Visitors tour inner gardens of Imperial Palace

Visitors tour inner gardens of Imperial Palace

TOKYO, Japan - Visitors tour the gardens inside the Imperial Palace in Tokyo as the Imperial Household Agency opened the inner gardens to a group of elderly citizens on Sept. 15, two days ahead of the Respect of the Senior Citizens Day. The tour was arranged in line with Emperor Akihito's wish to share the joys of nature in the inner palace grounds with the public, palace officials say. Ninety people chosen by lottery from more than 8,400 applicants from around the country were given a guided tour of the greeneries in the garden. This is the second tour of the inner imperial gardens arranged by the palace. The first took place in May this year for a group of 200 children. (Pool photo)

Visitors tour inner gardens of Imperial Palace

Visitors tour inner gardens of Imperial Palace

TOKYO, Japan - Visitors tour the gardens inside the Imperial Palace in Tokyo as the Imperial Household Agency opened the inner gardens to a group of elderly citizens on Sept. 15, two days ahead of the Respect of the Senior Citizens Day. The tour was arranged in line with Emperor Akihito's wish to share the joys of nature in the inner palace grounds with the public, palace officials say. Ninety people chosen by lottery from more than 8,400 applicants from around the country were given a guided tour of the greeneries in the garden. This is the second tour of the inner imperial gardens arranged by the palace. The first took place in May this year for a group of 200 children. (Pool photo)

Gold, silver euro coins with 'Hello Kitty' images to be sold

Gold, silver euro coins with 'Hello Kitty' images to be sold

TOKYO, Japan - Coin-importer Taisei Coins Corp. and Sanrio Co. said on Nov. 29 they will jointly sell three euro coins (in photo) with images of the latter's ''Hello Kitty'' character on them, beginning on Dec. 5. A 1-ounce gold coin with a face value of 50 euros will cost 168,000 yen. A quarter-ounce, 10-euro gold coin will cost 52,500 yen, and a 1.5-euro silver coin will cost 8,400 yen. Images on the coins, made by the Monnaie de Paris minting authority in France, depict ''Hello Kitty'' characters enjoying life in Paris.

NHL ice hockey back in Japan

NHL ice hockey back in Japan

The National Hockey League's (NHL) Calgary Flames beat the San Jose Sharks 5-3 on Sunday Oct. 11 in the second of two games at Tokyo's Yoyogi Stadium. The season opening Oct. 10 game, played before a crowd of 8,400, ended in a 3-3 tie. Sunday's game featured the first NHL hat-trick in Japan -- Flames' star Theoren Fleury (R) scored three goals and got two assists. NHL season openers debuted in Japan last year.