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 237)
Minecraft has shown us time and time again that it’s much more than just a sandbox game made up of tiny blocks and flat-faced sheep. We’ve seen clever builders create everything from Super Mario Bros. gameplay to Japanese-language classes and even the entire country of Japan.
Today, we bring you something straight out of the world of Studio Ghibli: the floating city of Laputa from the animated film, Castle in the Sky.
Beauty ideals can be strange things. In Japan, the concept of hattoushin, a perfect 1:8 head-to-body ratio and the idealisation of kogao, or small face, reign supreme.
This obsession with creating a slim face has brought about some weird and wacky contraptions. If you don’t have time to stick to a routine that includes face rollers, cheek-lifting masks and facial exercises, there’s now a quick fix at hand: a lens that slips over your phone camera to give you that kogao look.
The world of custom jewellery has been impressing us lately, with Evangelion couples’ rings and designs based on Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda and even Sailor Moon.
Now it’s time to turn our attention to a galaxy far, far away, where lovers can carry the force on their fingers with matching Star Wars rings featuring gorgeous lightsaber details.
Out of all the things we wish would spring to life from Studio Ghibli’s animated films, the catbus from My Neighbor Totoro would have to be at the top of the list. Who wouldn’t want to ride an enormous, fluffy, bright orange cat over hills and through forests on their daily commute?
As with all great things, if it can’t exist in real life, it can at least exist in the imagination. And there’s one imaginative lad who’s found a way to bring the catbus to life in the cutest way possible. All it takes is two ingredients: a fluffy, compliant cat and some Finnish beer.
If you’re vegetarian or simply not a fan of raw fish, a visit to a sushi train restaurant with friends isn’t exactly going to fill you with joy. While the touch panel screens and the treat of watching your orders arrive on a conveyor belt is always entertaining, wouldn’t it be nicer if there were a few more fish-phobic options on the menu?
That’s exactly what a new chain of restaurants in Japan is offering, with vegetarian sushi, made with fresh, seasonal vegetables, and a host of other meat-based dishes, including ham and pork-topped sushi options, available for customers.
We paid a visit to Sushi Nova at their brand new location, the first of a hundred to hit Japan by 2019, and were incredibly impressed with what they had to offer.
While Japan is known for its large number of vending machines, offering everything from ink stamps to gold cans of Coca-Cola, there’s a very special type of vending machine that can be stacked three high and in long rows of twenty or more: the gachapon machine.
Often forming a huge wall outside gaming stores, these plastic-windowed devices spit out mystery capsules with tiny collectibles inside at 100-600 yen (US$0.84-$5.02) a pop. The latest gachapon to appear on the market is aimed at the feline customer, and if kittens could master the art of coin handling, they’d all be down at the vending machines, getting in on the craze that all cool cats are into – cat bandanas.
Kennin-ji is one of Japan’s most historic landmarks. Founded in 1202, it’s the oldest Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto and its founding monk, Eisai, is credited with introducing the philosophy of zen to Japan. To celebrate the temple’s 800th anniversary in 2002, a pair of dragons were painted inside the Dharma Hall, with instructions from the Abbott that they be “rampaging across the ceiling”.
The beauty and power of these dragons has inspired an experienced collector to commission a timepiece featuring the very same artwork, calling on the expertise of four of the very best master craftsmen in the business to come together in what’s being called the “Kennin-ji Master’s Project”. Helmed by acclaimed English watchmaker Peter Speake-Marin, experts are saying this is one of the most exquisite and ornate watches ever made in the history of the craft.
September in Japan is the bridge between summer and autumn, with warm humid days mixed in with cool nights and passing typhoons dumping some of the year’s highest amounts of rainfall around the country.
With the rain set to continue, umbrella sales are in full swing at the moment, and some of the best ones here are simply magic. They won’t send you flying through the air like Mary Poppins, but they will reveal hidden secrets when the rain begins to fall!
Sailor Moon’s 20th Anniversary year has been an absolute boon for fans of the series. We’ve seen everything from sanitary equipment to lingerie to tiny little miniature versions of the everyday items they use.
What we really can’t get enough of is the bevy of adorable merchandise from Premium Bandai. And now that they’ve added new Sailor Pluto and Chibiusa items to their Miracle Romance line and DX My Chopsticks Collection, we’re heading straight to the online register!
Here at RocketNews, we’ve loved and lost time and time again. There have been black burgers, berry burgers, potato chip burgers and tomato bun burgers, and despite our treasured moments with them, they all eventually rode off into the sunset, leaving us with just a glimmer of hope that we might someday cross paths with them again.
Now one of our past loves is making its way into our hearts again: the Becker’s Deer Burger. Limited to just 15,000 sales from October 1, this is one re-encounter we’re looking forward to!
When it comes to celebrating their 20th anniversary, Sailor Moon girls don’t go out on the town, swigging from a cheap bottle of Brut, yelling “It’s my birf-daaaaay” to passers-by on the street.
This is a group of soldiers who choose to stay home instead, holding tea parties with their nearest and dearest, using only the finest Japanese tableware on the market, Noritake.
Now you can sip tea like a sailor warrior too, with this gorgeous new teacup and saucer set, which blends fine porcelain details with cute motifs from the hit series.
Namja Town, an indoor theme park in Tokyo operated by Namco, is putting out a special spread to celebrate Sailor Moon’s 20th anniversary year. With a selection of five beverages and a whopping fourteen types of cute meals and desserts to choose from, this is the most extensive list of Sailor Moon-themed edibles we’ve ever seen!
While the Attack on Titan live-action movie may have failed to live up to some people’s expectations, we’re still holding out hope for something even greater on the horizon.
It looks like we won’t have to wait too long because come this winter, there’ll be a new game on the market—and it’s set to feature advancing giants, a showdown with the Colossal Titan himself, and gameplay that lets you fly through the air using Omnidirectional Mobility Gear.
Oh, and there’s a ton of blood.
Have you ever visited a museum in Japan and found it hard to tear yourself away from the samurai exhibits, wanting desperately to reach past the “don’t touch” sign to prod the delicate folds of metal armour and the faded material with stains from a bloody war?
Well now there’s a range of samurai armour you can take home with you, and despite their petite size, they’re actually faithful recreations of suits worn by famous warriors in Japanese history.
Certified by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as a “Wonder 500” product, awarded to 500 of Japan’s finest goods, foods and travel experiences, this unique range of warrior suits can either dress up your figurines or safeguard your favourite bottle of sake, wine or shochu.
It’s hard to believe we’re one year shy of a decade since the live-action Death Note movies were released. Fans in Japan were treated to a live-action TV series recently, which broadcast its final episode on Sunday night, but it’s what appeared at the end of the show that’s really got everyone talking.
It’s the announcement of a new Death Note movie to be released in 2016; an exciting sequel featuring L’s successor and introducing the Six-Note Rule, which, until now, has only appeared in the original manga. What’s more, a teaser trailer has been released, giving us a taste of what to expect from the film, which will be distributed by Warner Brothers and directed by Shinsuke Sato, who was also at the helm for popular movies Library Wars and Gantz.
The miniature toy market is huge in Japan. From tiny Hello Kitty baked goods to pint-sized supermarket items and even scaled-down Japanese-style rooms filled with traditional furnishings, you don’t have to be a child with a doll-house to delve into the world of miniature here in Japan.
Adults have become so transfixed with all the adorable items on the market that there are a number of YouTube channels purely dedicated to the art of petite cooking, using everything from tiny utensils to working miniature ovens.
One of the latest videos to appear takes us through the sushi-making process, transporting us to a tiny world that viewers say is so calming it can cure all types of stress and anxiety. Watching this short clip will be the best few minutes of your day!
With so many traditional arts, customs and practices, it’s not hard to fall in love with Japanese culture. For one French couple, it was a night of origami paper-folding with a Japanese friend that left a big impression. Intrigued by the art, they set upon a journey to recreate the folded designs in metal and not long afterwards, a gorgeous jewellery collection was born, featuring delicate animals, birds, crustaceans and dinosaurs.
While the well-known Ghibli Museum in Tokyo might be at the top of the bucket list for any fan of legendary animated film director Hayao Miyazaki, there’s actually an even better place to get in touch with the semi-retired maestro himself.
It’s a beautiful stretch of nature just north-west of Tokyo. called Sayama Hills. Situated in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, and nicknamed “Totoro’s Forest”, this area was the actual inspiration for the animated feature My Neighbour Totoro. Miyazaki has been known to take daily walks through the area, and is so enamoured by the place that he actively participates in regular volunteer events and has made generous donations towards its conservation.
Now, the foundation that protects the forest is inviting the general public in for a special guided walking tour to take place on 5 December. The full-day event takes visitors around some very special areas and includes lots of background information for fans.
Popular conveyor belt sushi chain Kappa Sushi (pronounced Kappa Zushi) is known around Japan for its tasty morsels, starting at 108 yen (US$0.90) per plate, and its family-friendly setting, with cosy booths and a cute logo featuring an animated kappa, or water sprite (think Sandy from the TV series Monkey Magic, only tinier, rounder and a thousand times cuter).
Now the well-known chain is moving things up a notch, with the September 18 opening of a new type of conveyor belt restaurant called Sushi Nova. Featuring fashionable, modern interiors and a salad sushi menu that uses seasonal vegetables in place of fish, the company plans to open 100 of these new restaurants in Japan by 2019.
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting the lines at a popular Tokyo gyukatsu restaurant?
Here comes a new katsudon: ice cream katsudon?!?
Cherry blossom forecasts map shows Japan’s OTHER sakura season is starting right now
The top 70 words that keep showing up in Japanese light novel titles (and yes, isekai is one of them)
420 million yen in cash-filled suitcases stolen on Tokyo streets, incidents at Haneda and Hong Kong follow
How to make a lucky sushi roll with KFC fried chicken skin【SoraKitchen】
Japanese restaurant chain shows us how to make katsudon in three minutes【SoraKitchen】
Japanese breast size study shows rapid growth in previously smallest-busted region of county
Nintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】
Pampered hamsters chill in tiny home, eat pies, win hearts 【Videos】
Yokai are descending upon Tokyo this spring in the latest immersive art experience
New Studio Ghibli stamps leave an impression on your stationery…and your heart
Japan cherry blossom forecast update moves up sakura dates for many parts of the countryCherry blossom forecasts map shows Japan’s OTHER sakura season is starting right now
Japan’s Naruto theme park now offering real-world version of Minato’s kunai ninja weapon
Japan has a new bar just for people thinking about quitting their jobs, and the drinks are free
Morning-after pill finally available in Japan without a prescription, must be taken at pharmacy
And now, we eat a bear paw we bought in Japan’s Chiba Prefecture【Taste test】
Studio Ghibli turns My Neighbour Totoro characters into bag charms for everyday adventures
Japanese women sound off on their minimum height requirements for a husband【Survey】
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Japan releases first official sakura cherry blossom forecast for 2026
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Archfiend Hello Kitty appears as Sanrio launches new team-up with Yu-Gi-Oh【Pics】
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning looks to be affecting tourist crowds on Miyajima
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Studio Ghibli releases new “komorebi” plush toys from Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminatingJapan’s Naruto theme park now offering real-world version of Minato’s kunai ninja weapon
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in TokyoStarbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
How to make a lucky sushi roll with KFC fried chicken skin【SoraKitchen】
Japanese restaurant chain shows us how to make katsudon in three minutes【SoraKitchen】
Japanese breast size study shows rapid growth in previously smallest-busted region of county
Nintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】
Pampered hamsters chill in tiny home, eat pies, win hearts 【Videos】
Japan is in the grip of sticker fever and no one is safe, including us
Unstaffed massage parlor pops up in Tokyo
Harajuku’s new permanent Tamagotchi shop is filled with cuteness and a surprising lack of poop
Make your mark: Personalize gift bags, notebooks and more with free Muji stamp station
How to speak Japanese like a gyaru【2024 edition】
Trending technique for breaking apart chopsticks turns out to be clever new design by Muji
Starbucks Japan’s rarest Frappuccino can only be purchased at 15 stores around the country
New Studio Ghibli stamps leave an impression on your stationery…and your heart