Akita

A long-distance cyclist is travelling south along the Sea of Japan coast, passing through Yamagata and Akita prefectures with stops around Sakata. The journey is part of a route running from Sōya in the north to Sata in the south, combining bikepacking and camping. Travellers and cycling communities are following the stages as updates come in.

Filipino high-flyer Rhenz Abando is drawing attention after throwing down a forceful poster dunk, with the headline claiming he showed up an NBA player in the process. The play, featured in highlight clips with the Raft/Talon tag, has fans celebrating Abando's athleticism and dominance at the rim, calling it a statement moment for the Philippine talent.

A long-distance cyclist has shared a new set of photos documenting a bikepacking journey across Japan, tagged from Cape Sōya in northern Hokkaido to Sata in the south, with stops including Sapporo, Aomori and Akita. The images, shot with the Huji photo app, show camping and cycling scenes through Hokkaido and northern Honshu and are drawing a small but positive response from travel and cycling communities.

Hanshin Tigers pitcher Daiki Ishii, from Akita Prefecture, has pledged to inherit the approach of veteran Yakult Swallows left-hander Masanori Ishikawa, a senior compatriot from the same region. Ishii praised the long-serving pitcher as a 'superman and iron man', saying he wants to carry on his philosophy of durability and consistency in professional baseball.