(Page 29) Kay | SoraNews24 -Japan News-

Kay

Writer / Translator

Kay is a native Japanese who has lived in Honolulu, Hawaii and Los Angeles, California. She currently resides in Tokyo and enjoys writing about a wide range of topics, including all things cute and glamorous. She also loves stories about any type of food, from gourmet cuisine to junk food. Her favorite pastimes include reading, going to the movies, watching American T.V. dramas and shopping. (Yes, she is painfully aware that she owns too many bags and shoes.) She also loves to travel and has visited over 25 different countries. Her favorite place to go on vacation is New York, an amazing city where you can enjoy the best of shopping, dining, art and theater.

Posted by Kay (Page 29)

We try renowned patissier’s honey-sweet creation available for just one day

Kay
Mar 31, 2014
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Tokyo, as you know, is a huge metropolis where millions of people work in countless offices. But did you know that there are also some winged critters keeping busy every day in the middle of Tokyo to provide us with sweet nourishment? Yes, there are honey bees actually being cultured here in Tokyo for honey production, and at the shopping/dining/entertainment complex Hikarie in Shibuya, some special honey products were recently offered in connection with the date of March 28, which they designated honey bee day (because the numbers three, two and eight can be called mi for three, tsu for two in English and hachi for eight, which when combined sound like the word mitsubachi for honey bee in Japanese).

One of the items was a very special cake called the Miel Baum, created by renowned Japanese patissier Toshi Yoroizuka. And what made this cake so special? For one thing, it was made using honey collected right there in Shibuya, and secondly, it was sold on one day only — March 28. A cake made by a famous patissier using Shibuya-grown honey and available for just one day? Now that, we just had to try!

Kit Kat pizza!? Japanese pizza and cafe chains get creative with the new bakeable snack!

Kay
Mar 31, 2014

We were already perfectly full and happy having had a chance to try Japan’s new bakeable Kit Kats, and felt that the chocolatey snack had been taken about as far as it ever could. But apparently there’s still more to look forward to from these unique Kit Kats than just the novelty of “toasting” them at home: Kit Kat pizza!

That’s right, several pizza and cafe chains in Japan will be offering special menus for a limited time using the “Bake ‘N Tasty Mini Kit Kats Custard Pudding Flavor” (Kit Kat Mini Yaite Oishi Purin Aji), and we have to say, they look pretty darn sweet.

Kay
Mar 28, 2014

Remember the bakeable pudding-flavored mini Kit Kats we told you about earlier this month? Well, we managed to get our hands on them, and also on the cream cheese flavored bakeable Kit Kats sold at the Kit Kat Chocolaterie as well. And you know what that means — it’s time for a RocketNews24 taste test! So, let’s get on with the baking and tasting, shall we?

Beauty Tip: See how to get instant double eyelids【Video】

Kay
Mar 26, 2014

Who doesn’t want to look as good as possible — and if a little bit of make-up helps, so much the better, right? Well, the staff at our sister site Pouch found an interesting video from what appears to be a Korean TV program containing some potentially useful beauty tips. And if there’s one thing we know, it’s that women, regardless of age and nationality, are always up for some beauty advice, especially if it doesn’t involve surgery or some other drastic measure (like having a bunch of snails crawl over your face), which is why we thought we’d share this with you. In this case, the video offers advice on how to achieve a double eyelid look using just make-up. So, let’s see how effective the make-up technique is.

Write with the power of the moon with this pen — and enjoy a serving of nostalgia as well!

Kay
Mar 25, 2014

Okay, Sailor Moon fans, here’s another gadget from Toy maker Bandai for you to seriously covet, as if there weren’t enough of them already. This time, Bandai’s newest Sailor Moon offering comes in the shape of an adorable pen, and what makes it extra special is that it’s a re-creation of a toy that was sold by Bandai over 20 years ago. Now, that should provide some excitement for old-time fans!

Turn your painful break-up into a positive global force with this “Heartbreak Box”!

Kay
Mar 22, 2014

We all know break-ups can be a painful, gut-wrenching experience. Even long after the actual traumatic event, you may suddenly be seized with thoughts such as, “Oh, we were supposed to see that movie together,” or “We were going to go to that beach this summer,” and find yourself weeping uncontrollably at the most unexpected and usually inopportune moments.

And what can really be a bummer is deciding what to do with all the things your ex-boyfriend (or ex-girlfriend) gave you. Birthday presents, letters or even pictures of the two of you together — all items that were irreplaceable treasures at one time — can bring back painful memories and possibly even prevent you from moving on. But now, there may be an ideal solution to this problem, and one that can help change the world for the better.

A truly “epic” tart — this fabulous edible tribute to Kirby is almost too cute to eat!

Kay
Mar 20, 2014

Okay, if you haven’t guessed already, we admit that at RocketNews24, we’re extremely fond of tasty sweets, and we’ve featured in our past articles quite a few amazing creations by talented confectioners, from exquisite character-themed cakes to adorable Totoro macaroons. Now once again, we’ve found a magnificent piece of baked art that we just had to share with you. This time, it’s a tart inspired by the video game Kirby’s Epic Yarn, and we have to say, it’s one epic-looking treat!

Don’t trust your eyes! Let these unique pieces of art challenge your perception of reality

Kay
Mar 19, 2014

Getting tricked is usually no fun, but not in the case of brilliant art that tricks the eye. Take for instance, the work of Japanese art university student Hikaru Cho, an example of which is shown in the picture above. Does that look like an ordinary cucumber to you? We certainly wouldn’t blame you if you said it does, but read further to find out what the object really is!

Kay
Mar 15, 2014

Many of you have probably heard about the croissant doughnuts that have been all the rage in New York, so much so that buying them for people apparently has become a business on its own. Well, we’ve heard about the delectable pastry here in Japan too, and we already have some bakeries and even a convenience store chain selling the sweet, flaky treats. Now it looks like Mister Donut in Japan is going to be the newest member to join the Cronut bandwagon. From April 1, the major doughnut chain will be offering their own version of the treat, which they’re calling the Mr. Croissant Donut. And we have to say we’re quite happy with the news, because frankly, New York is a bit far for us to go and buy pastries, but these, we can’t wait to try right here in Japan!

Hot and sweet — these new Kit Kats are ready to be baked!

Kay
Mar 14, 2014

Many of our readers may be aware that Japanese consumers are quite fond of unique and creative Kit Kat products and flavors. But now, Nestle Japan has come out with what could be described as not just a new flavor but a new “species” of Kit Kat. And why are we calling it a new species? Well, it’s because you’ll need to do just a little bit of cooking to fully enjoy these Kit Kats. Yes, Nestle Japan’s newest Kit Kat offering, the “Bake ‘N Tasty Mini Kit Kats Custard Pudding Flavor” (Kit Kat Mini Yaite Oishi Purin Aji) is a Kit Kat that you heat in a toaster oven before eating! After hearing that, the only question we had was, of course, “How soon can we get our hands on some of these?”

Looking to make your PlayStation 4 stylish and unique? This real wood case may be just the thing!

Kay
Mar 12, 2014

We’re sure many PlayStation fans in Japan have been happily playing away on their newly acquired consoles since the long-awaited launch of the new PlayStation 4 here last month. But electronic appliances and gadgets can sometimes be awfully difficult to coordinate with the rest of your interior decor, can’t they?

If that’s been a concern for you, here’s something from German wood product manufacturer balolo that not only looks lovely but also may help your PS4 blend more smoothly into the setting of your room — a PlayStation 4 cover made from natural high-quality wood!

Kay
Feb 25, 2014

Annual Cat Day may be over, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop celebrating all things feline, does it? That’s right, as fond as we are of cats, we don’t really need a reason to express our affection for our feline friends, and in that spirit, some of the lovely reporters at our sister site Pouch decided to get together and come up with a list of the best cat-themed alcoholic drinks around. Cats and alcohol, now that sounds like a dangerously attractive combination!

To get their hands on some of the fun and tasty cat-themed drinks out there, our reporters used the services of major Japanese online liquor distributor Kakuyasu. Let’s see what their top five pics were.

Eat not like a king, but like a cat at this cat food-themed restaurant in Japan

Kay
Feb 22, 2014

Each year, cat lovers in Japan celebrate annual “Cat Day” on February 22, based on the fact that the number 2 sounds somewhat similar to the sound of a cat’s meow (pronounced “nyaah“) in the Japanese language. Well, this year cat fans will have an extra special way to celebrate all things feline — by feasting like a pampered cat! For a very limited time, Nestle Purina, the makers of popular “luxury” cat food Mon Petit will be operating the “Restaurant Mon Petit”, and while the restaurant is named after cat food, it’s most definitely a place for humans to eat, and in fine style too!

Befitting an establishment operated by a famous cat food manufacturer, the Restaurant Mon Petit is offering beautifully executed dishes that are recreations of actual cat food products. And not to miss such a special opportunity, one of the reporters from our Japanese site rushed to the restaurant to find out first hand what it feels like to dine like a cat!

Oh my! Our brave reporter feeds his face to a group of flesh-eating fish

Kay
Feb 20, 2014

While the thought of feeding on dead skin cells may not sound particularly appetizing to you or me, it can actually be a treat for some creatures, including the fish Garra rufa, or doctor fish as they’re commonly known. These little aquatic “doctors” are well-known in Japan as a form of skin treatment, and there are many facilities where you can have a whole tank full of the fish nibble on your hands or feet. Now, it so happens that one of the reporters at our Japanese site came up with a brilliant idea — if the fish can clean and beautify the skin on your hands and feet, then couldn’t they also give you an amazing facial if you stuck your face in the tank? Well, there was only one way to find out, wasn’t there?

We order awesome Baguette Bag from Ukraine! Now we can have French bread anytime, anywhere

Kay
Feb 16, 2014

Do you like French bread? We certainly do! Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, they’re great for making sandwiches or tasty canapé-type appetizers like bruschettas. But have you ever felt that the long distinctive shape of French bread sometimes makes it hard to carry around? Well, if you have, we’ve found the perfect item to solve that problem. It’s a bag made specifically for French bread, and it’s called the Baguette Bag!

When we saw a picture of this unique bag, we knew we just had to have one, but after we did a bit of searching, we found out that the bag was a product of Ukraine. Hmm… was it really wise trying to purchase an item from a country that was so far away and the language was completely foreign? We’ll just have to try and find out, won’t we?

Kay
Feb 8, 2014

With a little under a week until Valentine’s Day, Japan is still in the midst of chocolate madness, and it appears the fast food industry is no exception. Hot on the heels of their unique french fries and chocolate sauce combination, fast food chain Lotteria has now come out with a burger with … yes, you guessed it — chocolate sauce!

Share a special heart-shaped treat for Valentine’s Day — from Domino’s Pizza Japan!

Kay
Feb 5, 2014

While it may seem like chocolate is the main product on offer in shops and restaurants in Japan this time of year, Valentine’s Day apparently isn’t just all about chocolate. If you don’t have a sweet-tooth, how would you like to try this lovely Valentine’s offering from Domino’s Japan? Yes, it’s Japan’s very own, heart-shaped Valentine’s pizza, and as far as we can tell, the treat looks sure to be tasty, even if it’s not chocolate!

Disney presents the amazing Duffy Bus — a real life teddy bear on wheels!

Kay
Feb 4, 2014

In the world of fantasy, Studio Ghibli gave us the magnificent Catbus in the anime film My Neighbor Totoro. Who wouldn’t want to catch a ride on a live, furry bus like that, right? Well, now in the real world here in Japan, it seems Disney is coming out with a unique ride that, while maybe not an exact recreation of the Catbus, comes pretty close. Yes, it’s the amazing furry “Duffy Bus”, and it’s a real-life cross between a bus and a stuffed animal! It’s so unique, you’ll have to see it to believe it!

Sailor Moon fans can now buy transformation compact mirrors from a gashapon machine!

Kay
Feb 2, 2014

We’ve shared with our readers quite a few Sailor Moon products in our past articles, from sexy Sailor Moon lingerie to sparkly Sailor Moon chopsticks. Now, while fans may be delighted with the wide range of Sailor Moon goods available, particularly the cute gadgets from toy maker Bandai, there are so many of them that it probably isn’t realistic to try to collect all of them, especially considering that some of the items aren’t exactly cheap.

In fact, some of our reporters at sister site Pouch who are die-hard fans of the series, had just recently been wishing aloud that Bandai would come out with an affordable range of Sailor Moon transformation compact mirrors. Well, it seems their wish has now come true! Just this week, Bandai released a new range of lovely compact mirrors, and more importantly, they’re cheap and can be bought right from a Gashapon vending machine!

Kay
Jan 26, 2014

Many of our readers have probably guessed that Japan has a passion for chocolate. But each year in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day, which is when women in Japan customarily give men gifts of chocolate, that passion has a tendency to turn into outright frenzy. Spend time in Japan before Valentine’s Day, and you’ll see countless special chocolate products and dedicated vending areas in every shopping mall and department store. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the Valentine chocolate madness has now officially begun in Japan, and what better place to experience the excitement than Tokyo’s own production of the world’s biggest chocolate festival, the Salon du Chocolat? Join us on a tour of the event and see what all the sweet fuss is about — if you’re a chocolate lover, you just might think you’ve died and gone to chocolate heaven!