Akita is the largest city in the prefecture, and as such is the hub for transportation, sports, and shopping. Its longitude is about the middle of the prefecture, and so is reachable from both the north and south. …WikiTravel
Senshū Park (千秋公園; Senshū Kōen). Senshū Park is a beautiful place to take a walk, especially during the spring season when the cherry blossoms are blooming. The park hosts a replica of Akita Castle, the original having been constructed in 733 AD. For a small admission fee, the lower floors of the castle contain a small museum, and the upper floor provides a panoramic view of the city.
Akarenga-kan Museum (赤れんが郷土館), 大町３丁目３−２１, ☎ +81 018 864-6851. This museum, built in 1912, hosts various exhibitions of arts, crafts, and historical materials.
Senshū Museum of Art (千秋美術館; Senshū Bijutsukan), 中通２丁目３−８ (In Atorion Music Hall, south of Senshū Park and west of Akita Station.), ☎ +81 018 836-7860. This museum has Akita-related art on display year-round. From time to time, various exhibitions are here, too.
Akita Prefectural Museum (秋田県立博物館; Akita Kenritsu Hakubutsukan), 金足鳰崎字後山５２ (NE of Oiwake Station, east of Kanaashi Agricultural High School.), ☎ +81 018 873-4121. This museum has hands-on exhibits on science and history.
Masakichi Hirano Museum of Fine Art (平野政吉美術館; Hirano Masakichi Bijutsukan), 千秋明徳町３−７ (South of Senshū Park, next to the Prefectural Art Museum.), ☎ +81 018 833-5809, [3]. May-Sep 10AM-5:30PM, Oct-Apr 10AM-5PM, closed Mondays, closed Dec 28-Jan 3. This museum, built in 1967, focuses on the works of Tsuguji Foujita. Adults ¥610. …WikiTravel
The Diet on Wednesday passed a bill requiring dog and cat breeders to microchip animals, and owners to voluntarily do the same to their pets, in a bid to reduce the number of strays.
(Japan Times)
A 39-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman were killed after the car they were in went off a cliff while they were being pursued by police in Fukaura, Aomori Prefecture, on Sunday. (Japan Today)
A male Canadian national employed at a day care facility in Kitakyushu City who was caught abusing a child on video has had his contract canceled by the facility, reports Fuji News Network (May 21). (tokyoreporter.com)
Free Wi-Fi has become available at all 108 shinkansen bullet train stations in Japan ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, data from the transport ministry showed Tuesday.
(Kyodo)
An unprecedented 10-day Golden Week holiday started Saturday in Japan ahead of the imperial succession, with bullet train stations, airports and expressways crowded with travelers heading to their hometowns, major cities and overseas destinations.
(Japan Today)
Japanese convenience store operator FamilyMart will recruit franchisees to test shorter hours as the industry grapples with a labor crunch that has made it harder to maintain the traditional round-the-clock model, Nikkei has learned.
(Nikkei)
An Akita dog, a Japanese breed popularized in the U.S. film “Hachiko” starring Richard Gere and adored by Russian figure skating sensation Alina Zagitova, will be honored for distinguished service after coming to the rescue of an elderly woman in Semboku, Akita Prefecture.
(Japan Today)
People wearing demonic masks and straw garments visited homes in Japan’s northern prefecture of Akita on New Year’s Eve to ward off evil spirits and invite good luck in 2019.
(NHK)
It’s been the most radical cash injection in history — nearly ¥400 trillion pumped into Japan’s economy over more than five years to slay deflation and kick growth into higher gear.
(Japan Times)
Ten traditional rituals of Japan featuring people in masks and costumes are expected to be added to the list of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. (NHK)
The number of licensed private lodgings for tourists in Japan topped 10,000 in early November, but the facilities were concentrated in urban areas, the Japan Tourism Agency said Tuesday. (Japan Times)
Missing: A tiny island off Hokkaido. Or so authorities fear, prompting plans for a survey to determine if the outcrop has been washed away, ever so slightly shrinking the country’s territorial waters. (Japan Times)
Japan’s Defense Ministry has decided to postpone a procedure to deploy a new missile defense system due to opposition from candidate host communities.
(NHK)
The Defense Ministry has newly estimated that the price tag of two land-based missile batteries Japan aims to deploy could cost around ¥400 billion (.6 billion), double the initial quotation, according to a government source. (Japan Times)
We’re no strangers to the power of a good camera. Last year’s 4K introductory video to the San’in region, with its gorgeous foliage and eerily perfect beaches, set an incredibly high standard. Now, Akita-based cinematics company Armadas is here to push that standard doubly high, with eye-searing, gorgeous shots from a number of locales around Japan – in 8K resolution. (Japan Today)
Visitors to a park in the city of Hirosaki in northern Japan’s Aomori Prefecture have been enjoying the breathtaking sight of about 2,600 blossoming cherry trees. (NHK)
Fans of the Akita dog Wasao will be in for a treat for another year as the canine, who has gained nationwide fame with his unique looks, was reappointed Sunday as “tourism stationmaster” in a town in northeastern Japan. (Japan Times)
