Casey Baseel
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Casey Baseel spent his formative years staring in frustration at un-subtitled Japanese TV programming shown on Southern California’s international channel. Taking matters into his own hands, he moved to Tokyo to study the language, then found work in Yokohama a decade ago teaching, translating, and marketing hotels he can’t afford to stay in. When not participating in the eternal cycle of exercising to burn the calories form his love of Japanese food, Casey scours used comic and game shops for forgotten classics, drags his wife around the country in a quest to visit all its castles, sings karaoke not nearly as well as he thinks he does, and counts the days until the summertime bars open on Enoshima Beach.
Posted by Casey Baseel
![When will the cherry blossoms reach full bloom in Japan this year?[Forecast]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/03/mk-1.jpg?w=640 "When will the cherry blossoms reach full bloom in Japan this year?[Forecast]")
Moon power to shine across the Pacific for the first time at Universal Studios Hollywood, One Piece and Super Mario get special events too.
Three cities share the status of this year’s first sakura arrivals, with a fourth joining them one day later.
![Umamusume food and drinks dash into real world at Family Mart convenience stores[Taste test]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/03/um-0.jpg?w=640 "Umamusume food and drinks dash into real world at Family Mart convenience stores[Taste test]")
Family Mart’s lineup includes actual Hachimi Drink, collaboration also features “magic” clear files.
Even if the number of men and women using a building are the same, the number of toilets shouldn’t be, government’s guideline drafts say.
![Pizza Hut Japan’s new ie-kei ramen pizza is here and weird, but is it tasty too? [Taste test]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/03/ph-9.jpg?w=640 "Pizza Hut Japan’s new ie-kei ramen pizza is here and weird, but is it tasty too? [Taste test]")
![Japanese man drives truck that’s on fire directly to fire station, drops flaming potatoes[Videos]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/03/11_57ff19.jpg?w=640 "Japanese man drives truck that’s on fire directly to fire station, drops flaming potatoes[Videos]")
Comfort food to snuggle up with is just one of the crazy prizes in the 7-Eleven Happy Kuji collection.
Restaurant chain creates sushi you can eat with one hand, leaving your other free to toast the cherry blossoms.
![Starbucks Japan’s Cream Puff Frappuccino is here! Did it make Friday the 13th lucky? [Taste test]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/03/1_1755c9.jpg?w=640 "Starbucks Japan’s Cream Puff Frappuccino is here! Did it make Friday the 13th lucky? [Taste test]")
Japan’s foreign resident population surges past four million for the first time in history.
Viral tweet claims have shoppers wondering if they’re paying premium-filling prices for almost-plain onigiri.
There’s no question that this is a case where the celebrity endorser really is a fan of the product.
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Tokyo government organizes food truck event to clear out delinquent/homeless teen gathering area
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