Hokkaido, Japan News

Home to nearly one million pink shibazakura flowers, spread over an area of 100,000 square meters, on a hillside overlooking the picturesqe town of Takinoue, the Higashimokoto Flower Park is a must-see attraction for flower lovers.

The Susukino district of Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan, on June 9, 2013. Japan's economy grew more than the government initially estimated in the first quarter, helping Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to sustain confidence in his campaign to defeat deflation.

Dear reader, where are you from? To what era do you belong? I was born in 1971 in Japan and grew up here, too, but I've never - in all my years visiting hotels, restaurants, shops or government offices - seen workers wearing vests, armbands, badges, ribbons or bandanas with political messages.

Ralph E. Beebe, 88, dearly loved Husband, Dad, Grandpa and Great grandpa passed away Saturday, June 15, 2013, at home, with his family by his side, after a lengthy illness.

That's the finding of a recent study, which showed that an increasing number of Lego figures' faces are scowling, frowning or snarling rather than smiling.

On June 1, the NYK Group's largest solar energy generating system was connected to the Hokkaido town of Yakumo's power grid by NYK Trading Corporation , an NYK Group company.

Journalists gather to look at an All Nippon Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner as it prepares to take off from Chitose airport in Hokkaido, northern Japan, for Tokyo's Haneda airport on May 26, 2013 as the airline puts its Dreamliner fleet back into service following a four-month suspension due to battery problems.

After visiting 11 countries with maybe just one more to go, Fresno's Jack Wiegand has run into some turbulence on his record-setting venture.

Artist Justine Pechusal dedicates the new mural, "May the friendship across water with our sister city, Obihiro, Japan, always prevail."

Some seek out the Portland Japanese Garden as an oasis, it's true. For sure, Portland residents slip into the garden's deep-green embrace to escape earthly cares.

In Japan there is a cafeteria whose specialty is prison food. The Prison Cafeteria at the Abashiri Prison Museum in Abashiri, Hokkaido serves the same food that the prisoners at the Abashiri Prison eat every day.

Juicy fruit: In Japan, where fresh fruit is a scarce and expensive delicacy - a package of 20 ripe cherries retails for about $100 - the Sapporo Central Wholesale Market in Hokkaido recently auctioned a pair of Yubari cantaloupes for a record $23,500.

The number of happy faces on LEGO toy mini-figures is decreasing and the number of angry faces is increasing, a University of Canterbury robot expert says.

After 90 tons of manure and two years of round-the-clock care, Britain's most expensive pineapple is almost ready to eat.

Last September the Seward Mural Society painted a replica of the mural that the City of Seward is giving to its sister city, Obihiro, Japan.

Chiba Lotte Marines ace Yoshihisa Naruse became the latest hurler to slow down the slumping Yomiuri Giants, hitting a milestone and picking up a win at QVC Marine Field on Saturday.

Happy 110th: Organizers of 'Hibiya Akari Terrace,' one of the main events to mark the 110th anniversary of Tokyo's Hibiya Park this weekend, prepare candles on Friday.

Hibiki wakes up to find Alcor making himself at home in his room. He takes this chance to double check some facts and we learn that coffee tastes better with sugar.

Nothing brings happiness like a perfect pair of $15,730 melons. Mind out of the gutter.

Tel: a a Present address: Hiroshi Sakane, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan a a Kazuma Tanaka, Division of Molecular Interaction, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Life Science, N15 W7, Kita-ku, ... (more)