Japanese irises bloom at Chiba park

Japanese irises bloom at Chiba park

Japanese irises are in full bloom at Suigo Sawara Ayame Park in Katori, Chiba Prefecture, eastern Japan, on June 7, 2024, with visitors enjoying the flowers from a boat in a pond.

Japanese irises bloom at Chiba park

Japanese irises bloom at Chiba park

Japanese irises are in full bloom at Suigo Sawara Ayame Park in Katori, Chiba Prefecture, eastern Japan, on June 7, 2024, with visitors enjoying the flowers from a boat in a pond.

Japanese irises bloom at Chiba park

Japanese irises bloom at Chiba park

Japanese irises are in full bloom at Suigo Sawara Ayame Park in Katori, Chiba Prefecture, eastern Japan, on June 7, 2024, with visitors enjoying the flowers from a boat in a pond.

Fukuoka preserves 500 Asian films

Fukuoka preserves 500 Asian films

FUKUOKA, Japan - Photo taken Feb. 8, 2014, shows Yoshiyuki Yahiro, a curator at the Fukuoka City Public Library in Sawara Ward, Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, standing inside the library's film archive which possesses a total of about 1,000 films from around the world.

Fukuoka Detention House

Fukuoka Detention House

FUKUOKA, Japan - Photo taken Nov. 27, 2012 shows the Fukuoka Detention House in Sawara Ward in Fukuoka City, where death row inmate Yukinori Matsuda was executed by hanging on Sept. 27, 2012.

Enterprises increasingly introducing call centers

Enterprises increasingly introducing call centers

TOKYO, Japan - Softbank Mobile Corp. operates a call center in Fukuoka's Sawara Ward, producing jobs in the region.

Irises in full bloom in Chiba Prefecture

Irises in full bloom in Chiba Prefecture

SAWARA, Japan - Irises are seen in full bloom at a botanical garden in Sawara, Chiba Prefecture, on June 12.

Young couple tie knot in boat in old-fashioned ceremony

Young couple tie knot in boat in old-fashioned ceremony

Katsuyuki Ikeda, 26, (L) and Kazuyo Kuboki, 28, (R) tie the knot aboard a boat surrounded by irises in a revival of a local wedding tradition June 5 at the botanical gardens in Sawara, Chiba Prefecture. The bride and groom's first names are written on lanterns in the background.

Young couple tie knot in boat in old-fashioned ceremony

Young couple tie knot in boat in old-fashioned ceremony

Katsuyuki Ikeda, 26, (L) and Kazuyo Kuboki, 28, (R) tie the knot aboard a boat surrounded by irises in a revival of a local wedding tradition June 5 at the botanical gardens in Sawara, Chiba Prefecture. The bride and groom's first names are written on lanterns in the background. ==Kyodo

Irises in full bloom in Chiba Prefecture

Irises in full bloom in Chiba Prefecture

SAWARA, Japan - Irises are seen in full bloom at a botanical garden in Sawara, Chiba Prefecture, on June 12. (Kyodo)