Winter Snow Keeps Summer Cool

Snow has always been seen as nuisance costing money to clear from winter streets. Now, trials in Hokkaido are showing the potential of snow on an energy-saving resource. One city has used stored snow to cool summer buildings, and to keep rice stocks fresh for up to 5 years. Researchers are using snow to absorb methane from the air to clean pollution and to create a new fuel.

Kyoto State Guest House

To complement Japan's main State Guest House in Akasaka, Tokyo (built in 1909 as a neo-baroque palace) a second State Guest House was opened in Kyoto in April 2005. This new diplomatic facility, built in the architectural style of the era when Kyoto was the nation's capital, provides a superb setting for visiting dignitaries to experience the best of traditional Japanese hospitality.

Moerenuma - From Landfill to Park

When Sapporo, the main city of Hokkaido, decided to build a park on a landfill site as part of a planned greenbelt, they commissioned renowned Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi. Noguchi, who died shortly after producing the park plans, created a recreational space for the city that is more than just a park - the whole site is designed as an integrated sculpture.

Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival

Hakata is the old name for Fukuoka City, in Kyushu. For 2 weeks each July, the city focuses all its energies on this exciting festival, in which local community groups compete to race through the streets carrying huge floats on their shoulders. This custom dates back to 1241, when a Buddhist monk was carried in procession, sprinkling holy water on the people to ward off an epidemic.