The whisky distiller, famous for upstaging Scottish standbys to be crowned “Best Whisky in the World” in 2014, recently renovated their open-to-the-public facilities. We figured it was as good an excuse as any for a tour and tasting!
Mike
With nothing better to do in his native Ohio, Mike took a leave of absence from all responsibilities in life and came to Japan for the first time in 2006. After several years of what amounted to an extended vacation with occasional Japanese lessons, circumstances led Mike to finally settle down in Tokyo and get serious about life in 2009. He’s worked at magazines, a Japanese ad agency, and currently works in the entertainment industry. He also co-founded and writes for the humorous Japan news website Tokyodesu.com.
Posted by Mike (Page 5)
Toy maker Kaiyodo, famous for their ultra-detailed figures, recently released two new designs of their popular Danbo character which recall the WWII-era “Zero” Japanese fighter plane.
The recipe calls for meticulously sticking dry noodles into numerous mushroom stalks. Uppercutting the entire dish into the atmosphere out of sheer frustration at the difficulty of that step is, we presume, optional.
The creator of Flappy Bird is apparently working with Japanese studio Obakaidem to produce several titles, including a “ninja game.”
Nintendo says a scene contained in the Japanese release of Fire Emblem Fates, which could be construed as advocating “gay conversion therapy,” will not appear in the English release.
Food manufacturer Myojo recently released a special version of their popular Ippei-chan instant yakisoba noodles that includes a chocolate sauce topping. We tried it… so you don’t have to.
A magically floating Castle in the Sky – of Studio Ghibli fame – made from yakisoba and a whole head of broccoli is making the Japanese Twitter rounds. And you can make one, too!
Studio Ghibli fan and Part-time artist Hannah Alexander created this dazzling Art Nouveau version of Princess Mononoke from Hayao Miyazaki’s classic animated film.
The pet wearables venture company, Anicall, promises a new device and accompanying smartphone app that can read your pet’s emotions.
A Japanese couple and their kids have a “family meeting” every month and take detailed notes with monthly goals and results. In true sitcom fashion, they end up surreal and hilarious.
Japanese blogger and internationalist Madame Riri explores five prejudices and misconceptions foreign male-Japanese female couples experience in Japan.
Takara Tomy will introduce several neat new models in their spectacularly popular Tomica toy car line later this month, each based on Feudal-Era warriors and generals.
We dropped 1 million yen (approximately US$8,300) on 5,000 Japan National Lottery scratch-off tickets to see if buying in bulk translates to bigger wins.
A metro operator set up a monitoring device and announcement system to single out individual commuters caught using their smartphones while walking near escalators or passing trains.
Toy manufacturer Takara Tomy A.R.T.S continues its line of bizarre “gacha” capsule toys with cute (?) animals that have developed enormous underbites.
While posters for the film in the west appear to be going for more mysterious, arty designs, the official poster for the film’s Japanese release opts for more of a “cosplay Christmas card” look…
Model Saya Kagawa takes the women’s crown, distracts everyone from a bunch of ripped dudes flexing in the background.
The publisher of Shonen Jump + is teaming with digital distributor MediBang to hold an amateur manga submission contest. Those who make the cut will see their manga on the virtual pages of the magazine!
The attraction will task guests with navigating a compound using their wits and spy skills and will even feature a laser tripwire obstacle course. A LASER TRIPWIRE OBSTACLE COURSE!
The family of a Baptist missionary stationed in Japan in the 1930s sent DVDs of the Reverend’s home movies of the era to the Hiroshima town of Onomichi.
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