Featured

2014 (Page 171)

Looking for places to visit in Tokyo? Check out this trendy new website, 100 Tokyo!

With the rise of “Cool Japan” as a major part of both the Japanese economic and governmental policy, it’s hardly surprising that so much effort has gone into encouraging tourism. But really, they don’t need to focus on getting people to come…after all, who hasn’t watched an episode of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and not wanted to come to Tokyo!?

But once you’ve settled into your hotel room and slept off the jet lag, then what? Sure, you could just go outside and wander around until you stumbled over a cat cafe, but if your time in the city is limited, you want to do your sightseeing (and souvenir purchasing) efficiently. And for those of you who already live here or are planning for an extended stay, you might be looking for something new to do on the weekend. If so, it might be time for you to check out this new website called 100 Tokyo!

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McDonald’s Japan celebrates cherry blossom season with new cherry frappe and mocha drinks

With certain varieties of sakura trees already covered in pink blossoms, Japan has got cherry trees on the brain. Everyone is looking forward to go out and see the flowers that’ll only be here for a short time, but why settle for one Japanese tradition when you can have two by combining it with limited-availability fast food, in the form of cherry mochas and frappes from McDonald’s.

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Right now there’s no anime series with a wider fan base than Attack on Titan, and while that mainstream appeal has translated into merchandising such as fashion accessories and giant hamburgers, the truest testimony to the fans’ love for an animated series is cosplay of its prominent characters.

Japan’s pet owners can be just as passionate as its anime fans, though, and are just as enthusiastic about dressing their pooches up in eye-catching outfits. So perhaps it was only a matter of time until we saw Pomeranian Attack on Titan cosplay.

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I used the giant Samsung phone that Apple wants to kill — and I’m never going back to a tiny screen again

When I first started using Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3, almost everything about its enormous size annoyed me. I couldn’t text with one hand. It barely fit in my pocket, or didn’t at all. I felt silly holding it up to my ear to talk on the phone. It was the least subtle or elegant phone I’d ever seen.

Even my friends were horrified. I’d plop the Note onto a table or I’d whip it out to take a picture, and anyone I was hanging out with would double-take.

“What is that thing?!” they’d gasp.

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Want to be in I Am Legend? Website uses Google Street View to show cities after the fall of man

Have you ever watched a sci-fi movie or played a video game and wondered what your home and neighborhood would look like if the human race were wiped out? If so you might want to seek counseling, or you can visit this website to seek closure on your thoughts of inevitable doom.

It’s called Urban Jungle Street View and it makes use of Google Maps interactive Street View system but decorates everything to look as if it hadn’t been touched by human hands for decades.

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Video of dancing girls reminds us of Japan’s weird ’90s street fashion

Once a common sight on the streets of Tokyo’s Shibuya youth district, women decked out in the alternative ganguro style are now rare…which makes it all the more strange that an online video of five ganguro girls dancing in a classroom has recently popped up!

Apart from its randomness, the video is actually pretty fun and infectious, and makes us nostalgic for other wacky Japanese street fashions. After seeing their moves, you might even want to get up and dance, too!

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Prepare to be blown away by Gundam projection mapping in the palm of your hand

Projection mapping is a big hit in Japan. Used at festivals and big events, the colourful and creative light shows project moving images onto buildings and objects, bringing them to life with accompanying music and drawing in adoring crowds.

The latest object getting the laser treatment in Japan is a life-size Gundam figure in Odaiba, Tokyo. While the figure has travelled around and been subject to projection mapping over the past few years, a new tie-in promotional product that has crowds going crazy. It’s a simple little box that, when used in conjunction with your smartphone or PSP, fills up with lasers, sparks and music in an amazing 3-D light show you’ll have to see to believe.

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Pouring beer into a very hot frying pan is surprisingly interesting

Have you ever seen what happens when you pour beer onto a strongly heated frying pan? Probably not since few people are willing to waste it in such a way. But if you did you might have been surprised at the magical little show that takes place.

In the following video we can see that the beer takes the form of little spheres that seem to float over the surface of the pan. In fact, they are floating as a result of something called the Leidenfrost effect.

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Japanese TV and movie star Mihiro reveals her secrets to younger looking skin

In Japan, there is a saying that goes, “25 years old is the turning point of the skin.” As you might expect from a nation with a multi-billion yen beauty industry, many Japanese women, especially those who are past 30, are in a constant battle to preserve their aging features. Of course we’d all like to stay young, but how does one go about keeping their skin looking fresh and youthful? We asked a 30-something Japanese TV and movie star to reveal her tips to better looking skin. Read on to learn her beauty secrets!

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Where to find the “ultimate melon bread” in Japan

Just the thought of melon bread (or meronpan, as it’s called in Japanese), is enough to make my mouth water. It’s got to be the combination of that fluffy, sweet interior and the crispy, thin cookie dough outer coating…not to mention its heavenly aroma. Whenever I go to a new bakery in Japan, I always try out the melon bread first, and that inevitably sets the standard for me (by the way, plain old 7-11 melon bread is one of my favorites – who else agrees?!).

While it may seem contrary to fact, not all melon bread is actually made with melon flavoring. The name has more to do with the fact that its round shape and exterior grooves resemble a melon. However, we here at RocketNews24 have recently discovered an authentic, “ultimate melon bread” to beat all the rest! If you’re as big of a melon bread fan as us, keep on reading to find out where you can buy this little bun of happiness.

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These cat-laden sweets are too cute to eat…but we still want to!【Photos】

We’ve found the perfect snack to go with those cat marshmallow lattes! The best match for a cup of hot coffee or cocoa with a cute cat floating in it has to be hotcakes loaded with little wandering kitties! The best (or worst) part is, those cats aren’t just decorations, they’re completely edible! More pictures after the jump!

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Expat blogger dishes on her favorite foods to bring back to Japan after a trip home

It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, if you’re an expat, there’s something from home you’re craving. Whether it’s chips and salsa or a good, strong beer, not having easy access to your favorite foods can put a damper on even the most enthusiastic of world travelers. That’s why knowing what to bring back after a visit home is so important, and Sharla, a university student living in Tokyo who makes videos about life in Japan, is here to help. Take a look at her video titled “What to Pack for JAPAN 日本に持っていくべき物!” and be prepared to take some notes. As an added bonus, Sharla speaks in English but includes subtitles in Japanese so anyone studying either language can get some extra practice.
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AQTAS: the deep fryer that not only is safe to add water to, but uses it for better frying

In Japan, there’s been a lot of talk about a new deep fryer developed by Noritz called AQTAS. Traditionally deep frying involved using oil and oil only. Adding water to the equation would often lead to destruction to property and/or serious bodily harm.

Then there’s AQTAS which somehow not only is able to take in water and ice without an explosion but all of the oil in the fryer is actually swirling directly atop a layer of water. We’re not really sure exactly why it works, but it does and there are a bunch of other benefits to it as well.

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Stingy people rejoice as Japanese restaurants in New York introduce a ban on tipping

“Please can I give you a tip? In America, we have this custom, you know. I have to tip the pizza guy. And you came all the way out here in this weather…”

The rain-drenched delivery man on the doorstep of the Japanese apartment looked mildly embarrassed as he waved away my friend’s money. It was a typhoon day – classes cancelled, school closed, and the English teachers from my school had piled into one apartment for a party. Not wanting to brave the lashing wind and rain to go out and get food, we had ordered pizza, but hadn’t counted on the guilt we would feel when the delivery guy turned up on a moped looking like he’d just jumped into a swimming pool fully clothed.

In Japan, there’s no custom of tipping. In fact, leaving a tip could potentially be considered rude, as the cost of the service is already supposed to be included in the price you pay. My American buddy’s attempt to follow his home custom in Japan ended in the delivery driver apologising profusely for not accepting the tip! In New York City, meanwhile, Japanese restaurants are bringing the no-tipping custom Stateside, as Restaurant Riki becomes the latest Manhattan establishment to ban their customers from tipping.

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LED plant factories offer efficient 3D alternative to traditional gardening

The concept of plant factories is not a new one. Especially in space-strapped Japan, the idea of a compact garden that can simulate a natural environment in a tight urban area is highly desirable.

Keystone Technologies is one Japanese company that has been constantly refining their LED garden technology. Currently they boast a system that can fit about a quarter acre’s worth of crops into a space of a hotel’s single-room, and that’s just the beginning.

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Japan reacts to Colombian President’s urine trouble during speech

Peeing one’s pants is a problem that knows no borders. Well except for the parts of the world that don’t wear pants at least. Nevertheless, it affects all races, religions, genders, and ages.

However, when a video of Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos apparently releasing urine into his unfortunately brightly colored slacks hit YouTube, it was like no one had ever seen such a thing before. Granted it was relatively rare coming from a world leader, but they pee their pants one leg at a time just like the rest of us.

And yet this video has spread across the globe like so much discharged fluid into a cotton polyester blend, and many people’s reactions to it were equally uncomfortable once more was understood about the man – Japan being no exception.

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Man spends $140,000 a month on cosmetic surgery, girls still aren’t impressed

Imagine dropping vast sums of cash on plastic surgery in an effort to make yourself appear more attractive, only to be told by a host of female celebs on national television that they wouldn’t touch you with a barge pole.

In classic Japanese variety show fashion, that’s precisely what TBS’s Watashi no Nani ga Ikenai no!? has in store for viewers next week, according to a recently released teaser trailer.

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Well I never knew that! Video shows secret sleeping quarters for night bus drivers

Most haulage vehicles have snug little sleeping compartments for their drivers to crawl into after many hours on the road, but if you take a look around an average Greyhound or overnight bus you’ll notice no such place to hunker down.

So if a driver needs a little shut-eye between trips, where do they get it? Motels? Some kind of depot? Sitting up in their seat with a neck pillow? According to the following video, night bus drivers in Japan actually have another alternative, and it’s a lot closer than we thought.

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  • Mar 22, 2014

Turn your painful break-up into a positive global force with this “Heartbreak Box”!

We all know break-ups can be a painful, gut-wrenching experience. Even long after the actual traumatic event, you may suddenly be seized with thoughts such as, “Oh, we were supposed to see that movie together,” or “We were going to go to that beach this summer,” and find yourself weeping uncontrollably at the most unexpected and usually inopportune moments.

And what can really be a bummer is deciding what to do with all the things your ex-boyfriend (or ex-girlfriend) gave you. Birthday presents, letters or even pictures of the two of you together — all items that were irreplaceable treasures at one time — can bring back painful memories and possibly even prevent you from moving on. But now, there may be an ideal solution to this problem, and one that can help change the world for the better.

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Lobsters offered as prizes for claw game all found dead, foul play suspected

A tragic scene unfolded at the Inter World game center in Iwatsuki, Saitama this week. The lobster claw game, in which players get a chance to catch a live lobster became a grizzly spectacle as every single crustacean was found dead.

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