Africa
As Senegal’s players shine on the field, famous anime anthem asks if their hearts are shining too.
”You wanna be my friend?” the songs asks, and the answer seems to be “Yes!”
There was meat, there was bread, and there were fries, but it still wasn’t quite as expected.
Mr. Sato follows a hot lead from a Maasai warrior for some elusive Kenyan food in Japan, and isn’t disappointed.
Tired of reading about lucky bags but not being able to own one? Well, courtesy of our Kenyan correspondent Luka Sunte some are up for grabs…but it won’t be easy to get one.
A new way to dice an onion is said to be trending online and with good reason. It looks a little dangerous but chances are you’re going to want to try this too.
Yaki udon, a Japanese stir-fried noodle dish made with thick, flat wheat noodles, is a popular and much-loved staple of Japanese cuisine. Both yaki udon and yakisoba—a similar dish which uses a thinner buckwheat noodle instead—are cheap, tasty, and readily available from many street food stalls and Japanese-style pubs). So when one of our RocketNews24 Japan reporters read that not only had a yaki udon restaurant opened up in Kenya, but that it was that it was a huge hit with the locals, he just had to check it out for himself.
Read on for our Japanese reporter’s restaurant review as he travels halfway across the world for a bowl of noodles.
It’s that time of year again. The time when the world waits with bated breath to see who was voted as Earth’s greatest contributor to peace and receives what may be the highest honor a human can receive. I’m talking, of course, about the Confucius Peace Prize.
The Confucius Peace Prize is an annual award given to those who work towards peace as seen “from an Eastern perspective”, with past laureates including Vladimir Putin and Fidel Castro. This year, the selection committee announced that the Confucius Peace Prize will go to none other than Zimbabwe President, Chairperson of the African Union, and one of Forbes’ “10 Worst Dictators” in the world: Robert Mugabe.
Tuna is a powerhouse of a fish which swims all over the world’s waters, and the Indian Ocean is no exception. Countless fishing boats settle at major ports such as the one in Mombasa, Kenya, providing a breeding ground for commerce, cultural exchange, and of course fresh fish.
Our reporter Go Hatori, after getting voluntarily beaten by Maasai warriors, postulated that with Mombasa’s capacity to get fresh fish, there may very well be some great sushi in Kenya as well. Go didn’t really put any research into this, but what adventure starts with careful thought and census taking?
So he hit the streets of Nairobi and started asking people “Do you know any sushi restaurants around here?” Thinking he may have found a hidden oasis of sushi tucked away on the African continent, Go was able to compile a list of three Kenyan restaurants for his sushi safari.
Sure, you may have killed, like, 230 lions in Skyrim and traded in their pelts for a sweet dagger and maybe a cool tricorn hat, but it’s safe to say that, in real life, you probably wouldn’t fare so well against one of nature’s most efficient predators. First, where are you going to get a sweet set of gold armor and a giant warhammer? Secondly, humankind’s fight or flight response being what it is, you’re probably far more likely to projectile urinate onto your attacker while fleeing at top speed like the damn Roadrunner or something.
No, outside of Skyrim, there is only really one group of people (that don’t routinely use high-powered, modern weapons like they’re hunting the Predator) that can actually boast of taking on lions and walking away not only alive but victorious. Lucky for us, we’re tight with these folks – the Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania – and they graciously taught us their technique, using one of our most unfortunate Japanese writing staff to demonstrate.
Alongside the famed Tokyo University, Kyoto University is definitely one of the top universities in Japan, known in particular for their innovative scientific research. It so happens that the university is currently holding its annual Open Campus event from August 6 to 8, and many prospective students are sure to be visiting for a chance to take a look inside one of the most prestigious institutes of learning in Japan.
Visitors to this year’s event may be surprised to find out, however, that they’ll be able to try a dessert made using a very unique ingredient indeed, and one that was discovered by one of the university’s own research teams — a bacterium found in the gut of gorillas!
They say the most expressive part of your face is the eyes. The rest of the face might be saying “happy times”, but if you focus on the eyes, you might see “sad times,” or vice versa.
Purikura machines, or sticker picture machines, have long had an eye enhancement option, so it only makes sense for an application on your phone to have one as well. Many of them can even be used on everyday objects that have people’s faces on them, like the money resting in your wallet. But how do the respected and historical figures on cash look when you manipulate the size of their eyes? Is some secret emotion going to be revealed? Let’s find out after the jump.
Natto Boys (Natto Danshi) are a group whose sole purpose is to share the ancient and traditional Japanese food natto with the world. However, with its acrid smell and texture of an alien autopsy subject, those are some high hopes.
Already in about half a year, the Natto Boys have established a website featuring over 100 serving suggestions for the fermented soy beans to help promote the food at home. Now, they want to take the next step into the world’s second largest continent, Africa, and to do this they have turned to us for help via crowdfunding.
As a huge fan of Sailor Moon, one artist decided to reimagine the characters in a fresh new way that resonated with them. In the resulting fanart the Sailor Senshi have undergone a magical transformation into black African women – check out these amazing illustrations below.
As a nation of die-hard foodies, Japan is always on the lookout for a memorable meal. We’re just a couple of months away from New Year’s, when Japan dines on some of its most opulent dishes of all as part of the multi-dish osechi meals that are traditionally eaten at the beginning of the year.
Recently, more and more families have begun purchasing their osechi rather than making their own, and we imagine quite a few have been tempted by the Mickey Mouse and Frozen versions we talked about last month. If you’re willing to hold off on satisfying your inner child for the sake of the world’s less fortunate actual kids, though, you might be interested in an osechi set that helps raise funds for charity group Table for Two.
The 2014 Commonwealth Games were held in Glasgow from July 23 to August 3 with 71 nations competing in 18 different sports, table tennis among them. If you’ve never watched table tennis before, then you might be forgiven for thinking that it’s not particularly exciting. Think again.

















Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon
Studio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
Forget Tokyo go-karts – there’s a new way to sightsee on four wheels in Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new limited-edition summer drinks…and a pastry for dunking
Gama Land, the weird Japanese amusement park celebrating toads, is now like a ghost town
Japanese bento shop touches hearts by selling super cheap boxed lunches for around a dollar
Studio Ghibli adds new My Neighbour Totoro music box to its anime merchandise store in Japan
Lawson Japan releases a crazy new product to remind us it’s not just famous for convenience store food
Lawson upsizes convenience store food for a limited time with two must-try Japanese meals
7-Eleven Japan debuts new black-and-white rice ball packaging…but is it because of a naphtha shortage?
New Japanese overnight train coming to connect Tokyo with Tohoku in sleep-travel style
Universal Studios Japan is giving Frieren anime fans the chance to make unforgettable memories.
East Japan Railway announces plans to abolish magnetic-strip tickets
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam is getting a new look before its end-of-summer removal
Japan’s cheap beef bowl chain goes upscale with Matsuya Premium, but is it worth the higher price?
7-Eleven Japan joins the craze for Korean Gamja Cheese Balls
7-Eleven Japan has a new Creamy Iced Cafe Latte that’s a hit on social media
Uniqlo reveals third round of massive 100-year-anniversary manga T-shirts for Jump’s Shueisha
Even at twice regular Daiso price, this handy item is still great for summer travel in Japan
New official Ghibli anime food cookbook will teach you how to make Ponyo’s ramen and more
Japanese convenience store Lawson launches new “mini supermarket” chain, L Minimart
Japan’s real-world Pokémon hot spring’s first photos are here![Photos]
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Kyoto public junior high school becomes first in Japan with a hoodie school uniform
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
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】
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japanese bento shop touches hearts by selling super cheap boxed lunches for around a dollar
Studio Ghibli adds new My Neighbour Totoro music box to its anime merchandise store in Japan
Lawson Japan releases a crazy new product to remind us it’s not just famous for convenience store food
Lawson upsizes convenience store food for a limited time with two must-try Japanese meals
7-Eleven Japan debuts new black-and-white rice ball packaging…but is it because of a naphtha shortage?
Fukuoka schools struggling to get kids to switch from milk to tea in lunches
Japan’s Pokémon Slowpoke Train goes on hiatus, but a mini version could be yours to own
Family Mart’s new Gyoza Dog proves Japanese convenience store food hits different
That time when we fowled out while fighting our feathered friends
Japan’s Pikachu and Eevee Pokémon mailboxes to be removed at end of month
These rare eggs cost more than a typical meal in Japan but are they really that special?
Sizzling on a hot plate?! American sushi rolls break all the rules at this Japanese restaurant
Universal Studios Japan is giving Frieren anime fans the chance to make unforgettable memories.
New research reveals that the key to efficient memorization may be in exhaling