The annual duck migration at Kyoto's Youhoji Temple has begun, with six ducklings making their way to the Kamogawa River this year.
Temperatures soared above 30C in northern Japan and northern Kyushu on Sunday, marking a true summer day, while weather conditions in western and eastern Japan worsened. In Tokyo, the early summer spectacle, the Asakusa Sanja Festival, reached its climax.
In Tokyo's Minato Ward, 'Heckeln,' a cafe founded in 1971, sees more than 50 foreigners lining up daily before it opens. Their target is the 'Special Jumbo Pudding,' priced at 500 yen. It is about 2.5 times the size of a typical pudding.
Asakusa's Sanja Festival, heralding the arrival of early summer in Tokyo, has commenced. On its first day, May 17, a grand parade took place for the first time in five years.
In the vicinity of Kawaguchiko Station in Yamanashi Prefecture, taxis engaging in questionable practices such as soliciting passengers and parking illegally have become a rampant issue.
Last month, the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan exceeded 3 million for the second consecutive month. Among them, some are flocking to lesser-known spots that even many Japanese are unaware of.