Japan (Page 1099)

Rice, rice baby! Strains of Japanese rice get turned into cute anime girls on new packaging

Japan likes to think of the food it produces as being the highest-quality in the world, and that goes double for rice. As such, many bags of domestically grown rice are decorated with iconic Japanese imagery, such as a crane, the rising sun, or Mt. Fuji.

But in today’s modern age, there’s no surer visual shorthand for Japan than cute anime girls, which is exactly what you’ll find on these bags of rice from Yamagata Prefecture.

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Buddhist schoolgirl idol group gets shut down for becoming too popular

In Japan, there truly is an all-singing, all-dancing “idol” group for everything. From plus-sized beauties to macho men and octogenarians, if you’ve got a unique message and a catchy tune, there’ll be a niche audience out there waiting to share your next video and dance along with glow sticks at your next performance.

Just when we thought the happy-go-lucky, free-for-all nature of the amateur idol world had no boundaries, it seems there is one line that can’t be crossed: schoolgirls and religion. Meet the “Num-Num Girls”, a Buddhism-based schoolgirl pop group that has been shut down for becoming too popular.

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Pigeon cuts in line, casually boards train in Japan【Video】

A lot has been written about Japan’s incredible train culture. From carriages dressed up as anime characters to people who band together to rescue a fellow commuter, you don’t even have to get on a train to experience all the action; you can see it all first-hand from the platform itself.

That’s what one commuter found when they stumbled upon this little guy while waiting for the train in Japan. Caught on video, it shows an adventurous pigeon who doesn’t even flinch when the train arrives, instead walking up to the passenger doors, waiting for them to open and then hopping on board to find a seat.

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Cardboard arcade cabinets could be the next must-have home furnishing for gamers

The company that brought us the Danbocchi—cardboard sound proof cubicles so you can karaoke to your heart’s content without annoying the neighbors—is back with yet another crazy cardboard creation we can’t help but find ourselves wanting.

Yes, gamers, now you can actually build a retro arcade gaming table in your own home!

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Bookstore-styled Tokyo hostel has 1,700 books to read, bunks in the shelves to sleep next to them

Last summer, we heard about what sounded like the perfect place for lovers of travel and literature: a hotel in Tokyo designed like a bookstore and filled with reading material. It might sound like a fictitious flight of fancy, but Book and Bed Tokyo is very much real, and with its grand opening just days away, not only have pictures have surfaced of the unique accommodations, we now know how much it will cost to stay there and a little more about what kind of books it will have.

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Nintendo taxis?! Peruvian cabs outfitted with Mario Kart 8 setups for rear passengers to play

Japanese taxis are pretty nice. They’ve got those cool doors that swing open and shut at the touch of a button, and the lace doilies they usually have across the rear parcel shelf add a nice touch of class.

Still, we’re finding ourselves feeling a little jealous of taxi patrons in Peru, where one company isn’t just providing swift transportation, but entertainment with a fleet of cabs equipped with Nintendo Wii U game consoles for passengers to play in the back seat during their ride.

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That amazing Raiden cosplayer from Tokyo Game Show is back with a full video!【Video】

You probably remember that incredible Raiden cosplay from this year’s Tokyo Game Show—the one with the moving mask that wowed pretty much everyone on Internet. We were always a bit bummed there wasn’t more to all the videos and photos, but now Masazi, the cosplayer behind the amazing outfit, has released a minute-long video showing off her suit in action!

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Halloween parade invaded by the Dark Side with marching band stromtroopers and Star Wars floats

Kawasaki Halloween is one of the largest Halloween celebrations in Japan, with numerous events towards the end of the month. Of course, the main draw is the parade, which was held just this past Sunday.

But this year’s parade featured something special, with cosplayers dressed as their favorite Star Wars characters. The Aomori Star Wars nebuta floats were even there, making their first appearance in the Kanto area! But the perhaps the coolest part was the stormtrooper marching band! Check out all the awesome photos below!

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Official Nintendo comic has sassy pigeon explain how to not be a horrible troll in Mario Maker

So we all know that Super Mario Maker for the Wii U is awesome. With everything from music levels to ridiculously hard challenges to millions and millions of other courses in between, you can never run out of things to do.

However with so many levels out there, plenty of them are far from perfect, and some of them outright troll the player. So in an effort to try to educate the gaming populace in the art of not making horrible levels, Nintendo Japan has released some helpful comics to help us all become better builders.

Ready to be educated in the way of making Mario by a pigeon? Then read on!

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Get your Christmas caramel toffee fix with sweet Starbucks Japan holiday drinks and goodies

It’s that time of year again! Starbucks Japan has announced their line of holiday beverages and goodies! Yes, it’s amazing how quickly a year seems to go by, isn’t it?

This year, the coffee chain will be offering their customers seasonal goodness featuring caramel and toffee (and plenty of whipped cream), and if that’s how they’re expressing their holiday spirit, well, we have to say, “Bring the holiday sweetness on!!!”

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Japanese cell phone provider gives same-sex couples with Partnership Certificates family discount

Cell phone service in Japan isn’t exactly cheap, and if you spend a lot of time on your smartphone talking with clients, chatting with friends, or otherwise keeping in touch with the rest of the world, it’s not hard to run up a monthly bill in the neighborhood of 10,000 yen (US$84). Thankfully, Japanese providers offer a variety of discounts to help soften the blow, with reduced rates for family members being a huge help.

Now, as part of the changing societal concept of what constitutes a family, Japan’s largest telecommunications provider has begun offering family discounts to same-sex couples who present documentation of their union.

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This cute kitty knows just how to work those selfie angles!

Selfies are a controversial topic these days with some groups arguing they’re evidence of this generation’s descent into self-absorbed vanity, and others saying they’re an expression of one’s self-identity. But whether you care about “selfie culture” or not, you’ll want to at least give this one a glance.

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Get married in the name of the moon with official Sailor Moon marriage registration certificates!

If you’ve finally met your real-life Princess Serenity or Prince Endymion and have decided to venture out together in holy matrimony, congratulations! Now it’s time to invest in a tiara, stock up on some sexy lingerie and start planning a wedding filled with special Sailor Moon details. And when it comes to filing the paperwork at City Hall, you’ll no longer be plunged back into reality with boring forms because now you can continue the fantasy with two very special Sailor Moon-themed marriage registration kits!

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【Monday Kickstart】Guinea pigs heading home for the night are delightfully darling

The children’s petting zoo section of Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo is home to a variety of fluffy, domesticated critters that visitors can get up close and personal with. Among the perennial favorites is a group of guinea pigs which have an impressive routine for when it comes time to (literally) hit the hay.

We bet you never thought that a group of rodents could be as well-behaved as these furry little guys!

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Look forward to 2016 with new anime Active Raid from the director of Code Geass!

More often than not, stories and franchises start as manga in Japan and, if they become popular enough, you will see them evolve into an anime, musical, or sometimes even a live-action versions. While it is great to see our favorite stories presented in different formats, viewers will usually know exactly where the plot will go and how the characters develop.

A show that can never fall victim to that trap is a completely original anime series that makes its debut on the TV screen. You won’t know if it’s going to be any good, but with the kind of pedigree behind Active Raid: Special Public Security Fifth Division Third Mobile Assault Eighth Unit, you can bet we are looking forward to its 2016 release. Though it’s going to take us a while to use its full name in conversation…

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This 3-year-old has over 200,000 followers on Instagram because, well, she’s mega cute! 【Pics】

For some, the number of friends or followers one has on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter is an indication of one’s social status. If those little numbers on profile pages mean anything to you, this sweet little girl is basically a superstar, because she has over 200,000 followers on both Instagram and Facebook!

Witness the cuteness of this super adorable girl who has captured numerous hearts across Japan and Korea after the break!

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Kyoto’s Rurikoin Temple to offer stunning views of autumn leaves for a limited time next month

Tourists flock to Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto during the cherry blossom-viewing days of spring, but equally stunning are the sights of brilliantly colored autumn leaves amidst ancient structures that have remained undisturbed for hundreds of years.

One particular temple, Rurikoin, stands on the edge of the city and is a paradise for photographers during the autumn months, as well as visitors who didn’t even know they had an artistic side yet spend hours playing with different lighting effects there. While Rurikoin is not always open for general admission from year to year, we’re in luck because this year the building will indeed open its doors for the span of one short month.

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Shirts featuring Studio Ghibli characters bring big attention to small apparel company

If you forgot to stop by your local Hot Topic store to check out their very cute Studio Ghibli collection, go soon, because it’s all on sale now! However, keep in mind that those pieces are so last season.

If you’re more of a fashion-forward Ghibli fan, you’ll be happy to hear that a Toronto-based apparel company, Wizards of the West, will soon be releasing a line of subtle, yet stylish, Studio Ghibli-themed shirts.

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Cosplaying taxis with monster drivers to offer free rides to cosplayers in Shibuya this Halloween

Halloween in Japan keeps getting bigger and better every year, with cosplayers coming out in droves to celebrate the world of costumes and make-believe. This time around, Japanese car manufacturer Nissan is joining the fun with a fleet of taxis dressed up in Halloween costumes, complete with “monster drivers” behind the wheel.

The monsters and their vehicles will be helping fellow ogres and ghouls by offering free rides to people in costume in the Shibuya area on October 29 and 31. What’s more, the unusual vans promise to be so spacious, they’ll accommodate any type of outfit you’re wearing!

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Getting married in Japan? You might need to give your fiancé three rings, jeweler says

Japan is pretty fond of Western-style wedding traditions. Far more people choose to have their ceremony in a chapel than a Shinto shrine, with the bride and groom dressed in a wedding dress and tuxedo instead. Other popular foreign introductions are taking a honeymoon and wearing wedding rings.

Of course, it’s also customary for a guy to present his sweetheart with an engagement ring when he proposes. But one Japanese company says there’s room for even more jewelry in the transition from boyfriend and girlfriend, and has introduced the concept of a marriage ring, which is not to be confused with a wedding ring.

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