KUMANO, Mie Prefecture--The famed "Shishi-iwa" (Lion rock), a lion-shaped formation on top of a cliff here appearing to be roaring at the Sea of Kumanonada, has regained its fierceness.

For the greatest of African ... roaring—one voice, then another, then three together, rumbling out across the plains beneath a now darkening sky and a small waxing crescent of moon. Lion roars ...

In what can only be described as a heart-pounding experience, a traveller on a self-drive safari found himself in a face-off with a lion, capturing the attention of millions on social media.