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July 24, 2026
 

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TEMPLES

Worshippers light incense sticks at Jogyesa Temple in Seoul. In fast-secularizing South Korea, Buddhism is regaining popularity thanks to a "hip" trend wooing Gen Z with festivals, fashion, robots and DJs.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jul 7, 2026
South Korean Buddhism tests ¡®hip¡¯ boundaries in bid for Gen Z appeal
Even as the number of South Koreans who identify as Buddhist remains static, Buddhism was viewed the most favorably of four belief systems in a 2025 survey.
The Reikado hall on the island of Miyajima in Hiroshima Prefecture in 2023
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
May 20, 2026
Hall linked to Buddhist saint Kukai burns down on Miyajima
Flames spread into nearby woodland on the island later, but no one was hurt.
Stains caused by a liquid-like substance were found on the National Treasure Bussokuseki at Yakushiji Temple.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Apr 14, 2026
Police investigate stains found on national treasure at Nara temple
Law enforcement is looking into the case on suspicion of violation of the cultural properties protection law.
Projects like the BuddhaBot aim to re-create dialogue once lost to time, raising questions about whether AI can extend the teachings of Buddha or merely simulate them.
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Apr 13, 2026
Can AI replace a priest? Japan¡¯s temples and shrines are testing the limits.
Japan¡¯s temples experiment with artificial intelligence as questions of faith, presence and care grow more urgent.
A Japanese man living in the United States has been arrested for allegedly splashing an oil-like substance at Katori Shrine in the city of Katori, Chiba Prefecture, in 2015.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Mar 4, 2026
Man held for splashing oil-like substance at shrine near Tokyo in 2015
Masahide Kanayama, a 63-year-old man who lived in the U.S., was brought back to Japan under the U.S.-Japan extradition treaty.
Members of the Chunichi Dragons pray at Atsuta Jingu in Nagoya ahead of the start of their season in March.
SPORTS
Jan 1, 2026
Gods and games: Rituals that kick off Japan¡¯s sporting year
From hatsum¨­de to victory charms, many athletes have rituals that are rooted in the spiritual side of Japanese sport.
In pet-loving Japan, the ways owners say goodbye to their dearly departed animals can mirror the ways they bid farewell to other humans.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Nov 29, 2025
In Japan, beloved pets receive human-style farewells
Japan has the highest rate of cremation in the world, and increasingly, that applies to departed pets as well.
Dragons feature prominently in Japanese folklore, though tracing their physical steps through the countryside requires some rural excursions.
LIFE / Travel
Nov 29, 2025
Chasing dragons across the temples of Nara
In two rural prefectures, dragon myths ¡ª and a cave that purports to host some ¡ª make for a unique way to explore the Japanese countryside.
Emperor Naruhito smiles at children who performed a dance during a visit to Shine Mongol School in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Thursday.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jul 11, 2025
Emperor visits Mongolian school offering Japanese-style education
Emperor Naruhito also visited Gandantegchinlen Monastery, a key temple in Mongolia that has been influenced by Tibetan Buddhism.
A broker in the city of Osaka displays a sign for religious corporation deals.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Regional voices: Chubu
Jun 9, 2025
Religious corporation sales rising in Japan amid tax evasion concerns
There are increasing concerns?that buyers may exploit the tax privileges granted to religious corporations.
The Kanzeon Bodhisattva statue that was returned to the Kannonji Temple in Tsushima, Nagasaki Prefecture, on Monday
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
May 12, 2025
Stolen Buddha statue returned to Japanese temple after 12 years
A ritual was held at Kannoji Temple?on the island of Tsushima to mark the return of the Kanzeon Bodhisattva statue after more than 12 years.
A stolen Kanzeon Bodhisattva statue in Daejeon, central South Korea, in January
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
May 11, 2025
Stolen Buddha statue handed over to Japan in South Korea
South Korea¡¯s Supreme Court recognized the Japanese temple¡¯s ownership of the statue in 2023, rejecting claims that it was stolen by Japanese pirates in the 14th century.
UNESCO's executive board on Thursday added Buddhist scriptures kept at Tokyo's Zojoji Temple to its Memory of the World register.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Apr 18, 2025
Zojoji Buddhist scriptures added to UNESCO Memory of the World
The scriptures were collected by Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate in Japan¡¯s Edo era, and donated to the temple.
Scenes like this snow-covered bridge leading to the village of Shirakawa-go are what make the Three-Star Road worth traveling ¡ª its name notwithstanding.
LIFE / Travel
Mar 29, 2025
Traveling the Three-Star Road, the tourist route made from thin air
Linking mountainous Matsumoto and coastal Kanazawa, this clunkily named route includes nonetheless fantastic sites.
At each shrine and temple, priests create festive, decorative go-shuin stamps, and you can collect the marks of all seven of the lucky gods on one piece of paper (called a shikishi) to serve as a good-luck talisman.
LIFE / Travel
Dec 27, 2024
Start the new year not with one temple visit, but seven
The seven lucky gods pilgrimage is a less hurried alternative to the often-crowded first temple or shrine visit of the year.
The Kanzeon Bodhisattva statue, which was taken from Kannonji Temple in Nagasaki Prefecture to South Korea by a South Korean thief ring
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Dec 25, 2024
South Korean temple pledges to return Buddha statue next spring
In October 2023, the South Korean Supreme Court affirmed that the statue was owned by a Japanese temple in Nagasaki Prefecture.
Best known as the home of Kuon Temple, Minobu, Yamanashi Prefecture, is a charming day trip from Tokyo with the potential for cultural verisimilitude.
LIFE / Travel
Nov 23, 2024
In rugged Yamanashi, a wild-goose chase for ¡®real Japan¡¯
Japan¡¯s countryside certainly offers a different experience than its cities, but whether that makes it categorically superior is up for debate.
The Kurama Fire Festival is one of Japan's most visceral 'matsuri' (festivals), but growing throngs of spectators could bring changes in the future.
LIFE / Travel
Nov 2, 2024
At Japan¡¯s hottest festival, crowds threaten to smother the flames
Despite the growing throngs of attendees, it¡¯s the smaller details of the Kurama Fire Festival that add up to more than the sum of its parts.
Stays at Aman Kyoto start at around $2,500 (about ?375,000) and increasing to $4,000 (about ?600,000) per night, but for the right traveler, it's not money entirely wasted.
LIFE / Travel
Oct 19, 2024
Kyoto¡¯s most expensive hotel offers inner peace ¡ª for a price
Aman Kyoto is one of the most luxurious options for stays in Japan¡¯s ancient capital ¡ª but is it worth the hefty price tag?
Traditional folk rituals like Mizudome-no-mai (dance to stop the rain) provide a sense of agency to a population that feels largely powerless in the face of the climate crisis.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society / Longform
Jul 21, 2024
As climate extremes intensify, Japan embraces ancient weather rituals
Can a 700-year-old dance have an effect on extreme heat or torrential rain? Probably not. When you¡¯re feeling powerless, though, any little thing helps.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi¡¯s newly founded label, Bindividual.
A perfect storm: Kaze Fujii fans flock to Fuji Rock
Okayama-born singer-songwriter Kaze Fujii has carved out a distinctive place in Japanese pop since his major-label debut in 2019.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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