Princess Aiko Arrives in Mie for Historic Ise Jingu Ritual

Aug 01, 2026 | News On Japan

AICHI - Princess Aiko, the only daughter of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, arrived in Mie Prefecture on August 1 to attend a traditional event connected with the periodic rebuilding of Ise Jingu.

The princess arrived at Kintetsu Ujiyamada Station shortly after 3 p.m., where she was welcomed by the governor of Mie Prefecture and other officials.

A large crowd gathered outside the station despite the intense heat, and Princess Aiko smiled and waved to those waiting to greet her.

The princess has had an interest in the Shikinen Sengu, the rebuilding of Ise Jingu conducted once every 20 years, since elementary school. As a member of her school's broadcasting committee, she once wrote and delivered a report about the tradition.

During her visit, Princess Aiko viewed timber that will be used in the Shikinen Sengu and received an explanation of the technique of marking the wood with ink before cutting pillars and other structural components. She asked questions including, "Is it difficult to write with ink?"

She also held a bundle of Japanese pampas grass used to thatch shrine roofs and remarked, "It is quite light."

Princess Aiko is scheduled to observe the Onkihiki traditional timber-pulling event associated with the Shikinen Sengu on August 2.

Source: FNN

Typhoon No. 17 Could Bring Sudden Swells to Pacific Beaches

Typhoon No. 17 (Nangka) remained near Minamitorishima as of 3 a.m. on August 14 and is expected to stay relatively weak, but forecasters warned that high waves and sudden swells could affect Japan's Pacific coast, posing a risk to swimmers and others enjoying marine activities during the summer holiday period.

Level 5 Heavy Rain Emergency Warning Issued Across Chiba

A Level 5 heavy rain emergency warning was issued for more than 20 municipalities in Chiba Prefecture on August 13 after a linear rainband formed over northwestern and southern parts of the prefecture, bringing torrential rainfall exceeding 100 millimeters per hour in several locations and causing widespread flooding, stranded vehicles and damage to buildings.

Google Opens Flagship Store in Tokyo's Omotesando

Google opened its first flagship store in Japan in Tokyo's Omotesando district at 2 p.m. on August 13, marking the company's first flagship retail location outside the United States.

Jellyfish-Like Red Glow Lights Up Kanagawa

A mysterious red light stretching vertically across the night sky over Kanagawa Prefecture has been identified as a rare "sprite," a brief luminous phenomenon that occurs high above thunderclouds at roughly the same time as powerful lightning strikes.

Awa Odori Dancers Fill Tokushima Streets

Street performances began across Tokushima on August 12 as the city's Awa Odori festival entered its second day, with leading dance groups showcasing graceful routines after months of practice.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Pythons Escape From Apartment in Kawasaki

Two pet pythons measuring about 2 meters in length escaped from an apartment in Kawasaki's Tama Ward early on August 13, prompting police and firefighters to search the surrounding residential area and warn local residents.

The Unseen Reality of Kumamoto Quake Survivors

Fifteen days after the Kumamoto earthquake, restoration of electricity and transport infrastructure is progressing, but thousands of people are believed to remain outside official shelters, while rising construction costs and interest rates are creating new challenges for rebuilding homes and restoring livelihoods.

Teens on Stolen Motorcycle Fire Rockets at Police Officers

Two teenage boys from Tokyo's Adachi Ward have been arrested on suspicion of stealing a motorcycle and firing aerial fireworks toward police officers at two police boxes, telling investigators they were annoyed that a new police box had opened in the area.

Japanese Woman Trapped in North Korea for 40 Years

Hiroko Saito was 19 years old when she left Japan for North Korea in June 1961 with her Korean husband and their one-year-old daughter, persuaded by assurances that they were heading to a "paradise on earth" and that she could return to Japan after three years. Instead, she would spend four decades in North Korea, enduring chronic hunger, the deaths of her husband and children and a desperate struggle to survive before finally escaping and returning home in 2001.