KATSUURA, Chiba Prefecture—The Katsuura Big Hina Matsuri ... At the main venue of Tomisakijinja shrine, roughly 1,800 figurines line the 60 stone steps. Residents decorate the steps with the ...

CHIBA—Susumu Ishii was on his way from school ... Surrounded by flames, he ran alone to a shrine near the coast. It began raining around midnight. He spent his time there gazing upon the sea.