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Nurture your inner cat collector with “Neko Atsume” the kitty-catching game for Android and iOS!

Evie Nyan
Apr 15, 2015
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You know what everyone in Japan loves these days? Smartphone games. They keep you busy on the daily commute without requiring too much in-depth concentration, and Japanese smartphone game makers are seriously smart – they know how to keep players hooked. By combining the human need for constant “reward” feedback with our penchant for adorable cartoon kitties, they’ve come up with a winner of an app that everyone who likes fun can’t stop playing – Neko Atsume!

Now available for both Android and iOS and with a whole slew of new features, there’s never been a better time to get into this incredibly addictive yet simple cat-collecting time-waster…

Cosplay paradise! Haco Stadium Tokyo complex has 33 themed rooms waiting for your photo shoot

Casey Baseel
Apr 15, 2015

Last week, we took a look at the amazingly accurate recreation of a room from popular anime Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun. That’s was only one limited-time room at the awesome Haco Stadium cosplay complex, though.

Haco Stadium actually has 33 permanent cosplay rooms, meaning you can make the cosplaying rounds of a Japanese high school, samurai residence, fantasy castle, and science fiction backdrop, all without ever having to leave the building.

Smell like a cat with hand cream scented like your kitty’s paws

Casey Baseel
Apr 15, 2015

Online retailer Felissimo has a soft spot for cats, so much so that it’s got a whole Cat Division subsection with feline-inspired products. In the past, we’ve taken a look at the company’s pullovers and lingerie that let you dress like a kitty, but Felissimo’s new hand cream promises to make you smell like cat, too.

Japanese “minimal house” is both irresistibly cute and surprisingly cheap

Scott Wilson
Apr 15, 2015

With a population of over 100 million in a land area smaller than California, space is not cheap in Japan. Because of that, many people live in apartments stacked on top of each other, and the idea of living in a house is, for many, just a very expensive dream.

But not anymore! The modern-home companies Yadokari and Azumaya have teamed up to release “Inspiration,” a “minimal house” which they advertize as only costing about the same price as a new car. It’s cute, efficient, built to last, and we want one really badly!

Smiles optional-New talent agency accepting applications for idols suffering emotional distress

Casey Baseel
Apr 15, 2015

It’s pretty widely accepted that in the Japanese pop idol world, legitimate musical talent takes a back seat to the ability to project an image. So while you might not need perfect pitch or flawless rhythm, if you want to be an idol, you will need to radiate a constantly upbeat aura, right?

Well, maybe not. A new idol talent agency has just opened its doors, and the company is specifically looking for performers with a gloomy outlook, and is now accepting applications, with no experience required.

Fly a Nimbus and launch a Kamehameha at the “Dragon Ball in Science” exhibition coming to Tokyo!

Master Blaster
Apr 15, 2015

Last summer the Dragon Ball in Science exhibition hit Nagoya amid much fanfare and celebration. Participants were encouraged to immerse themselves in the world of Dragon Ball as reproduced by modern science and technology such as piloting a Flying Nimbus with their minds or communicating telepathically with Goku on King Kai’s planet.

It was a big success, but many complained that they couldn’t attend with it being held out in Nagoya. So now, Dragon Ball in Science is coming to the people of Tokyo during Fuji TV’s Spring Fest 2015 LIFE !S LIVE.

Vegetarian Yoshinoya? We taste test the chain’s new veggie rice bowl

Casey Baseel
Apr 15, 2015

Yoshinoya, Japan’s most ubiquitous domestic fast food chain, is known first and foremost for its beef bowls. So strong is the mental connection between the restaurant and gyudon, as beef bowls are called in Japanese, that Yoshinoya’s nickname among fans is Yoshigyu.

So we were surprised to hear that Yoshinoya’s newest menu item is not only beef-free, but doesn’t contain any meat at all! A vegetarian option at the king of beef bowl restaurants? Not only does it exist, but we’ve tried it.

Studio Ghibli involved in six great art exhibitions that you just have to see this summer

KK Miller
Apr 15, 2015

Waiting for the next Studio Ghibli film is like waiting for the next Game of Thrones book, it never comes soon enough! And with no new projects announced since the completion of When Marnie Was There in 2014, Ghibli fans may have a longer wait than those waiting for The Winds of Winter.

Luckily, movies aren’t the only way to lose yourself in a Studio Ghibli world. For those who can’t wait, there are six different exhibits in Japan that are connected with the fantastical Ghibli places that have become so familiar thanks to the movies and better yet, they are all being held right now.

The not-so-fleeting beauty of the cherry blossoms: An alternate perspective

Casey Baseel
Apr 14, 2015

I used to work nights and weekends at my old job, and one particularly unlucky year I was missing all the cherry blossom parties friends were having while I was stuck in the office. I managed to catch a break, though, because right at the tail end of sakura season a girl I knew had a day off that matched up with one of mine, so we decided to go check out the flowers together.

We met at the station, walked down to the river, and the scenery was drop-dead gorgeous, like something out of a travel guide or some trendy Japanese TV drama or anime. After walking down a lantern-lit path lined with cherry trees in full bloom, we bought some snacks from a food stall in a park, sat down, and spent an hour or so soaking up the atmosphere.

It’s weird to think that in just a few days, all those achingly captivating pink petals would fall from their branches and be blown away by the wind. But hey, that’s what makes the sakura so special, right? Their beauty is that much greater because it’s so fleeting, right?

Yeah…I’m not sure I buy that.

Meet the man behind the mask! We head to Chiba for an exclusive interview with Chibatman 【Video】

Evie Nyan
Apr 14, 2015

Chiba Prefecture‘s very own superhero, Chibatman, has been making headlines in Japan and abroad since he began his campaign to keep Chiba’s streets safe. Often spotted zooming around on his custom-built Chibatpod (aka Batcycle), he’s also been seen making speeches at official events, and he’s even received the Chiba Police Force’s official approval to continue his activities.

Today, we’re excited to bring you an exclusive interview with Chibatman himself! We visited him at his home in Chiba to get the lowdown on the man behind the mask!

Hirakawa Zoo’s Twitter feed packed with baby otters, extreme levels of cuteness

Jessica
Apr 14, 2015

Ahh, the internet. It used to be that if you wanted snorgle-worthy pictures of baby animals, you had to go out and take them yourself, risking skinned knees, mozzie bites, and the occasional head cold to do so. Now, we can sit back in the comfort of our own beanbag chairs and have the cute come to us.

The latest digital goldmine to be discovered? The Twitter feed of the Hirakawa Zoo in Kyushu, where a pair of baby Asian small-clawed otters have been bringing the cute in a big way.

Kawaii kitchenware alert! Create cute kitty cookies with this awesome rolling-pin!

Evie Nyan
Apr 14, 2015

Recently we’ve been going crazy over kitty kitchen cookware, like the adorable kitty knife we featured a little while back. But our quest for kittycat-themed culinary goods is still ongoing, and this amazing kitty rolling-pin by Etsy seller Mood For Wood has got us seriously craving some freshly baked cookies, pronto!

The legality of adding free green onions to your ramen

Master Blaster
Apr 14, 2015

Lots of restaurants offer condiments for customers to use freely, but how “freely” are they actually meant to be used. For example, one ramen shop in Japan had a poster offering to let customers take as much green onion as they want, until someone came in and did just that.

The patron piled on about two bowlfuls of diced scallions per single bowl of soup, because apparently that’s the way he likes it. After a few repeat visits the staff interceded and asked that the customer cool it with the onions.

So, who is in the right? Was the gluttonous customer abusing the kind offer of the restaurant, or should the shop stand by its explicitly written offer? Japanese legal website Bengoshi News called in a lawyer to find out.

“Would you carry a woman’s purse for her?” Japanese men share their baggage-handling policies

Casey Baseel
Apr 14, 2015

With the prevalence of public transportation in urban Japan, going out on the town means having to lug any belongs you’re taking with you around for the day. This adds a bit of a complication for couples out on a date. Assuming things are going well and the lovebirds are spending several hours together, at some point the woman’s purse is going to start feeling heavy, but how many Japanese guys are willing to step up and shoulder the task of carrying their girl’s bag for her?

Fukushima bottled water wins Gold Quality Award in the internationally coveted Monde Selection

Krista Rogers
Apr 14, 2015

At a press conference on April 8, Fukushima City representatives announced that the bottled tap water produced in the city has won a Gold Quality Award in the 2015 Monde Selection, a prestigious international competition designed to test the quality of various consumer products. By winning this award, the city hopes to dispel negative rumors about lingering radioactive contamination following the meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011.

Kansai International: The airport that’s never lost a passenger’s bag

Fran W
Apr 14, 2015

One of the many things we love about Japan is its amazing customer service, from intelligent packing to omnipresent station attendants who pop out of the walls to help you.

So we weren’t too surprised to hear that an airport in Japan has been judged to be the best airport in the world for baggage handling. And the details of the top-notch service that helped Kansai International Airport clinch the title are really quite impressive. For starters, the Osaka airport hasn’t lost a single item of luggage in over 20 years.

Naruto’s son gets a voice as lead roles cast for Boruto –Naruto the Movie-

Casey Baseel
Apr 14, 2015

Along with throwing shuriken and climbing sheer rock walls, the art of seeming to disappear is an invaluable skill for a ninja. So maybe we shouldn’t be so surprised that even though you’ll no longer find Masashi Kishimoto’s hugely successful Naruto manga in the pages of comic anthology Weekly Shonen Jump, the franchise isn’t really entirely gone.

This summer, the ninja action continues, but previous lead character Naruto has earned a well-deserved rest. Instead, his son Boruto will be in the spotlight in a new theatrical feature. If you’re going to star in an anime movie, you’ll need a voice, and producers have just announced who will play Boruto, while also confirming that the new hero’s ninja father will also make an appearance in the film.

Momoiro Clover Z dress up as Dragon Ball Z characters in trailer for new track, “Z no Chikai”

TokyoGirlsUpdate
Apr 14, 2015

On April 13, a trailer video for J-pop group Momoiro Clover Z‘s new track “Z no Chikai” was released. In the video, all five members of the group are made up as characters in the infinitely popular anime Dragon Ball Z. See which ones you can regcognize!

Alcoholic tea ceremony? We try Suntory’s new matcha green tea liquor 【Taste test】

Casey Baseel
Apr 13, 2015

Every now and then, after a nice, satisfying dinner, I’ll find myself with both a thirst and a quandary. Do I feel like capping the meal with a relaxing cup of tea, or something stronger?

Thanks to a new drink that just hit stores in Japan, though, I don’t necessarily have to choose one or the other, because this alcoholic beverage is made with matcha green tea powder.

Anime and reality cross over with Shirobako animator cameos, behind-the-scenes credit sequence

Casey Baseel
Apr 12, 2015

While there are plenty of American movies and TV series set against the backdrop of producing a film or television show, Japanese animation usually doesn’t get so self-reflective. So anime fans were in for a treat with the recently concluded Shirobako, which focused on a group of five friends trying to establish their careers in the animation field.

But while Shirobako is a work of fiction about creating other works of fiction, it was still produced by a team of hard-working real-life men and women, many of whom finally get to step in front of the camera in this special credit sequence for the anime. And bringing the circle back around to fiction again, it turns out many of the characters who appear in Shirobako are based on famous animators, directors, and voice actresses, as depicted in this detailed side-by-side chart that shows some uncanny likenesses between Shirobako characters and their inspirations.