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 (Page 138)
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We call them “rice balls” in English, but the real-meaning of “onigiri” is something a lot of Japanese people don’t find appetizing.
After topping Hello Kitty in the Sanrio character popularity poll, Pompompurin wants to welcome travelers to Tokyo and Sapporo.
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Real-world Delicious in Dungeon manga/anime food waiting for those who brave Tokyo’s Shibuya dungeon
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Seven places that aren’t Starbucks where you can get delicious sakura cherry blossom drinks in Japan
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Japanese convenience store Lawson launches new “mini supermarket” chain, L Minimart
Sushi Pizza surprises diners in one of the best food destinations in Japan
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Japan’s adorable pudding chick becomes a transit card mascot
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Weekly
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Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed- Mr. Sato takes a walk on Tokyo’s American-style street to get some American/Japanese ice cream
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Monthly
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
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Studio Ghibli releases new anime keychains that are like miniature figurines
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Yearly
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
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We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
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Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
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133-year-old Japanese company’s cookies go beyond matcha with dashi and shichimi flavors
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Krispy Kreme releases new limited-edition fox doughnuts at only four stores in Japan
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Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists
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