
Recently, our Japanese reporter Yoshio visited his parents’ house and decided to finally take a stab at tidying up his childhood room, which had been left untouched ever since he moved out. In the process, he was surprised to find many lost relics and treasures from his childhood, and became caught up in a wave of nostalgia for several hours. Needless to say, he didn’t get much cleaning done in the end…
If you’re the nostalgic type, perhaps you’d like to take a peek at the treasures that Yoshio dug up, some from over 20 years ago!
New York Times Square postcard
“This postcard is from sometime in the 1990s. You should take a look at the billboard advertisements in the background–there’s one for Suntory, and right above it is an ad for Samsung. Super nostalgic!”
MiniDiscs
“MDs truly revolutionized the development of portable music. I wonder what kids nowadays would say if they saw one of these?”
Sakura Bank bankbook
“Sakura Bank was one of the predecessors of Mitsui Sumitomo Banking Corporation. Now that I really think about it, Sakura Bank has a pleasant, Japanese-sounding name…”
J-PHONE cellular phone
“I was curious to see what pictures were saved in the phone. I tried charging it, but it didn’t turn on.”
Tons of collectible cards
“I found a variety of cards from shows like Downtown no Gottsu Ee Kanji [a Japanese variety show from the mid-90s] and packages of J-League Chips. Kids in those days loved getting the freebie cards that came bundled with certain snacks.”
“Your life will change [GOOD LUCK]” CD
“I can’t remember when or where this CD came from. Apparently, it’s supposed to have a subliminal effect on your mind when you listen to it, and get rid of any stress you have.”
NBA basketball cards
“I collected these cards in middle school. They were sold in packs, and I spent all of my New Year’s money on buying them. I’ve got thousands of cards lying in storage here.”
Tons of old games
“Here are Dragon Quest III and Game Boy Basketball. In any case, Dragon Quest III was a masterpiece. My games are still in really good condition.”
Voice clock
“I assembled this voice clock in my middle school drawing and manual arts class. I recall that using the soldering iron was a terrible hassle. What kinds of things do you remember making in your classes?”
Mr. Children [a Japanese pop rock band that’s now been around for over 25 years] CD single
“I listened to this song a lot when I got really bad test grades. It’s really nostalgic for me. However, when I opened the case, Mr. Children’s ‘Es’ CD single was inside. Where did ‘Everything (It’s You)’ go?”
Here are some more close-ups of some of the loot that he found:
Yoshio was born in 1981, so that makes him 34 years old today. Did any of our readers in their mid-30s or above feel particularly nostalgic? By the way, Yoshio still hasn’t finished cleaning his room yet, so we might be back for a second round of his treasures!
All images © RocketNews24






















Visiting Japan’s Gyarados Pokémon park in the city with a special connection to Magikarp【Photos】
Majority of Japanese women in survey regret marrying their husband, but that’s only half the story
The Yellow Lucky Bag from Village Vanguard is so bad it may damage Japan-US relations
Japan’s kid-friendly ski program is now selling Pikachu snowboards for a limited time only
Massive manga collaboration bringing 100 years of Shueisha manga to Uniqlo T-shirts【Photos】
Visiting Japan’s Gyarados Pokémon park in the city with a special connection to Magikarp【Photos】
Majority of Japanese women in survey regret marrying their husband, but that’s only half the story
The Yellow Lucky Bag from Village Vanguard is so bad it may damage Japan-US relations
Japan’s kid-friendly ski program is now selling Pikachu snowboards for a limited time only
Massive manga collaboration bringing 100 years of Shueisha manga to Uniqlo T-shirts【Photos】
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Akashiyaki: A regional dumpling with a fascinating backstory
We try the new Cup Noodle Humidifier from Nissin
Star Wars becomes a kabuki play as we attend Kairennosuke and the Three Shining Swords in Tokyo
Poké Ball cakes here for limited but long time to celebrate Pokémon franchise’s 30th anniversary
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Totoro cream puffs and Catbus cookies are finally available in downtown Tokyo
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
McDonald’s Japan releases a Mushroom Mountain and Bamboo Shoot Village McFlurry
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Lacquerware supplier to emperor of Japan and Pokémon team up for new tableware
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Akashiyaki: A regional dumpling with a fascinating backstory
We try the new Cup Noodle Humidifier from Nissin
Star Wars becomes a kabuki play as we attend Kairennosuke and the Three Shining Swords in Tokyo
Poké Ball cakes here for limited but long time to celebrate Pokémon franchise’s 30th anniversary
What is kasshayaki, the Japanese street food only one prefecture is lucky enough to love?
Need a taste of spring before the cherry blossoms? Try this Osaka park with over 500,000 flowers
Japanese schoolgirls’ hemlines are still up, but socklines are way down
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Japanese government wants to give people an extra 80,000 yen to have babies, but will it work?
Japanese woodwork: A tradition hundreds of years old, but still as cool as ever 【Video】
Japan’s wildest Seijinshiki Coming-of-Age ceremony celebrates new adults in Kitakyushu 【Photos】
Break out your rags and incense! Let’s learn to clean a grave the right way this Obon season
Lacquerware supplier to emperor of Japan and Pokémon team up for new tableware
Leave a Reply