Two elderly men in Japan choked to death on mochi rice cakes as part of a New Year’s tradition that authorities have issued warnings about annually. Eating mochi on and around the New Year is ...

The free drum performance will take place today in Market Square. ‘Saturday Night Live’ kicked off its show with Lin-Manuel ...

Astronomers measure the mass of the Milky Way by calculating how hard it is to escape 'Something the overwhelming majority of Americans support': House passes Laken Riley Act Flight Attendants Are The ...

Australia welcomed the new year with a 12-minute fireworks show featuring ... Festivities also lit up East Asian countries including Japan, China, and the Philippines, where people in the capital ...

Japan's Emperor Naruhito said he is praying for the happiness of people in Japan and the world in his first New Year's greetings in two years. The Emperor and other members of the Imperial family ...

During oshogatsu (Japanese New Year), people in Japan huddle outside of temples and shrines to pray for an auspicious year, hands warmed by steaming cups of amazake (fermented rice drink).

The Japanese convey their hopes for the new year through kakizome, the ritualized first calligraphy writing of the year. Kakizome, meaning "first writing," occurs within the initial days of the year.

Japan is holding the 71st National New Year Calligraphy Exhibition for Youth in Tokyo. Held annually in January, the event aims to nurture the emotional and artistic growth of elementary and junior ...

The estimated number of New Year’s cards delivered on Jan. 1 plunged 34 percent from a year ago--the steepest decline in more than 10 years--following a hike in postage fees. Japan Post Co. said ...

Despite an annual warning from authorities, a deadly New Year's trend continued in Japan this week as two people died after choking on mochi — a doughy cake made from steamed sweet rice that is ...