Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Michelle always seems to find her way back to Japan, having been there for vacation, study abroad, and work. During her time on the JET Programme, she lived on the island of Chiburi in Shimane, Japan’s “least popular prefecture.” In her heart, she will always be a member of that sleepy little fishing village she once called home. When she’s not swearing like a sailor while playing video games, Michelle enjoys playing soccer and “studying” Japanese.
Posted by Michelle Lynn Dinh (Page 22)
Through some elaborate camera work, realistic sound effects, and the use of small figures and buildings, this stop motion video made by YouTube user LUXE37 is impressing netizens around the world. Filmed in a retro-style with cars from the 70s and 80s, this superb stop motion film is a throwback to the golden era of car chase scenes.
When it comes to fast food, most people may think of McDonald’s. But actually, if you happen to talk to someone from the Philippines, they might mention Jollibee.
More popular than the golden arches, more sought after than the Colonel’s secret recipe, Jollibee is the go-to joint for a quick bite in the Philippines, particularly if you’re craving some lip-smackingly good fried chicken. We here at RocketNews24 have obtained Jollibee’s secret fried chicken recipe and it tastes 90 percent like the real thing. But considering it’s homemade and doesn’t require you to order from a greasy-faced teenager, we’d say that’s a pretty good.
For real, the best part of a cream puff is the cream, right? I mean, that thin bread-like exterior only serves to keep us one step farther away from the delicious juicy insides. But with the invention of the drinkable cream puff, inserting a straw into the specially designed pastry gives you direct access to the slightly soupier prize inside.
Drinkable cream puffs aren’t new, but this year’s are twenty percent bigger and come in two new flavors!
In celebration of the release of Monsters University, Baskin Robbins Japan has created an ice cream cake featuring the movie’s main character, Mike Wazowski. We know that this movie is all about scary monsters learning how to terrify children, but this Mike cake is almost too cute to eat.
A fundoshi is a traditional Japanese undergarment that is basically a thong for dudes. Made of a single, long piece of cloth, the fundoshi was the go-to underwear for Japanese men until the middle of the 20th century. That’s right, no boxers, no briefs, just white cotton man thongs. Thankfully, few modern men are running around Japan with a fundoshi shoved up their butt, but they are still used in many festivals to this day.
As a tribute to one of these festivals, the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Matsuri in Fukuoka, Hello Kitty can now be seen in a white fundoshi.
Many couples strive to plan a perfectly unique wedding. From nonconventional backyard ceremonies to destination weddings in far off places, there is no limit to the delightfully strange and creative ways people tie the knot. However, JR East is giving one lucky couple the chance at a wedding most people have probably never dreamed of.
Since there is a large mix of people from many different countries living in the United States (and because of the country’s relative youngness), it’s hard to identify a truly “American” food. Regardless, there are those dishes you simply must try when venturing over to the US for a trip. Our Japanese reporter recently tried what he considers to be a “must have” food from the USA: Domino’s pizza. To us Americans, Domino’s is hardly a delicious meal; it’s more of a cheap disk of sauce and cheese to keep hopeless college students alive. But to our reporter, who has already been exposed to Domino’s pizza in Japan, eating pizza made in the company’s homeland was a true treat. The following is our Japanese reporter’s glowing review of crappy Domino’s pizza in the United States.
Mayonnaise is a highly debated condiment. There are those who praise it as a creamy, delicious gift to sandwiches while others curse its very existence. Even though the following job requires you to eat mayonnaise, mayo haters may still want to apply. Currently a topic of discussion on Japanese textboard, 2channel, the job in questions is simple: just eat mayonnaise and get paid 150,000 yen (US$1,540)!
Many people in Japan think that American school lunches are unhealthy. For the most part, they are right. When photos of the greasy fried foods and brown piles of slop that are served to students in the US surfaced on the internet, Japanese netizens were shocked. With all the talk of Americans being overweight and school lunches being fat-laden and unhealthy, our own Japanese reporter wondered, “Is it really as bad as it seems?” During his recent trip to the US, our reporter was allowed to try the lunch served at a school in the United States. The following is a translation of his encounter with American school lunch.
“The Legend of Momotaro” is an interactive storybook that introduces readers to the traditional Japanese story about a hero born from a giant peach. The app, created by Ghost Hand Games, manages to teach readers about Japanese culture, language, and legends all in one beautifully illustrated digital picture book that’s now available for free for a limited time only!
Hobo-chic is back! Just when you thought Mugatu’s Derelicte style was long gone since the peak of Zoolander, here it comes again in the form of a bag that’s made to look like a shabby cardboard box.
Have you ever noticed that when you’re messaging someone while you’re really mad or really excited about something, your typing becomes faster? Even the slowest hen pecker typist is able to kick it up a notch and bust out a scathing remark at record speed. But the typist in this video is some kind of typing wizard. Watch as his lightning quick fingers dance across the keyboard, no anger required.
My entire life I’ve grown up thinking that bunnies are adorable. Who can resist those cotton ball tails and wiggling noses? They’re basically moving balls of fluff! However, after seeing a recent photo compilation of yawning bunnies on Japanese website, Karapaia, I feel so misinformed. Bunnies aren’t always cute, in fact, they can be downright terrifying. Take a look, if you dare, at 20 photos of yawning bunnies. They’ll change the way you look at rabbits forever.
Just when we thought the clever smartphone stand market was tapped out, here comes this little cat stand. Created by Kitan Club, a Japanese capsule toy company, the stand features a cat that looks as if he’s trying to hold back an attacker, with a gaping mouth that seems to scream, “You shall not pass!” (or the cat language equivalent). The stand also features a suction cup to help hold up the smartphone.
But you don’t have to limit this little guy to smartphones, he can help hold back a variety of intruders as demonstrated by Kitan Club.
Ever wondered what people in Japan are looking at on the internet? No, not porn…well, yeah they’re looking at porn, but we’re not here to talk about that. Let’s take a look at seven apps and services currently trending in Japan. Yes, one of them is meant to be used while you’re on the toilet. Oh, don’t be surprised, it is Japan after all.
Hatsune Miku, the virtual pop singer, has been selling out entire theatres for her most recent performance in The End, the world’s first (and possibly only) vocaloid opera. As would be expected from an opera that replaces humans with digital singers, The End is full of surprises. But the most surprising of all is their choice of Marc Jacobs as digital wardrobe designer. Miku’s new outfit was recently revealed at the premiere of The End in Shibuya.
Due to its location in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” Japan has many onsen (natural hot springs). The mineral composition of each onsen varies and is said to provide bathers with different health benefits. One onsen in particular, named Ryujin (lit. Dragon God), is also known as bijin no yu or “the beautiful women hot spring.” It is hailed as a hot spring for enhancing beauty and the waters are said to smooth and moisturize skin. Despite these claims being repeated for hundreds of years, some may still be skeptical. However, a recent study suggests that the waters of Ryujin Onsen actually have beautifying capabilities.
Japan seems to have mastered the art of growing cute fruit. Heart lemons, star cucumbers, and even the infamous square watermelons are all testaments to the lengths farmers in Japan will go to in order to provide the masses with adorable fruit. The newest delightfully deformed fruit to hit the market is a musk melon with an image of Hello Kitty etched into the rind. However only a select few who are quick (and rich) enough to snatch them up will be able to enjoy the flavor of Hello Kitty’s melons in their mouth.
If a wardrobe filled with musty coats brought people to Narnia, we wonder where these beautiful tunnels might bring you. Let’s take a look at ten beautiful passageways from around the world.
There are almost too many movies being remade nowadays (did we really need another Rollerball?). There are also quite a few Japanese movies that have been remade into Hollywood films. It’s sometimes great to be able to watch your favorite movie redone using the most modern techniques and special effects, but not so great if a classic is butchered (we’re looking at you Red Dawn).
However, regardless of whether or not a remake lives up to the original, the newly designed movie posters are always interesting to look at. Here’s a side-by-side comparison of movie posters of the original and remake versions of 35 horror films. Most have managed to up the creepiness factor (with a few exceptions).
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
New Mt. Fuji overnight bus takes travelers from downtown Tokyo straight to the most popular hiking trail
Tochigi man shares his family’s process for creating 16 years worth of rice paddy art
Climbing season officially opens for Japan’s Mt. Hiyoriyama, the shortest mountain in the country
Raw chicken dishes to be regulated by Japanese government
Yoshinoya and Dragon Quest slaying scalpers with shift to made-to-order collaboration merch
Foreign tourists injured in Nissan GT-R crash near Tokyo’s Shibuya Scramble Crossing
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Tokyo revises accommodation tax amidst tourism boom, Airbnb rentals now included
7-Eleven Japan now has Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, but how do they taste?[Taste test]Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country
A visit to Sri Lanka’s knockoff knockoff Uniqlo (no, we didn’t stutter) to see its rare “Pikachus”
Japanese overnight sightseeing train returns for summer with ramen stops and ocean views
Sanrio Character Poll announces winners, Hello Kitty absent from top 10 in many countries
Starbucks Japan teams up with Converse Tokyo for a new limited-edition collection in honour of Tanabata
Don’t judge this Kiki’s Delivery Service book by its cover, because it’s not actually a book!New Mt. Fuji overnight bus takes travelers from downtown Tokyo straight to the most popular hiking trail
7-Eleven Japan releases chocolate cookies that taste like freshly baked melon bread
The quest for Dragon Quest Yoshinoya figure sets: Worth taking for fans, tricky for scalpers[Pics]
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroadSalomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Studio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
New Japanese overnight train coming to connect Tokyo with Tohoku in sleep-travel styleJapan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country
Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer
Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon
Forget Tokyo go-karts – there’s a new way to sightsee on four wheels in JapanSanrio Character Poll announces winners, Hello Kitty absent from top 10 in many countriesJapan 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
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]Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】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
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Yoshinoya and Dragon Quest slaying scalpers with shift to made-to-order collaboration merch
Foreign tourists injured in Nissan GT-R crash near Tokyo’s Shibuya Scramble Crossing
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Tokyo revises accommodation tax amidst tourism boom, Airbnb rentals now included
7-Eleven Japan now has Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, but how do they taste?[Taste test]
Famous sweets store in Ameyoko fills a bag with sweets and a show, but is it still worth it?
A visit to Sri Lanka’s knockoff knockoff Uniqlo (no, we didn’t stutter) to see its rare “Pikachus”
Japan moves to enforce language requirements for foreign nationals seeking permanent residency
Potato-Chip-Flavored Dressing coming to stores in Japan
Japan to get new high-speed train connecting Haneda and Narita airports, ease overtourism
Tokyo’s giant Pokémon Stamp Rally is back for 2026 with exclusive prizes up for grabs
How to cook shiitake mushrooms like a Japanese manga character
Don’t judge this Kiki’s Delivery Service book by its cover, because it’s not actually a book!
The quest for Dragon Quest Yoshinoya figure sets: Worth taking for fans, tricky for scalpers[Pics]