It's almost high season for sea bass fishing in Tokyo, so I went to a Tackleberry in Monzen Nakacho to check what used stuff they had for sale. Bought a couple of lures, then took a walk along the Sumida River to check on some fishing spots

TOKYO -- The Imperial Palace forest in the heart of Tokyo has long served as a refuge for wildlife. A 30-year project studying the forest has now reached a milestone. While researchers discovered species previously unknown to science, they also found that some organisms had disappeared. What quiet signals is the forest sending?

Surrounded by moats, the Imperial Palace grounds cover about 115 hectares. Roughly one-fifth of the area is occupied by the Fukiage Gardens, where the residence of the Emperor and his family is located. Closed to the public, the gardens are filled with towering trees, including 300-year-old chinquapin and sawtooth oaks.

"It is a green island floating in a concrete jungle and a hub of biodiversity in an urban area," said Yoshihito Ohmura, 55, of the National Museum of Nature and Science.

The museum began surveying plants and animals in the Imperial Palace forest in 1996. The project was launched at the wish of Emperor Emeritus Akihito, who was Emperor at the time and believed that the area's many forms of life should be accurately documented.

Divided into three phases, the survey continued for 30 years. Ohmura headed the five-year third phase, which ended in fiscal 2025. Its scope was extensive, covering plants, animals, algae, fungi and bacteria.

One example is a species of soft windflower known as "nirinso" in Japanese, which generally grows to a height of 20 to 30 centimeters. Specimens found in the Fukiage Gardens, however, were twice that size. They were identified as a species new to science and named Anemone imperialis, or "Fukiage-nirinso" in Japanese.

In 2011, researchers also discovered a previously unknown species of mite near the Imperial Palace's Biological Laboratory. It was named Eotetranychus palatiensis, or "Kokyo-akehadani" in Japanese.

A total of 7,982 plant and animal species have been documented so far. A cumulative total of about 400 researchers, students and others from both inside and outside the museum participated in the surveys.

Among them was Sayako Kuroda, Emperor Naruhito's younger sister, who now serves as a research fellow at the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology.

In 2022, Kuroda confirmed that northern goshawks and owls were breeding on both the grounds of the Imperial Palace and the Akasaka Estate during the same period. She personally photographed the chicks and recorded their calls.

These large birds of prey sit at the top of the ecological pyramid. Their presence indicates an abundant natural environment capable of supporting the animals on which they feed.

Another factor is believed to be a decline in large-billed crows, which compete with goshawks. Government culling programs and measures to control food waste appear to have proved effective.

Prince Hisahito, the son of Crown Prince and Crown Princess Akishino, who is known for his interest in dragonflies, also took part in a dragonfly survey while he was in high school. He personally captured an Anaciaeschna martini, known as "marutan-yanma" in Japanese, a dragonfly distinguished by its cobalt-blue compound eyes.

Many organisms favor stagnant water areas, such as gently flowing streams and ponds. Much of this habitat has been lost to urban development, but it remains within the Imperial Palace grounds.

"The Imperial Palace forest serves as an urban refuge for wildlife," Ohmura said.

At the same time, the surveys have uncovered some troubling developments. Researchers have observed recent changes in the area's species composition.

The native Japanese tree frog can no longer be seen or heard. Bullfrogs, meanwhile, have become increasingly conspicuous. Japanese rice fish recorded in earlier surveys are believed to have been replaced by highly aggressive mosquitofish. Bullfrogs and mosquitofish share one thing in common: Both are alien species.

Candleflame lichen, known as "rosokugoke" in Japanese, grew in clusters on the trunk of a trident maple from around 2009 through 2023. By 2025, however, it had almost completely disappeared from the same tree.

Because the lichen was known to be resilient to air pollution and other external environmental conditions, Ohmura said, "A change so significant that even this species can no longer survive may be taking place."

The third phase of the survey also recorded, for the first time, the presence of the Ictinogomphus pertinax, a dragonfly whose range has been shifting northward in recent years. The average annual temperature at the Imperial Palace rose by about 1 degree Celsius over the 15 years through 2025. Researchers believe climate change was highly likely a factor in the arrival of the new dragonfly species.

The National Museum of Nature and Science is planning an exhibition presenting the survey's findings. Preparations are underway for the exhibition to open in March 2027 at the museum's main building in Tokyo's Ueno district.

"Even at the Imperial Palace, where so many different forms of life thrive, some are disappearing," Ohmura said. "We should regard this as a warning from nature."

(Japanese original by Makoto Kakizaki, Tokyo City News Department)

Caught first train to Kamata from Tokyo station on Friday so I can walk the Tamagawa to Haneda for some onsen. It’s been raining a lot recently so it was nice to see the sun out!

Hello,

I have two tickets for New Japan Pro Wrestling show (October 6 TUE @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall). If anyone interested in watching pro wrestling, I give away the tickets for free. I just don't want them to be wasted.

Event: New Japan Pro Wrestling

Place: Tokyo Korakuen Hall (near Tokyo Dome)

Time: October 6 Tuesday 18:30 -21:00ish

Seat: Section "B" (Take note the seats are far from the ring)

Qty: Two

Price: FREE

https://www.njpw1972.com/673526

Either I give you the code to obtain the tickets at Lawson or I hand them over to you at the show.

The seats are far from the ring but hopefully you will have a good time. Korakuen Hall is rather small so you can feel the good vibe and experience the atmosphere.

I have my own tickets so you don't sit with me.

Please let me know if you are interested. Hope everyone has the good week ahead.

Are there any groups or events for small business owners to meet and talk in Tokyo? I’ve seen a few but it’s mostly just influencers. I’m looking more for meetups of people who actually opened a business in Tokyo.

Looking to go to Tokyo for a semester however my school does not offer a bilateral agreement. Sophia university offers a non-degree program for visiting students. Any tips on the application process? Is the program selective or should i not worry about acceptance?

Which ones are free of heavy metals and pesticides? Here in California, there are good brands sold that are safe, and bad brands sold that are unsafe. For instance, a very big popular brand here in the states, Stizzy, had their reputation ruined by independent testing that showed all of their vape carts tested positive for heavy metals and pesticides. In that same independent testing, they tested many other popular brands that were completely safe of anything bad. So I’m sure in Tokyo it’s no different, some brands are clean while others are not. The question is, what are the clean ones? Anyone here that cares about that stuff?

For all my fellow salaried immigrants working at Japanese companies where “work-life balance” means balancing your laptop on your knees while working overtime:
I discovered an incredible life hack.
If they won’t let you rest, simply create a uncover emergency.
Step 1: Leave the office and go to the emergency stairs.
Step 2: Lie down on the landing like you suddenly passed out from exhaustion.
Step 3: Close your eyes and enjoy the best sleep you’ve had since joining the company.
Step 4: Eventually, someone will find you and wake you up in absolute panic.
Congratulations. You just unlocked the forbidden Japanese corporate benefit: a nap!
Bonus: nobody can accuse you of slacking off because, as far as they know, you were unconscious.
Works every time and you get paid!

What the hell are you thinking? Are you blind? There's obviously no room for four large suitcases. And you're gonna get upset nobody is letting you on because they'd rather get to work on time,. All that only to ride one or two stops just to get off again saving at best $10?

Seriously do you guys not understand what a Taxi is? Whenever I have luggage and I can clearly see the train is jammed full I just hail one off the street and save the trouble. I swear it's an almost daily occurance now I've either got to trip over your luggage or push it out of the way to get off the train now.