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Love Japanese hot springs? At Nakadake Onsen in Hokkaido, you can dig your own!

Casey Baseel
Nov 3, 2015
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Two of the best ways to experience the pleasures of rural Japan are a long hike and a leisurely dip in a hot spring, or onsen, as they’re called in Japanese. With the country’s chains of volcanic mountains, there are plenty of spots where you where you can do both in the same day, with onsen resorts often not too far from where mountain trails start or end.

But instead of booking a room in an inn with a hot spring, you can do something even better in this part of Hokkaido by digging your own onsen!

Parrot owner left in the cold in Japan as his pet bird hogs the space heater

Casey Baseel
Nov 3, 2015

Last weekend, it was like someone flipped a switch and put an end to the pleasantly mild weather Japan has been enjoying this fall. Since then, it’s been piercingly cold winds, gray skies, and as of this morning, a steady downpour on the Tokyo area.

To fight off the chill, many people fired up their halogen space heaters. Handy as they may be, though, they don’t warm the air so much as the body of whoever is sitting closest to the device. As such, everyone wants the prime spot right in front of the heater, including this cozy pet parrot.

Yanmar reveals state-of-the-art tractor – You may never look at farm equipment the same

Audrey Akcasu
Nov 3, 2015

Chances are you’ve never looked at a tractor and thought, “Man, that’s cool!” But then, chaces are you haven’t seen one like Yanmar’s new limited edition tractor, currently on display at the Tokyo Motor Show. The tractor is stylish, functional, and looks like it might transform into a giant robot, should an enemy attack you.

Japanese netizens unsure about Dhalism’s new look in Street Fighter V

Jamie Koide
Nov 3, 2015

Leading up to the much-anticipated release of Street Fighter V early next year, trailers showcasing the roster of characters have gradually been popping up online. The most recent of which revealed that Dhalsim, the stretchy yoga master with a penchant for fire, would be making a comeback, something which left some players feeling rather underwhelmed since he’s not exactly a crowd favorite in Japan or abroad.

But whether or you’re a fan of the character or not, few could deny that Dhalsim’s new look is a little bit confusing.

Four awesomely beautiful shrines for your next trip through off-the-beaten-path Japan

Casey Baseel
Nov 3, 2015

Any proper itinerary for a trip across Japan should include stops in its three most famous Shinto shrines: Hiroshima’s Itsukushima Shrine, Kyoto’s Heian Shrine, and the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo. Those, however, are just the tip of Japan’s iceberg of breathtaking sacred Shinto spots.

Even if you’ve got no pressing interest in Japan’s indigenous religion, its shrines are often sites of breathtaking natural and architectural beauty, and here are four that, while off the beaten path, are not to be missed.

Japanese cat gets in on trick-or-treating fun without saying a word thanks to clever idea【Video】

Casey Baseel
Nov 3, 2015

As Halloween gets increasingly popular in Japan, “Trick or treat!” is becoming part of the country’s extensive lexicon of popular foreign phrases. After all, just saying the words instantly legitimizes your reason for cosplaying and gets you some free candy.

Of course, you don’t actually have to know the phrase to celebrate Halloween. This cute kitty, for example, is getting in on all the fun of dressing up and eating treats, even though it can’t say a single word, thanks to its clever owner.

Japanese tourist center asks small-penised travelers to not make a mess in the bathroom

Casey Baseel
Nov 3, 2015

While Japan’s highest mountain itself is the primary attraction, it’s not the only thing to see in the Mt. Fuji area. There’s also the Fuji Five Lakes, which would be beautiful enough to warrant a visit even if they didn’t have the famed peak serving as a dramatic backdrop.

But while travelers are happy to see the mountain and lakes alike, one thing none of them look forward to is a puddle of piss on the men’s room floor of a local visitor’s center. That’s why one facility has signs asking visitors to mind their aim when using the urinals, but while the Japanese text is a politely worded reminder, the English version seems to be implying that the reader’s penis really isn’t so impressive.

Who needs anime? One-Punch Man scene moves better in still-frame manga than TV adaptation 【Video】

Casey Baseel
Nov 2, 2015

The currently airing anime TV series One-Punch Man is winning fans for two reasons. First is the way it turns the idea of a handsome, hot-blooded action hero on its head with protagonist Saitama, a laid-back, completely bald superhero who looks more like Charley Brown than Superman. Second, the show features some gorgeous animation from Madhouse, the veteran production studio behind such landmarks of anime visual style as Redline, Ninja Scroll, and Millennium Actress.

But as impressive as the movement in the One-Punch Man anime is, its animation has just been shown up by the most unlikely of rivals, the One-Punch Man manga, as in the non-animated comic the TV show is based on!

You party, we tidy — Volunteers, kids hit Shibuya streets to clean up after Halloween hijinks

Evie Nyan
Nov 2, 2015

Remember when everyone’s minds were blown by images of Japanese fans tidying up their section after the World Cup? Well what might seem amazing to some is totally atarimae (obvious and expected) to the typical Japanese mindset. As your mother may have told you as a kid; you make the mess, you tidy it up! And the day after the massive Halloween party at the famous Shibuya crossing last weekend, volunteers were out in droves this year again with plastic bags and gloves to make the streets all sparkly again.

But just how many of them actually even contributed to the mess to begin with? According to reports on Twitter, not too many—and boy, are they angry…

Designer makes daruma good enough to eat with sushi, parfait and fried pork

Jessica
Nov 2, 2015

Japan is a country that really values tradition, but that doesn’t mean that traditional culture is completely sacrosanct either. Giving something old and iconic a tongue-in-cheek modern twist is a popular approach in art and commerce, with results at once familiar and jarring enough to be eye catching.

Like these daruma, spotted at Tokyo Design Week, with outrageous paint jobs and wearing some rather tasty-looking headgear.

The newest Ghost in the Shell ukiyo-e print is available for pre-order and looking beautiful

Preston Phro
Nov 2, 2015

In September, we introduced you to the new line of Ghost in the Shell ukiyo-e prints being prepared by OtakuWorks Inc. The first print was a relatively simple but beautiful take on the original movie poster, and while this second entry is equally limited and beautiful, its inspiration comes from a slightly different source: it’s based on the 24-hour Cherry Blossom Stakeout scene from the newest film!

Star Tours: The Adventures Continue attraction is now open at Tokyo Disneyland!

Krista Rogers
Nov 2, 2015

It’s been a long time coming, but Star Wars fans will soon get to see the seventh installment in the long-running franchise when Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens in theaters next month. While waiting for the theatrical release, fans living in Tokyo can experience the thrill of the series firsthand by venturing over to Tokyo Disneyland, where the Star Tours: The Adventures Continue attraction is now open to the public!

When in Nara be sure to stop by the cockroach memorial statue

Master Blaster
Nov 2, 2015

Sono & Sons is a building maintenance company that also specializes in pest control. Their SEARCH (We Safeguard our Environment with Alpha Roach Control Helper) system promises to leave any roach intruding on the sanctity of your home dead as Dillinger.

Despite their cold efficiency as slaughtering cockroaches, Sono & Sons also owe them a debt of gratitude. After all, roaches played a large role in building the company. So out of respect, they commissioned a memorial statue for all the cockroaches who have succumbed to their poisons and filled the company’s bank account as a result. They spared no expense either because everyone online is agreeing that it’s one cool statue.

Anime meets traditional Japanese porcelain in this beautiful Gundam themed Kutani ware!

Kay
Nov 2, 2015

Kutani porcelain ware, which has its origins in Ishikawa Prefecture in central Japan, is a craft with a history of nearly four centuries. In recent years, we’ve seen makers of the traditional ware produce more modern and pop looking items in efforts to broaden their appeal to the public, with some beautiful results.

Now, we have another example of Kutani ware with a modern twist and it comes from a someway unexpected source — toy maker Bandai. Yes, in a brilliant case of pop culture meeting traditional craft, Bandai will be coming out with a line of Gundam Kutani ware!

Tokyo Halloween 2015: Our reporters’ collection of photos from their night in Shibuya【Photos】

Krista Rogers
Nov 2, 2015

On Friday night, illustrious RocketNews24 reporters Mr. Sato and P.K. Sanjun ventured out into the streets of Shibuya, Tokyo’s hub of youth culture. Both dressed as Marge Simpson, they were there to check out this year’s collection of crazy costumes. While Halloween as a holiday is still only catching on in Japan, they were thrilled by the number of like-minded, costumed revelers they found.

Join us for a photographic tour of some of the costumed people they ran into on the streets of Shibuya!

Enjoy the anniversary of the Evangelion Store with great new clothes and accessories

KK Miller
Nov 2, 2015

The Evangelion Store Tokyo-01 is celebrating four years this November as the one-stop-shop for everything Evangelion. The store has sold a number of snazzy clothes, fashion accessories, and of course, hordes of merchandise featuring characters from the series over the years. To celebrate their success, they’re rolling out the cast in a new lineup of clothes that you can wear too! Check out the new shoes, skirts and more, after the jump.

Stunning Saitama rice field art snags Guinness record

Mike
Nov 2, 2015

You may have already heard about rice field art: Those complex works that use dyed or naturally colored rice grains to create gorgeous patterns, or that turn the whole rice field into a canvas for a massive “painting” that can only be fully appreciated from the skies. Also, because Japan, Ultraman is sometimes involved.

But the phenomenon, once a niche practice for small Japanese cities that otherwise had nothing in the way of tourist destinations, has caught on to the point that the Guinness Book has actually recorded, for posterity, the current world’s largest work of rice field art.

“Once-in-a-millenium beauty” dominates Tokyo Halloween event

Mike
Nov 1, 2015

The last couple of years have been benchmark ones for Halloween in Japan. What was once a holiday marked mostly by the infrequent sighting of a handful of mildly embarrassed-looking, costumed foreigners on the Yamanote Line train has grown into a massive industry.

In fact, Halloween has become just as much a holiday about 20 and 30-somethings dressing up as sexy nurses, sexy zombies, sexy superheroes, and other sexy-choose-a-nouns as its American counterpart. But while those costumes were no doubt getting plenty of attention on Shibuya Crossing last night, the Japanese Internet had already decided the undisputed Queen of Halloween was this far more conservatively dressed “once-in-millenium beauty”.

Short CG film shows everyone’s life in Tokyo with a major and exciting twist【Video】

KK Miller
Nov 1, 2015

There are millions of people living in Tokyo, and most of them moved from somewhere else to Tokyo in order to find work in the bustling city. Among these millions is a large number of people who choose to forgo a long commute and live on their own in a tiny apartment, so we’re sure many share very similar experiences at home.

A whimsical CG film entered in the 17th DigiCon6 ASIA Supreme Short Movie Contest has captured a ton of popularity for its animation style, which many say is reminiscent of a Pixar movie. But what really sets it apart is the fact that the short film shares Pixar’s playfulness as well.

Our reporters search for the spirit of Halloween in Shibuya and make some new friends

Master Blaster
Nov 1, 2015

It’s been months of events and marketing in the making, and Halloween has finally arrived in Japan. Our own Mr. Sato and P.K. Sanjun decided to hit the streets of Shibuya in costume to report on the festivities at hand.

Well actually, they went a day early, but as we’ll soon see, October 31st ain’t nothing but an ordinal number assigned to anachronistically named month, because in Japan, Halloween comes whenever you want it to.