Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Japan (Page 1166)
We’re pretty big fans of Odaiba’s full-scale Gundam statue, which towers over Tokyo Bay at an incredible 18 metres tall. But there’s nothing quite like homespun charm, and we’re equally delighted to discover the existence of a plastic bottle version, built single-handedly by one enthusiastic sake shop owner in Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo.
Our friends over at off-the-beaten-track Japan travel site Another Tokyo went to check it out last month, and this is what they found.
When we reported a while back about the giant Godzilla head that has taken up residence atop a Shinjuku skyscraper, we also mentioned how a nearby hotel, the Hotel Gracery Shinjuku, has been quick to set up special Godzilla Viewing Rooms to cash in on its proximity to the fanged monstrosity. Naturally, we headed over there as soon as we could to get a good look at that ugly ol’ head up close and personal!
There’s never been a better time to be a Sailor Moon fan than right now. With the release of Sailor Moon Crystal, there’s just so many cute and adorable Sailor Moon tie-in goodies up for grabs. And most of it’s really good stuff, too!
But with good stuff comes a hefty price tag, as we discovered when we got all excited about these Sailor Moon sweet dessert-inspired necklaces, rings and trinkets, only to discover that all that cuteness doesn’t come cheap…
Going out to see cherry blossoms, regardless of the weather, is by far Japan’s favorite springtime activity. But there’s another tradition that’s almost as enthusiastically followed: veteran employees complaining about the new hires at their company.
The business year starts in April in Japan, which means that right now at companies across Japan older employees are grumbling about how the younger generation just doesn’t get it. But with Japanese homes not having lawns for their upset elders to yell at them to get off of, just what are young professionals in Japan doing that’s rubbing their coworkers the wrong way?
An online retailer specializing in ancient Japanese armor, helmets, and horse harnesses has been getting a lot of clicks recently for their detailed, illustrated instructions about how to rapidly equip yourself (and your horse!) with armor in a pinch. Both novice and advanced warriors are sure to learn a thing or two from this handy step-by-step guide–take a look, and you’ll never be unprepared in the event of a stealthy ninja attack again!
Given the size and longevity of the adult entertainment industry, it’s safe to say that such products serve a purpose in societies everywhere. However, one purpose for which adult videos should never be used is as travel guides for visiting other countries.
You might think that would be common sense but apparently we can’t stress the point enough after there has been a recent spate of molestation committed by foreign tourists who claim to have thought it was normal behavior in Japan after watching Japanese adult videos.
In case you hadn’t heard, McDonald’s hasn’t been doing too well in Japan recently. After the drubbing it took in sales last year, it seems that no one here likes their commercials or even their new products. It’s almost enough to make you feel bad for the multinational fast-food chain! Almost.
So, what do you do when no one wants what you’re selling and they openly mock your commercials? Well, we’re not sure what most companies would do, but it looks like McDonald’s Japan has decided to send their emissary of heart disease to try to cultivate some good will in Yoyogi Park. We’re not sure a clown will be enough to get anyone to eat a Big Mac, but at least you’ll get the opportunity to take a picture with the creepy fellow.
Any guy who’s watched a harem anime before – one where a single male is surrounded by many women – has probably giggled to himself about what it would be like to be in a similar situation himself. Would it be nonstop abuse like in Love Hina? Would there be crazy love-triangles like in Tenchi Muyo?
Well one boy gets to find out for real! A former women’s high school in Yamagata Prefecture recently opened its doors to non-female students, and this month at the start of the new school year welcomed its first male student for the first time in its 118 year existence.
Narita Airport is the Tokyo area’s largest access point for air travelers. This month, the terminal added a new terminal specifically designed for low-cost carriers and budget travelers, but as this sneak peak video shows, affordable can overlap with innovative and stylish, as Terminal 3 is set to prove that you don’t have to spend big to help people travel in ease and comfort.
“Buying local” is about to have a whole new meaning in the Tokyo area soon since the Tokyo Metro is going to start selling vegetables that have been grown really locally. Called Tokyo Salad, these special veggies are being marketed as some of the freshest vegetables that are grown close to home.
But if you look around Tokyo, you’ll be really hard pressed to find much farming land. So where exactly are they growing these local foods?
The Nippon Cosplay Photo Contest at St. Fest. 2015 posted its winners on Monday. Unlike other cosplay contests that judge strictly on costume creation and styling, this contest focuses on the photographer and the composition of the photograph. Votes were tallied for a month and a half via the internet and the event venue itself.
For hardcore fans of a certain band or TV show, part of the fun is amassing a collection of tie-in products designed to meet your exact needs and interests. Nowhere does this ring true more than in Japan, where geeking out over a variety of goods relating to your most beloved anime or music group is basically all part and parcel of fandom.
But sometimes the companies who produce these products tends to go a little too far, attempting to dupe devoted fans out of their hard-earned cash in exchange for, well, a heap of junk. Read on to view seven of the worst offenders!
If you’re a doting dog owner, odds are you occasionally give a special treat to your canine companion, but what about liquid refreshment? Just like you might reward yourself with a cup of gourmet coffee or a craft beer at the end of a long day, don’t you think your dog would sometimes enjoy something other than H20 in his water dish?
For all of those answering yes, this might be just the thing: fresh-squeezed goat milk, specifically sold for dogs.
IKEA is the go-to place for anyone looking to furnish their home on a budget, while keeping it stylish and homogeneous. And they don’t just cater to humans anymore!
No trip to the Kansai region is complete without a visit to Universal Studios Japan. With a wide range of attractions featuring beloved franchises from Harry Potter to Resident Evil, it’s got something for everyone, and it’s definitely not just for kids!
Having said that, we’re betting that kid-favourite mega-series Yo-Kai Watch‘s attraction is going to be bringing in a lot of little ones and parents when it opens this summer! (Hey, it’ll free up the other attractions for the rest of us!)
Someone in this store has been having a bit of fun with the mannequins; or should we say Japannequins. These mannequins seem unusually flexible, even boasting poseable fingers, and have been contorted into poses that many Japanese people would recognize – but do you?
It’s April, and in Japan that means a whole new crop of young, fresh-faced workers politely inching their way onto packed trains and nervously trotting into office buildings while wearing suspiciously clean and pressed office attire.
But what of the lazier portion of the population? The folks who are no longer in education, have yet to secure gainful employment or are undergoing training to become something worthwhile? These NEETs, as they’re known in Japan, have a busy schedule ahead of them as they settle into a daily routine of doing “sweet FA“, as my mother might say. But being a true slacker involves a surprising amount of work, as this great little parody video tells us.
You may have heard that legendary Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami runs a blog where he answers questions sent in by readers. He’s tackled subjects ranging from the meaning of life to how to become a writer to what animal ability he’d like to have.
In one of his most recent questions, Murakami gives his opinion on a very touchy subject in Japan: nuclear power. Instead of calling out for reform or regulations though, he suggests one very simple change: that Japanese people refer to what they currently call “atomic energy power plants” as “nuclear power plants” instead.
Anime fans around the world were disappointed in February when The Tale of Princess Kaguya, which all signs point to being the final directorial effort from veteran filmmaker Isao Takahata, failed to capture the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Still, it’s unlikely the low-key Takahata himself got too worked up over the result, given the many accolades he’s received over his almost 50-year career. Besides, this week Takahata had another honor bestowed upon him, as he was given the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French government.
I’m going to confess something that, this being the Internet, I’m almost certain is going to make me deeply unpopular and possibly get me fired from my writing job: I hate cats.
I hate ’em. I hate them so much that, apropos of nothing, the very idea of cats and how much I hate them pops into my mind a few times a day even when there are no cats around to spur my ire. I hate them when the three or four strays in my neighborhood wake me up in the middle of the night with their incessant mewling and fighting. I hate them when they get too close and trigger my allergies. I hate them in a box, I hate them with a fox, I hate them with a mouse, and I certainly hate them in my house.
That said, I think the new rescue cat cafe, SAVE CAT CAFE, which opened in Osaka on April 1, is just the cat’s meow.
We save money on crotchless jeans from Japanese brand Beams by making our own
Japan has nearly 4 million abandoned homes, but where and why?
FUK COFFEE?!? Japanese cafe has a perfectly innocent reason for its startling-looking name
McDonald’s Japan’s new pancake pie is a taste sensation
Beautiful set of 24 Ghibli anime memo pads returns, will have you wanting to take notes by hand
Abe Monjuin: An ancient temple with a connection to stars and astrology…and National Treasures
History’s largest force of Samurai Colonel Sanders deploying to KFC Japan branches
Michelin Guide gyoza in Tokyo: Worthy of the accolade?
One of Japan’s oldest castles now lets travelers spend night on the grounds, drink in its keep
Cardcaptor Sakura Chinese Cafe opens in Tokyo, coming to other cities with special merch【Pics】
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Bad tourist manners at Mt Fuji Lawson photo spot prompts Japanese town to block view with screensMcDonald’s Japan’s new pancake pie is a taste sensationOne of Japan’s oldest castles now lets travelers spend night on the grounds, drink in its keep
Two things to do, and two things not to do, when leaving a traditional Japanese inn
Japanese city loses residents’ personal data, which was on paper being transported on a windy day
Studio Ghibli unveils new goods that tip the hat to The Cat ReturnsFUK COFFEE?!? Japanese cafe has a perfectly innocent reason for its startling-looking name
Studio Ghibli unveils massive T-shirt collection featuring top anime movie characters
Japanese-style accommodation at the new Premium Dormy Inn hotel in Asakusa will blow your mind
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goodsForeigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
New definition of “Japanese whiskey” goes into effect to prevent fakes from fooling overseas buyers
Our Japanese reporter visits Costco in the U.S., finds super American and very Japanese things
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last monthBad tourist manners at Mt Fuji Lawson photo spot prompts Japanese town to block view with screens
New Pokémon cakes let you eat your way through Pikachu and all the Eevee evolutions
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in TokyoMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely
Sold-out Studio Ghibli desktop humidifiers are back so Totoro can help you through the dry season
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950sForeigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
Abe Monjuin: An ancient temple with a connection to stars and astrology…and National Treasures
History’s largest force of Samurai Colonel Sanders deploying to KFC Japan branches
Michelin Guide gyoza in Tokyo: Worthy of the accolade?
One of Japan’s oldest castles now lets travelers spend night on the grounds, drink in its keep
Cardcaptor Sakura Chinese Cafe opens in Tokyo, coming to other cities with special merch【Pics】
Crystal Rock Cakes from Tokyo and Kyoto taste as elegant as they look
Studio Ghibli’s “Bouncing Totoro” zoetrope gets its own merchandise at museum
Easy DIY open-air bath setup makes life at our Japanese country house better than ever【SoraHouse】
Japanese park’s English dog turd warning minces no words【Why does Engrish happen?】
Japan’s massive matcha parfait weighs 6 kilos, contains hidden surprises for anyone who eats it
Haku is…Chihiro’s dead brother? Studio Ghibli fans blown away by Spirited Away theory
Japanese sleep experts say we’ve been using our blankets wrong, help us hate winter a little less
McDonald’s Japan adds first-ever shrimp rice burger to menu in gohan sandwich expansion