Latest news with #DoctorYellow
NHK
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- NHK
Nagoya museum holds ceremony for retired 'Doctor Yellow' shinkansen train
Japanese railway fans have helped with preparations for the planned display of the iconic "Doctor Yellow" Shinkansen train at a museum in Nagoya City, central Japan. The Doctor Yellow train is owned by Central Japan Railway Company, or JR Tokai. It had been used to inspect Shinkansen railway tracks until it was retired in January due to aging. The train was manually repainted at a factory to prepare to go on public display on June 14. A ceremony was held on Saturday at SCMAGLEV and Railway Park in Nagoya. Museum curator Okabe Hitoshi said that he is looking forward to creating new memories with the Doctor Yellow train. Thirty-eight railway fans chosen by lottery from around the country helped to move the train about 10 meters to its display location. The enthusiasts then enjoyed eating lunch boxes on board another Shinkansen train while they admired Doctor Yellow. One participant who came from Kanagawa Prefecture said the yellow train on display will be loved by many people who will be happy that it is fulfilling its second role.
Tokyo Weekender
29-05-2025
- Tokyo Weekender
A Kyoto Itinerary That Skips the Crowds, Not the Culture
This article appeared in Tokyo Weekender Vol. 2, 2025. To read the entire issue, click here . The buzzword of 2024, overtourism is a major issue in Japan these days, and nowhere is it more apparent than in Kyoto. Known for its delicate balance of ancient traditions and modern artistry, Japan's old capital is a widely favored destination for travelers hoping for a tranquil experience during their stay here. What many find when they arrive, however, is a city struggling to cope with the sheer number of people. Avoiding large crowds in Kyoto is difficult but not impossible. On the outskirts of the city, you'll find calmer districts that are well worth exploring. For those who only have a short time in the area, though, heading out too far may not be a viable option. Fortunately, there are several charming spots toward the center of the city that don't feel overbearing, as I found out during a recent trip. Below, find recommendations for a short jaunt to Kyoto that will allow you to stay centrally located and enjoy the best of the city's culture without sacrificing tranquility and calm. List of Contents: Stay: The Royal Park Hotel Kyoto Umekoji Dine: Kyoto Wagyu Ryori Issekisancho See: Museums and Temples Where You Can Avoid the Crowds Related Posts Stay: The Royal Park Hotel Kyoto Umekoji The Royal Park Hotel Kyoto Umekoji is located just one stop on the train from Kyoto Station, or a relatively short walk through the picturesque Umekoji Park. As it was cherry blossom season when I visited, I opted for the latter. Located near the Kyoto Railway Museum, the hotel is popular with train enthusiasts and even has a special railway-themed room, featuring bedding decorated with images of trains and shinkansen-shaped pillows, as well as pictures of the N700 and 500 series bullet trains alongside Doctor Yellow, the iconic diagnostic train. My room didn't have any of that, but it did come with a delightful view of the iconic five-storied pagoda of To-ji Temple. Other amenities include a large public bath, ideal for a soothing soak before taking advantage of the hotel's impressive obanzai Kyoto breakfast buffet, which features a variety of dishes, including its signature beef curry. Dine: Kyoto Wagyu Ryori Issekisancho Kyoto Wagyu Ryori Issekisancho is the newest branch of the renowned Tokyo-based Issekisancho restaurant group. All of the hospitality group's eateries are designed with a distinctive concept tailored to their location — and having eaten at the group's impressive sushi and yakitori establishments in Tokyo, I was eager to see what its Kyoto restaurant was like. It didn't disappoint. A 10-minute walk from the Royal Park Hotel Kyoto Umekoji, this wagyu restaurant is located on a nondescript street, yet the entrance projects a sense of luxury. Heading inside, I was enthusiastically greeted by a kimono-clad server who ushered me past the elegant private dining rooms to a huge counter in front of an open kitchen. The setting was intimate and inviting, with the interplay of light and shadow adding to the warm yet sophisticated atmosphere. The restaurant offers a variety of courses to choose from, including a 'Welcome to Japan' set for international guests. Included in it are several succulent wagyu dishes with beef sourced from renowned producers nationwide. The standout from my meal was the pure Tajima Usunaga beef, an ultra-exclusive wagyu brand from Kobe. It's acclaimed for its exceptional glossy marbling that gives the meat its soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Along with the beef, the course also included an assortment of appetizers as well as snow crab, lobster, udon and shaved ice. Everything was prepared immaculately, and the service was first-rate. I decided to finish the evening with a gentle stroll toward To-ji Temple's pagoda to get a closer look at Japan's tallest wooden tower, which looks magnificent when illuminated at night. See: Museums and Temples Where You Can Avoid the Crowds First on our list: The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto . A 25-minute train journey from Kyoto Station, it's located across from a giant torii gate that marks the approach to Heian Jingu Shrine, which famously featured in Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation . Despite being situated next to an extremely popular tourist site, the museum itself has a peaceful feel to it. Its collection of around 13,000 works includes paintings, sculptures and crafts, with the museum's main focus being on artwork from the Kansai region. It also boasts some terrific views of the torii gate and the Okazaki Canal. The best place to enjoy the latter is from the terrace of the museum's eatery, Cafe de 505. Enjoying a light pasta lunch in front of the cherry blossoms as canal boats passed below was one of the highlights of my trip. From the museum, it's less than 10 minutes on foot to a perfectly manicured oasis of peace hidden behind a high wall. Murin-an Garden is a classical Japanese promenade garden created by prominent landscape designer Ogawa Jihei VII in the 1890s; it adjoins Murin-an, the former garden villa of two-time Japanese prime minister Aritomo Yamagata. Featuring gentle streams and waterfalls, it makes for an idyllic saunter. Guests can also enjoy matcha and Japanese sweets in the main house while overlooking the garden. The epitome of serenity, it's a delightful place to avoid the crowds, as it requires a reservation in advance and there's a limit to the number of visitors per hour. From the peace and quiet of Murin-an Garden, it's another roughly 10-minute walk to Nanzen-ji Temple, one of Kyoto's most famous tourist spots that's usually bustling with people. Rather than following everyone up the steps to the temple, though, I recommend veering to the side to the entrance of Tenjuan , a subtemple of Nanzen-ji. Inside are two small, idyllic gardens: a karesansui (dry landscape garden) with paving stones crossing a stretch of raked gravel and a pond garden with a mossy pathway and stepping stones lined up in the water. With no one else around, one feels a million miles from the hustle and bustle of city life. Cherish that feeling while you can, before it's time to head back to the crowds at Kyoto Station. Related Posts The Best 70 Things To Do in Kyoto, Tried and Tested Alternative, Less Crowded Temples and Shrines in Kyoto Secret Kyoto: A Guide to the Area's Countryside and Lesser Known Attractions
Kyodo News
23-05-2025
- Business
- Kyodo News
Kyodo News Digest: May 23, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 1 hour ago - 10:07 | All, Japan, World The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- G7 finance chiefs present unity despite woes over Trump's tariffs BANFF, Canada - The finance chiefs of the Group of Seven major democratic powers on Thursday showcased their unity in dealing with challenges ranging from global imbalances to the future of Ukraine, despite tensions across the world over U.S. President Donald Trump's hefty tariffs. About a month away from hosting the G7 leaders' summit, Canada, the country perhaps most irked by Trump's confrontational approach to trade policy, tried its best to prevent a weakening of the group's decades-old cooperation. ---------- Services resume on Tokyo loop line after power connector checks TOKYO - Train services on the busy Yamanote Line in downtown Tokyo resumed Friday morning after operations were suspended following problems with some pantographs detected the previous night, JR East said. Both the inner and outer loops of the JR Yamanote Line, which encircles central Tokyo, were suspended from the first scheduled services, causing widespread disruption to commuters. After the resumption, the line was operating with considerably reduced services, JR East said. ---------- Japan's core consumer prices in April rise 3.5% on year TOKYO - Japan's core consumer prices in April rose 3.5 percent from a year earlier, government data showed Friday. The increase in the nationwide core consumer price index, excluding volatile fresh food, followed a 3.2 percent rise in March. The inflation rate has remained at or above the Bank of Japan's 2 percent target since April 2022. ---------- Taiwan seeks collective deterrence with Japan, U.S. against China TAIPEI - Taiwan Defense Minister Wellington Koo underscored the importance of developing a collective deterrence with Japan, the United States and the Philippines in the Pacific to prevent an invasion of the self-ruled island by mainland China, in a recent interview with Kyodo News and two American newspapers. In his first interview with overseas media on Wednesday, Koo pointed out that the so-called first island chain -- a strategic line of islands stretching from southern Japan through Taiwan to the Philippines -- is "an important line of defense" against China's military expansion into the Western Pacific. He called for stronger cooperation with the three countries. ---------- ANA plane wrongly enters closed area at Hiroshima Airport HIROSHIMA - An All Nippon Airways plane wrongly entered a closed area at Hiroshima Airport after landing there late Thursday, resulting in passengers having to disembark on mobile boarding stairs. The incident occurred past 9 p.m., when a Boeing 737-800 from Sapporo crossed an off-limits line while taxiing to the arrival gate, according to the transport ministry. ---------- Items from Japan's retired "Doctor Yellow" bullet train to go on sale NAGOYA - A dozen items ranging from nameplates to chairs from a recently retired "Doctor Yellow" diagnostic bullet train will be auctioned off next week, according to operator Central Japan Railway Co. The yellow shinkansen trains, which examine tracks and overhead cables on Japan's bullet train lines, have been popular with the public, who consider it lucky to spot one due to their elusiveness. ---------- Korean resident of Japan sues hotel over unrequired passport check KOBE - A third-generation ethnic Korean resident of Japan on Thursday sued a Tokyo hotel for refusing her a room after she declined to present a passport or residence card at check-in -- identification she was not legally obligated to show. In the lawsuit, the woman in her 40s, who lives in Kobe, western Japan, is seeking 2.2 million yen ($15,000) in damages from the hotel operator, alleging she suffered emotional distress from the incident last year. ---------- Remains at SDF jet crash site identified as 2 missing crew members TOKYO - The Air Self-Defense Force said Thursday human remains recovered from a large reservoir in central Japan were identified as those of two missing crew members of an ASDF training jet that crashed last week. The T-4 jet crashed into the reservoir in Aichi Prefecture north of Nagoya on the afternoon of May 14 with Capt. Takuji Ioka, 31, and 1st Lt. Shota Amitani, 29, onboard. Video: Peter Rabbit joins Osaka Expo-designated British national day celebrations
Kyodo News
23-05-2025
- Business
- Kyodo News
Kyodo News Digest: May 23, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 7 minutes ago - 10:07 | All, Japan, World The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- G7 finance chiefs present unity despite woes over Trump's tariffs BANFF, Canada - The finance chiefs of the Group of Seven major democratic powers on Thursday showcased their unity in dealing with challenges ranging from global imbalances to the future of Ukraine, despite tensions across the world over U.S. President Donald Trump's hefty tariffs. About a month away from hosting the G7 leaders' summit, Canada, the country perhaps most irked by Trump's confrontational approach to trade policy, tried its best to prevent a weakening of the group's decades-old cooperation. ---------- Services resume on Tokyo loop line after power connector checks TOKYO - Train services on the busy Yamanote Line in downtown Tokyo resumed Friday morning after operations were suspended following problems with some pantographs detected the previous night, JR East said. Both the inner and outer loops of the JR Yamanote Line, which encircles central Tokyo, were suspended from the first scheduled services, causing widespread disruption to commuters. After the resumption, the line was operating with considerably reduced services, JR East said. ---------- Japan's core consumer prices in April rise 3.5% on year TOKYO - Japan's core consumer prices in April rose 3.5 percent from a year earlier, government data showed Friday. The increase in the nationwide core consumer price index, excluding volatile fresh food, followed a 3.2 percent rise in March. The inflation rate has remained at or above the Bank of Japan's 2 percent target since April 2022. ---------- Taiwan seeks collective deterrence with Japan, U.S. against China TAIPEI - Taiwan Defense Minister Wellington Koo underscored the importance of developing a collective deterrence with Japan, the United States and the Philippines in the Pacific to prevent an invasion of the self-ruled island by mainland China, in a recent interview with Kyodo News and two American newspapers. In his first interview with overseas media on Wednesday, Koo pointed out that the so-called first island chain -- a strategic line of islands stretching from southern Japan through Taiwan to the Philippines -- is "an important line of defense" against China's military expansion into the Western Pacific. He called for stronger cooperation with the three countries. ---------- ANA plane wrongly enters closed area at Hiroshima Airport HIROSHIMA - An All Nippon Airways plane wrongly entered a closed area at Hiroshima Airport after landing there late Thursday, resulting in passengers having to disembark on mobile boarding stairs. The incident occurred past 9 p.m., when a Boeing 737-800 from Sapporo crossed an off-limits line while taxiing to the arrival gate, according to the transport ministry. ---------- Items from Japan's retired "Doctor Yellow" bullet train to go on sale NAGOYA - A dozen items ranging from nameplates to chairs from a recently retired "Doctor Yellow" diagnostic bullet train will be auctioned off next week, according to operator Central Japan Railway Co. The yellow shinkansen trains, which examine tracks and overhead cables on Japan's bullet train lines, have been popular with the public, who consider it lucky to spot one due to their elusiveness. ---------- Korean resident of Japan sues hotel over unrequired passport check KOBE - A third-generation ethnic Korean resident of Japan on Thursday sued a Tokyo hotel for refusing her a room after she declined to present a passport or residence card at check-in -- identification she was not legally obligated to show. In the lawsuit, the woman in her 40s, who lives in Kobe, western Japan, is seeking 2.2 million yen ($15,000) in damages from the hotel operator, alleging she suffered emotional distress from the incident last year. ---------- Remains at SDF jet crash site identified as 2 missing crew members TOKYO - The Air Self-Defense Force said Thursday human remains recovered from a large reservoir in central Japan were identified as those of two missing crew members of an ASDF training jet that crashed last week. The T-4 jet crashed into the reservoir in Aichi Prefecture north of Nagoya on the afternoon of May 14 with Capt. Takuji Ioka, 31, and 1st Lt. Shota Amitani, 29, onboard. Video: Peter Rabbit at Osaka Expo-designated British national day celebrations
Kyodo News
30-04-2025
- Kyodo News
Snake causes power outage, Tokyo-Osaka shinkansen services disrupted
KYODO NEWS - 2 hours ago - 22:01 | All, Japan Services were temporarily disrupted Wednesday on the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train line connecting Tokyo and Osaka after a snake tangled in overhead wires and caused a power outage, the operator said. The incident occurred between Gifu-Hashima and Maibara stations around 5:25 p.m., causing suspensions on the Tokyo-bound trains between Shin-Osaka and Nagoya and the Osaka-bound trains between Shin-Osaka and Tokyo. Services resumed at around 7 p.m. after safety conditions were confirmed, JR Central said. Passengers gathered around staff at Nagoya Station seeking explanations for the delay while large crowds also formed lines at the ticket machines. "I use the shinkansen several times a month, but this is the first time I have experienced suspensions due to a power outage," said Satoshi Tagawa, 46, who was due to return to Tokyo. "I am relieved," said 26-year-old Kazutoshi Tachi, after learning that services had resumed. "But I am fed up with the troubles (with shinkansen services). I want them to run on time." Related coverage: Chance to touch "Doctor Yellow" bullet train, lucky icon in Japan Japan train station officials railing at trespassing Evangelion fans India weighs Japan's next-generation bullet train for high-speed rail
