People are typically fairly divided on winter climate in Japan. Some see it as a welcome different to the warmth and humidity of summer season, whereas others would select any quantity of profuse sweating over fixed shivering.

One factor we will all agree on, although, is that Japan seems actually fairly in winter, and so journey supplier Jalan not too long ago carried out a survey asking its customers for his or her picks for essentially the most magical winter surroundings in Japan’s japanese Kanto area, of which Tokyo is part. 1,089 replies had been collected from respondents between the ages of 20 and 59, so let’s check out the highest 10.

10. Fukuroda Falls/Fukuroda no Taki (Tochigi Prefecture)

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Considered one in all Japan’s three most lovely waterfalls, Fukuroda Falls, within the city of Daigo, transforms into an icefall each December when 120-meter cascade freezes. The result’s a pure ice sculpture with a form distinctive to every winter.

9. Mount Haruna (Gunma Prefecture)

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Gunma is one in all Japan’s most mountainous prefectures, however Mount Haruna will get a particular point out due to how the lake its stands adjoining too turns into lined in ice and snow throughout the center months, making it appear to be the mountain is rising out of a strong block of clouds.

8. Ryuokyo Gorge (Tochigi Prefecture)

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A valley working between the recent spring cities of Kinugawa Onsen and Kawaji Onsen, Ryuokyo, or “Dragon King Gorge,” will get its identify from the uniquely formed rock formations alongside its sides, shaped by volcanic exercise, that resemble a writhing dragon. Well-maintained strolling trails within the gorge are open even in winter, permitting you to soak up the superb surroundings close-up earlier than soaking in a warming bathtub afterwards.

7. Akagi Shrine (Gunma Prefecture)

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This shrine is positioned subsequent to, and in elements above, Lake Onuma, the crater lake close to the highest of Mount Akagi. The 1,300-meter altitude means loads of snow in winter, making for a placing distinction with the intense, near-crimson coloration of the shrine’s bridge, torii gate, and different constructions.

6. Kegon Falls/Kegon no Taki (Tochigi Prefecture)

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Now we come to one other of Japan’s fabled top-three waterfalls, the 97-meter Kegon Falls in Nikko. While Kegon doesn’t freeze as solidly as Fukuroda, most of the dozen smaller waterfalls that feed into Kegon do, giving is a novel partly nonetheless, partly flowing magnificence that’s at its finest between late January and early February.

5. Lake Ashi/Ashinoko (Kanagawa Prefecture)

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Unlike many of the different locations on this checklist, the city of Hakone, regardless of being within the mountains, doesn’t get all that chilly in winter. However, Hakone affords splendid views of Mount Fuji, particularly from the sightseeing ships that sail throughout and round Lake Ashi. Japan’s tallest mountain is particularly photogenic when it’s sporting its winter coat of snow, making this a terrific place to understand winter surroundings with out having to expertise its full chilly first-hand.

4. Kanozankujukutani Observatory Park (Chiba Prefecture)

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Situated on Chiba’s Boso Peninsula, situations close to this hilltop park typically create a “sea of clouds” impact throughout the winter months. Arrive close to dawn or sunset, and the distinction in colours seems like one thing out of a conventional ink portray, with these within the know saying the very best views happen early within the morning on days following rainfall.

3. Misotsuchi Icicles (Saitama Prefecture)

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Icicles type alongside this part of the riverbank in Chichibu City, a part of the mountain vary that stretches throughout the borders of Tokyo, Saitama, Gunma, Nagano, and Yamanashi. These naturally forming icicles can measure as much as 8 meters in size, with their clear, crystalline high quality charming guests both within the mild of day or when illuminated at evening.

2. Lake Okushima (Gunma Prefecture)

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Located within the city of Higashiagatsuma, this lake’s water is so clear that it has a coloration that’s develop into recognized amongst vacationers as “Shima blue.” Similar to the phenomenon that takes place at Akagi Shrine, Shima blue seems much more vibrant when it’s subsequent to a blanket of freshly fallen, pure-white snow, significantly for those who get up early sufficient to see it within the rays of the morning solar.

1. Yunishigawa Onsen Kamakura Matsuri (Tochigi Prefecture)

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Finally, we’re again in Tochigi yet one more time for an annual occasion with a heartwarming glow. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights between January 30 and March 1, tons of of small snow domes (kamakura) are shaped within the scorching spring city of Yunishigawa Onsen and illuminated by candles positioned within them. This yr, there are three venues, the Sawaguchi riverside, Heike no Sato preserved samurai dwelling district, and the Yunishigawa Mizu no Sato Snow Park, supplying you with three excellent causes to bundle up and courageous the chilly earlier than spring comes.

Source: Jalan, PR Times

Images: PR Times

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The restaurant, Toriyaro Shibuya Dogenzaka, has launched its personal “no over-40s” coverage, a transfer that’s now a part of a broader development by which some eateries and bars are setting age limits corresponding to “no under-25s.” While the strategy has helped sure venues enhance gross sales, it has additionally sparked criticism on-line from those that see it as discriminatory.

At Toriyaro, the enchantment for its core prospects is easy: low costs and a full of life ambiance. Drinks corresponding to lemon sours are bought for 55 yen a glass, and skewered fried rooster prices 109 yen per piece, permitting prospects to eat and drink for beneath 1,000 yen. Some guests stated they may spend round 2,000 yen for 2 folks, and {that a} three-hour all-you-can-drink plan makes the venue particularly enticing for college kids.

The chain operates 86 places nationwide, however solely two, together with the Shibuya outlet, implement the “no over-40s” rule. The retailer didn’t impose the restriction in its first yr, however administration stated the change was triggered by opinions posted on social media. While prospects of their 20s gave the restaurant excessive rankings, older guests tended to depart complaints, describing the venue as too noisy or providing little past low cost costs. As detrimental opinions unfold on-line, the shop determined to slender its goal demographic.

A 21-year-old feminine common stated the ambiance feels extra snug as a result of prospects are shut in age and simpler to speak to, including that the employees additionally really feel approachable. Other younger prospects stated having considerably older diners close by could make them really feel self-conscious about being loud, particularly after being informed by older patrons to maintain their voices down.

The restaurant checks ages on the entrance, however the coverage isn’t an absolute ban. Staff stated prospects aged 40 and over should still enter if accompanied by somebody aged 39 or youthful. During filming, a gaggle together with a 40-year-old man was discovered inside, with the client saying the rule may even encourage folks to ask youthful pals and create new alternatives for communication.

Another venue in Shibuya has taken the other strategy, limiting entry to prospects aged 25 and over. Opened in May final yr, the bar promotes itself as a quiet, relaxed area in an space higher recognized for energetic nightlife. The venue adjusts lighting all through the night to create a extra mature ambiance, and prospects stated the area feels calm and “not very Shibuya-like,” with well mannered and pleasant service.

That venue confirms ages on the reservation stage, but in addition permits prospects beneath 25 to enter if they’re accompanied by somebody aged 25 or older.

Experts say the unfold of social media has made it simpler for eating places to draw prospects outdoors their supposed viewers, rising the chance of opinions that don’t match the idea of the enterprise. By limiting the client base, venues can shield their popularity, differentiate themselves from rivals, and strengthen branding.

Legal specialists say age limits are usually unlikely to be thought of unlawful if they’re tied to an affordable enterprise goal, corresponding to creating a selected ambiance or idea. However, they warn companies to be cautious about insurance policies that may very well be seen as unjustified discrimination, corresponding to blanket bans based mostly on gender.

Source: FNN

The Japan Department Stores Association stated on January twenty third that complete gross sales at department shops nationwide got here to five.6754 trillion yen in 2025, down 1.5% from the earlier yr, marking the primary decline in 5 years.

Tax-free gross sales to inbound vacationers dropped 12.7% from a yr earlier to 566.7 billion yen, contributing to the general decline. The affiliation stated demand amongst overseas customers has moved towards cheaper consumable objects, which lowered spending per buyer.

Source: テレ東BIZ

Under the plan, Japan will tighten necessities for naturalization, extending the minimal residency interval wanted to acquire Japanese citizenship from the present “five years or more” to “10 years or more.”

Meanwhile, the federal government determined to postpone introducing particular measures to limit land purchases by overseas nationals, as a substitute persevering with discussions on the difficulty. A brand new panel of specialists might be launched in February, with the federal government aiming to attract up primary coverage tips by round this summer season.

Source: テレ東BIZ

The program featured Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi, Japan Innovation Party co-leader Fumitake Fujita, Centrist Reform Alliance co-leader Yoshihiko Noda, Democratic Party for the People chief Yuichiro Tamaki, Japanese Communist Party Chair Tomoko Tamura, Reiwa Shinsengumi co-leader Akiko Oishi and Sanseito chief Sohei Kamiya, with all seven events saying they’re campaigning on pledges to chop or abolish the consumption tax as voters give attention to inflation and family prices.

Asked whether or not they would implement a discount within the consumption tax on meals inside fiscal 2026 in the event that they took energy, Tamaki’s get together declined to boost its hand, arguing it opposed reducing the tax solely on meals, whereas the opposite six events mentioned they might ship the measure and laid out their reasoning, with the dialogue rapidly turning to the sensible and financial hurdles of designing a food-only tax minimize.

The debate additionally opened with sharp exchanges over the legitimacy of the dissolution itself, after Takaichi framed the snap election as vital to hunt a brand new mandate for main coverage shifts, together with what she described as a flip towards “responsible, proactive fiscal policy,” a strengthening of safety coverage and a bolstering of intelligence capabilities, arguing such adjustments might divide public opinion and due to this fact required clear voter backing.

Noda countered that the explanation for dissolving remained unclear, noting that one other election would once more price roughly 70 billion yen and arguing that points that might cut up public opinion ought to be determined by means of thorough deliberation moderately than by a single chief, whereas Tamaki mentioned he would have most popular the federal government to first cross the finances and key laws earlier than calling an election, warning that unresolved payments might disrupt coverage adjustments as a consequence of take impact from April.

Oishi attacked the transfer as a “selfish dissolution,” saying it risked undermining finances deliberations and will even make voting tougher throughout winter situations, whereas Fujita defended the dissolution, saying the governing framework had modified and that asking voters to evaluate a significant coverage shift was the clearest potential justification, including that his get together nonetheless meant to pursue its long-standing proposal to cut back the variety of lawmakers after the election.

As the dialogue returned to consumption tax coverage, Tamaki warned {that a} food-only minimize might create vital administrative and enterprise burdens relying on whether or not it was structured as a non-taxable transaction or a zero-rate scheme requiring refunds, and argued politicians had been treating the difficulty too calmly with out listening to on-the-ground considerations from eating places and farmers, whereas different leaders insisted they may craft a workable strategy and pointed to the speedy strain on family budgets as their rationale for prioritizing meals.

The program then moved into international and safety coverage, citing a newly launched U.S. technique doc that prioritizes pursuits and protection within the Western Hemisphere whereas nonetheless describing China because the world’s second-strongest army by a number of indicators, calling for stronger deterrence alongside the so-called First Island Chain and urging allies, together with Japan, to boost protection spending to as excessive as 5% of GDP even because it additionally referenced dialogue with China to keep away from escalation.

Party leaders supplied sharply completely different readings of what such an American posture would imply for Japan, with some arguing the safety atmosphere had change into essentially the most extreme because the conflict and that Japan should strengthen its personal capabilities and intelligence, whereas others warned that Japan should keep away from being pulled right into a posture designed primarily to safe Washington’s negotiating leverage with Beijing and referred to as on the federal government to state extra clearly what calls for it might settle for or reject on protection spending.

The election is ready to change into a compressed marketing campaign, with the official begin on January 27 and voting and poll counting scheduled for February 8, and the present’s on-air viewers ballot recommended the general public stays cut up on whether or not the important thing points have change into clear, underscoring how the approaching days could decide whether or not tax aid, the dissolution itself, or safety coverage emerges because the decisive theme.

Source: FNN

At Karasuyama Washi no Sato, artisans are at present at peak manufacturing, creating practically 30,000 sheets for diplomas, every fastidiously shaped by hand by way of the papermaking course of generally known as sukiki. Because each sheet is made individually, no two are precisely the identical, and the completed paper is valued for its sturdiness, making it properly fitted to certificates given at main life milestones.

In the method, finely shredded fibers from kozo, a kind of mulberry, are blended with a viscous substance generally known as neri, extracted from the foundation of the tororo-aoi plant. The liquid helps the fibers unfold evenly by way of the water, making it simpler to kind a good sheet.

“The neri is extremely sensitive to temperature,” mentioned Hiroko Fukuda of Karasuyama Washi no Sato. “When the water warms up, the thickness disappears. The colder the water is, the better the washi becomes.”

Weather forecaster Naoko Takayasu additionally tried her hand at papermaking through the go to, scuffling with the burden and stability of the instruments as she tried to carry and form the sheet.

“It’s heavy! Ah, it got lopsided!” Takayasu mentioned.

Fukuda defined that the uneven result’s a typical first-time sample. “That’s the original mark that beginners tend to make,” she mentioned.

Takayasu admitted the method was far harder than anticipated. “It’s hard. I never imagined making just one sheet of paper could be this demanding. It was heavy and exhausting,” she mentioned, noting that whereas expert craftsmen make it look easy, mastering the method takes time and expertise.

Source: TBS