From Rare Lizards to Dugongs, Okinawa Museum Unveils 4,200 Specimens

NAHA, Dec 29 (News On Japan) - A special exhibition showcasing specimens of rare wildlife found in Okinawa has opened in Naha, offering visitors a close look at the region’s rich natural heritage.

Titled “Life in Form,” the exhibition is organized by the Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum and features about 4,200 carefully selected specimens from a collection of roughly 50,000 items amassed over the years.

Among the highlights is the Yanbaru ground gecko, which inhabits the northern part of Okinawa’s main island and was officially recognized as a new species in 2024.

The exhibition also includes a taxidermied Iriomote wildcat, a nationally designated Special Natural Monument, as well as a full skeletal display of a dugong, offering visitors a rare opportunity to observe these protected animals up close.

The exhibition will run until February 2026. During the exhibition period, the museum is also offering special behind-the-scenes tours of its storage facilities, along with hands-on events such as insect specimen workshops, giving visitors a deeper look into the world of natural history research and preservation.

Source: 沖縄ニュースOTV

Kyoto Raises Lodging Tax as Peak Travel Season Begins

Kyoto City significantly raised its lodging tax from March 1st, increasing the maximum charge per person per night from 1,000 yen to as much as 10,000 yen, in a move aimed at tackling overtourism and funding the preservation of cultural assets, even as questions remain about its impact on visitors and the local economy.

Foreign Visitors and Ex-Rescuer Pull 80-Year-Old Woman From Hakuba Crashed Car

A former emergency responder and foreign tourists worked together to rescue a woman in her 80s who was trapped inside an overturned light vehicle in Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture.

Tokyo Metro Begins Touchless Ticket Gate Trial

Tokyo Metro and Toshiba have launched Japan’s first demonstration test allowing passengers to pass through ticket gates without touching them by using their smartphones’ Bluetooth function.

Himeji Castle Hikes Admission Fee for Non-Residents

The admission fee for the World Heritage-listed Himeji Castle in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, was revised on March 1st for the first time in 11 years, introducing a dual pricing system that significantly raises costs for visitors from outside the city.

Australian Girl, 8, Dies After Snowmobile Overturns in Hakuba

An eight-year-old Australian girl died after a snowmobile overturned in Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture, at around 11 a.m. on February 28th, with authorities investigating the cause of the accident.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Education NEWS

Japan’s Job Market Remains Tight, Starting Salaries Hit 400,000 Yen

With company information sessions for university students set to graduate next spring opening in March, Japan’s job-hunting season has entered full swing, once again unfolding under what is widely seen as a candidate-driven seller’s market.

Kyoto University Graduate Turns Ukiyo-e Artist

Murai Masayoshi, known professionally as Muramasa and described as a Reiwa-era ukiyo-e artist, has drawn attention for his distinctive “ukiyo-e-style portraits” that depict contemporary figures in the manner of Japan’s Edo period.

Abandoned School in Rural Kyoto Offers A Second Chance

In the Keihoku district on the northern edge of Kyoto City, a free school operating out of a former elementary school has become a sanctuary for children who struggle to attend regular classes, offering not only a second chance at learning but also a place of emotional safety for both students and their parents.

Kindergarten Teacher Wage Cuts Stir Controversy

A proposed ordinance in Otsu, western Japan, that would effectively lower salaries for public kindergarten teachers by aligning them with the lower pay scale of nursery staff has drawn strong backlash, with a citizens’ group submitting more than 8,000 signatures to the Otsu City Council chair on February 26th calling for a review of the plan.

Are Junior High School Entrance Exams Value for Money?

The financial burden of Japan’s competitive junior high school entrance exams is coming under renewed scrutiny, with a popular manga series offering a lens through which to examine whether the process delivers value for families willing to spend heavily in pursuit of academic success.

Ovulation Test Kits in Modern Japan

In recent years, awareness of reproductive health has expanded significantly across Japan.

Flat Grapes Come to Life! The Secret of Shadow & Color for Powerful Depth

In this professional critique, I demonstrate how subtle changes in shadow, color temperature, and value contrast can transform flat shapes into convincing three-dimensional form. (Watercolor by Shibasaki)

Japanese Students In Dublin | 1984

Around 16,500 students travel to Ireland each year to study English. In this report, 34 students from Immaculate Heart University in Kagoshima, Japan, spend a month in Dublin attending classes at the Language Centre of Ireland on Grafton Street , the third group from their university to do so. (TRNGL)

< 2 3 4 5 >