Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Hailing from Liverpool in the UK, Philip Kendall made Japan his second home in the summer of 2006 after dolefully abandoning his childhood dream of becoming a ghost buster. Setting up camp in beautiful Fukushima prefecture, he brought joy to literally hundreds of junior high school children as ‘that tall, handsome teacher’ or more often ‘the one with the big nose,’ before relocating to Tokyo at the end of 2011.
Writer, foodie, gamer and eternal student of the Japanese language, Philip now works as a freelance writer and translator, submitting to Tokyo Weekender magazine and website and Learn Japanese Pod, as well as co-running Suds, Grub & Joe- a website dedicated to all things beer, food and coffee-related in Tokyo. Follow his ramblings on his personal blog or on twitter.
Posted by Philip Kendall (Page 33)
If you’re one of those people who just can’t get enough of popping bubble wrap, you may want to steers clear of this iPhone 5 case from Japanese mobile phone accessory experts Strapya. As well as keeping your smart phone safe from everyday bumps and scratches, it also provides the user with row after row of never-ending bubbles to be “popped”.
As anyone who has ever entered a Japanese-style pub, or izakaya, will tell you, whether you want it or not, as soon as you’ve ordered some form of alcohol, a small plate or bowl will be placed in front of you alongside your chopsticks and hot towel. The contents of said vessel are almost always a mystery to the customer prior to its arrival; it could be noodles, vegetables, fish or even meat. Sometimes it’s piping hot, sometimes it’s as cold as the ice in your Bill Murray-inspired Suntory whiskey.
Known as お通し (otōshi) or sometimes 突き出し (tsukidashi), this appetizer is given to each and every alcohol-imbibing customer, and sometimes even to those only sipping on soft drinks, regardless of whether you’re drinking at a chain pub or a family owned watering hole. The customer has no say whatsoever in what the snack will be, and even if it remains completely untouched it is added to the bill, costing on average 200-500 yen (US$2-5) per head.
With 3-D printers and scanners becoming ever more affordable, it’s great to see creatives turning their previously unrealised ideas into reality. Not wanting to be outdone by the face-shaped Valentine’s Day chocolates doled out by Japan’s ladies this Valentine’s Day, the clever people at coffee house and creative workshop FabCafe in Tokyo have come up with the perfect gift for men to give this White Day: personalized gummy men.
In a somewhat unusual move yesterday, Japan’s Ueno Zoo released a video on its official website of its two pandas, Shin Shin and Ri Ri, copulating in their enclosure.
Rest assured that neither smooth jazz nor scented candles were involved in the incident and that this article is perfectly safe to be read at work.
Ever wondered who those cheeky elves are who slip pizza menus, coupons and ads for home delivery sexy times in your mailbox or through your door while you’re out? They’re in and out in a flash, usually lugging enormous stacks of paper with them, searching for slots to post material like a mother bird on a caffeine high feeding her young. Little did we know, though, that there are people out there in this crazy world we live in who have delivered so many pamphlets in their time that they’re positively black belts in the secret art of putting things into holes.
In perhaps the most genius use of french fries we’ve seen in years, Japanese convenience store chain Mini Stop has begun selling a number of Dragon Ball-themed sweets and fried foods as part of a promotion for upcoming movie Dragon Ball Z: Battle of the Gods.
Want! Okay, so it’s the same old hardware that we know and love, but these Japan exclusive (so far!) 3DS LL colours are very cool indeed.
Hot on the heels of Dyson with its bladeless electric fan technology, Japan’s Panasonic has unveiled its new low power “Slim Fan” for year-round use. And for a device designed primarily to shift air around the room, it’s pretty sexy.
A new barrier that rises and falls with trains’ arrival and departure is due to be trialed at a busy commuter station this year, a report from Japan’s IT Media has said.
Daisuke Amaya, the creator of critically acclaimed platform adventure game Dōkutsu Monogatari (Cave Story in the west) announced on Saturday at the Kyoto-held indie developer event BitSummit that his new game Gero Blaster would be arriving this May.
Just last week, after having sat through it for possibly the tenth time in just a couple of hours, I took a screen grab of an unskippable YouTube ad and shared it on my personal Facebook feed. Whether it’s the theme tune, the overly dramatic presenter’s way of speaking or the fact that I care nothing for pachinko, I don’t know, but this ad was slowly driving me mad. As it turns out, I wasn’t alone.
This afternoon in Tokyo, a government-hosted remembrance ceremony will be held for the 15,881 people who died and the 2,668 who remain unaccounted for as a result of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami that struck Northeastern Japan two years ago today. The Emperor and Empress of Japan will also be present at the ceremony, at which the nation will be asked to observe a moment of silence beginning at 2:46 p.m..
We’ve never been ones to shy away from fast food challenges, and today is no exception. Today may well be Friday to the rest of you, but for the RocketNews24 team, and especially our champion eating machine Mr. Sato, today was and will forever remain the day that we took on the challenge of the 100 slice onion tower.
From the people who brought you the 1,000 cheese slice whopper and the 1,050 rasher bacon burger, we proudly present: The Onion Tower Challenge.
Domino’s Pizza stepped things up a gear yesterday when it announced that it is partnering with digital pop idol Hatsune Miku for its latest promotional campaign. As well as allowing them to order pizzas without actually having to speak to anyone, the new Domino’s Pizza feat. Hatsune Miku app for iPhone lets customers enjoy private performances from the singing humanoid by pointing the iPhone’s camera at special app-friendly pizza boxes.
Perhaps even better than the campaign itself, though, is the cheesy video that Domino’s launched yesterday to introduce the app, which features company president Scott Oellkers doing his best to look excited about having his photo taken with the teal-haired star. Corporate enthusiasm aplenty after the break.
With White Day little over a week away, thousands of men in Japan are currently feeling the heat. Having received gifts from their loved ones on Valentine’s Day, it’s now time to return the favour by buying their sweetheart something that simultaneously says “thank you” while acting as a token of their affections.
But when most men think of the words “great gift”, they often envisage things like video games or iPad-controlled helicopters, and the chances of such items going down well with their wives or girlfriends are slim to none.
Thankfully, help is at hand! Available at Tokyo’s Tokyu Hands department store, the White Day Concierge service is designed to help male shoppers on the hunt for a romantic gift find something that their other half may actually like, rather than just a female Tenga toy with a ribbon tied around it and the promise of a shoulder rub.
If you’re a Hello Kitty fan, here’s something that you won’t want to miss. In one of the coolest collaborations we’ve seen in a long time, Kitty-chan’s parent company Sanrio has joined paws (sorry) with quirky Japanese video site Niconico to produce a series of limited edition chocolate boxes.
The British stage production of Studio Ghibli’s 1997 animated classic Princess Mononoke, originally only intended for audiences at London’s Diorama Theatre this April, will be brought to Japan, it was announced earlier today.
A 75-year-old man from Saitama Prefecture, Japan, has died after being refused treatment as many as 36 times at 25 different hospitals in an around the prefecture, Japanese website The Mainichi has revealed.
Fans of the manga and animé smash JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and its notoriously ill-mannered dog Iggy will be pleased to know that they can now get their hands on a doorstop modeled on the pooch.
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Rumors say this is Japan’s very best McDonald’s branch, but what makes it special?[Taste test]
Japanese kindness restores our faith in humanity after a highway bus accident in Tokyo
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japan now has a “for foreign tourists only” Mt. Fuji sightseeing train[Video]
This upcycled Kyoto train cafe is the ultimate kawaii spring experience
Fatal stabbing at Pokémon Center in Tokyo reignites concern over rising stalking cases in Japan
Starbucks Japan adds new Sencha Matcha Tea Frappuccino to its menu, but only at 28 locationsKrispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
7-Eleven Japan releases a crazy new viral sandwich: Chocolate Sprinkles and Whipped Cream
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the countryJapan now has a “for foreign tourists only” Mt. Fuji sightseeing train[Video]Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Nine amazing off-the-beaten-path cherry blossom spots in Japan for yaezakura and shidarezakura
Stunning central Japan wisteria festival is like a purple fantasy straight out of a Ghibli movie
Studio Ghibli releases the My Neighbour Totoro tea caddy, with a magical self-closing lid
Create a tiny Ghibli anime world on your bookshelf with new miniature papercraft art kits
Studio Ghibli unveils new Rollbahn notebook in honour of Howl’s Moving Castle
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in TokyoStarbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day FrappuccinoKrispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Cherry blossoms begin blooming in Japan with record-early starts for sakura season7-Eleven Japan releases a crazy new viral sandwich: Chocolate Sprinkles and Whipped Cream
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 Tokyo
Starbucks 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
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
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
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japan now has a “for foreign tourists only” Mt. Fuji sightseeing train[Video]
This upcycled Kyoto train cafe is the ultimate kawaii spring experience
Fatal stabbing at Pokémon Center in Tokyo reignites concern over rising stalking cases in Japan
Starbucks Japan adds new Sencha Matcha Tea Frappuccino to its menu, but only at 28 locations
Nephew receives SD card after his uncle passes away, finds treasure trove of gems from the past
Coca-Cola Japan unveils new sakura design bottle for cherry blossom season 2019
Peko-chan Milky Time Cafe opens in Chiba and we go to check out all of the pastries and merch
Cafe next to Tokyo Station offers all-you-can-eat tarts, and Mr. Sato is ready for his desserts
Can you make KFC takikomi gohan in a rice cooker, and is it something worth eating?【SoraKitchen】
Sushi Push Pops aiming to be Japan’s newest sakura season snack sensation
Nintendo’s New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe ad blends fantasy and reality, scores a 1UP
Final Fantasy invites you to adventure in Fukushima with Fukushima Fantasy Chocobo fun[Video]