Travel | Aug 07

Sendai star festival draws large crowds despite fresh COVID wave

Aug 07 (Kyodo) - An annual star festival in the northeastern Japan city of Sendai, known for its hundreds of brilliant hanging decorations in shopping areas, commenced Saturday with the biggest crowds expected since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Sendai Tanabata Festival adds to the list of major summer events being held in Japan following cancellations or restrictions on spectators in previous years due to COVID-19, although the country is now facing its seventh wave of infections driven by the highly transmissible BA.5 Omicron subvariant of the coronavirus.

Organizers expect around 2 million people to visit the three-day star festival, which was canceled in 2020 for the first time during the postwar era and held with reduced decorations in 2021. ...continue reading

Source: 日テレNEWS

MORE Travel NEWS

JR West to Implement Distance-Based Fare System

JR West is set to revise its fare system to a uniform distance-based pricing model by next spring, potentially leading to higher fares on routes such as the Osaka Loop Line.

Kobe Port Tower Welcomes Visitors After Renovation

Kobe Port Tower is set for a grand reopening on April 26 after undergoing its first renovations since its opening in 1963.

Samba Dancers Draw Thousands at Rainy Kobe Festival

The streets of Kobe were filled with color and energy as the annual Kobe Festival unfolded on a drizzly Sunday. Samba dancers, adorned in vibrant costumes, paraded down the main avenue, captivating the rain-soaked crowd with their spirited performances.

< 2 3 4 5 >

Former Host Pleads Guilty to Receiving 25 Million Yen from "Riri-chan"

A former host admitted to knowingly receiving approximately 25 million yen that had been deceitfully obtained by a woman known as "Top Girl Ririchan," in a trial held on April 23.

Sakura Tree Collapses on Teacher at Kyoto Tourist Spot

A cherry tree located at one of Kyoto's busiest pedestrian streets, Sanneizaka, a main pathway to Kiyomizu Temple, suddenly fell at 11:45 AM on Tuesday, trapping a school teacher beneath.

Princess Aiko Attends Her First Spring Garden Party

The biannual Spring Garden Party, hosted by the Emperor and Empress, took place at Tokyo's Akasaka Imperial Garden on Tuesday, with Princess Aiko gracing the event, warmly engaging with the guests.

Tsukiji Market Site to Transform into 50,000-Seat Stadium

The site of the former Tsukiji Market is set for a major transformation, including a stadium with a capacity of 50,000 people and a launch pad for flying cars.

"Riri-chan" Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison

The Nagoya District Court delivered a severe sentence on Monday to Mai Watanabe, 25, who operated under the alias "Itadakijoshi Riri-chan (Riri the sugar baby)" and was charged with fraudulently obtaining cash from men. She has been sentenced to nine years in prison and fined 8 million yen.