News archive
Past daily articles for learners.
- travel
Kyoto's Gion Matsuri returns for July, with grand float parades on the 17th and 24th
Kyoto's Gion Matsuri, one of Japan's three great festivals, runs all through July (July 1–31, 2026), hosted by Yasaka Shrine. The highlight is the Yamaboko Junko float processions on July 17 and 24, when huge, lavishly decorated floats roll through downtown Kyoto. On the 'yoiyama' evenings beforehand (July 14–16 and 21–23), central streets close to traffic and fill with food stalls and lantern-lit floats. Big crowds come from Japan and abroad. Because it is very hot and very crowded, organizers urge visitors to stay hydrated and guard against heatstroke.
N5N4N3N2N1 - travel
Mount Fuji's 2026 climbing season opens July 1 with a 4,000-yen fee on all trails
Mount Fuji's 2026 climbing season opens on July 1, when the Yoshida and Subashiri trails open; the Fujinomiya and Gotemba trails follow on July 10, and all four close on September 10. For the first time a 4,000-yen fee applies on all four trails (both the Yamanashi and Shizuoka sides), and climbers are expected to reserve and pay online in advance. On the Shizuoka side you use the prefecture's app to take a short safety course and get a QR code. The Yoshida trail caps climbers at 4,000 per day and bars entry from 2 p.m. until early morning for anyone without a mountain-hut booking. Warm clothing, top-and-bottom rain gear, and proper hiking boots are checked at the trailhead. The rules aim to ease overcrowding and prevent accidents, especially from overnight 'bullet climbing'. If you plan to climb, book early and bring the required gear.
N5N4N3N2N1 - daily life
Japan phases out paper health insurance cards for the My Number health card
Japan is phasing out the traditional paper health insurance card and switching to the 'My Number health card' (maina hokensho), which uses the My Number Card for insurance verification. Under National Health Insurance, many cards expire around the end of July 2026 and stop working after that. At hospitals and pharmacies you hold the card over a reader at the desk and confirm your identity by facial recognition or a PIN. People who don't have a My Number Card, or haven't registered it for insurance use, are sent a paper 'eligibility confirmation certificate' (shikaku kakuninsho) so they can still receive insured treatment as before. Foreign residents enrolled in public insurance are covered by the same system, so it's worth registering early or keeping your certificate handy.
N5N4N3N2N1 - daily life
Japan's rainy season begins: heavier rain expected this year
Japan's rainy season (tsuyu) has begun. The Japan Meteorological Agency says the Tokyo area entered the rainy season in early June, and wet, humid weather is expected to continue until around mid-July. Forecasters expect more rain than usual this year, with a higher risk of heavy downpours in Kyushu and the Tohoku region. While in Japan, carry an umbrella, stay hydrated against the heat and humidity, watch out for heatstroke, take care with food hygiene to avoid spoilage and mold, and check the latest weather forecast often.
N5N4N3N2N1 - daily life
Japan begins this year's heatstroke alerts as dangerous heat nears
As Japan heads into its hottest months, the Ministry of the Environment and the Japan Meteorological Agency have begun this year's Heatstroke Alert (Necchusho Keikai Alert) operation, running from April 22 to October 21, 2026. An alert is issued for areas where the WBGT 'heat index' is forecast to reach 33 or higher, announced at 5 p.m. the day before and 5 a.m. the same day. A stronger Special Alert is issued when extreme heat (WBGT 35 or higher) is expected across a whole prefecture. On alert days, stay in a cool, air-conditioned space, take frequent breaks, and replenish water and salt. Elderly people and young children are most at risk, so check in on them. Current alerts are posted on the Ministry of the Environment's heatstroke-prevention website.
N5N4N3N2N1 - economy
Japan's tax-free shopping shifts to an airport refund system from November 1, 2026
From November 1, 2026, Japan is overhauling its tax-free shopping system for foreign visitors. Today, eligible tourists buy goods without the 10% consumption tax added at the shop. Under the new system, you pay the full tax-included price in the store and then receive a refund of the consumption tax at the airport when you leave Japan. At the airport, customs confirms that the goods are actually being taken out of the country before the tax is refunded—mostly through self-service machines that read your passport. The change is meant to stop abuse, after authorities found that many tax-free goods, especially expensive ones, were never taken abroad but resold inside Japan.
N5N4N3N2N1 - travel
Japan's departure tax triples to 3,000 yen from July 1, 2026
From July 1, 2026, Japan's International Tourist Tax (the so-called 'departure tax') triples from ¥1,000 to ¥3,000 per person. It applies to everyone leaving Japan by plane or ship, regardless of nationality—foreign tourists, foreign residents, and Japanese nationals alike. You don't pay it separately at the airport; it is added to the price of your airline or ferry ticket. Children under two and transit passengers who leave Japan within 24 hours are exempt. The government plans to use the extra revenue for tourism measures such as easing overcrowding at popular sites and improving facilities for visitors.
N5N4N3N2N1 - government
Japan launches new 'Specified Residence Card' combining the Residence Card and My Number card
On June 14, 2026, Japan's Immigration Services Agency began issuing the new 'Specified Residence Card,' a single IC-chip card that combines a foreign resident's Residence Card and My Number card. Using it is voluntary—your current cards stay valid until they expire. You can apply only during an immigration procedure you are already doing in Japan, such as extending your period of stay, changing your status of residence, applying for permanent residence, or having a lost card reissued; you must visit an immigration office in person. At the same time, newly issued Residence Cards move details such as your period of stay and status of residence off the printed surface and store them only inside the IC chip.
N5N4N3N2N1 - daily life
Tokyo's rainy season begins: what residents should know
The Japan Meteorological Agency announced on June 7 that the rainy season (tsuyu) had begun in the Kanto-Koshin region — which includes Tokyo — and the Tokai region, starting at about the usual time of year. The rainy season typically continues until late July, bringing frequent rain along with high heat and humidity. Residents are advised to carry an umbrella, stay hydrated and watch out for heatstroke, store food carefully to prevent spoilage, and stay prepared for heavy-rain disasters.
N5N4N3N2N1 - daily life
Japan's Heatstroke Alert is running for summer 2026 — what residents should know
Japan's Heatstroke Alert is in operation again for summer 2026. The Ministry of the Environment and the Japan Meteorological Agency issue it for any of the country's 58 regions when the heat index (WBGT) is forecast to reach 33 or higher, announcing it the evening before and again early the next morning. A higher-level 'Special Heatstroke Warning Alert' is issued when WBGT is expected to hit 35 across almost an entire prefecture, signalling dangerous, record-level heat; in that case municipalities may open cooling shelters. When an alert is out, stay indoors with air conditioning, drink water often, avoid outdoor activity and exercise, and check on elderly people and anyone with a chronic illness.
N5N4N3N2N1 - daily life
Much of mainland Japan enters the rainy season, JMA says
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) says much of mainland Japan has now entered the rainy season (tsuyu), which usually runs from around early-to-mid June into mid-July. Expect frequent rain and high humidity, with occasional sudden downpours that can swell rivers and trigger landslides. Practical tips: carry a folding umbrella, check the latest forecast often, and know your evacuation route in case of heavy-rain warnings. The season also brings hydrangeas, a popular early-summer sight.
N5N4N3N2N1 - daily life
JR East to replace magnetic train tickets with QR codes from spring 2027
JR East announced on June 9, 2026 that it will replace all magnetic short-distance paper tickets on its conventional lines with QR code tickets from spring 2027. The change applies to trips up to 100 kilometers. New tickets are roughly five times larger and are scanned at gate readers instead of being inserted into gates. The move eliminates the non-recyclable magnetic layer and removes the complex gate mechanism, reducing jams, breakdowns, and maintenance costs. Eight railway operators including JR East announced a joint de-magnetization plan back in May 2024.
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