Woman mistakenly arrested for not carrying passport: Our 5 most-read stories from last week
We've listed our five most read stories on The Mainichi news site, from top to bottom, that were published between April 26 and May 4. The first story was viewed by 26.1% of our regular readers. (The Mainichi)
Japan's Kanagawa Pref. police mistakenly arrest Thai woman for not carrying passport
YOKOHAMA -- Police in eastern Japan's Kanagawa Prefecture mistakenly arrested a Thai woman for not carrying her passport, failing to notice it inside a sanitary napkin in her possession, it has been learned. Full story.
A Chinese man airlifted from Japan's Mount Fuji returns to the slope days later and is rescued again
TOKYO (AP) -- A climber airlifted with altitude sickness from near the peak of Japan's Mount Fuji last week returned to the slope and was rescued for a second time just four days later, authorities said Monday. Full story.
As prices rise, is battle heating up between domestic, foreign tourists for Japan hotels?
TOKYO -- The cost of staying at hotels in metropolitan Tokyo and regional Japanese cities keeps rising amid a surge in foreign visitors, with a survey by a Tokyo-based corporate analytics firm showing rates at key lodgings had risen by as much as over 50% year-on-year last fall. Full story.
How does wrong-way driving like in fatal head-on crash in east Japan occur?
TOKYO -- Two people died in a collision caused by a driver going the wrong way on an east Japan expressway April 26. Some 20% of the 200 annual cases of wrong-way driving on expressways in the country result in accidents. But when and how does such driving occur, and how can other drivers safely respond? Full story.
Device seller demands Amazon Japan step up after 'outrageous' delisting of genuine item
TOKYO -- A medical device sales company whose product was removed from the Amazon Japan website demanded the e-commerce giant to "take responsibility precisely because of its significant influence on the market," following an April 25 ruling by the Tokyo District Court ordering the latter to pay damages. Full story.
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5 hours ago
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building an Observation Deck Trendsetter
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building was completed in 1990 and towers over Shinjuku. Its Main Building No. 1, standing 243 meters tall, was the tallest structure in Japan at the time. Each of the main building's twin towers features an observation deck on the forty-fifth floor, 202 meters up, that is open to the public free of charge. Now a well-established Tokyo landmark, the building has welcomed a cumulative total of around 55 million visitors to its observation areas over the past 35 years. While the annual number of visitors temporarily dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic to 150,000 in 2020 and 70,000 in 2021, it rebounded sharply to reach 1.6 million in 2024. A panoramic view of the capital with Tokyo Skytree visible in the distance, as seen from the observation deck of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. (Courtesy the Tokyo Metropolitan Government) The North Tower's observation deck includes a space where visitors can enjoy light meals and drinks while taking in the view. In the evenings, it can also be rented out for private events and parties. Meanwhile, the South Tower's deck features a public piano; artist Kusama Yayoi supervised the design, and anyone is welcome to play on it. A public piano designed under the supervision of artist Kusama Yayoi. (© Ogawa Hiroo) Most visitors are not from Tokyo, with foreign tourists now vastly outnumbering those from Japan. While visitors from Asian countries such as China and South Korea began to spike in the 2000s, recent years have seen an increasingly diverse crowd, with travelers arriving from Europe, Latin America, and beyond. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Main Building No. 1 has become a well-known landmark. (© Ogawa Hiroo) Long Lines of International Tourists When visiting one of the observatories in April for this report, a long line had formed on the first floor of the building where visitors register for entry. A sign indicated that there would be a 45-minute wait. In the past, guests could head straight up with little delay, but the recent surge in popularity is remarkable. A long line of people waiting to take the elevator to the observation deck at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. (© Ogawa Hiroo) A sign displaying the current wait time for entry to the observation deck. (© Ogawa Hiroo) Since fiscal 2011, volunteer interpreters have been stationed at the observation decks, offering guidance in English, Chinese, and Korean. One of the female volunteers commented, 'Recently, we've been seeing a noticeable increase in visitors from Europe,' as she busily assisted the steady flow of foreign tourists. One such visitor, Uyanbi from France, is a frequent guest. He has already visited the observation deck seven or eight times, often coming to Japan with his Japanese wife on family visits. A self-described Japan enthusiast, he praised the view from the deck, saying, 'Even compared to places like Yokohama's Landmark Tower or Tokyo Skytree, the view from here is absolutely stunning.' Tourists enjoying the view from the observation deck. (© Ogawa Hiroo) Ciro Pizzi, visiting Japan from Italy for the second time, said he had discovered the observation deck through a video-sharing site and had been looking forward to the visit. He was busy snapping souvenir photos with his phone. For foreign tourists, access without charge to such a panoramic view is an enormous draw. Many interviewees echoed the same sentiment: 'It's hard to believe you can enjoy such an amazing view for free.' Promoting Understanding of Government As the main office of the vast Tokyo metropolitan government, the building does not inherently require a free observation deck. So why include a space that is not directly tied to administrative duties? 'The idea was to help people who visit the building feel a sense of connection to Tokyo while enjoying the view, and in doing so, deepen their understanding of the city and its government,' explains Hiratsuka Kenji, manager of the building's Facility Maintenance Section. It is common for local governments across Japan to make their offices relatively open and accessible so that residents can feel more comfortable engaging with public administration. This culture of openness, which has long been taken for granted by the Japanese public, underpins the idea of building observation decks and making them freely available. Ishida Jun'ichirō, a professor at Mukogawa Women's University and an expert in Japanese architectural and urban history offers additional insight. 'The old Tokyo government building in Marunouchi featured a plaza where Tokyo residents could gather,' he explains. 'Such open spaces reflect a public mindset rooted in the fact that government buildings are constructed with taxpayer money, and therefore should serve as shared spaces for the community.' As municipal buildings have grown taller over time, he adds, observation decks have naturally come to take on that role of a public gathering space. The Rising Height of Government Buildings According to Professor Ishida, the legal foundation that paved the way for the construction of taller government buildings was a revision to Japan's Building Standards Act in 1963. Before the amendment, building heights were capped at approximately 31 meters, a limit rooted in the prewar shakkanhō (traditional Japanese units of measurement), where 100 shaku equaled roughly 31 meters. This restriction was commonly referred to as the 100- shaku rule. With the repeal of this height limit, developers were free to build taller structures to meet the demands of Japan's booming postwar economy. As land prices soared and the need for more efficient land use intensified, high-rise buildings began to flourish. One iconic example was the completion of the Kasumigaseki Building in 1968, which stood around 147 meters tall and captured nationwide attention. The trend of high-rise municipal buildings began with the Iwate Prefectural Office Building, completed in 1965. However, the end of the 100- shaku rule didn't immediately trigger a wave of high-rise construction among municipalities. Many local governments lost their original buildings during World War II and rebuilt them during the postwar recovery period—such as Tokyo's previous metropolitan office, completed in 1957. As a result, most municipalities' buildings were relatively new when the law changed, and they did not begin considering large-scale rebuilds until the late 1980s into the 1990s. Over time, government responsibilities expanded, leading to a growing accumulation of administrative documents and records that needed to be stored. In densely populated urban centers, surging land prices made it increasingly difficult to secure additional property for expansion. These pressures made vertical development the more practical solution over a horizontal sprawl, especially in major cities. A Must-Have Feature? Across the 23 municipalities of central Tokyo, plans to rebuild or relocate municipal offices began in the 1990s and continue to this day. In 1996, Nerima completed its new office building—a 21-story tower standing approximately 93.8 meters tall. In 1999, Bunkyō followed suit with a 28-story, roughly 142-meter-tall building, the tallest among the 23 municipalities. Nerima's is the second tallest. Both facilities include observation decks that are free to the public, although the Bunkyō building is currently closed for renovations until December 2026. A staff member from Nerima's General Affairs Division explained the aim was to attract more visitors by offering sweeping views that include Mount Fuji and Tokyo Skytree. The Nerima municipal office, nestled within a residential neighborhood. A restaurant operates on the observation floor. (© Ogawa Hiroo) In May 2024, Setagaya began using its new East Wing, which features an observation lobby on the tenth floor. While not a high-rise by modern standards, 'there are no tall buildings nearby, so it offers a panoramic view of Setagaya's cityscape,' notes Yamaji Hiroshi, section chief of the municipality's facilities management division. When it opened, the lobby hosted a popular panel exhibition on Guri and Gura , a beloved picture book series by the late Nakagawa Rieko, an acclaimed children's author and honorary resident of the ward. The Setagaya municipal office. With no tall buildings nearby, the observation lobby offers distant views of landmarks like Mount Fuji. (© Ogawa Hiroo) Government officials may assume that by adding appealing features like observation decks to their buildings, they can strengthen their connection with residents, but the reality is not so simple. In practice, relatively few facilities are actively used as event spaces for residents. Instead, these areas tend to function more like tourist attractions, and in some cases, they fail to attract even tourists. Nevertheless, a sense of bureaucratic conformity seems to prevail: whenever a municipality rebuilds its office, it increasingly treats an observation deck as a must-have feature. Professor Ishida cautions against such copycat tendencies. 'Government buildings aren't rebuilt often. Just because other municipalities are doing it doesn't mean you should follow suit. Officials need to think carefully: what does their community truly need? Is an observation deck really necessary? These are questions that must be considered from a long-term perspective. Gaining the support of residents and the local assembly should be the first priority,' he emphasizes. While more municipalities are adding observation decks to their buildings, only a handful like the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building have succeeded in drawing large crowds and making meaningful contributions to local outreach or tourism. Municipalities would do well to seriously consider how to utilize these spaces effectively. Otherwise, they risk letting a valuable resource go to waste. (Originally published in Japanese on May 13, 2025. Banner photo: Tokyo night view from the Metropolitan Government Building observatory. Courtesy the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.)
Japan Today
13 hours ago
- Japan Today
Princess Kako receives medal in Brazil
Princess Kako meets with Sao Paulo Gov Tarcisio de Freitas at the Bandeirantes Palace in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Friday. By SAO PAULO Japan's Princess Kako, a niece of Emperor Naruhito, received the highest order of Brazil's state of Sao Paulo on Friday during her 10-day 11-day trip to the South American nation. Her trip also marks the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The younger daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko arrived on Thursday in Sao Paulo. She held appointments with members of the Japanese community on Friday and finished her schedule at a dinner with Governor Tarcisio de Freitas at the state government palace. She was awarded the Order of the Ipiranga at a closed ceremony. Princess Kako is welcomed to the Bunkyo Brazilian Society of Japanese Culture in Sao Paulo on Friday. Image: AP/Andre Penner Princess Kako will visit another seven cities, including Rio de Janeiro and capital Brasilia, where she is expected to meet President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Speaking to de Freitas, she made reference to the first Japanese immigrants arriving in the city of Santos in 1908 after a gruesome trip through the seas. On the first day of her trip, she visited the memorial to pioneer Japanese immigrants at Sao Paulo's Ibirapuera Park. 'I felt that the immigrants made an enormous effort to adapt to Brazil, and still today are very active in different areas. The fact that Brazil sheltered the Japanese community made the connections between the two countries to become deeper,' the princess said. Today, Brazil has the largest population of people of Japanese descent in the world, estimated at about 2.7 million. About half of those live in Sao Paulo state, official figures show. Emperor Naruhito has no male children, which makes his brother Akishino, Princess Kako's father, the first successor in line. Japan's tradition does not allow women to take the throne. Princess Mako, who is Princess Kako's older sister, was the last member of Japan's imperial family to visit Brazil. She traveled to 13 cities of the South American nation in 2018. © 025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
17 hours ago
Experiencing Ancient Zen Culture at Kamakura's Kenchōji
Kamakura Wandering Guideto Japan Founded over 800 years ago, Kamakura served as a spiritual hub of Zen Buddhism and a center of samurai devotion. Kenchōji, the city's oldest and most prestigious Zen temple, invites visitors to experience its ancient architecture and enduring spiritual practices. A Temple at the Heart of a Historical Religious Capital Cradled by mountains on three sides and overlooking Sagami Bay, the compact city of Kamakura is home to a surprising number of shrines and temples: 123 in total. Of these, about one-third belong to the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism, which flourished under the Kamakura shogunate (1185–1333). The main gate of Kenchōji is designated a National Important Cultural Property, along with the main hall, lecture hall, and elaborately decorated karamon gate behind it. (© Harada Hiroshi) Zen Buddhism in Japan consists of three main schools: Rinzai, Sōtō, and Ōbaku. While Rinzai is the oldest, all three emphasize zazen (seated meditation) as a path to enlightenment. Under the Kamakura shogunate, five temples (gozan) were given special rank, with Kenchōji at the top, followed by Engakuji, Jufukuji, Jōchiji, and Jyōmyōji. All five gozan temples still stand today, but Kenchōji remains the most prominent. Established in 1253 as Japan's first dedicated Zen dojo (training center), it retains the spiritual and architectural traditions of its founding era. The row of temple buildings viewed from the elevated, far back area of Kenchōji's grounds. (© Harada Hiroshi) A visit to Kenchōji offers a vivid sense of Zen temple design, where the main structures are positioned in a straight line—a style inherited from Chan Buddhist temples in China. Giant Chinese juniper trees line the temple's approach. (© Harada Hiroshi) Ancient Chinese junipers—part of the cypress family and known for their resistance to cold—line the approach to the main hall. Revered in Chinese Chan for their vitality, they were brought here as saplings during the Southern Song Dynasty by Kenchōji's founder, Chinese monk Rankei Dōryū (Lanxi Daolong). Today, these towering trees, now over 760 years old and 7 meters around, are a living testament to the temple's history. On the right side of the approach stands the bonshō (temple bell), cast in 1255 and designated a national treasure. The bell has an ancient elegance in its form and is counted among the Three Famed Bells of Kamakura, alongside those at Engakuji (also a national treasure) and Jōrakuji (the oldest in the city). The thatched-roof belfry and its national treasure bell. (© Harada Hiroshi) The main hall, or butsuden, houses a statue of Jizō, the bodhisattva known for guiding souls in the underworld. This is an unusual choice for a Zen temple, where the principal image is typically Shakyamuni Buddha. The Jizō statue in the butsuden is around 5 meters tall, including the pedestal. (Note: The hall is currently closed for repairs through July 2027.) (© Harada Hiroshi) At the rear of the temple grounds lies the hōjō, once the abbot's quarters. The garden behind it is centered on a pond surrounded by a carefully maintained lawn—an ancient feature that predates the moss gardens popularized in the Edo period (1603–1868). The temple restored this historic lawn garden with the help of landscape experts. Kenchōji's garden, centered on a pond, is a nationally recognized landmark. The bridge in the photo has since been removed. (© Harada Hiroshi) Zen Training: More Than Just Meditation Perched atop a hillock in the temple's eastern precincts, the dojo is where monks continue to undergo rigorous training, practicing not only seated meditation but also disciplined eating. Their meals are strictly vegetarian—usually a single dish along with rice and soup, with only plant-based condiments. The nourishing tofu-and-vegetable kenchin-jiru soup uses stock made from shiitake mushrooms and kombu kelp. Kenchin-jiru is now a familiar dish throughout Japan, but it is believed to have originated at the temple, where it was known as kenchō-jiru. Daikon is another staple in the monks' simple meals. (© Harada Hiroshi) Meals always include takuan (pickled daikon). To ensure that no grain of rice is wasted, monks pour hot water into their rice bowls at the end of the meal, using the takuan to gather every last bit of rice. This ritual reflects the Zen reverence for all living things and the practice of reducing waste. Takuan is made from daikon donated to visiting monks each January by farmers in nearby Miura Peninsula. (© Harada Hiroshi) To preserve the sanctity of the meditation hall, visitors are usually prohibited from entering its approach. Exceptions are made each late spring when the tree peonies are in full bloom, however, giving visitors a rare chance to glimpse this sacred site. The path to the meditation hall opens to the public briefly in spring when the tree peonies are in bloom, allowing visitors a rare view of this usually private space. (© Harada Hiroshi) Kenchōji offers many ways to experience Zen Buddhism, but none is more important than zazen. During these seated meditation sessions—held every Friday and Saturday—even beginning participants can discover the calming, introspective power of Zen. With one's back straight and breath steady, zazen can ease daily worries and refresh the spirit. Zazen sessions are held from 3:30 pm each Friday and Saturday (arrive 15 minutes early). No reservations required; only the temple entry fee applies. Chair seating for those unable to sit on the tatami flooring is available upon request. (© Harada Hiroshi) (Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo: Temple buildings seen from near the entrance to Kenchōji. © Harada Hiroshi.)
