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Autumn Echoes Across Japan: From Narashino Streets to Lake Kawaguchi’s Mirror
Japanese maple leaves paint Kawaguchi’s lakeside paths in vibrant red. Photo: Ramiro Vargas / chilanga.com Autumn in Japan carries a magnetic pull, but this year the season has unfolded with an intensity that feels almost cinematic—especially across Narashino and around the glowing shores of Lake Kawaguchi. The fall transformation, defined by the fiery brilliance of Japanese maple leaves, has grown into a living canvas that draws both locals and international travelers into i
Nov 232 min read


A Shadow Over Akasaka: GSDF Sergeant Arrested After Brutal Stabbing
(File photo) Tokyo, Japan. Akasaka Palace garden stands at the entrance, as a policeman walks nearby. The palace is located near where a man stabbed a woman in the Akasaka district, where many bars and restaurants are located. Photo by: Ramiro Vargas / chilanga.com Tokyo once again finds itself wrestling with a crime that unsettles the delicate balance between public safety and institutional trust. A Ground Self-Defense Force member, 43-year-old Yoichiro Otsu, was arrested f
Nov 232 min read


The Flames of Kashiwa: When Plastic Burns and Courage Endures
A Firefighter stops to regroup as flames reignite among plastic rolls during a fire in Kashiwa Japan on November 7, 2025. Photo: Ramiro Vargas / chilanga.com By the time the sun began to dip behind Tokyo’s skyline, an orange haze rose from the direction of Chiba Prefecture. The flames that broke out in Kashiwa City could be seen even from Haneda Airport—an inferno of plastic, brush, and dry earth consuming the horizon. For hours, the fire raged across an industrial area surro
Nov 72 min read


Behind the Billboards: The Men Who Hang Above Tokyo
A group of rope climbers steadies themself against a Tokyo building near the Shibuya crossing. Photo: Ramiro Vargas / chilanga.com : Suspended between the sky and the city, Tokyo’s rope climbers live in a world that most people only look up to—literally. These unsung heroes, who hang from skyscrapers to install or maintain billboards, banners, and signage, risk their lives daily for the visuals that define the capital’s skyline. Rope climbing work in Tokyo isn’t glamorous, bu
Nov 62 min read


Tsukiji: The Beating Heart of Tokyo’s Seafood Culture
Where Tokyo wakes up — Tsukiji Market in full motion. Photo: Ramiro Vargas / chilanga.com Five minutes away from the Ginza Dori in central Tokyo people can visit one of Japan’s most iconic treasures — Tsukiji Fish Market, a place where tradition, flavor, and human energy blend into a symphony of motion and life. For decades, Tsukiji has stood as a symbol of Japan’s deep relationship with the sea, a vibrant hub where fish, culture, and people come together every morning in a r
Nov 42 min read


Mouse Peace Fest 2025 Draws Thousands in Halloween Spirit
Lighted pumpkin accessories and glowing masks in the crowd. Photo: Ramiro Vargas / chilanga.com Tonight in Tokyo, the streets surrounding the Yoyogi National Gymnasium are alive with color, sound, and excitement as fans gather for Mouse Peace Fest 2025 — “2nd Bite.” The highly anticipated Halloween-themed music festival, produced by Tatsuya Ueda , officially kicked off on Wednesday, October 29, 2025 , transforming Shibuya into a stage of its own before the concert even beg
Oct 292 min read


Swift Police Action After Shibuya Morning Accident
A traffic accident near Yoyogi-Uehara Station in Shibuya, Tokyo, on the morning of Tuesday, October 28, 2025, drew the attention of many people on their way to the train station and shocked bystanders as emergency services rushed to respond. The incident involved a car and a motorcycle, which collided in front of a Koban, or police box, located just meters from the crash site. Witnesses described a sudden, loud impact followed by the sight of a motorcyclist lying on the pavem
Oct 292 min read


Trump Arrives in Tokyo: Warm Welcome, Tight Security
The presidential helicopter descends over Tokyo as Trump arrives for his official visit to Japan. Photo: Ramiro Vargas / chilanga.com The arrival of former U.S. President Donald Trump in Tokyo on Monday afternoon marked the beginning of a closely watched visit that has stirred both anticipation and debate. Touching down around 5:20 p.m. in central Tokyo, Trump’s motorcade made its way through meticulously secured streets as Japanese police enforced one of the city’s largest s
Oct 272 min read


The Double-Edged Impact of Tourism
In 2025, Japan continues to experience a powerful resurgence of tourism that has reshaped both its economy and its cultural landscape. With foreign visitor numbers surpassing pre-pandemic levels, the nation finds itself at a crossroads between economic revitalization and social adaptation. Tourism contributes billions of yen annually, supporting small businesses, local transport systems, and traditional industries like ryokan inns, crafts, and regional cuisine. Yet, the impac
Oct 231 min read


Historic Finish in Tokyo: Simbu Takes Gold for Tanzania
On Monday, September 15, 2025, winner of the World Athletics Championships marathon in Tokyo, Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania, runs...
Sep 153 min read


The Horse Paintings of Jun Matsushima at Gallery QUADRO
In the heart of Tokyo, along the vibrant Meguro Dori Avenue, stands Gallery QUADRO—a beacon of contemporary art since 2019. This esteemed...
Jan 252 min read


Alone in Old Age: The Crisis Facing Japan’s Elderly Population
In Japan, the challenges facing the aging population are severe, and an increasing sense of despair has gripped the nation’s older...
Oct 26, 20242 min read
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