Japan is commemorating the victims of the atomic bomb that devastated Hiroshima 65 years ago. The attack by the United States in 1945 was instrumental in ending World War II. Since then on each on August 6, a somber echo of a temple bell reverberates through Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park.
Japan is the only nation ever to have been attacked with atomic bombs. More than 140,000 people were killed instantly in Hiroshima or died in the days and weeks after the U.S. attack. Three days later, a U.S. plane dropped a …

Rice farming has sustained the people of northern Japan’s Inakadate village for two thousand years. Today, the ancient rice fields are the source of food and art.
Up close, the stalks of rice look like any other found in a rice paddy. CBS News correspondent Celia Hatton reports there are several varieties planted here, each with different colored leaves. Combine them together and an enormous 15,000 square foot image is revealed.
Every year, a local art teacher produces a computerized sketch. It’s transferred onto a grid, and mapped with thousands of dots. …

What does Tokyo have as a genuine landmark?
Well, there’s 52-year-old Tokyo Tower, but that’s not the draw it once was. Or there’s Tokyo Sky Tree, which, at 603 meters high, is set to be the world’s tallest broadcasting tower when it’s completed soon. But so what?
What Tokyo really needs is a historical monument symbolizing the essence of the Japanese spirit, culture and lifestyle, argues a Tokyo-based citizens’ group whose aim is to rebuild what it considers the ultimate symbol of Tokyo: the main tower of Edo Castle.
"Paris has the Palace …

Say the word geisha and images of beautiful kimono-clad women serving green tea, reciting poetry and playing classical instruments may spring to mind.
In Japan, outsiders typically pay hundreds of pounds to spend several hours with geisha in tea-houses, with activities including artful conversation, and dancing.
But a downturn in the global economy appears to be forcing the world of geisha to seek more enterprising – and cheaper – ways of earning a living by setting up geisha beer gardens.
Read the rest of the story: Struggling geisha swap tea and poetry for …

It should come as no surprise that Japan is embracing burgeoning new social media outlets – like Twitter. Myspace and Facebook (News – Alert) have also tried to break into the market, but it’s Twitter that the Japanese love. Perhaps it’s the cute name or the on-the-go quick updating capabilities – who can say?! But the statistics express volumes – 16.3 percent of Japanese people Tweet, compared to 9.8 percent of Americans.

Sake is gradually increasing its presence at banquets where Japanese government leaders play host to foreign dignitaries.
The Foreign Ministry has mainly used wine at such banquets because it is easy to handle and goes well with any dish.
However, sake has begun to be included among other beverages at dinners and receptions amid growing calls from within the ministry to actively push sake in the field of diplomacy.
In inviting foreign VIPs, the ministry checks on their likes and dislikes and whether they are allergic to any foods in deciding on menus …

Japan has hosted the world’s first wedding to be conducted by a robot. The automated creature, known as the I-Fairy, oversaw the wedding of Tomohiro Shibata and Satoko Inoue in the capital, Tokyo. The couple decided to use the robot as they are both connected with Japan’s thriving robotics industry. Since robots had brought them together in the first place, they said, having one officiate at their wedding was a natural choice.
Read the rest of the story: Tokyo couple married by robot in rooftop wedding

If you’ve lived in Japan, then you would know how odd, yet sensible these love hotels are for privacy. It’s a different world when space is limited and walls are paper thin. And, yes there is such a thing as an opportunity to invest in the love of discrete necessities…cause at that point it’s just practical. And that’s where the below holding company comes in with fancy.
The Alternative Investment Market(AIM) in London has a quotation that is basically a holding company for a fund that operates a …

The nonprofit organization Japan Mothers Society honored five women on Thursday in its 3rd annual Best Mother Awards. This year’s recipients included actress Makiko Esumi in the entertainment category and singer Chisato Moritaka in the music category.
Diet member Renho Murata, freelance announcer Junko Kubo, and sports commentator and former synchronized swimmer Mikako Kotani were the other winners.

The holiday exodus reached a peak at the Narita International Airport near Tokyo Thursday, with 46,200 people expected to leave Japan during the day to spend their Golden Week holidays overseas.

Resort areas, including Guam and Hawaii, as well as European countries attract many travelers from Japan during the holiday season through early May, according to the airport and travel agency officials.