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

Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open

This part of Japan gets so much snow you have to wait until spring to see it, but the wait is over!

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Police in Japan warn of scam artists posing as cops to collect fines for breaking new bike rules

Luckily there’s an easy way to tell if you’re dealing with a legitimate law enforcement officer or a con artist.

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Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan

Noto Peninsula is ready to welcome travelers again, and these Pokémon are ready to help them do it.

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Pikachu to cuddle with kimono-clad beauty on Tokyo street as part of flower art event

Exhibition near Tokyo Station mixes flowers, anime, and ukiyo-e aesthetics.

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Sanrio’s best-loved butthole defies physics in adorable sumo collaboration[Photos]

Pompompurin’s charm point apparently can’t be concealed.

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What’s inside Japan’s super-rare, super-popular Nara bread?

Nara is famous for deer and temples, but you won’t find either of those inside this hard-to-find baked good.

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Japanese Godzilla looks set to attack New York in teaser for Godzilla Minus Zero[Video]

Toho’s Godzilla doesn’t often travel abroad in-movie, but he’ll be visiting the Statue of Liberty.

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First Shiba Inu police dog in Japan’s Gifu Prefecture now on duty[Video]

Who’s a good girl who serves and protects?

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Final version of Sanrio: Beginning of Kawaii exhibition opens in Tokyo[Photos]

Hello Kitty and friends’ tour of the country comes to its last stop in downtown Tokyo with a look back on 60 years of cuteness, Japanese-style.

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Japan has new rules for bicycle riders, and these 14 things could get you a fine or a court date

There’s a major gray area in Japan’s new blue ticket cycling violation system.

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No, that’s not French bread, it’s Japan’s crazy-big gobo!

Giant gobo is shocking to look at, but how does it taste?

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Japanese government wants overseas anime market to roughly triple in 10 years, but are they crazy?

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry sets targets of 186-percent growth in the overseas anime business, 253 percent for Japanese video games.

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Fading Tokyo – Horikiri Station, the Arakawa River, and Kinpachi-sensei[Walking course]

Mr. Sato heads to the neighborhood of a famous TV drama and finds a nostalgic taste of a youth he never had.

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Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden

Early blossoming likely means early full bloom at this breathtaking park within day-trip distance of Tokyo.

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Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo

We head to the new arrival from the north to see if it’s still something special.

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Downtown Tokyo’s meaty monster Kaibutsu ramen will challenge your stomach, thrill your taste buds

This ramen behemoth only appears two days a week, but for serious carnivores, it’s worth waiting for.

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Pokémon store character meet-and-greet events to resume in May

Pokémon sub-brand schedules event roughly six weeks after Pokémon Center stabbing.

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Drink vending machines disappearing in Japan as number drops to lowest in 30 years

In the land of vending machines, what’s behind the biggest single-year decrease ever for soft drinks?

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Studio Ghibli celebrates the magic of movie theaters with short video, Hayao Miyazaki illustration

Familiar voice provides narration for reminder that there’s something special about the in-theater experience.

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Howl’s Moving Castle’s scene-stealing dog is here to clean your home as a plushie mop

Your home is your castle, and Studio Ghibli’s Heen will make it a clean one to boot.

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