channel on April 1st to introduce the activities of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako. (News On Japan)