Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Starting with a love of J-Pop and J-dramas when she was 13, Krista Rogers has left her quiet New England hometown in the States both to study abroad in Tokyo and to work on the JET Program in beautiful Yamagata prefecture. She misses chatting in the local dialect and staging Kamehameha battles in the hallway with her students. Although she's currently working on her master's degree in Boston, she will without a doubt be back in Japan before long and buying way too much at Book-Off and Tower Records again. When she needs a break from schoolwork, Krista enjoys eating yakiniku, figure skating, finding cute cafes, watching Big Bang MVs, and continuing on her quest to catch 'em all.
Posted by Krista Rogers (Page 41)
We’ve all experienced this frustrating situation–it’s a rainy day, and as if to add insult to injury, your umbrella suddenly decides to break in what has to be an act of sheer defiance against you.
Net users sympathized with the following clip posted by one such unlucky soul. It certainly looks like the umbrella is doing nothing but mocking him, since it only decides to open after flying clean off the handle!
Given a map, could you name an iconic dish from every country in the world? We’re guessing probably not.
Some foods are now so famous globally they practically stand as symbols for their country as a whole (think “sushi” and you think “Japan”), while others are instantly recognizable on smaller regional or local scales (unless you’re familiar with Icelandic culture or study Viking lore, you’ve probably never heard of “hákarl” before). If you’re fascinated by the intersection of food and culture, you’ll definitely want to check out this cool new infographic on the topic!
The children’s petting zoo section of Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo is home to a variety of fluffy, domesticated critters that visitors can get up close and personal with. Among the perennial favorites is a group of guinea pigs which have an impressive routine for when it comes time to (literally) hit the hay.
We bet you never thought that a group of rodents could be as well-behaved as these furry little guys!
Tourists flock to Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto during the cherry blossom-viewing days of spring, but equally stunning are the sights of brilliantly colored autumn leaves amidst ancient structures that have remained undisturbed for hundreds of years.
One particular temple, Rurikoin, stands on the edge of the city and is a paradise for photographers during the autumn months, as well as visitors who didn’t even know they had an artistic side yet spend hours playing with different lighting effects there. While Rurikoin is not always open for general admission from year to year, we’re in luck because this year the building will indeed open its doors for the span of one short month.
It’s time for another fun survey from anime informational website Charapedia!
The site recently asked 10,000 of its users to share their top picks for the top 20 manga/anime series that they would like to show to their children. If you think that the results are full of fluff and potty humor, you may be surprised at some of the more thought-provoking choices on the list.
More than once, I’ve been baffled by characters in Japanese dramas getting excited at the thought of having a kansetsu kisu, or “indirect kiss.” Apparently, the thought of drinking out of the same cup or using the same straw as the object of your affection is akin to kissing them indirectly.
With the release of a new romance simulation mobile game, you too can experience the thrill of a young Japanese schoolboy about to have a kansetsu kisu with the girl of your dreams–but only after you get your hands on the recorder she uses in music class!
It’s been one month since Nakazawa, who’s also a guitarist for two bands, joined the Japanese RocketNews24 team. On a recent day, our veteran reporter Mr. Sato told Nakazawa to follow him as he ventured into the outside world. When Nakazawa asked where they were going, Mr. Sato coolly replied: “To a good place. I’m going to make you happy.”
Not one to argue with a perpetual fan-favorite reporter, especially as a new recruit, Nakazawa obediently agreed.
Two short train rides later, our two adventurers finally arrived at their destination: a collection of bars and other late-night eateries near Tokyo’s Kita-Senju Station. Nakazawa followed Mr. Sato silently until the expert reporter suddenly stopped in his tracks. “We’re here,” Mr. Sato announced. Nakazawa looked up and was shocked to discover that they were standing in front of what looked like a hotel—and not just any hotel, but a LOVE hotel!
This is one bubble bath that you’ll never want to take a dip in.
Locals in Bangalore, India are calling for immediate action after foam which had accumulated on Bellandur Lake, the biggest lake in the city, was blown onto streets and even caught fire for the second time in only a few months. While experiencing a gigantic bubble bath outside of your bathtub may seem like a fun idea at first, the foam that is spewing out from Bellandur Lake is actually toxic in nature and supposedly has a terrible stench.
Everyone should indulge in a bit of cross-cultural exchange every now and then to expand their worldly horizons–and as the following smartphone video illustrates, cross-species exchange can be just as, if not more, rewarding. Just take it from this black swan who’s made it his personal mission to feed some floundering fish friends!
Well, this is probably the weirdest snippet of news from Japan that you’ll read about all week.
On Friday, a new Japanese website was unveiled which has the sole purpose of allowing net users to forcefully flick their fingers into the forehead of a cute girl (an admonishing action known as a dekopin in Japanese) and watch her exasperated reaction, all done virtually through the screen, of course. After all, hasn’t that always been on your bucket list?
Even 18 years after its initial publication, One Piece continues to enjoy unprecedented popularity around the world, no doubt thanks to the grueling efforts of series’ creator Eiichiro Oda. Since July, fans have been waiting with bated breath after new details emerged regarding a kabuki stage version of the beloved franchise, but that wait is now over–October 7 marked the opening performance of the play, and we’ve finally been treated to some pictures of the cast!
Following in the footsteps of Kobayashi City in Miyazaki Prefecture, Gifu Prefecture’s Seki City has recently released its own quirky PR video. This ad, however, focuses on the city’s contribution to daily life with an important product that the city is famous for rather than emphasizing any local accent. Judging by the bizarre scene in the photo above, can you guess what Seki City is famous for producing? Here’s a hint: This video is shear madness!
High school girls. In all seriousness, are they aliens??
Japanese Twitter users delight in sharing the perplexing, nonsensical, contradictory, or downright outrageous behaviors that they observe high school girls engaging in around the country. Below, we’ve gathered together a sampling of some such anecdotes for your reading pleasure. What strange escapades are the girls up to now?
Unless you’re striving to become one of the big guys yourself, you may not have much connection to the world of professional sumo. As an ancient sport with plenty of ritual elements, the wrestlers, known as rikishi in Japanese, have a highly regimented training lifestyle. With all those rules, it’s certainly easy to overlook the comedic side of sumo.
Wait, there’s a comedic side to sumo?
We’ve already seen what happens when a pack of square-dancing ladies go after a drone carrying around coupons for cakes. But what happens when a similar scene occurs on a university basketball court with what appears to be a spoiled, entitled student having a tantrum thrown into the mix? The sight is not very pretty, to say the least.
Every year since 1957, Japan’s Good Design Awards have honored products which are designed in such a way to have a positive impact on people’s lives. The award system, which is now operated by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion, has recently released their list of 2015’s Good Design Best 100 award winners.
With such innovative ideas as LED jump ropes and basketball courts, these awards are truly the best place to catch a glimpse of athletics equipment of the future!
Nails, nails, nails. Some people flip out when they chip a nail, while others could care less about the state of their fingertips. Whether you’re a salon regular or a chronic nail biter, the Japanese internet has a few tricks to share about how to achieve healthy and beautiful nails. The absolute best part is that you don’t need to go out and buy anything fancy–in fact, you can probably just waltz into your kitchen and find everything you need!
You know that one person who could definitely win Jeopardy because he/she just seems to know everything? RocketNews24 is happy (and a bit smug) to announce that today we’re going to be that person and share with you some tokens of life wisdom that were originally offered up on the Japanese internet. Want to find out the luckiest day of the year, an early warning sign for cancer, and a subconscious way to boost productivity at work? Let us enlighten you!
Anyone can pick up a camera, but it takes a certain level of artistic talent to produce the kinds of photos that you’ll see below.
The work of Japanese photographer Takashi Yasui has been exploding in popularity on major Western websites recently, and for good reason. Yasui has a knack for capturing tranquil moments of time in both the natural world and urban cityscapes in his native Japan. In particular, he’s a master at manipulating light during dawn and dusk, adding an almost otherworldly quality to his vistas. Now take a moment to sit back and relax in order to completely appreciate the scope of Yasui’s craft.
Japanese ukiyo-e painters from the Edo period (1603-1868) are now famous throughout the world for their exquisite woodblock prints depicting everyday Japanese life and the natural world. Such master painters are less well-known, however, for their humorous contributions to the art world, which often feature whimsical scenes of anthropomorphic animals. Fortunately for us, though, these types of pictures are experiencing a recent wave of popularity among Japanese Internet users, and these images are simply too cute for us to just pass up. We’ve got fish, cats, puppies, monkeys, and a few more surprises from the masters in store for you after the jump!
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Ghibli Park now selling “Grilled Frogs” from food cart in Valley of Witches
Japanese city loses residents’ personal data, which was on paper being transported on a windy day
Japan’s massive matcha parfait weighs 6 kilos, contains hidden surprises for anyone who eats it
Sandwiches fit for a sumo served up in Osaka【Taste Test】
Akihabara pop-up shop sells goods made by Japanese prison inmates
Anime girl English teacher Ellen-sensei becomes VTuber/VVTUber and NFT
Pokémon Sleep camping suite and guestrooms coming to Tokyo Hyatt along with giant Snorlax burgers
Celebrate another year of life by putting it in jeopardy with this birthday candle flower
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Studio Ghibli releases new action figures featuring Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind characters
New private rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen change the way we travel from Tokyo to KyotoRed light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
Tokyo Tsukiji fish market site to be redeveloped with 50,000-seat stadium, hotel, shopping center
Beautiful Ghibli sealing wax kits let you create accessories and elegant letter decorations【Pics】McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Studio Ghibli releases Kiki’s Delivery Service chocolate cake pouches in Japan
New definition of “Japanese whiskey” goes into effect to prevent fakes from fooling overseas buyers
Our Japanese reporter visits Costco in the U.S., finds super American and very Japanese things
Studio Ghibli unveils Mother’s Day gift set that captures the love in My Neighbour TotoroJapanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
New Japanese KitKat flavour stars Sanrio characters, including Hello KittyAll-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
New Pokémon cakes let you eat your way through Pikachu and all the Eevee evolutionsMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely
Sold-out Studio Ghibli desktop humidifiers are back so Totoro can help you through the dry season
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Sandwiches fit for a sumo served up in Osaka【Taste Test】
Akihabara pop-up shop sells goods made by Japanese prison inmates
Anime girl English teacher Ellen-sensei becomes VTuber/VVTUber and NFT
Pokémon Sleep camping suite and guestrooms coming to Tokyo Hyatt along with giant Snorlax burgers
Celebrate another year of life by putting it in jeopardy with this birthday candle flower
Theory that Sanrio’s My Melody played jump rope with a wolf’s intestines freaks the Internet out
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
Historical figures get manga makeovers from artists of Spy x Family, My Hero Academia and more
The 2023 Sanrio character popularity ranking results revealed
Limited-edition Carbonara Udon will anger noodle purists and pasta lovers 【Taste test】
Japanese company starts project to restore Nakagin Capsules to capsule hotel
Why do people spend so long in jail without going to trial in Japan?
Enormous Buddhist Kannon statue in Sendai shocks visitors with otherworldly looming