Japan - The Government of Japan

Help us #PickaHeader for October 🍁! Perfect for outdoor activities like trekking 🥾, this refreshing season offers majestic mountains ⛰️, sweeping parks 🌳, serene lakes 🏞️, and sacred shrines ⛩️, all draped in fall colors. Which photo best embodies your idea of Japan in October? Your choice could become next month's header image! Comment with your favorite photo number by September 24, and we'll share the results in the comments the very next day. 1. Kasama Inari Jinja 2. Shiretoko Goko Lakes 3. Hitachi Seaside Park 4. Kamikochi

Imagine a classy hotel-like atmosphere for a nostalgic rail journey through the beautiful Japanese landscape! The TWILIGHT EXPRESS MIZUKAZE, operated by West Japan Railway Company, offers precisely that 🚞. This luxury sightseeing sleeper train runs 5 routes between Kyoto and Shimonoseki, and boasts an interior decorated with local traditional crafts from regions along the route. Large windows frame breathtaking views of the Sea of Japan and the Seto Inland Sea 🌊 that can be enjoyed with cuisine prepared by chefs 👨🏻🍳 using local ingredients in the open kitchen. Tea ceremonies are also held in the lounge car, offering a taste of a more traditional West Japan experience. #JapanOnTrack

Explore the natural beauty and charm of Amami-Oshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture with Australian Matt Pride. After coming to Japan at 23, he worked primarily in marketing at Japanese and international companies, and fell in love with Amami Oshima's nature after meeting an island resident at a Tokyo event. That meeting was to lead to his eventual relocation to the island, where he lives in a village surrounded by mountains ⛰️ and the ocean 🌊. He works as an adventure travel guide, offering visitors jungle trails, SUP tours, and wildlife night tours and sharing the island's nature and the warmth of its people. #LandOfDiversity

Did you know there is a magnificent building at the base of Mount Fuji 🗻 that has a lattice-like wooden exterior in an inverted image of the iconic mountain? Located in Fujinomiya City, the Mt. Fuji World Heritage Centre, Shizuoka was designed by renowned architect Shigeru Ban. A water basin in front of the building creates a striking reflection, while a ramp inside gently spirals up through its five floors. Visitors ‘climb’ Mount Fuji by ascending this slope through multimedia exhibits, and are rewarded at the ‘summit’ with expansive and unobstructed views of the mountain in all its majesty. #JapaneseModernArchitecture

#MeetTheChangemakers: It’s Japan’s Respect for the Aged Day 👵🏻👴🏻--the perfect time to admire enterprising senior citizens like KITAJIMA Yuko, who started Senshu Kojiya Honke Co., Ltd. in Osaka Prefecture aged 66! She overcame anxiety and declining health due to losing her husband at age 33 through the power of Japanese fermentation starter cultures, known as “koji.” Drawing from this experience, her philosophy is now one of “using koji to help people worldwide get healthy from the inside out.” A registered dietitian, she hosts fermentation cooking classes 🥢 featuring koji, miso, and amazake, and also sells handmade miso and other fermented condiments. https://lnkd.in/gAynmYu4

Fukui is definitely in the frame when it comes to clear vision for mankind!   Eyewear manufacturing there 👓 boasts a 120-year history, with Fukui itself recognized as one of the world's three major production centers 🌏. The craftsmanship involved is highly renowned worldwide, with over 400 steps required to complete a single frame 😲! #RegionalRevitalization

What if a breath could reveal lung cancer? 🫁 According to the World Health Organization, lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in the world, while also being difficult to detect until it is in its advanced stages. A Japanese research team is developing a breath test sensor to catch the disease early, as cancer alters the composition of human exhalations💨 Read the article to learn about this hopeful technology for clinical medicine! 🩺 #Healthcare #Cancerdetection #Medicalresearch

Step into the world of ramen 🍜 at Sano Ramen Yobiko, in Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture. This prep school is a unique relocation project connecting aspiring ramen shop operators with current ones struggling to find successors. Sano ramen is loved for its light broth and firm, uneven noodles, but keeping the city’s approximately 150 outlets thriving will require a manpower influx. The project sees current operators serve as instructors for hands-on guidance on secret recipes, noodle-making, and business management, with comprehensive food, employment, and housing support also provided. Graduates have opened their own ramen shops, with some quickly becoming popular, and the initiative is drawing attention as a way for the region to grow its workforce by leveraging a valuable local resource. https://lnky.jp/1ykCwSV #RegionalRevitalization

The removal of landmines in Cambodia is now much safer, thanks to Komatsu. The leading construction and mining equipment manufacturer has developed demining equipment for anti-personnel landmines, which is bulldozer-type landmine removal equipment that can be operated either manually or remotely to clear minefields. The company is collaborating with local experts on everything from mine-clearing to community development. The demining equipment for anti-personnel landmines has cut the time required for what was once manual work, and also ensures worker safety. Since the start of its deployment in 2008, the minefields have shrunk in size, with the cleared and now-safe land transformed into rice paddies 🌾, schools 🏫, and thriving communities. #GlobalGoals  #SDGs

Striking a chord with Japan's musical culture and instruments 🎶! Explore the soundscape shaping kabuki, Okinawa's fusion of music and performance art, and electronic innovations blending tech with traditional craftsmanship in this month's issue of #HighlightingJapan.