Find your purr-fect creativity outlet over the holidays and give these eight kitty-compatible DIY projects a try.
Posted by Jamie Koide (Page 10)
Japanese netizens are both creeped out and confused by this new Thanksgiving/Christmas emoji from Skype.
Two Chinese panda cubs giggle and coo as a zoo staff member cuddles and bathes them with a washcloth.
It was quite a show at the Rakuten Eagle Fan Festival 2015, where players from the Japanese professional baseball team dressed as female look-alikes drew the most laughs and smiles from the audience.
When Australian musician Tal Wilkenfeld randomly asked a fellow coffee shop patron for translation help, we don’t think this was quite what she was expecting.
Feeding fish is an innocent pastime — unless you’ve got a whole pond and a thousand fish instead of a small tank! Then it looks more like a horror movie!
With December less than two weeks away, Japanese companies are beginning to make preparations for their annual bounenkai (end-of-year) and shinnenkai (New Year) parties. Even if they’re the kind of people who sometimes duck out on after-work drinks with the boss, most Japanese employees are painfully aware that skipping the biggest corporate celebrations of the year is tantamount to career suicide.
Because large-scale events usually require more space than your average drinking party, many Japanese companies have recently been moving away from typical sit-down enkai banquets and are holding more Western-style events where staff are encouraged to move around freely and interact over a few drinks.
But according to a recent survey, these Western-style work socials are overwhelmingly unpopular in Japan. Here are the top seven reasons why.
Naomi Watanabe is the comedian-turned-model and fashion designer largely responsible for Japan’s pocchari, or chubby, trend which is still going strong, and paving the way for large and lovely girls nationwide, from idol group la BIG 3 to the more recent Shangrila maid cafe.
Now, Watanabe is making waves across Japanese social media for her fashion-forward hair.
On vacation in Tokyo but feeling a little “lost in translation”? Well, if you’ve got the cash to splash, why not make your Japan experience even more memorable by paying homage to the classic comedy-drama of the same name by staying at the Park Hyatt Hotel, considered by some to be Tokyo’s best luxury hotel.
For those who are extremely fortunate, as one Reddit user recently found, you might even score a fabulous night in the suite used by Bill Murray in the movie.
With just over a month until Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters, Star Wars fever has taken the world by storm, and Korea is no exception! K-pop group EXO has recorded a tie-in single, named “Lightsaber”, for the Korean release of the film, and a music video for the song was released on YouTube earlier this week. As you may expect, it quickly went viral, reaching almost two million views in the last few days.
We all have different ways of getting through long flights, like settling down for some inflight entertainment, reading a good book, or possibly trolling fellow passengers. But one thing everyone tries not to think about is what might happen if the plane were to suddenly experience an emergency while thousands of feet up in the air.
For one unlucky group of passengers last month, they experienced just that, and for what might be the strangest reason we’ve heard yet: some very gassy sheep.
Female fighters in Japan and all across the globe and are inspiring a whole new generation of young women to take up martial arts in what has traditionally been considered a male-dominated domain, like this adorable pint-sized warrior who’s starring in a new music video.
But another young female athlete found herself suddenly in the spotlight for her proficiency in multiple martial arts, catching the attention of viewers all across the world by channeling her inner ninja with an amazing video of her performing her best sword fighting techniques.
According to a program that recently ran on TV, there are more than 100,000 ramen shops across Japan, and because competition is so fierce, most are lucky to survive for even two or three years. In order to succeed in the chaotic ramen business, many shops are starting to come up with ways to offer not only a good bowl of steaming noodles and broth, but also a one-of-a-kind experience that will keep customers coming back for more.
And Ramen Jiyujin, based on theinr overwhelming number of supporters on social media, has managed to accomplish just that, with a take on ramen that is only limited by your imagination. Take a trip with our Japanese reporting team to Yokohama to see the shop for yourself!
Every year, tech giants like Apple, Samsung and HTC give us more features and better, often bigger, displays to look forward to in our smartphones. But so far they still haven’t managed to come up with a way to tackle perhaps the most common problem users have, which is dropping your phone and cracking the screen.
However one research team at Tokyo University is hoping to change that by creating glass that is nearly indestructible. If the team achieves its goal, the glass could be used in everything from buildings to consumer electronics as soon as 2020.
White Day, observed on March 14, is celebrated in Korea the same way it’s celebrated in Japan: by men confessing their love or returning the affections of the women who gave them chocolate on Valentine’s Day.
But what happens when your plans to leave the girl of your dreams a sweet surprise get you locked inside your school and running for your life, chased by possessed janitors and other ghastly haunts? You get the horror game Whiteday: A Labyrinth Named School, which is getting a re-make and will be released later this month.
Kyoto, which was the capital of Japan for more than 1,000 years, is one of those cities that looks beautiful no matter what time of the year it is. But out of all the seasons, autumn is by far the most popular time to visit, and now that the leaves are beginning to change people are also starting to plan trips to catch a glimpse of Kyoto’s gorgeous fall scenery.
If you happen to be one of those tourists, we have just the book for you, a unique insight into city by foreigners who now call Kyoto their home, called Amazing Kyoto.
In the case of a cardiac arrest, every second counts, which is why over the past decade Japanese health organizations have deployed a large number of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public areas, with the current count somewhere over 300,000 units.
Eventually the country would like to see that number expand to one in every building, but for the time being the first priority is AED accessibility, leaving some foreign tourists surprised to find that AEDs in places that might seem a little odd at first: like vending machines.
Attack on Titan fans who pre-ordered the new Levi figure by Good Smile were no doubt super-excited when orders started shipping last month. But one buyer, who goes by the username @Levi_Eren_Karin on Twitter, couldn’t help but tweet about her surprise when the contents inside weren’t quite what she had been expecting…
Leading up to the much-anticipated release of Street Fighter V early next year, trailers showcasing the roster of characters have gradually been popping up online. The most recent of which revealed that Dhalsim, the stretchy yoga master with a penchant for fire, would be making a comeback, something which left some players feeling rather underwhelmed since he’s not exactly a crowd favorite in Japan or abroad.
But whether or you’re a fan of the character or not, few could deny that Dhalsim’s new look is a little bit confusing.



















Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon
Studio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
Forget Tokyo go-karts – there’s a new way to sightsee on four wheels in Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new limited-edition summer drinks…and a pastry for dunking
Gama Land, the weird Japanese amusement park celebrating toads, is now like a ghost town
Studio Ghibli adds new My Neighbour Totoro music box to its anime merchandise store in Japan
Japanese bento shop touches hearts by selling super cheap boxed lunches for around a dollar
Lawson Japan releases a crazy new product to remind us it’s not just famous for convenience store food
Lawson upsizes convenience store food for a limited time with two must-try Japanese meals
7-Eleven Japan debuts new black-and-white rice ball packaging…but is it because of a naphtha shortage?
New Japanese overnight train coming to connect Tokyo with Tohoku in sleep-travel style
Universal Studios Japan is giving Frieren anime fans the chance to make unforgettable memories.
East Japan Railway announces plans to abolish magnetic-strip tickets
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam is getting a new look before its end-of-summer removal
Japan’s cheap beef bowl chain goes upscale with Matsuya Premium, but is it worth the higher price?
7-Eleven Japan joins the craze for Korean Gamja Cheese Balls
7-Eleven Japan has a new Creamy Iced Cafe Latte that’s a hit on social media
Uniqlo reveals third round of massive 100-year-anniversary manga T-shirts for Jump’s Shueisha
Even at twice regular Daiso price, this handy item is still great for summer travel in Japan
New official Ghibli anime food cookbook will teach you how to make Ponyo’s ramen and more
Japanese convenience store Lawson launches new “mini supermarket” chain, L Minimart
Japan’s real-world Pokémon hot spring’s first photos are here![Photos]
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Kyoto public junior high school becomes first in Japan with a hoodie school uniform
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
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】
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Studio Ghibli adds new My Neighbour Totoro music box to its anime merchandise store in Japan
Japanese bento shop touches hearts by selling super cheap boxed lunches for around a dollar
Lawson Japan releases a crazy new product to remind us it’s not just famous for convenience store food
Lawson upsizes convenience store food for a limited time with two must-try Japanese meals
7-Eleven Japan debuts new black-and-white rice ball packaging…but is it because of a naphtha shortage?
Fukuoka schools struggling to get kids to switch from milk to tea in lunches
Japan’s Pokémon Slowpoke Train goes on hiatus, but a mini version could be yours to own
Family Mart’s new Gyoza Dog proves Japanese convenience store food hits different
That time when we fowled out while fighting our feathered friends
Japan’s Pikachu and Eevee Pokémon mailboxes to be removed at end of month
Sizzling on a hot plate?! American sushi rolls break all the rules at this Japanese restaurant
These rare eggs cost more than a typical meal in Japan but are they really that special?
Universal Studios Japan is giving Frieren anime fans the chance to make unforgettable memories.
New research reveals that the key to efficient memorization may be in exhaling