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10 things one Japanese expat is always sure to stock up on when returning to Japan

Mike
Nov 7, 2015
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Any expat, exchange student, or anybody who has otherwise spent a long period of time abroad will tell you that, while the local food is exciting and fun and delicious for a while, eventually you’ll start to experience intense urges for the comfort foods and products of your native land. For some, these urges may be occasional, mild pangs, but for many, the urges are so strong they can’t resist stocking up on boxes and boxes full of their favorite items from home every time they head back.

Recently, a Japanese female expat who has been living in America for years introduced our sister site to the top 10 items that she likes to stock up on when she visits Japan:

Dhalsim’s “Yoga Rap” isn’t rap, but it is impossible to get out of your head 【Video】

Master Blaster
Nov 7, 2015

As one of the original Street Fighter II characters, it’s hard not to feel a spot of nostalgic fondness for Dhalsim. Thanks to him I’ve been practicing yoga every day in the hopes that I might one day be able to kick people in the face from 10 yards away. I think that comes on the brink of enlightenment, however, as I still have to get pretty close to people to do any serious damage.

But now my meditation just got a lot easier with the release of the “Yoga Rap” on YouTube. It’s a quick song, but not when you play it on a continuous loop as I have thanks to its infectious chants of “yoga fire” and “yoga flame” over and over and over again.

TV program featuring hot men visiting hot springs to release DVD and photobook this month

Meg Murphy
Nov 7, 2015

Alright ladies, so you’ve spent all day at the office, or out running errands, or cleaning up house and cooking for everyone and taking care of the kids, or maybe even all of the above. Now you want to reward yourself, unwind, and relax in front of the TV or with a good book. Why not let this group of good-looking fellows help you recuperate?

After all, that was the thought behind the creation of the TV show Men’s Onsen, and what could be more rewarding than watching this handsome bunch, clad in nothing but towels, taking a dip in one of Japan’s many hot springs?

Attack on Titan and Monster Hunter team up so you can take down colossal-sized monsters

Scott Wilson
Nov 7, 2015

Do you like Monster Hunter? Do you like Attack on Titan? Does the idea of combining the two… excite you?

Well then we have good news! Video game behemoth Capcom is teaming up with the creators of Attack on Titan to release a collaboration Monster Hunter smartphone event. Ready to take down some colossal, steaming, monster-titans? Then read on for more!

500 Type Eva Cafe releases exclusive lineup of Evangelion-themed meals, sweets and drinks

Oona McGee
Nov 7, 2015

November 7 means two things to Evangelion fans in Japan: the awesome Eva-themed bullet train makes its highly-anticipated inaugural run from Osaka to Fukuoka on the Sanyō Shinkansen line; and the eagerly awaited 500 Type Eva Café opens its doors to customers at JR Hakata Station for the very first time.

To add to all the excitement, Japan Rail West has just released the very first images of the café’s exclusive original menu. From specially marked toast to Eva sweets and an Angel curry, this themed collection of edible goods is the perfect way to celebrate the official launch of the Shinkansen Evangelion Project!

Tokyo’s host club photo studio will have you looking like the coolest Kabukicho club king

Casey Baseel
Nov 7, 2015

Believe it or not, our crack Japanese-language reporter, Mr. Sato, has been struggling with his self-image recently. In recognition of all his hard work, we decided to spring for a makeover for the poor guy, and not at a pet grooming salon like we did before.

No, this time, Mr. Sato is getting the full-on host bar treatment, complete with a photo session commemorating his transformation into a guy so hot women would pay money just to sit and drink with him.

Sea to summit: Expat hikers trek from the Japanese coast to the peak of Mt. Fuji in awesome video

Casey Baseel
Nov 6, 2015

Tell someone you climbed Mt. Fuji, and they’ll ask “Where did you start from?”, because there are paved roads that can drop as much as half-way up the mountain. Of course some say you haven’t climbed Fuji unless you started from its base, but even that wasn’t enough of a challenge for these three foreign outdoorsmen, who decided to start their hike from miles away from Fuji at the seashore, then journey from Japan’s lowest point to its highest, making this awesome video along the way.

We bunk up in “bookstore hotel” Book and Bed Tokyo on opening night

Oona McGee
Nov 6, 2015

Ever since we heard about the opening of a bookstore-themed hotel with sleeping quarters built into its wooden bookshelves, we’ve been keeping a close eye out for updates, and were actually lucky enough to snap up a reservation to stay at the hotel on opening night!

After emerging from the beautiful space this morning, we can happily say it’s one of the most atmospheric places to stay in Tokyo. Actually, we wouldn’t mind shacking up here permanently! Come with us as we take you through all the gorgeous features and unusual details after the break.

Love Live!’s popularity continues to soar, anime appears in Qatar Airways in-flight entertainment

Casey Baseel
Nov 6, 2015

Following their conquest of Japan, the high school idols of hit anime Love Live! have their eyes set on the rest of the world, with an international release for their first theatrical feature. But even that might not be a big enough stage for the animated vocalists. They’re now on their way to taking over the skies as well, since you can now watch Love Live! anime on selected flights on, of all carriers, Qatar Airways.

Through the eyes of a child — Five-year-old girl takes her mother to see local “Martian”

Meg Murphy
Nov 6, 2015

Looking up into the vastness of space, it’s only natural for one to wonder if we’re really all alone here. There are reports of contact with alien life all the time, sometimes even with photographic material to support them. Some of them are undoubtedly hokey, but others make you pause and wonder…

Like this photo, of a martian living on a lone street in a Japanese neighborhood. A young five-year-old had seen the martian many times before she took her mother along to see. The mother then snapped a photo of the encounter and posted it on Twitter for the world to see…

Nations-as-pretty-boys anime Hetalia’s live-action cast appears in costume 【Photos】

Casey Baseel
Nov 6, 2015

Next month, Hetalia, the anime and manga franchise featuring anthropomorphized nations and a hefty amount of homoerotic subtext, is getting its very own live-action musical adaptation, and the play’s producers have just released the first photos of the cast in costume as their respective nations.

Adorable prairie dog traffic jam wins the hearts of Japanese Twitter users

Preston Phro
Nov 6, 2015

Depending on where you grew up, prairie dogs might be nothing more than hated, pesky varmints you just wish would go away. But in Japan, they are adorable little creatures deserving all your squeals of “kawaiiiii” — especially when they end up in a traffic jam!

First, possibly most ironic, underwater ruins discovered in Japan’s largest lake

Master Blaster
Nov 6, 2015

On 4 November, Ei Nakayama of The University of Shiga Prefecture made a historic announcement that eight man-made pillars had been found standing upright at the bottom of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture.

Despite the country’s long history and relatively changeable landscape due to seismic and volcanic activity, this is actually the first time ruins have ever been found underwater in Japan.

Sync! Illumination lets you watch Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade from home on multiple phones

Oona McGee
Nov 6, 2015

Tokyo Disneyland is a popular destination at any time of the year, but when the holiday season approaches, the theme park swells with visitors keen to get in on the festive spirit.

One of the highlights of the season is the “Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dream Lights”, where a number of well-known Disney characters appear on large floats dressed up in spectacular light displays. Accompanied by music, the scene is also accompanied by huge crowds, eager to receive a wave from the likes of Mickey, Snow White or even Woody from Toy Story.

Now there’s a fun way to avoid the crowds and enjoy the illuminated parade from the comfort of your own home. It’s called the “Sync! Illumination” and it lets you link up with your friends’ cellphone screens to create an awesome interactive show.

Old-school vending machine on Japan’s Sado Island sells bags of rare and local fruit

Oona McGee
Nov 6, 2015

One of the many things we love about Japan is its impressive variety of vending machines. We’ve seen everything from orange juice that looks like soy sauce to cans of hot, clam-packed miso soup make its way to the hands of customers through the wonders of mechanised distribution.

Recently, we stumbled on a machine we’d never seen before, and one that’s unique even by Japanese standards. Meet the persimmon vending box that delights customers on Sado Island with a rare variety of fruit that’s only grown locally, away from mainland Japan.

Now you can buy colorful and adorable shoes inspired by the anime idols of Prism Paradise!

KK Miller
Nov 6, 2015

It’s perfectly natural in Japan for a popular and well-loved anime to pair up with a clothing brand to create a sublime line of products that people will want to wear while out and about. Whether it’s jackets, jewelry, or shoes, there’s usually something for everyone.

Anime fashion site Super Groupies is one such online venue that loves to turn our favorite characters into delightful fashions. This time, they’re joining forces with the singing, dancing idol anime Prism Paradise, to create a series of vibrant and original shoes that you might want to wear even if you have no idea what Prism Paradise is.

Gintama anime entering the critically acclaimed Assassination Arc this December

KK Miller
Nov 6, 2015

Anime based on a successful manga series sometimes run into an awkward situation where they have to use “filler episodes” in order to give the manga time to add more story. These episodes are generally more of the same stuff fans already love, but in the back of their mind, they know nothing truly groundbreaking can happen in them.

Gintama is a special case though since the series is quite episodic and those in charge of the anime are free to add their own additional stories. Which is probably why one of the best stories from the original manga hasn’t made it to air yet. Gintama fans don’t have to wait too much longer, though, as the Assassination Arc is finally making its debut on TV this December.

Is Japanese woman’s cooking failure worst home-cooked meal ever, or best home-made monster?

Casey Baseel
Nov 6, 2015

Aside from the annual King of RocketNews24 Fighters underground bare-knuckled combat tournament, my job doesn’t require a lot of physical activity. That said, I still often find my stomach rumbling while I’m writing an article if it happens to be about meat, desserts, or some crossover between the two categories.

But I think I just lost my appetite, thanks to this Japanese Twitter user’s miscue in the kitchen and the accompanying photos of the most horrific home cooking imaginable.

What Japanese women really think about the gender gap in Japan【Video】

Evie Nyan
Nov 6, 2015

During our Women in Japan series, we discussed some of the powerful reasons to be a woman in Japan. From a Westernised viewpoint, it’s sometimes hard to accept the fact that, while Japan is still very much a patriarchal society, many women (not all, but many) here don’t actually want to be out there smashing glass ceilings and “leaning in” at the office when instead they could be doing things that women were traditionally appreciated for in Japan, namely cooking, housekeeping and raising the kids.

If you’re still in doubt as to exactly what Japanese women think of the gender gap in their country, this informative street interview video from YouTuber Yuta Aoki should provide some answers.

Two Tokyo wards issue Japan’s first ever same-sex partnership certificates

Krista Rogers
Nov 6, 2015

Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward has been creating headlines around the world since the district first announced that it would begin issuing Japan’s first same-sex partnership certificates in the fall. Fast forward to this month, and both Shibuya and neighboring Setagaya Ward today issued their very first certificates!