YASUGI, Shimane Prefecture--The garden of an art museum here was rated as Japan's best for the 16th straight year by a popular U.S. gardening journal.
The Journal of Japanese Gardening, aka Sukiya Living Magazine, selected the Adachi Museum of Art's garden from among more than 900 around Japan in 2018, museum officials announced.
I recently spent a cold afternoon strolling around Hamarikyu Gardens, a stone's throw from The Asahi Shimbun Tokyo headquarters, the office to which I send my biweekly manuscripts.
Why visit a famous garden in the dead of winter when there's not much to see? Tsk-tsk. It's the lack of the in-your-face colors and fragrances that vigorously compete for attention, like in the spring, that opens one's senses to the muted joys that abound if only we become aware.
IWATA, Shizuoka Prefecture--An extremely rare and new addition to an insect observation park here clearly didn't have camouflage in mind when it was found hiding in green foliage.
The critter that is causing such a stir is a pink bush cricket, also known as long-horned grasshopper.
UNISON SQUARE GARDEN's new single, titled "Haru ga Kite Bokura," will drop in stores on March 7.
The title track of this single has been picked up as the opening theme for the second series of TV anime '3-gatsu no Lion' starting in January. It was written and composed by the band's bassist Tabuchi Tomoya.
Visitors admire autumn-colored leaves as they walk along Inui Street on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, on Dec. 2, 2017. The road was opened to the public on Dec. 2 for the first time in 18 months, and will remain open daily until Dec. 10. (Mainichi)
Autumn foliage is now at its most brilliant in Rikugien Gardens in central Tokyo with huge crowds turning out, especially at night, as the leaves are illuminated after sunset.
Bathed in blue lights, which represent water, the colorful leaves illuminated against the dark sky create a dream-like world.
KYOTO--Thousands of visitors converged on Tofukuji temple in Higashiyama Ward here to marvel at the 2,000 or so maple trees showing off shades of autumn ranging from deep red to bright yellow.
Temple officials said as many as 35,000 people will visit the temple on a weekend day during the peak fall leaf viewing period.
With the summer heat now a thing of the past, Japan's ancient capital of Kyoto is abrim with bursts of stunning colors as its iconic autumn foliage season draws in throngs of visitors from both Japan and overseas.
The Yomiuri ShimbunRed poinsettias fill a greenhouse at Kawate Noen farm in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo, on Tuesday. The farm has started shipments for the Christmas season and expects the peak to be around Nov. 20. About 5,000 pots are expected to be shipped to the Tokyo metropolitan area, according to the farm.
DAIGO, Ibaraki Prefecture--There are few better places to view autumn in its full fiery glory than the magnificent Fukuroda Falls.
The falls are 120 meters high and have four levels, according to Daigo's tourism association.
Suntory Flowers Ltd. showed off its new brand of blue cyclamen in Narita, Chiba Prefecture on Thursday.
The cyclamen, which has many indigo petals and is named "Edo no Ao," was unveiled to the press by the company, a unit of major Japanese food and beverage group Suntory Holdings Ltd.
Gingko trees regale visitors to the Meiji Jingu Gaien area in Tokyo on Wednesday. About 140 gingko trees have started to display their autumnal yellow, about a week earlier than usual, according to the administrative office of the area. The foliage is expected to be at its finest in mid-November or later. 
Japanese momiji maple trees are lit up at Eikando Zenrinji temple in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, on Thursday night during a lighting test. The temple, a famous sightseeing spot for autumn leaves with about 3,000 maple trees, will hold a special night viewing event from Tuesday through Dec. 6. The temple says the middle of this month is the best time to view the illuminated leaves.
UNISON SQUARE GARDEN has uploaded the short PV for their new single "Invisible Sensation" onto YouTube.
"Invisible Sensation" is the band's new single that's slated for release on November 8. It's currently being used as the opening theme for TV anime 'Ball Room e Youkoso.' Set in a music program, the PV shows the film crew causing an accident while shooting the band's performance. The full video will be included in the Limited Edition DVD.