Record Cash Turned in to Police in 2025

If you lose something in Japan, chances are you will get it back. Studies have shown that Japan ranks among the highest in the world for civic honesty. 

A record 4.5 billion yen cash was turned in to Tokyo Police as lost property in 2025. This was up 0.5% from 2024, according to police statistics. More than 70% of the money came from public facilities, such as supermarkets with self check out registers. According to the Metropolitan Police Department’s lost and found, the largest single amount turned into police was 27 million yen. About 3.23 million yen was returned to the owners, while approximately 590 million yen was given to the honest finders who turned in the money. Roughly 680 million yen became metropolitan government revenue. 

The number of other items given to police was up 3 percent from 2024, for a record high of about 4.5 million items. The most common items were drivers licenses and other identification, while the number of small electronics handed in continues to increase.

Monday Morning Star Count

I don’t have a new project in the works yet, but I want to be ready when I do think of something. I have been pressing the small pieces of fabric I have, cutting them into two and a half inch squares and clipping them to the hexagon paper templates. My plan is to stitch them into hexagons in the nooks and crannies of time I find. Then, when I do think of a project, I will already have hexagons made to choose from. It’s win-win, I will use up the small pieces of fabric and I will have hexagons already made up.

Nara Prison Hotel

I first posted about this prison to hotel project here in 2022. At that time, it was anticipated that the hotel would open in 2024, but due to an earthquake-resistance assessment, it was delayed. The end of June 2026, it opened for business.

The prison was one of five built by the government during the Meiji Era (1868-1912), showcasing modern prison facilities in Japan. It later became a juvenile prison, closing in 2017 because the aging facilities.

Hoshino Resorts, Inc. now runs the property as a luxury hotel, with 48 suites, which were created by combining former cells. The property is turning the prison into a tourist attraction. The site is near Nara Park, known for landmarks such as the Todai-ji temple complex and its free-roaming deer. 

A one night stay starts at 147,000 yen per suite room, which includes visiting the Nara Prison Museum. The hotel aims for an 80 per cent occupancy rate within three years. 

I would like to stay at this hotel, but it is a little out of my price range. Maybe I could just visit the museum.

Hello Kitty Travel Manners

Thank you to Queeniepatch for forwarding this to me. If you forget your manners, Hello Kitty will remind you.

K

Disney to Raise Ticket Prices

Beginning October 11th, the cost of one day adult tickets at Tokyo Disneyland or DisneySea will increase to 12,400 yen, with tickets for ages 12-17 increasing to 10,200 yen, and children ages 4-11 increasing to 5900 yen. 

An official with Oriental Land Co., which operates the Disney parks, said the price hikes were due to the increased value of the parks, with the 2024 opening of the Fantasy Springs port in DisneySea as well as the higher outlays for construction and personal expenses. The official hopes Disney guests will understand that this was necessary to make sure everyone enjoys the parks.

Disney Parks are incredibly popular with Japanese children AND adults. I think people will pay the increased price and continue to visit the parks.  

People are always surprised that I’ve never been and don’t care to go (at any price). My only Disney park experience was once when I was in high school when my high school’s marching band went to Florida by bus and marched in several locations in Florida, including Disney. (I was a flag carrier and our uniform was a short skirt and white boots). I don’t remember a lot about the Disney experience. 

Back to the ticket price increase - do you think this is reasonable for you and or your family?  I’m sometimes called cheap (I prefer to say I am frugal), but I can think of better ways to spend that much money.

Kawanarijimasengen Shrine

This tiny shrine is located on the edge of a shopping center parking lot in Fuji City, Shizuoka, not far from Shin-Fuji Station.

Work In Progress Wednesday

Sashiko progress - I finished two panels and started the third.

Hardanger progress

Pineapple Zipper Pouch progress 

Assisi Rose - this is a free chart and took just an afternoon to stitch

Maid School Japan

Maid School Japan is accepting applications for its very first term.

It was created under the supervision of the Butler Association Japan, and it will provide training in household services to wealthy clientele. (It has nothing to do with working in a Japanese Maid Cafe). The curriculum will cover 12 topics.

1. The foundational character and professional mindset of a maid

2. Manners, demeanor and grooming

3. Communication techniques and mindful choices of words

4. Fundamentals and applied techniques of luxury home cleaning

5. Practical applications of table settings and meal service

6. Confidentiality obligations and handling of personal information

7. Understanding the way of life and needs of wealthy society

8. Fundamentals of household management

9. Care and management of clothing and valuables

10. Practical guest relations and VIP hospitality

11. International etiquette and global service

12. Comprehensive exercises and concluding examination

The training is said to be useful in a variety of fields, not only household management. The Japan Maid School points out its usefulness to those working in travel and hospitality, salespeople, consultants, and executive assistants. 

Classes are conducted online through Zoom, by currently working maids and butlers. Applicants be at least 20 years old, and no prior experience is required. Applications can be submitted online, and both male and female students are accepted. Tuition for the complete course is 290,000 yen. Classes will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 - 10:30 pm, with a limit of 20 students per course. The first term will be conducted July 28 - September 3.

When I first heard of this, I thought of  Upstairs, Downstairs and something very British. Then when I read three hours a week over Zoom, that idea was gone. I never aspired to be a maid, but if I did, I think I’d want some kind of on the job training situation. What do you think of this program?

Monday Morning Star Count - Zipper Pouch Finishes

Finished! I’m pleased with how they turned out. Each zipper pouch has the 16 mm hexagons on each side, and they are totally stitched by hand. I did not have a pattern, but I used another pouch I made as size guidance.

One side

The other side

The bottom

Top, with zipper closed

Top, with zippers open

What do you think?

It is a Crime to Sew Your Roommate’s Lips Shut

This is a strange one that I read about in several different news sources. None of the sources answered the WHY of this strange occurrence. 

Koga City, Ibaraki Police arrested 49 year old, part-time worker, Masae Sakurai, on a suspicion of assault for sewing together the upper and lower lips of her 42 year old room mate with a needle and thread on June 29th of this year. The two women had been living together since April 2025. They shared a home with other roommates. 

The day following the sewing incident, the 42 year old with her lips sewn shut and wearing a white face mask, went to a nearby shop and handed the store clerk a note with “Please help me. I cannot speak. Please call the police.” written on it.The police were called and the woman was taken to the hospital by ambulance.  The woman told the police she was afraid of her roommate and couldn’t escape right away. 

Police are questioning the other people living in the house. Neighbors said seven or eight people were constantly coming and going and no one knew what any of them did for a living. They also said the residents of the house refused to interact with the neighborhood association. 

I will be watching for updates on this strange story.

(Not actual lips - picture from the internet.)