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Michelle Lynn Dinh

Editor/ Writer

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.

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Posted by Michelle Lynn Dinh (Page 24)

To most men, nothing is sexier than a cute girl in a miniskirt. However, for most girls, few things are more irritating than constantly having to pull down that miniskirt that keeps riding up after every stride, and constantly having to make sure your lady parts aren’t on show for the world to see.

Our male reporter, Hatopon, who is no stranger to crossdressing, tried on a miniskirt to see what it’s like. The following is a list of the things he realized after wearing a miniskirt for the first (but probably not last) time in his life.

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Micro Amigurumi Crochet Animals, Small Enough to Balance on Your Finger

I’ve tried to crochet a cute little amigurumi animal in the past. In fact, I’ve had several attempts at it, but failed every time. I read a book on crocheting and even had someone teach me, but the end result was always the same: a tangled mess of yarn, a whole lot of frustration, and the shattered dream of creating a yarn buddy to call my own. So when I saw these micro amigurumi, I couldn’t believe that someone was able to crochet a unique animal pattern, let alone one that is so small it can balance on the tip of your finger.

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“Geek & Cute” Accessories Made From Electronic Parts Are Actually Really Cool

Electronic resisters, condensers, LEDs, and circuit boards are just some of the parts used to make these really cute, yet totally geeky accessories.

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“Eyelid Trainer” Creates a Double-Eyelid in Minutes a Day, Mr. Sato Tries it Out

Many Asian women believe that having double eyelids is a sign of beauty and many who possess single-eyelids are forever in a quest to achieve a crease above their eye. In fact, double-eyelid surgery is the most common cosmetic enhancement in South Korea and Taiwan, and is very popular throughout Asia. For those who are hesitant to go under the knife in the name of beauty, there are plenty of non-surgical options to create the illusion of a double-eyelid such as special glues, tapes, and plastic devices.

The newest product to hit the double-eyelid market has been flying off the shelves with a reported 7,000 units sold in the first month of sales. Called “Eyelid Trainer”, this special device is worn just like a pair of glasses and claims to “create a double-eyelid with daily use.” It also makes you look ridiculous.

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Enjoy Tea Time on the Toilet with Tea Scented TP

Japan worships the bathroom. Heated seats, music players, and carefully calculated washing mechanisms to clean your behind are just a few of the bathroom luxuries that can be found here. Now there’s a new product on the market in Japan ensuring that the toilet paper will smell wonderful even if what it’s cleaning doesn’t.

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It’s Not a Souvenir, It’s Omiyage: Japanese Omiyage Culture

Tourist shops everywhere in Japan are filled with colorful boxes of local sweets that are perfectly portioned for sharing. These are omiyage. At work, it’s almost expected that you bring back a box of omiyage filled with a specialty product from the area your business trip took place in, and friends and family often purchase omiyage for those who weren’t able to make the trip. Many argue that giving omiyage is a distinctly Japanese custom; Yuichiro Suzuki, author of Omiyage and the Railway, explains in an interview with Yahoo! Japan.

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Japanese Scientists Engineer Pollenless Cedar Trees, May Be Too Late to Alleviate Japan’s Growing Hay Fever Problem

Every year, pollen counts in Japan are getting worse. In fact, pollen levels in Tokyo were literally off the charts just a few weeks ago. As a result, for four months out of the year, an estimated 15 to 30 percent of the Japanese population suffers from hay fever.

The tragedy of this situation is that Japan’s pollen problems are caused by its own government which encouraged people to plant cedar trees to meet the growing demand for timber in the 1940s and to replace forests that were destroyed during WWII. Hay fever was actually relatively rare in Japan until the 1960s when the millions of cedar trees began to mature and produce pollen.

As cedar pollen levels continue to climb, Japanese scientists may have found a solution to the problem: pollenless cedar trees.

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Sushi is a classic Japanese food that has become popular all over the world. However, sushi served in restaurants outside of Japan can turn out a little strange. Sushi hybrid concoctions such as the California roll filled with avocado and crab, and the caterpillar roll, topped with avocado and made to resemble a live caterpillar, have been delighting foreign taste buds for years. But exactly what kind of sushi do the Japanese prefer? A survey asked 500 MyNavi News members (246 males, 254 females) to share their favorite sushi topping. Surprisingly, tuna is not the most popular.

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Only 100 Limited Edition Matcha Green Tea Moon Pies On Sale, Cost More Than You Can Imagine

Japan’s version of the Moon Pie, the Choco Pie, is almost identical to the American classic – sweet filling nestled between two pieces of white cake covered in chocolate. They are made by Lotte and have been delighting Japanese sweet lovers for 30 years.

Much like the Japanese versions of Pepsi, Kit Kats and Pringles, Choco Pies are getting a new limited edition makeover. Marketed under the name “Wa Choco Pie” (Wa meaning both “peace” and, in this case, “Japanese-style”), these special Choco Pies have been supersized to 12 cm (4.7in) and filled with matcha creme. However, unlike most limited edition foods in Japan, these special Choco Pies can only be purchased by entering into a lottery draw. They will also be sold for a ridiculous price.

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Overhead Tablet Stand Makes it Easy to Use Your iPad While Lounging in Bed

Last month we introduced a clever invention that held a heavy laptop over the user’s head, allowing anyone to use their computer while lounging in bed. This month we found a different version of the same concept: an overhead tablet stand. As long as they are sturdy enough to support the weight of their intended device, the laptop and tablet stands seem like useful products. But if the stands did fail and if you had to choose, we’re guessing you’d rather get a tablet to the face than a laptop.  Read More

Creepy Robotic Cat Ear Maker Neurowear Releases Mindreading Headphones That Play Music Based on Your Mood

Are you tired of combing through iTunes or Pandora in search of the perfect song? Well you’re in luck! Now your headphones can read your mind and select the exact playlist to suit your mood.

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China Releases Knockoff iPhone5S Before Actual iPhone5S Goes on Sale

Just like every other Apple release, scores of eager Apple fanatics will wait in line for hours (or days) in order to be one of the first to get their hands on the new iPhone5S. But for those who are so eager they can’t wait for the rumored August 2013 release, there is now an alternative to waiting: purchase the Goophone i5S, China’s knockoff iPhone5S, on sale now.

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The town of Rikuzentakata was once famous for its picturesque shoreline painted with 70,000 pine trees. However, when the ocean waters finally receded after the tsunami of March 11, 2011, only one tree remained. Standing proud at over 80 feet, this single pine battled on for 18 months after the tsunami until finally perishing due to the overwhelming amount of salt that was introduced to the surrounding earth. Although no longer standing tall, the memory of “the miracle pine” will live on thanks to a newly erected monument in its honor.

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Kimchi is a fermented cabbage dish from Korea that is often referred to as “Korea’s national dish.” It’s so pungent that those who enjoy eating copious amounts of kimchi have been known to purchase a separate fridge dedicated to storing it. For decades, Korean mothers have sworn by the health benefits of adding kimchi to one’s diet, but now it seems scientists agree as well. New research published in the Journal of Medicinal Food suggests that eating even a small amount of kimchi every day may help lower cholesterol, LDL (“bad cholesterol”), and fasting blood glucose levels.

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What a good old dog. Just soaking away in the tub with her rubber duckies. This little shiba inu is named Kinako and she loves taking baths. Since Kinako is an older doggie, her skin get irritated from time to time, so she enjoys taking a relaxing dip in the bathtub every night. The following video is a minute and a half of Kinako smiling in the tub.  But really, Kinako’s snow-white face peeking out of the water is so cute, that’s really all you need.

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Hay Fever Sufferers, Stay Out of Tokyo, Pollen Density Levels Are Off the Charts

It’s already March and things are starting to look a lot like spring. The sun is out, the birds are back, and those dead hunks of wood are starting to look a little more like trees. Sunny skies are here again and everyone seems to have a pep back in their step… except for those with allergies.

Now, let’s be honest, for those who suffer from hay fever, spring is a b*tch. Excuse the profanity, but hay fever sufferers know that the coming of spring signals itchy eyes, piles of tissues, and all around unpleasantness. If you have hay fever and were thinking about visiting Tokyo, think again; this weekend’s pollen levels are literally off the charts.

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Art Created by Criminals Condemned to Death to be Featured in Hiroshima Exhibition

Starting on April 20, a special art exhibition featuring the works of death row inmates will open at the Tomonoura Museum in Fukuyama, Hiroshima. The prisoners have been sentenced to death but are unaware of when their sentence will be carried out. The exhibition, which contains paintings that were created during a grim time in each prisoner’s life, aims to answer the question, “Why do people express themselves?”

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Japan has a way with customer service. From elevator ladies whose only job is to push the floor buttons to shop keepers who greet every patron with a hearty I rasshaimase (Welcome!), there’s no shortage of examples of great service. One such example has crept up from the depths of the subway to surprise and delight the people of the Internet: secret walls!
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Google to Photograph Street Views of Evacuated Town in Fukushima

It wasn’t just the earthquake or tsunami of March 11, 2011 that shattered the town of Namie in Fukushima Prefecture, it was the subsequent radiation. Slowly creeping across the once fertile land, it ripped families from their homes and banished them to evacuation centers elsewhere. Today, nearly two years after the worse nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, the entire 86 square miles of Namie have been declared uninhabitable due to high levels of radioactive cesium. Even if families wanted to return, they can’t.

Amid this tragic loss, Google Street View is giving the people of Namie a chance to visit the town they were forced to flee.

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Survey Among Expats in Japan: What Did You Think About Japan Before You Started Living Here?

When you hear the word, “Japan,” what comes to mind? Mt. Fuji? Animé? Cherry blossoms? Those of us who have lived in Japan came to this country with ideas of what we might encounter and many of those preconceived impressions turned out to be completely false. We asked foreigners who have been living in Japan for at least three years to share what they thought about Japan before ever stepping foot inside the country. Take a look at their answers:

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