from mid-February 1995. Most of the buildings, as well as the arcade roof, have since been rebuilt, and the city's largest arcade now bustles with shoppers. REIJI YOSHIDA PHOTOS

The worst-hit area was the prefectural capital of Kobe.

Our Planet

Rice fields in the town of Ozu, Kumamoto Prefecture. The water-filled paddies glistening under the sun is a symbol of a long-running effort to preserve the prefecture’s groundwater.
Japan's chipmaking rush pressures Kumamoto's special water supply

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?