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 2)
![New Sonic the Hedgehog figure costs 1 million yen, is made of Arita ware Japanese porcelain [Vid]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/50_70dfd4.jpg?w=640 "New Sonic the Hedgehog figure costs 1 million yen, is made of Arita ware Japanese porcelain [Vid]")
![If anyone needs us, we’ll be in the cardboard Japanese snack house we just built [Photos]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/0_cee4c3.jpg?w=640 "If anyone needs us, we’ll be in the cardboard Japanese snack house we just built [Photos]")
![Video released of Pikachu’s real-world trip to space! [Video]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/3_e8712d.jpg?w=640 "Video released of Pikachu’s real-world trip to space! [Video]")
Face of the Pokémon franchise hitches a ride to the International Space Station as part of European Space Agency mission.
![Yogurt and Japanese koji fungus is Japan’s latest food trend, but how does it taste? [Taste test]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/2_d7ff15.jpg?w=640 "Yogurt and Japanese koji fungus is Japan’s latest food trend, but how does it taste? [Taste test]")
“Hey dude, put some fungus on this!” isn’t an ordinary food hack, but koji is no ordinary fungus.
![Viral Yokohama cafe tops teas with mini teapots with a clever smoldering secret [Photos]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/09/0_f18ccd.jpg?w=640 "Viral Yokohama cafe tops teas with mini teapots with a clever smoldering secret [Photos]")
We try a Shine Muscat experiment that method claim lets Japan’s most delicious grapes shine in a different way.
Almost every country is sending more travelers to Osaka these days, with one very big exception.
![Totoro and other Ghibli anime figure humidifiers return just in time for the dry season [Photos]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/b.jpg?w=640 "Totoro and other Ghibli anime figure humidifiers return just in time for the dry season [Photos]")
Three ways to deal with uncomfortably dry weather while also letting you go “Ahhhh! Isn’t Totoro/Calcifer/Jiji cute?”
Kyoto announces two-tier admission price plan for Nijo Castle, non-residents would pay twice as much
First-of-its-kind system for Kyoto would raise maintenance funding and fight overtourism, proponents say, but will it really reduce crowd sizes?
Japanese government suddenly raises income bar for foreigners seeking permanent residency, will apply new rules even to applications filed six months ago.
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Today
Foreign travelers sitting on sidewalks of Tokyo’s Ginza are Japan’s latest tourism culture clash
American man runs out of money in Japan, gets arrested for overstaying tourist visa
Tokyo Monorail, other east Japan rail networks announce discontinuation of magnetic paper tickets
We waited three hours to get into the new carb heaven all-you-can-eat bread restaurant in Osaka
Studio Ghibli adds Totoro family goods to its anime merchandise store in Japan
Vietnamese-language driver’s license tests suspended in Japan following alleged cheating
New Gundam plush goods mix cosplay and comfort for Char-custom-level coziness [Pics]
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Japanese milk carton cakes are a genius idea that the world needs to know about
What’s it like to stay in a Japanese container hotel?
Weekly
- What’s it like to stay in a Japanese container hotel?
Tokyo train station will play Godzilla theme song as new departure melody- Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Experimenting with making hot sandwiches in the microwave with a device from Japan’s 3COINS
New Studio Ghibli notebooks are a beautiful reason to write and draw by hand [Photos]- Japanese milk carton cakes are a genius idea that the world needs to know about
- American man runs out of money in Japan, gets arrested for overstaying tourist visa
Giant wagashi cushions will turn your home sweet home into home sweet Japanese sweets home
Sushi Bus starts running in Japan, but is it a tourist trap or tourist must-do?- New Gundam plush goods mix cosplay and comfort for Char-custom-level coziness [Pics]
Monthly
Japan announces new permanent residency guidelines, foreigners must earn more than average Japanese person
Starbucks Japan unveils new Pokémon collaboration with Pikachu Latte and exclusive goods- Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Studio Ghibli’s Calcifer is ready to light up your home as a magical-looking candle lamp [Photos]
Lady Gaga and Family Mart team up for a Japanese convenience store work video [Video]- What’s it like to stay in a Japanese container hotel?
New Gundam Base superstores coming soon in the U.S., with one opening this month
Studio Ghibli releases new plush mascot character collection with a focus on friendship- Tokyo train station will play Godzilla theme song as new departure melody
Do Japan’s new single-minded convenience store bento show depressing poverty or satisfying focus?
Yearly
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
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Vietnamese-language driver’s license tests suspended in Japan following alleged cheating
New Gundam plush goods mix cosplay and comfort for Char-custom-level coziness [Pics]
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Japanese milk carton cakes are a genius idea that the world needs to know about
What’s it like to stay in a Japanese container hotel?
Japanese business wear brand creates helpful graph to tell you what to wear at work
High-speed Japanese festival cart crashes cause two deaths on same day, ignite debate over tradition
Bilingual illustrated ninja guide stealthily drops courtesy of a top ninja researcher in Japan
American senior citizen tourist arrested in Japan for bringing gun into country in his luggage
American teenage tourist arrested on suspicion of arson in Tokyo during family trip
The top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
Man in Japan says monkey threw his cat into a pond before attacking him
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Town in Kanagawa struggling with violent gang of monkeys
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