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Italy

1 Night 1980 Hostel Tokyo offers cheap accommodation for US$14 a night but is it any good?

A cheap place to stay that’s particularly popular with foreign travellers. 

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Our Japanese reporter finds the best Domino’s Pizza in Rome, Italy

When in Rome, we don’t do as the Romans do.

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Valentino sparks outrage with insincere apology for disrespecting Japanese culture in photo shoot

Model daughter of former SMAP member gets caught up in controversy involving shoes and kimono. 

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We went to a Japanese restaurant in Italy, ate green sushi, learned a lesson about taking it easy

Japanese food outside of Japan is not always what one would expect, but why worry about such a little thing?

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  • Jun 17, 2019

Pikachu and Jigglypuff dazzle as expensive but adorable high-end fashion boots!

Now you can make a fashion statement with these striking Pikachu and Jigglypuff boots … for a price.

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Turns out classical music sounds like an epic RPG boss battle by adding a drum beat 【Video】

All you have to do is tap, tap, tap the drum.

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From Rome to Tokyo: Trapizzino’s Italian pizza sandwiches are delish

Tasty, Rome-style Italian pizza sandwiches have hit Tokyo, and we couldn’t resist shoving several of them in our faces. Nom!

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Chinese ad for laundry detergent is remarkably racist

Qiaobi detergent promises to fight stains and wash away any faith in humanity you might be feeling at the moment.

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Meet Tomoko, the 70-year-old Japanese woman who can pole dance like nobody’s business 【Video】

When it comes to years old and spicy moves, she’s got plenty of both.

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Fashion brand Dsquared2 reveals new samurai armor-inspired line-up

These unique fall designs with an ancient Japanese flair were one of the highlights of the recent Milan RTW Fashion Show.

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Muscly Italian men perform Sailor Moon music video, complete with senshi transformations【Video】

A muscular, all-male Sailor Moon senshi group has just released a live-action music video in honour of the hit anime from Japan.

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Japanese condiment company Kikkoman encourages Brits to desecrate white rice with tasty sauce

One of the first things that foreign visitors to Japan learn about Japanese cuisine is that white rice served by itself is meant to be enjoyed as it is, not soaked in soy or doused in dipping sauce. But many people who aren’t all that well-acquainted with Japanese food find the taste of plain boiled rice bland, and love to drizzle sweet and salty sauces all over in order to jazz it up a bit, even if it does make eating it with chopsticks ten times harder.

The UK is one place that probably isn’t known for having a high level of familiarity with Japanese food. Chains like Wagamama and Shoryu Ramen do exist, but they tend to play fast and loose with the definition of Japanese food, and as a result many British diners wind up getting their tastebuds in a bit of a tangle. But now, Japanese company Kikkoman is actually encouraging this desecrating behaviour by bringing out a new product in the UK market: Kikkoman Sweet Sauce for Rice! As you might expect, it’s raising eyebrows in Japan.

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Japanese Netizens share Italian friends’ “most Italian moments”

Throughout the world, the Japanese are known as being a particularly diligent and hardworking people, perhaps even to a fault. They are viewed as being bound by honor to devote their lives to their company and inner circle of closest friends and family.

Italians, on the other hand, are often thought to be, shall we say, extremely laid-back. Insofar as these things can be quantified, Italians work, on average, a bit less than those in many other countries, are quicker than many to hug and show affection, and are generally understood to be considerably less formal (and more, um… amorous) than the Japanese and others in both work and personal life. And with Japan being one of the most homogeneous countries in the world, and also being an island nation, it’s pretty common for the Japanese to exaggerate stereotypes even more than people from the rest of the world, as interaction with foreigners tends to be limited.

Which is why these “OMG, that’s soooo Italian!” Twitter stories Japanese Netizens shared about their encounters with Italian friends and acquaintances are apparently considered the pinnacle of comedy here in Japan. Let’s take a look.

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