Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
November, 2015 (Page 10)
With much of the world’s population being separated from the farming process these days, it’s easy for us to forget that the hamburger we just ate came from a living, breathing, thinking, and possibly even emotionally engaged cow.
Pictures and videos emerged in Hong Kong last week after a motorist struck a bull. While that is sad in itself, what gained media attention is that the rest of the bull’s herd gathered around to push him to safety and then mourn the tragedy.
Winter is settling in and the nights are getting colder. Fortunately, that means you’ll soon be able to slumber snugly in a Rilakkuma sleeping bag!
In the small town of Inakadate, Shota Kawasaki was both employed at a straw-crafts workshop and a member of his local volunteer fire department. However, this village of 8,000 people was far more famous for its rice paddy art than fires breaking out, and while making straw art is charming in its own way, it can get to be a drag day in and day out.
That’s why Aomori prefectural police are suspecting Kawasaki of starting a series of fires over the past six months; so that he could allegedly feel the rush of putting them out.
These are the most powerful anime heroes as chosen by fans outside of Japan. Who will claim the top spot and does your favorite make the list?
A recent viral video of a young Korean girl initially pouting then breaking into giggles at the sound of her squeaky shoes is just the thing you need to kick your week off right!
Japan is famous for fast trains, but one new line crawls along at 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) per hour! Can the ultra-slow Snow Turtle save an endangered company?
You’re not looking at a screenshot from the newest Borderlands game. Handsome Jack is here to stake his claim on Earth!
In the past few months the Japanese word mottainai, which conveys a sense of regret over waste, has begun to spread into the Western world, and the concept of mottainai can be seen most clearly in every bowl of rice.
Transplanting yourself into another country can help you learn the language, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll absorb every bit of the culture. This image is a perfect example of that: Your understanding will depend entirely on how familiar you are with Japanese culture and history. So, we’ve broken this package down into five degrees of cultural awareness! And don’t feel bad if you don’t “get it,” because quite a few Japanese people were lost as well.
Get ready to double your cuteness level! Japanese company Clearstone has partnered up with Sanrio for two new cute-as-a-button sailor-style school uniforms in their “Neo Graphic Sailor Uniform x Little Twin Stars” dreamy collaboration!
For their 10th anniversary, Wazigen Shizukuya is providing gorgeous modern hakama and yukata styles for all the men.
With the advent of cellphones, wristwatches have become less and less common, meaning makers have had to get more and more creative capture the attention of customers. One perfect example is this Japanese watch company that has started selling watches that use transforming metal kanji characters to tell the time!
We’ve got some fantastic news for children of the ’90s who once made it (and still make it) their quest to catch ’em all: The original first-generation Pokémon games are coming to the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console early next year!
With just over a month until Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters, Star Wars fever has taken the world by storm, and Korea is no exception! K-pop group EXO has recorded a tie-in single, named “Lightsaber”, for the Korean release of the film, and a music video for the song was released on YouTube earlier this week. As you may expect, it quickly went viral, reaching almost two million views in the last few days.
The most recent episode of Nintendo Direct included some exciting news for fans of the soon-to-be 30-year-old Legend of Zelda video game series. In the broadcast, Nintendo executives announced that a high-definition version of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess would be released for the Wii U on March 4, 2016 internationally, and on March 10 in Japan.
It’s estimated that people lose an average of 50 to 100 strands of hair a day. Most of those will probably go unnoticed, but if throwing those fallen hairs away in the garbage seems too boring a task, you could find some other use for them.
What we don’t recommend doing, though, is lighting your fallen hair on fire like this Japanese university student, for some reason, decided to do…
If you’ve ever wanted to turn back time and step into the clothes of a well-dressed geisha, a pipe-smoking courtesan or a sword-wielding samurai warrior, we’ve found the perfect place for you!
Some people dream about being a superhero and other people just dream about being a video game character. But why dream it, when you can be it, like this stuntman who demonstrates his skills which exactly mimic a certain Tekken character’s repertoire?
With retail outlets pushing seasonal holiday merchandise earlier and earlier every year, it’s perhaps not too surprising that there are already signs of next year’s goodies.
Japanese airlines All Nippon Airways (ANA) has teamed up with Disney to create an in-air experience that’s perfect for the ultimate “Star Wars” fan.
Covered in an R2-D2-like designs and a “Star Wars” logo on the outside, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft also has some fun galactic details inside, such as customized headrests, cups, and lighting. While in the air, passengers can even stream all six of the currently released “Star Wars” films.
Starbucks teams up with the oldest of Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns to create a Bizen ware coffee mug
Super budget-friendly retro Tokyo hotel feels like having your own 1960s Asakusa apartment
New Hello Kitty McDonald’s Japan Happy Meal toys are here, and Kitty’s sister is part of the set
Abuse Cafe Japan: We get abused by waitresses in maids’ uniforms at Tokyo’s viral pop-up diner
Studio Ghibli lets you cosplay as Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle with cosy anime fashion range
Kyoto becomes City of Yokai, with Night Parade of One Hundred Demons festival this autumn
Studio Ghibli releases free-download board game — Here’s how to play it without reading Japanese
Cafe Mountain, Ocean & Sun opens its second location in Japan, the first in Tokyo
7-Eleven Japan’s new moon-viewing Ghibli-style “Laputa bread” has anime fans buzzing and chomping
25 different Japanese convenience store sandwiches – What’s inside them?【Photos】Studio Ghibli releases free-download board game — Here’s how to play it without reading JapaneseStudio Ghibli lets you cosplay as Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle with cosy anime fashion rangeNew Hello Kitty McDonald’s Japan Happy Meal toys are here, and Kitty’s sister is part of the set
Hot spring facility’s beautiful views and all-you-can-eat sushi leave us clean, full, and happy
Japan’s cat testicle calendar is here for nyantama fans to go nuts with
Starbucks Japan releases custom tumblers…that wear aprons
Pikachu/Game Boy manhole cover installed at Nintendo Museum, not viewable by general public
Howl and Sophie ring set gives you Ghibli style on your fingers for a very affordable price
Studio Ghibli releases new wooden stand clips featuring cute cast of anime characters
Starbucks Japan releases special range of drinkware goods to celebrate the moon and the siren
Foreign tourists on Shinkansen bullet train break suitcase etiquette, angering local passengersStudio Ghibli releases free-download board game — Here’s how to play it without reading JapaneseStudio Ghibli lets you cosplay as Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle with cosy anime fashion range
Japanese government wants to remove tax-exemption limit for foreign tourists on consumables
Japanese government suspends plan to pay Tokyo women 600,000 to move away to get married
Starbucks Japan unveils new limited-edition Frappuccino for autumn
The heartwarming story of Japan’s “Weakling Gundam” and the fans who supported it in its hour of need
Foreign tourist in Japan arrested for having sex on shrine grounds in broad daylight
Matsushima restaurant offers all-you-can-eat sashimi in as many ways as you can dream it【Photos】
Japan’s Mt. Fuji convenience store view-blocking screen has finally been taken down, on one condition
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goodsForeign tourists on Shinkansen bullet train break suitcase etiquette, angering local passengers
[Deleted] Article written for April Fool’s Day 2018
Sold-out Studio Ghibli desktop humidifiers are back so Totoro can help you through the dry season
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Kyoto becomes City of Yokai, with Night Parade of One Hundred Demons festival this autumn
Studio Ghibli releases free-download board game — Here’s how to play it without reading Japanese
Cafe Mountain, Ocean & Sun opens its second location in Japan, the first in Tokyo
7-Eleven Japan’s new moon-viewing Ghibli-style “Laputa bread” has anime fans buzzing and chomping
25 different Japanese convenience store sandwiches – What’s inside them?【Photos】
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
What does a Japanese local think of the Uobei conveyor belt sushi restaurant?
Amazing exhibition of Japan’s legendary “cursed katana” is going on right now【Photos】
Kansai area people more genetically predisposed to liking coffee than elsewhere in Japan
We recreate the delicious-looking meatball stew from Laputa: Castle in the Sky【SoraKitchen】
Goku down! Vast majority of surveyed college students in Japan haven’t read the Dragon Ball manga
This Nara workshop has been making deer crackers for more than 100 years and offers tours【Photos】
The impossible circular staircase is just that… impossible【Video】
Do 7-Eleven Japan’s new back-to-budget-friendly-basics rice bowls make us happy?【Taste test】