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Japan's Only Young Imperial Heir Turns 18

In this handout photo taken on July 15, 2024 and released by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan on September 6, Japan's Prince Hisahito is pictured at a garden of the Akasaka imperial property residence in Tokyo. Prince Hisahito celebrates his 18th birthday on September 6. (Photo by Handout / IMPERIAL HOUSEHOLD AGENCY OF JAPAN / AFP)
In this handout photo taken on July 15, 2024 and released by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan on September 6, Japan's Prince Hisahito is pictured at a garden of the Akasaka imperial property residence in Tokyo. Prince Hisahito celebrates his 18th birthday on September 6. (Photo by Handout / IMPERIAL HOUSEHOLD AGENCY OF JAPAN / AFP)
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Japan's Only Young Imperial Heir Turns 18

In this handout photo taken on July 15, 2024 and released by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan on September 6, Japan's Prince Hisahito is pictured at a garden of the Akasaka imperial property residence in Tokyo. Prince Hisahito celebrates his 18th birthday on September 6. (Photo by Handout / IMPERIAL HOUSEHOLD AGENCY OF JAPAN / AFP)
In this handout photo taken on July 15, 2024 and released by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan on September 6, Japan's Prince Hisahito is pictured at a garden of the Akasaka imperial property residence in Tokyo. Prince Hisahito celebrates his 18th birthday on September 6. (Photo by Handout / IMPERIAL HOUSEHOLD AGENCY OF JAPAN / AFP)

Japan got a new highly eligible bachelor on Friday as Prince Hisahito, the imperial family's last hope for long-term survival unless the rules are changed to allow female succession, turned 18.

Although his formal coming-of-age ceremony has been pushed back to at least 2025 so he can finish school, according to the Imperial Household Agency, they released a video of him strolling in woods, saying he is "extremely interested" in natural history.

"I hope to learn more through each and every experience, absorbing various aspects and growing through them," the prince was quoted as saying.

Hisahito is the only son of Crown Prince Akishino, 58, and Crown Princess Kiko, 57, and is second-in-line to succeed his uncle Emperor Naruhito, 64, Agence France Presse reported.

Naruhito has a daughter, Aiko, 22, but she cannot succeed her father under the Imperial Household Law, in place since 1947, because of her gender.

Royal women must also leave the family when they wed a commoner -- as in 2021, when former princess Mako, Hisahito's other sister, married her university sweetheart.

The same rule does not apply to male members of the family, however, with Naruhito's father Akihito, 90, having wed Michiko, 89, the daughter of a flour magnate whom he met on a tennis court in 1959.

The imperial family, whose history according to legend goes back 2,600 years, formally renounced its divine status after Japan's defeat in World War II and it has no political power.

Akihito, who abdicated in 2019 due to his age and poor health, is credited with modernizing the institution.

The Imperial Household Agency opened its first Instagram account in April, but many of the photos are formally staged, only showing the activities of the current emperor, his wife, and daughter.

Lawmakers in May began discussing possible relaxations to the strict succession rules, and a recent Kyodo News poll found 90 percent public support for female succession.

But resistance among conservative MPs, who revere the royals as the perfect example of a patriarchal Japanese family, makes that change unlikely any time soon.

Aside from Prince Hisahito and his father, the only other heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne is the emperor's childless uncle Prince Hitachi, 88.

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Al-Qatif Street Food Festival Celebrates Saudi Culinary Arts

The event features six pavilions that allow visitors to explore a wide variety of foods and beverages made from local ingredients, reflecting the Kingdom’s diverse environments and regional flavors - SPA
The event features six pavilions that allow visitors to explore a wide variety of foods and beverages made from local ingredients, reflecting the Kingdom’s diverse environments and regional flavors - SPA
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Al-Qatif Street Food Festival Celebrates Saudi Culinary Arts

The event features six pavilions that allow visitors to explore a wide variety of foods and beverages made from local ingredients, reflecting the Kingdom’s diverse environments and regional flavors - SPA
The event features six pavilions that allow visitors to explore a wide variety of foods and beverages made from local ingredients, reflecting the Kingdom’s diverse environments and regional flavors - SPA

The Culinary Arts Commission launched Al-Qatif Street Food Festival, which runs until December 30, 2025, offering visitors a rich cultural experience that highlights Saudi culinary arts in a setting that reflects the authenticity and diversity of the Kingdom’s national cuisine, while reinforcing the presence of heritage within the contemporary cultural landscape.

The festival showcases Saudi food culture as a vital component of national identity through live cooking stations where traditional dishes are prepared and presented by culinary experts, SPA reported.

The event features six pavilions that allow visitors to explore a wide variety of foods and beverages made from local ingredients, reflecting the Kingdom’s diverse environments and regional flavors.

In addition to the culinary offerings, the festival presents a range of accompanying cultural experiences designed to enrich the visitor journey and encourage engagement with food as both an artistic and knowledge-based experience.

These include a dedicated children’s pavilion, interactive tasting spaces for dishes, and innovative beverage experiences inspired by Saudi agricultural products.

Varieties

Want to Read More in 2026? Here's How to Revive Your Love of Books

A woman reads a book in the afternoon sun on a bench outside South Station in Boston, on Friday, May 31, 2024. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
A woman reads a book in the afternoon sun on a bench outside South Station in Boston, on Friday, May 31, 2024. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
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Want to Read More in 2026? Here's How to Revive Your Love of Books

A woman reads a book in the afternoon sun on a bench outside South Station in Boston, on Friday, May 31, 2024. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
A woman reads a book in the afternoon sun on a bench outside South Station in Boston, on Friday, May 31, 2024. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)

People stop reading in adulthood for lots of reasons. But it’s never too late to turn the page on old habits and start again.

Curling up with a good book can reduce stress, increase creativity and boost empathy. A recent analysis of US government data found that the percentage of Americans who read for pleasure during an average day has fallen to 16% in 2023 from 28% in 2004. That includes not just books but audiobooks, e-books and periodicals like magazines, The AP news reported.

Some people say they're fatigued from years of assigned reading in school. Others don't have the time or would rather zone out by doom-scrolling on social media. And many just got out of the habit.

“It’s difficult for people who are really tired and busy to think about getting into reading if it’s not something they’re used to,” said Jacqueline Rammer, director of Menomonee Falls Public Library in Wisconsin.

For those looking to set reading goals or resolutions in 2026, here's how to get back into the habit.

Choose the right book When picking your next book, avoid dense nonfiction or a 500-page doorstop.

“Your first book should be something that you think will be joyful,” said Jocelyn Luizzi, a software engineer from Chicago who blogs about books.

Everyone's taste is different, so get recommendations from a variety of places including friends, booksellers and online communities like BookTok.

Rammer and her staff ask library visitors: What was the last book, TV show or movie that you really enjoyed? Then, they look for similar genres or themes.

Many libraries offer access to a service called NoveList which suggests “read-alikes” for various books and authors.

Set a reading routine To create a habit that sticks, “start by scheduling reading into your day,” said Gloria Mark, an attention span expert with the University of California, Irvine. Read five pages during a lunch break or right before bed.

If you're reading a physical book, Mark said to avoid distractions by keeping phones and laptops out of sight.

But experimenting with other formats can make reading more convenient. E-books are portable and audiobooks are a good candidate to accompany chores or the morning commute. You can likely access both for free by downloading an app called Libby and signing in with a library card.

Try to read in a quiet setting, but don't be afraid to make it a social activity. Many cities in the US and around the world host silent book clubs where people read their own books together in coffee shops and libraries.

Setting a reading goal for the year or joining a local library's winter reading challenge can help with motivation — but if it feels like added pressure, don't do it.

Shannon Whitehead Smith, a book blogger from the Atlanta area who also works in marketing, says scrolling through lists of other people's reads on social media and trackers like StoryGraph encourages her to keep the habit.

“Seeing all these other people reading motivates me to put my phone down and pick up this book that’s sitting beside me,” she said.

Feel free to skip a read if a book feels particularly sluggish, it's OK to put it down and start another. Reading “shouldn't feel like a burden,” said Jess Bone with University College London, who analyzed the survey data about American adults reading for pleasure.

Routine readers say the habit helps them stay curious and release the stress of the day. Rammer, the library director, reads mysteries rife with twists and turns, and romances that cycle through roller coasters of emotions.

Most of all, she likes books that end with a “happily ever after.”

“I think the guarantee of knowing that things are going to end up OK is really reassuring,” Rammer said.

Varieties

Saudi Architecture and Design Commission Launches Graphic Design Association in Riyadh

The association aims to unify graphic design practitioners
The association aims to unify graphic design practitioners
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Saudi Architecture and Design Commission Launches Graphic Design Association in Riyadh

The association aims to unify graphic design practitioners
The association aims to unify graphic design practitioners

The Graphic Design Association has been launched in Riyadh under the patronage of the Saudi Architecture and Design Commission.

Sunday’s event, attended by officials and culture experts, marks a significant step in empowering graphic design talents.

The ceremony included a presentation outlining the association’s vision and operational plans for developing the graphic design sector. Key goals include supporting designers and enhancing their professional presence locally and internationally.

The association aims to unify graphic design practitioners, providing a framework that fosters skill development, stimulates innovation, and creates opportunities in the cultural sector.

Acting CEO of the Architecture and Design Commission Prince Nawaf bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf stressed that the association is vital for organizing the sector and improving professional practices, thereby enhancing its role in the cultural ecosystem.

The Graphic Design Association is one of the professional associations established under the Saudi Ministry of Culture, aimed at building an integrated system of organizations to empower practitioners across various cultural fields.