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 7)
Tokyo’s 242.9-meter (797-foot) city hall will be lit up with Pokémon cards starting this spring.
![Adorable Totoro acorn key holders come with a special guest hidden inside[Photos]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/02/ta-0.jpg?w=640 "Adorable Totoro acorn key holders come with a special guest hidden inside[Photos]")
Street food hot spot wants to be cleaner, but it might just be pushing the smoke down the street.
30th anniversary celebration looks to link Heisei and Reiwa eras with shared love for purikura.
Osaka Municipal Water Bureau suddenly becomes quite a bit closer to being flush with funds.
Ecological goals and economic concerns mean no more free bags and more by-location price variations.
What’s creamy on the outside, jiggly on the inside, and pink and delicious all over? This new sakura dessert drink.
One country is clearly the cause, but fewer foreign tourists might not put the pressure it expects on Japan.
![Japanese zoo’s monkey bonds with Ikea stuffed orangutang following abandonment by mother[Video]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/02/im-1.jpg?w=640 "Japanese zoo’s monkey bonds with Ikea stuffed orangutang following abandonment by mother[Video]")
Punch’s life started with a metaphorical gut-punch, but things are cuddlier, and happier, now.
Manga Plus adds feature that lets fans put manga page art they’ve fallen in love with onto a shirt.
![How to make curry in a rice cooker with zero prep work and no water[Recipe]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/02/rc-1.jpg?w=640 "How to make curry in a rice cooker with zero prep work and no water[Recipe]")
![Is Sapporio’s Snow Festival awesome enough to be worth visiting even if you hate the snow? [Pics]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/02/sy-3.jpg?w=640 "Is Sapporio’s Snow Festival awesome enough to be worth visiting even if you hate the snow? [Pics]")
Can Hokkaido’s annual outdoor art event charm a Tohoku girl who’s always been lukewarm on winter travel?
![Cute coffins now available at Tokyo’s coffin relaxation salon[Photos]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/02/cm-2.jpg?w=640 "Cute coffins now available at Tokyo’s coffin relaxation salon[Photos]")
Unique Takadanobaba meditation space gets a splash of cuteness to brighten up the deathly décor.
Gametech wants you to be able to keep one hand free for doing other things while you play.
MOST POPULAR
Now
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
McDonald’s Japan now has Hello Kitty and Pompompurin drinks on the menu
Soaking in glimmering water and the essence of prehistoric plants at a Hokkaido hot spring
Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Japan’s budget chain restaurant Saizeriya might just be the perfect first date location
Kinotake Mother AI developed to study Japan’s divide between chocolate cookie snacks
7-Eleven sells grapes with skins you can actually eat! We kid you not
Weekly
- Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
- Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Japanese government wants overseas anime market to roughly triple in 10 years, but are they crazy?- Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Japanese bento shop sells croquettes for 13 cents, but are they any good?
30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
Monthly
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events- Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]- Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Yearly
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Japan’s budget chain restaurant Saizeriya might just be the perfect first date location
Kinotake Mother AI developed to study Japan’s divide between chocolate cookie snacks
7-Eleven sells grapes with skins you can actually eat! We kid you not
Drink hot sake at Tokyo train station’s “phantom platform”
Adorable bunny pouches from Japan look like real, live rabbits!
“Bumping men” are a uniquely Japanese class of criminals that are hard to deal with
Police in Japan warn of scam artists posing as cops to collect fines for breaking new bike rules
We encountered the most frightening fried chicken in Ameyokocho in Tokyo, and ate it anyway
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
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