r/nagoya_explorers

Three Vietnamese nationals have been arrested on suspicion of stealing copper cables worth approximately ¥14.34 million from a solar power facility in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture.
According to police, the suspects, including Kim Van Nguyen (33), a resident of Nishio City, allegedly stole approximately 6,700 meters of electrical cable from the solar power plant in February 2026.
The theft was discovered after the facility’s management company received an alert indicating a power system malfunction. Upon inspection, multiple electrical cables were found to have been cut and removed, prompting the company to contact police.
During questioning, the three suspects admitted to the allegations, reportedly stating that they cut and stole the cables.
Police believe the group carried out similar thefts on multiple occasions with the intention of selling the stolen copper and are continuing their investigation.

ESPRIT NAGOYA is a bakery café near Hisaya Odori Park in Nagoya. Opened in 2022, the café offers fresh bread, sandwiches, coffee, terrace seating, free power outlets, and a spacious modern interior popular with café visitors.

#NagoyaCafe #JapaneseCafe #Kissaten #CoffeeLovers #NagoyaJapan #CafeHopping #RetroCafe #JapanTravel #HiddenGem #CafeCulture

This striking suit of samurai armor was worn by Itō Gonbee, a samurai of the Ii clan who served the Hikone Domain as both a mounted guard and a horseback combat instructor. He is also said to have distinguished himself during the Boshin War, the conflict that marked the end of the samurai era.

Its most remarkable feature is the brilliant red lacquer covering nearly every component—from the helmet and cuirass to the sleeves, greaves, and thigh guards.

This style is known as the “Red Armor” (Aka-zonae) of the Ii clan, inspired by the legendary warlord Ii Naomasa, whose crimson armor earned him the fearsome nickname “The Red Devil of Ii.” For generations, the clan’s lords and retainers proudly wore red armor to project courage, unity, and intimidation on the battlefield.

The armor also includes a scarlet wool jinbaori (surcoat), a luxury garment made from imported wool introduced to Japan through early European trade, along with the owner’s personal battle standard and storage chest.

Remarkably well preserved, this armor offers a vivid glimpse into the final generations of Japan’s samurai.

Photo taken at Touken World Nagoya.

#Samurai #SamuraiArmor #JapaneseArmor
#IiClan #IiNaomasa #AkaZonae
#SamuraiHistory #BoshinWar #JapaneseHistory
#JapaneseCulture #FeudalJapan
#Nagoya #VisitNagoya #NagoyaTravel
#ToukenWorld #TravelJapan #HistoryLovers

A 22-year-old Vietnamese national has been arrested after bear spray was discharged inside a post office in Nagoya, leaving five people hospitalized.

According to police, Nhat Duy Huynh, a Vietnamese national living in Mino City, Gifu Prefecture, allegedly discharged bear spray at the ATM area near the entrance of the Nagoya Nagaremachi Post Office in Naka Ward shortly before noon on July 1.

The incident caused eight people to complain of symptoms including throat irritation, and five of them were taken to hospital. All were conscious, and none suffered life-threatening injuries.
Police arrested Huynh on suspicion of forcible obstruction of business after reviewing security camera footage and other evidence.

Investigators said the suspect visited the post office with an acquaintance and discharged the spray near the ATM area. Police believe the spray was not directed at any individual.

During questioning, Huynh denied intentionally disrupting the post office’s operations, stating:
“I accidentally pulled the spray lever.”
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Source: CBC Television / Japanese media reports, July 2026.

This Japanese dagger was forged about 650 years ago during the Nanbokuchō period by Yoshisada, a swordsmith of the celebrated Samonji school in Kyushu.
The blade was preserved by the Mito Tokugawa family, one of the three most prestigious branches of the Tokugawa clan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu. The family later produced famous historical figures such as Tokugawa Mitsukuni (“Mito Kōmon”) and Tokugawa Nariaki, father of the last shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu.
Yoshisada is believed to have been the son of Sa Yasuyoshi, the founder of the Samonji school and one of the legendary master swordsmiths associated with Masamune’s tradition.
This dagger is admired for its elegant proportions, refined steel, and beautifully crafted blade, making it an outstanding example of Nanbokuchō-period swordmaking.
A remarkable weapon that connects Japan’s greatest samurai family with one of its finest medieval swordsmiths.
Photo taken at Touken World Nagoya.
#Samurai #Tanto #JapaneseSword #Katana
#Tokugawa #MitoTokugawa #SamuraiHistory
#JapaneseHistory #FeudalJapan #JapaneseCulture
#Nagoya #VisitNagoya #NagoyaTravel
#ToukenWorld #TravelJapan #HistoryLovers

Five people were taken to hospital after bear spray was discharged inside a post office in Nagoya, central Japan, on July 1, 2026.

According to police and fire officials, the incident occurred at around 11:50 a.m. at the Nagoya Nagaremachi Post Office in Naka Ward. A post office employee called emergency services, reporting that what appeared to be bear spray had been discharged inside the building.

Eight people complained of feeling unwell, and five of them were transported to hospital. Authorities said all were conscious and none suffered life-threatening injuries.

Police are voluntarily questioning a man who was found near the scene carrying a spray can. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.

A 36-year-old American national and English teacher, Thomas Sundown Behir, has been arrested in Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture, on suspicion of robbery and non-consensual sexual assault.
According to police, Behir allegedly groped a 46-year-old woman inside an elevator near Toyohashi Station in April. After leaving the elevator, he is accused of stealing her smartphone. Later, after encountering the same woman again on the street, he allegedly punched her in the face, causing injuries that required about one week to heal.
The suspect and the victim did not know each other.
Police identified Behir through their investigation following an emergency call made on the day of the incident.
Behir denies the allegations, reportedly stating, “I do not remember doing such things.”
Police say he had been drinking alcohol at the time and are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the case.
Source: Japanese media reports, June 2026.

Seven foreign nationals—six Chinese nationals and one Vietnamese national—have been arrested in Japan for allegedly using stolen credit card information belonging to a woman in Aichi Prefecture to purchase goods online.
According to police, the suspects used the victim’s credit card details in November 2025 to purchase a ¥140,000 (approximately US$950) soundbar from an online retailer. The package was received in Aichi Prefecture before being transferred multiple times through rental properties in Yokohama and Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture, and later resold through flea market apps and second-hand dealers.
Investigators believe the group deliberately moved the packages between different locations in an effort to avoid police detection.
Police estimate that the organization generated approximately ¥372 million in sales by reselling fraudulently obtained electronics, cosmetics, and other products between September 2024 and the present.
Authorities also believe the suspects recruited package receivers through Chinese-language social media, where people were offered ¥1,400–2,000 per package to receive and forward deliveries under instructions sent online.
The investigation began after the woman in Aichi Prefecture reported unauthorized purchases on her credit card. Police have not disclosed whether the seven suspects have admitted or denied the allegations.

Six Vietnamese nationals from Aichi, Gifu, and Mie prefectures have been arrested in Okayama Prefecture on suspicion of illegally possessing tools intended for metal cable theft.
According to Okayama Prefectural Police, the six men were stopped in a parking lot in Soja City at around 8:25 p.m. on June 26. Officers allegedly found them concealing an approximately 80-centimeter cable cutter, a designated restricted tool under Japan’s Metal Theft Prevention Act, inside their vehicle.
Police said they had received information from another prefectural police department that a group was planning to steal copper cables from a solar power facility in Soja City. After locating a vehicle matching the description, officers conducted a stop and arrested the suspects at the scene.
The suspects include men identifying themselves as demolition workers, a company employee, a scaffolding worker, and two unemployed individuals. They were reportedly residing in Aichi, Gifu, and Mie prefectures, with one suspect having no fixed address.
Investigators also found multiple cable cutters of various sizes and crowbars inside the vehicle.
Police have not disclosed whether the suspects have admitted or denied the allegations.
Japan’s Metal Theft Prevention Act, which took effect on September 1, 2025, prohibits carrying concealed cable cutters and other designated tools without a legitimate reason in an effort to prevent thefts of copper cables and other metal infrastructure. This is the first arrestら under the law in Okayama Prefecture.

A 55-year-old Iranian national living in Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, has been arrested and referred to prosecutors on suspicion of violating Japan’s Stimulants Control Act.
According to police and customs authorities, Ahmad Hatefi Majoumerd allegedly conspired with others to smuggle a large quantity of methamphetamine from the United Arab Emirates into Japan in March of this year for commercial purposes.
The drugs were reportedly hidden inside a machine used for baking naan bread, with the methamphetamine divided into multiple bags concealed within the equipment.
Authorities seized approximately 40 kilograms of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value exceeding ¥2.1 billion (about US$14 million). Officials say this is the largest methamphetamine seizure within the jurisdiction of Nagoya Customs since 2019.
Police have not disclosed whether the suspect has admitted to the allegations. Investigators believe additional individuals may have been involved and are continuing to examine the trafficking network and distribution routes.

Cafe Vincennes Deux is a classic kissaten in Sakae, Nagoya. The café is known for home-roasted coffee brewed with flannel drip filters, freshly baked hot apple pie, handmade sweets, and a relaxing French-style atmosphere.

A Brazilian man has been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of attempting to smuggle cocaine with an estimated street value of 144 million yen into Japan, according to the Nagoya Customs Office.
The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Brazilian national and construction worker Da Silva Watanabe Junior Eucleber Julio, was referred to the Tsu District Public Prosecutors Office on suspicion of violating the Customs Act.
According to Nagoya Customs, the suspect allegedly attempted to smuggle approximately six kilograms of cocaine from Brazil through Kansai International Airport via an international courier service in November last year. The drugs were estimated to have a street value of about 144 million yen.
Customs officers at the airport discovered the cocaine hidden inside bags of protein powder. An investigation into the delivery address allegedly led authorities to the suspect’s residence.
Nagoya Customs has not disclosed whether the suspect admits to the allegations and is continuing its investigation, believing the case may be linked to an organized smuggling operation.