japan

What do ramen, ninja, sand have in common❓ Believe it or not, they all have dedicated museums in Japan. Today is International Museum Day‼️ Japan’s museums spark curiosity through hands-on exhibits—carrying tradition, craftsmanship, knowledge and skills across generations✨

Yakushima, Kagoshima, became a World Natural Heritage island in 1993. Home to endemic subspecies such as Yakushima macaques🐒 and deer🦌, the island’s biodiversity has been protected through development rooted in traditions, rich natural resources, and respect for nature.

🌿Japan’s first tea harvest is traveling north. Known as ichibancha, it develops rich fragrance and umami after the cold winter🍵 The season moves from south to north, just like cherry blossoms across Japan. In Japan, ichibancha quietly announces early summer✨

Visiting Akita to meet Akitas!🐕 With Odate City as a hub, northern Akita tourism centers on this Japanese breed beloved overseas. The region also offers inns where visitors can stay with Akita dogs, along with local experiencess—helping share the region’s charm with the world.

🌿 Noto, Ishikawa—its landscape recognized as one of Japan’s first Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) as “Noto’s Satoyama and Satoumi.” Here, people coexist with nature through farming, forestry, and fisheries, showing a sustainable way of life in harmony.

Even in Ginza, nature is in motion🐝 The Ginza Honeybee Project brings beekeeping to Tokyo rooftops, gathering honey around the Imperial Palace, Hibiya Park & city trees. Supported by locals, companies & children, this Nature-Positive project helps urban biodiversity thrive🌿

Have a meal, send one to another🍽️ Founded by MASAHISA Kogure, TABLE FOR TWO International sees global overeating and malnutrition as one issue. Have a healthy TFT menu, such as at a company cafeteria in Japan, and ¥20 goes toward school meals in Africa and Asia.

“Metal that bends.” NOUSAKU, a long-established maker in Takaoka, Toyama, saw charm in that flaw, becoming the world’s first to make 100% tin tableware in 2003✨ Tableware you can bend by hand—now drawing global designers and young craft makers🌱

Visit this link for more: japan.go.jp/kizuna/2026/05…

A "root" solution to obesity and diabetes?🩺 The startup Ninzia is harnessing the power of konjac, a traditional Japanese food made from a plant root, to create satisfying foods that don't spike blood sugar. It can even be used for emergency rations too! 🍛

I spy… a local story beneath my feet! 🕳️Travelling across Japan, you might spot manhole covers with local flowers, festivals, and landmarks. There's even a project that turns these into T-shirts. So look down—these manhole covers have something to tell you about the area✨

🍶Along cobbled lanes, cedar balls sway under the eaves, signaling fresh sake. Rice and koji drift through storehouse-lined streets. These sake-brewing towns still remain, each with its own taste to savor. Why not journey across Japan to enjoy their distinct sake and scenery?✨

🌾A thousand moon reflections on the water—Obasute’s terraced rice fields in Nagano are known for their scenic train views along the JR Shinonoi Line. Known as “Tagoto no Tsuki,” the moon reflected in each paddy has long inspired Japanese poetry and art🌿

🏮 In 2026, Japan marks 100 years since the start of the Showa era. Many eateries and everyday goods born amid postwar recovery and rapid growth still draw attention half a century later. Why not explore Showa scenes that reflect a turbulent era and carry it forward?✨

🎏 May 5 is Children’s Day. Customs vary by region, with kashiwa mochi wrapped in oak leaves or chimaki wrapped in bamboo leaves 🍃 Both symbolize family prosperity. Koinobori carp streamers and May dolls—traditions wishing for children’s healthy growth—live on across Japan.

🌳 May 4 is Greenery Day, a Japanese national holiday to enjoy nature and give thanks for its blessings 🍃 In Japan’s long north–south archipelago, Hokkaido sees cherry blossoms in early May, while Okinawa turns deep early-summer green. Fleeting views await across Japan ✨

Visit this link for more: japan.go.jp/kizuna/2026/04…

Transforming used aluminum into hydrogen power! 🥫 Startup Alhytec has found a way to create hydrogen gas from discarded aluminum without producing CO2, AND make a useful byproduct💡 Two birds with one stone!

🌾 Japan’s flour-born food culture🍙 From sizzling takoyaki and smooth udon to fish-shaped taiyaki and oyaki, a Nagano Prefecture specialty, flour-based dishes abound across Japan. Boiled, grilled or steamed—why not savor flavors passed down in homes and street stalls? ✨

The sources for the images are listed below. “Himawari-8 and Himawari-9” (from the Japan Meteorological Agency website) Created by processing data from the Japan Meteorological Agency’s “Himawari-8 and Himawari-9” page （data.jma.go.jp/sat_info/himaw…） “Overview of Earth Observation Systems in Space” (from the Japan Meteorological Agency website) “Example of an Observation Conducted via HimawariRequest: Cyclone in Australia” (from the Japan Meteorological Agency website) Created by processing content from the Japan Meteorological Agency’s “Examples of Observations Conducted via HimawariRequest: Cyclone in Australia” page (data.jma.go.jp/sat_info/himaw…） JMA NOAA/NESDI CSU/CIRA Himawari Real-Time Image(from the Japan Meteorological Agency website) Created by processing content from the Japan Meteorological Agency’s “Himawari Real-Time Image” page （data.jma.go.jp/mscweb/data/hi…）

🌪️Tracking typhoons faster and more accurately—Japan’s Himawari satellites help make it possible. Since 1977, the Japan Meteorological Agency has shared observation data with about 30 Asia-Pacific countries. Via HimawariCast 🛰️, 34 institutions receive it in real time.