Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Half-Japanese Oona McGee hails from Sydney, Australia, where she worked as a journalist and copywriter before making the move to Japan over a decade ago. Now she spends her days exploring the streets of Tokyo with her laptop and camera, always in search of new cafes, restaurants, events and stories to share with our readers. As an experienced food and travel reporter, Oona has travelled extensively through all 47 prefectures of Japan, and is constantly researching new destinations and drawing up itineraries for her next adventure.
Posted by Oona McGee (Page 194)
In Japan’s Twitter world, this bird is causing quite a flurry. The Java sparrow in these photos is so adorable and righteously perched that at first glance, it looks real. But alas, no real sparrow would pose for photos so sweetly and demurely. At least that’s what twitter user “Bado” found when he tried to take photos of his real pet sparrow on top of his smartphone.
Surely, this has to be one of the most unique boiled eggs in the world. In case you can’t make it out properly, we ought to explain that this is a duck egg. With a duck embryo inside. And that strip of black there is indeed baby duck fur. It’s an image so frightful to some that eating it became a featured challenge on TV shows like Survivor and Fear Factor. To others, however, this is simply a delicious Filipino street delicacy.
Keeping an open mind, we plucked up the courage to try one of these babies (pun very much intended) while on a recent trip to the Philippines with one of our Filipino friends. But what did it taste like? And what does a whole baby duck feel like inside your mouth? We give you everything you need to know, complete with mouth-watering photos.
Meet Little Witch Academia, the newest anime to pick up fans at lightning speed, both abroad and in Japan. Released on the Internet only a few days ago, on Friday, April 19, this 26-minute gem has already stacked up thousands of views and received an enormous amount of praise, particularly from fans outside Japan. The storyline is captivating (it’s about the school-life of a group of young witches-“magic girls”-studying at the Little Witch Academy), and the characters are so likeable that fans are already calling out for merchandise.
We’re predicting big things for the animation studio behind this work, so get on board before all the cool kids do and check out the entire clip, complete with English subtitles, after the jump.
Starbucks is well-known for taking up residence in some unusual places. They’ve had a pop-up store in Tokyo and they even have a historical western-style house house in Kobe. But in the beautiful mountain village of Ubud, Bali, there’s a more subdued Starbucks. Set up in an old storehouse, and blending perfectly with the environment, you wouldn’t instantly think this was part of a global coffee franchise.
We went to check out this unique coffeehouse and found it to be incredibly beautiful and serene. Out of all the Starbucks stores we’ve visited across the world, this is by far the one we recommend the most. With an exceptionally unique atmosphere, we bring you four reasons why this may very well be the best Starbucks in the world.
April 24 is a special day for Evangelion fans, with the DVD and Blu-ray release of the 2012 movie Evangelion 3.0. To commemorate this exciting event, popular burger chain Lotteria is offering up a nine-level monster cheeseburger that cleverly plays on the “Q “ in the Japanese part of the home release title: Evangelion: New Movie Edition Q (Q sounds like kyuu, which is nine in Japanese) and the English part of the home release title: Evangelion 3.33 (3+3+3=9). Cheeky puns with buns! While the burger looks like something only Mr. Sato would eat nine of, the free present with purchase and the chance to win a 158cm-tall Rei doll has us very excited.
In Japan, husbands often hand over their pay packets to their wives, who are the chief financial controllers for the household. Husbands then receive a fraction of their pay in the form of a monthly allowance, which has to cover costs such as cell phone charges, lunches and all-important networking and relations-building nomikai, or work drinking parties.
According to a survey by Shinsei Bank, the average office worker receives an allowance of 39,600 yen (US$398) a month. But when the average cost for attending a drinking party is 2,860 yen ($28.75), and one lunch is an average of 510 yen ($5.13) a day, many workers are now choosing to skip out on after work drinks. What they don’t realise is that this attempt to save some yen is actually jeopardising their careers.
Ita (痛), meaning pain, is the latest buzzword doing the rounds in cool Japan. It’s used to describe something emblazoned with an anime or manga design, so bright and out-there that it’s painful to the eye. A suit with a cute anime girl pattern inside? That would be the itasuit. A car completely covered in graffiti-style tags and wide-eyed characters? The itasha. And what about nails with different character designs on each nail? That’s itanail. And according to a recent online survey, itanail is becoming more and more popular by the day.
There were rumours recently about a live action version of Ghibli’s Kiki’s Delivery Service. What’s more, these reports claimed that Takashi Shimizu, the horror film director who brought us nightmare-inducing classics like The Grudge, would be sitting at the helm of the project. A horror take on the story of a cute 13-year-old witch? It seemed too good to be true! Well, it was a sad day when Studio Ghibli released an official statement quashing the salacious rumours, saying, “We have no involvement in the matter.”
But live action versions of Ghibli films aren’t just the stuff of dreams; Princess Mononoke has a stage version that just premiered in London and is coming to Japan in a matter of days! What we would give to meet just one of our favourite Ghibli heroines in person! Inspired by all this talk of adaptations, we took a look at some of the Ghibli films we thought deserved to exist in the real world.
Have you ever opened a pre-packaged snack and then, before realising it, found you devoured the whole thing?
This was the question put to 906 readers of an online news site in Japan. Out of the 906 people in the survey, 618 said they had unwittingly scoffed the lot. But what are Japan’s most irresistible snacks? And what makes them so impossible to resist? Take a look at some of the comments from respondents as we bring you an inside look at the top five…
When we heard that Mister Donut was teaming up with Hello Kitty to celebrate the opening of a new Hello Kitty cupcake ride at Universal Studios Japan, we knew there would be a sweet surprise. The result? An insanely cute doughnut range featuring Ms Kitty’s signature bow and a few unique mini cupcake-inspired creations. Plus, a Hello Kitty ribbon headphone jack charm for purchases over 600 yen (US$6)!
But what would a Hello Kitty-approved doughnut taste like? We were seduced by the cute kitten and headed down to our local store to try out her wares. Join us as we take you through the range, bite by delicious bite…
China seems to be a country filled to the brim with absolutely everything. From girls living in bubbles to electric pink drinking water to foot-wide walking trails on the side of cliffs. Chances are, if you can think of it, China probably has it. And everything in between. When we were in this land of possibility, we came across an ordinary looking girl on a sunny street. But when we got closer we could see that this girl had a unique special skill: the skill to disappear in an instant. And how does she do it? With a simple but ingenious cloth bag.
It’s not an easy question to answer, but of all the strong, cute and mysterious ladies from Studio Ghibli’s beautiful animated feature films, who is your favourite? This was the question put to 230 men aged 20-40 in a recent on-line poll.
With so many Ghibli girls to choose from, there had to be at least one that tugged on the hearts of men. So who came out on top? We bring you the top five below:
Have you ever seen a capybara? Originally from South America, and immensely popular in Japan, capybaras are actually the world’s largest rodents. They can weigh as much as a person, can run as fast as a young horse, and they can bark and purr. But that’s not all. These cute little animals love to bathe in Japanese-style hot springs. And when they do, they do it with such blissful expressions that you can’t help but smile.
On April 25, Takara Tomy A.R.T.S will release the “Sonic Hour”, the latest addition to their “Beer Hour” series of foaming products. Hour is a play on the Japanese word awa, meaning foam, or head of beer, and that’s exactly what this gadget delivers to the top of your glass. Retailing for 3,990 yen (US$40), this little portable device creates superfine bubbles in any type of beer, guaranteeing a smooth, creamy head every time. Even if the Japanese do prefer their beer with an enormous amount of head sometimes…
The secret to the sonic foam is ultrasonic oscillation. Simply put your glass of beer on the tray, press the button and the ultrasonic vibrations disperse evenly at the bottom of the beer glass, creating a gush of bubbles that rise and form the perfect head in an instant. And if that’s not entertaining enough, it also comes equipped with an eight-colour LED light-up display. To see it in action, check out the video after the jump.
Kaitenzushi, or conveyor belt sushi restaurants, are one of Japan’s most famous contributions to the dining world. The concept is simple: customers sit around a revolving conveyor belt packed with different sushi dishes, and take the plates they like as they roll by. But now in Japan there’s a new trend that’s threatening to put the brakes on the traditional conveyor belt system. It seems that Japanese customers no longer want to take any dishes off the conveyor belt, instead opting to use it as a giant, revolving display case. Customers are now pointing at the perfectly edible sushi as if they are plastic sushi replicas and ordering them with the wait staff.
Have you ever had a bowl of rice and wondered what to eat with it? Have you ever had two slices of plain bread and wished for a new and exciting sandwich idea? Well, yearn no longer, folks! We have a quick and tasty 2-in-1 Japanese recipe that will see you through dinner and leave you with a delicious, packed sandwich lunch the next day!
It’s a well-known fact that cats have been dominating the world lately. Memes, Facebook profiles, Monopoly game pieces – there seems to be no end to kitty domination. So what about the cats in Japan? Well it turns out that cat memes are pretty prolific here too. Only here they’re not playing keyboards or watching you from the ceiling. Instead, they’re showing off two of Japan’s most special talents: sleeping and apologizing. AT THE SAME TIME.
Studio Ghibli says no to trailers and commercials for Hayao Miyazaki’s new anime movie
Ghibli Museum releases beautiful new line of anime art T-shirts, available for online orders【Pics】
How to have yumcha like a boss at a new dim sum restaurant perfect for groups or solo diners
Japanese convenience store ice cream solves plastic-vs.-wooden-spoon dilemma with edible spoons
Pizza Hut Japan’s new Wiener Coffee Pizza tastes as crazy as it sounds
Japanese city getting Spirited Away buses to celebrate Studio Ghibli anime producer museum event
Here’s why you should visit Japan’s best winter-night hot spring town on a summer afternoon【Pics】
Super-polite bowing shoebill in Japan wins hearts with its incidental grasp of Japanese etiquette
Best breakfast ramen in southern Japan? Taste-testing Fukuoka’s super-convenient Morning Ramen
Onitsuka Tiger now sells Shinkansen sneakers that cost more than a trip on the bullet trainGhibli Museum releases beautiful new line of anime art T-shirts, available for online orders【Pics】
Pokémon dress shirt brand is shutting down – Last chance to order is less than a month away
Huge price hike for Japan Rail Pass triggers huge drop in foreign travelers who’ll buy it【Survey】
Fans in Japan don’t sound happy with Netflix’s One Piece live-action changes to the Going MerryOnitsuka Tiger now sells Shinkansen sneakers that cost more than a trip on the bullet train
Gigantic super-affordable Sailor Moon lifestyle line comes to Japan’s favorite 300 yen shop【Pics】
AI-generated swimsuit/lingerie model makes debut in Japan’s Weekly Playboy magazine【Photos】
SoraNews24 formally apologizes for recent misunderstanding with crows in nearby park
We try five menu recommendations from a clerk at CoCo Ichibanya and almost fall in loveHow to have yumcha like a boss at a new dim sum restaurant perfect for groups or solo diners
Studio Ghibli now sells plush toys seen on Howl’s bed from Howl’s Moving CastleGhibli Museum releases beautiful new line of anime art T-shirts, available for online orders【Pics】Pokémon dress shirt brand is shutting down – Last chance to order is less than a month awayGigantic super-affordable Sailor Moon lifestyle line comes to Japan’s favorite 300 yen shop【Pics】Huge price hike for Japan Rail Pass triggers huge drop in foreign travelers who’ll buy it【Survey】
Uniqlo teams up with shojo manga/anime masters Clamp for new World of Clamp T-shirt line【Pics】
Japanese outdoor brand Foxfire teams up with Totoro for cool clothing and accessory line
New Ghibli T-shirts give you anime style with short sleeves from Spirited Away, Totoro, and more
World’s largest Kura Sushi revolving sushi restaurant opens, but not in Japan【Video】Fans in Japan don’t sound happy with Netflix’s One Piece live-action changes to the Going Merry
Manga artist wants Japanese teachers to feel, for two seconds, how dumb their girls’ dress code is
Sony’s wearable air conditioners selling like cold cakes in heat-stricken Japan
Travelling to Japan soon? Beware the “Three Small Hells” awaiting tourists upon arrival
Japan ends travel ban on individual tourists, waives visa requirements for certain countries
One Piece’s Luffy spent years of manga’s publication without saying a word to one of his nakama
Pokémon Center apologizes for writing model Nicole Fujita’s name as Nicole Fujita
Image-generating AI’s picture of “Final Fantasy VII Cloud” is so wrong, yet so right
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
New Studio Ghibli humidifiers breathe anime magic into your home
Message to foreigners at Japanese convenience store sparks controversy online
Japanese city getting Spirited Away buses to celebrate Studio Ghibli anime producer museum event
Here’s why you should visit Japan’s best winter-night hot spring town on a summer afternoon【Pics】
Super-polite bowing shoebill in Japan wins hearts with its incidental grasp of Japanese etiquette
Best breakfast ramen in southern Japan? Taste-testing Fukuoka’s super-convenient Morning Ramen
Onitsuka Tiger now sells Shinkansen sneakers that cost more than a trip on the bullet train
How much do fans of boys’ love spend every year on homoerotic comics? The amount may surprise you
Pikachu afternoon tea at Tokyo hotel gives us a taste of the Pokémon anime world
Massive price increase announced for Japan Rail Pass, cost to jump by up to 77 percent
Survey shows that guys like girls who eat a lot, so long as it’s salad
Japanese fashion company’s modernized haori half coats will keep you warm and samurai chic
The top 8 fast food chains in Japan
Fashion for the young at heart! A different take on what it means to get older in Japan
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Japan’s best train pass, the Japan Rail Pass, finally being made available for purchase online