$10,000 burning a hole in your pocket? Dislike receiving emails? Then the Internet Escape Pod is for you!
Richard Simmonds
Originally from Sussex in the UK, Richard came to Japan for the first time in 2011 to teach English. Deciding that only one stint as a student wasn’t enough he returned to go to university in Osaka where he still lives, working slowly towards his inevitable destiny of being killed in an avalanche of manga and textbooks, surrounded by the discarded wrappers of assorted matcha-flavour sweets and biscuits. Whilst continuing his love-hate- hate relationship with the Japanese language he works as a translator, writer and sometime bar pet gaijin.
Posted by Richard Simmonds (Page 5)
Japanese Twitter user’s crazily extreme device is perfect for when you need multiple tissues, stat.
Cheap, popular clothing line Uniqlo’s New York Times Square pop-up store’s bright lights are more Japanese than Japan.
Hit anime/manga Fullmetal Alchemist characters Edward and Alphonse Elric have transformed again, but this time it’s not the result of alchemy.
Naive question prompts discussion about Disneyland eggs, existence of magical chickens and we get our chef’s hat and apron on.
Get 91,000 yen for wearing a black suit, tie and sunglasses in special one-off job offer from new variety TV show based on manga and anime series Ultimate Survivor Kaiji.
Happy Meal goodies even adults will want to get their hands on – Uno, Game of Life, Pop-up Pirate and other games get the McDonald’s treatment.
No need to have Jeeves ready one’s horse when you can call one a la The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Ignore friends and loved ones and concentrate on the important thing in life, ramen, with an Ichiran flavour-savour counter.
First lesson? Gaming. Second lesson? Gaming. Tokyo technical school offers courses to aspiring e-sports athletes.
To your left, excellent local amenities, and to your right, a Japanese man in his underwear battling bears and the undead with a pink trowel.
Biker captures beautiful and varied scenery of Japan, friendliness of fellow travellers, edited down into two short montage pieces.
MOST POPULAR
Today
Starbucks Japan releases two new seasonal drinks that blur the line between summer and autumn
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Japanese workers reveal their top five mysterious rules they wish would disappear【Survey】
Japan’s Rabbit Island in danger of becoming Boar Island, tourists asked to follow feeding rules
Japanese convenience store sunglasses just became our newest Convenience Wear obsession
Dog-friendly Wanwan Liner bus to begin operations between Tokyo and Osaka this fall
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
Tokyo giving out free furoshiki from Pikachu’s designer to help tourists carry their garbage home
Kyoto shop turns traditional Japanese kimono into teddy bears, with special meaning hidden in their patterns
A practical guide to freezing your boss’ hat in a block of ice [Photos]
Weekly
- 12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
12-year-old foreign tourist missing in Japan, police asking for help finding her [Video]
Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums- Japan’s Rabbit Island in danger of becoming Boar Island, tourists asked to follow feeding rules
The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken- Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
Beautiful off-the-beaten-path spot near samurai castle in rural Japan looks like a Monet painting
Monthly
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards- 12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Yearly
Japan 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
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
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]- Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Dog-friendly Wanwan Liner bus to begin operations between Tokyo and Osaka this fall
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
Tokyo giving out free furoshiki from Pikachu’s designer to help tourists carry their garbage home
Kyoto shop turns traditional Japanese kimono into teddy bears, with special meaning hidden in their patterns
A practical guide to freezing your boss’ hat in a block of ice [Photos]
Totoro shaved ice wows Studio Ghibli fans in Tokyo for a very limited time
Heavyweight ramen-style cheese fried chicken bowl appears in Tokyo, but is it genius or madness?
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
These Japanese contact lenses let you put anime characters on your eyes [Photos]
Teen girl in Japan refuses to be victim, personally escorts train pervert to police for arrest
Universal Studios Japan partners with manga horror master Junji Ito’s Tomie
Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meals are coming to McDonald’s, but not in Japan [Video]
Time-lapse footage shows just how fast rebuilding in Kumamoto can go
Best burger in Tokyo? JB’s serves up a cheap craft burger that not a lot of people know about
-
