Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Japan (Page 1323)
Here at RocketNews24 we like to think of ourselves as experts in taste and style (hey, stop laughing!). We like to add little personal touches to our cutlery drawers and drinks cabinets (gotta love those panty glasses!). So you can imagine how excited we were when we found out about these little hamsters you can clip onto the edge of your glass or mug to up the cuteness factor of everything you drink by 150%.
For the most part, Japanese society stresses being considerate and courteous. 99 times out of 100, that makes Japan a great place to live, but in certain situations those virtues can be taken to such extremes they actually end up contrary to their original sentiments. For example, part of being courteous is not bothering others, but as I’ve talked about before, in rare instances that bit of well-meaning deference can get warped into not getting involved in other people’s affairs even when they’re clearly in a quandary.
But while adults sometime stumble while walking the tightrope between forcing unasked for assistance on someone and helping those in need, what about children? That’s the question posed in this video showing a group of kids reacting to a stranger dropping his or her wallet at the bus stop, and the outcome just might restore a bit of your faith in humanity.
Whether you call it Bavarian cream or Bavarois, the classic dessert generally isn’t much to look at. Since traditional Bavarian cream itself is just a beige lump (being cream, after all), many chefs choose to drizzle a brightly colored fruit sauce on top of it. And while that definitively adds some much needed visual pizzazz, if you’re after a dessert that’s as captivatingly beautiful as it is mouth-wateringly tempting, this Tokyo pastry shop’s Bavarian cream that includes edible flowers is basically a work of art that you can eat.
Japanese cuisine is known for containing certain dishes that many westerners find hard to stomach, delicious as they may be. That includes sashimi (raw fish!) and natto (fermented soybeans!).
But what about the flip-side of the coin? Which western foods make Japanese people want to barf? The results may surprise you – or perhaps not. Here’s a list!
One thing we definitely have plenty of in Japan is sweets, be it cookies, chocolates, ice cream or cakes. From sakura flavored treats to mochi-infused ice cream, you don’t have to look too hard to find a dessert that captures your fancy, whatever your mood happens to be. Interestingly, one trend we seem to be seeing in recent years is the increasing popularity of Japanese confections in the Middle East, the U.A.E. in particular.
Now, it’s quite common these days to see a popular snack or dessert from one country become a huge hit in another part of the world, but one Japanese treat that apparently has been acquiring a growing number of fans in the U.A.E. is not the latest dessert fad to hit Tokyo, nor is it created from a unique and unexpected combination of Japanese ingredients. It’s a conventional, albeit tasty, Western-style cookie, and what’s more, these cookies have been around here in Japan for over four decades!
Naturally, we bought a box and tried them to see what makes them so special!
Delays on a train are annoying but inevitable, since with such a massive transit system in Japan, not everything is going to work 100 percent of the time. No one wants to see the words “train delay” on the information screen at the station, but even more so, no one wants to see the reason for the delays attributed to “human accidents,” the catch-all term Japan uses when people are found on the tracks while the trains are running.
An unfortunately common station for such accidents is implementing a number of changes in order to curb the rise of these incidents. It’s not just barriers and fences, prevention can start with you! So join us after the jump to see what sort of changes are being made to Shin-Koiwa Station.
Pedestrian crosswalk laws are all over the place no matter where you go. What’s considered jaywalking varies by country, and in the U.S. each state has its own laws for exactly how far the pedestrian needs to have crossed on the crosswalk before you have to stop.
In Japan, typically vehicles are expected to yield to anyone in a crosswalk at all times. That’s why the judge’s decision in a recent landmark case is taking the country by storm right now: a cyclist was killed by a car in a crosswalk, and the motorist was found to be in no way at fault.
Spring is a time for new beginnings as well as a great time to open new shops and businesses, and people are eager to escape from their apartments where they spent most of the winter season. Luckily, there are plenty of grand openings everywhere you turn this time of year, which is why our intrepid writers were met with a 100-plus-person line at the new Hooters location near the West Entrance of Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station on May 18.
They couldn’t make it into the restaurant on opening day, so they decided to go back the next day, with a twist! What better way to enjoy the newest Hooters restaurant in Japan than by cosplaying the Hooters costume?
We all know Japan likes to have a character for just about everything, and we also know the country has a long history of sexualizing things that really don’t need to be. So KFC Japan’s new mascot character of a sexy anthropomorphized chicken with huge boobs should surprise no one. And yet, I confess myself surprised. Or maybe creeped out is a better way of putting it.
Anime magical girls lead busy lives, especially Cardcaptor Sakura’s Sakura Kinomoto. With 50-plus magical cards to track down, plus all of the study responsibilities of an ordinary elementary school student, the young heroine must have her days planned down to the minute.
Likewise, being too young for a driver’s license, Sakura is in for a lot of walking around outside in the elements on her quest to find the mystical Clow Cards. And if you find yourself in similar need of a way to keep track of the time while keeping the sun and rain off yourself, anime fashion brand Super Groupies has got you covered with a new Cardcaptor Sakura wristwatch and umbrella.
The history of Japanese music is long and storied, and contemporary artists, be they J-pop artists or grindcore bands, fill only a few chapters. Of course, they happen to be some of our favorite chapters, but we’re just saying, there’s a lot to discover!
One genre that has long been a favorite in Japan but hasn’t gotten as much attention overseas as, say, Hatsune Miku, is enka. A modern take on Japanese folk music, enka is probably most popular with older generations — but that hasn’t stopped one extravagantly dressed visual kei/rock drummer from giving it a shot!
Check the bizarre music video for Tsukasa Mogamigawa’s major label debut and get ready to shout “Maaaatsupoi poi poi!”
Just as with full-fledged geisha, it’s customary for maiko, as geisha apprentices are known, to wear a layer of white face powder, called oshiroi. But those who’ve seen one of Japan’s traditional entertainers close up often marvel at their smooth, healthy skin, remarking that they would be just as beautiful with all of those cosmetic coverings washed away.
But in much the same way that their polished speech and refined mannerisms are the result of years of training, maiko also have a careful routine they follow to keep their skin looking as delicate and pleasing to the eye as it does.
Today, we’ve got news about a newly unveiled anime-themed “Bath Time Collection.” And while things can usually get pervy in a hurry when you combine the words “anime” and “bath,” we’re not talking about an inflatable waifu cushion to take in the tub or a waterproof anime boy toy poster to hang in your shower.
That’s because this is Sailor Moon we’re talking about, and Japan’s most successful magical girl is keeping things as classy as she always does with this new line of scrunchies, hair bands, and hair clips.
As a reader of RocketNews24, chances are you already have a pretty big soft spot for Japan. You may even already be living in the Land of the Rising Sun or have plans to fly out just as soon as circumstances allow.
But sometimes, even when we love a place with every fibre of our being, we just can’t stay forever. Family anxiously awaiting our return; work commitments; financial constraints and more mean that, at some point or other, many of us have to wave goodbye to Japan and return to our respective homelands.
Some of the things people miss about Japan will be immediately obvious, but others tend to sink in only a few weeks or months after returning home. Today, we’re taking a look at 21 of the little things, in no particular order, that Japan does so uniquely or so incredibly well that foreigners really start to pine for them once they finally say sayonara and head home.
There’s something about the heat and humidity that just makes you sleepy sometimes. With summer just around the corner in Japan, beverage company Suntory has a plan to keep you on your toes all day long: Pepsi Strong. More bubbles and more caffeine.
Say goodbye to your afternoons of droopy eyes and nodding off at your desk!
There’s only one thing better than a life-size replica of your favourite Japanese baseball player, and that’s a manga-style life-size replica.
A large-scale illustration of eight players from Yokohama DeNa Baystars goes on show this week in the run-up to a special festival for the Baystars’ female fans.
Our resident oddball writer Mr. Sato loves his coffee, so much so that he finds it impossible to pass by a Starbucks without stopping in for a quick coffee break. The only problem is that he tends to favour “girly” drinks like frappuccinos, and lives in fear of being spotted by friends and acquaintances enjoying one.
The solution? Sneak into Starbucks underneath a cardboard box, Solid Snake-style, and see if the baristas will serve coffee to a cardboard box. Check out our video to see how he did!
It looks like car manufacturer Subaru has their hands on some neat swag that was used on set for the upcoming Attack on Titan live-action film and, for some reason, they’re willing to just hand it off to one lucky Subaru test-driver.
You don’t need to own a Subaru or even like Subaru to be eligible to win an authentic Survey Corps uniform actually worn by a character in the film, plus an actual, “working” 3-Dimensional Maneuver Gear set – the piston-operated grappling hook setup that Survey Corps heroes sport in their fight against the series’ titular titans.
There’s a balancing act involved in creating snack foods in the image of a beloved children’s character. Take too few cues from the original design, and your customers won’t be able to recognize the character, thereby missing out on all the fun. On the other hand, go too far in the opposite direction and you end up with something like these cutlets from Korea, which make it look like you’re literally eating the flesh of Pikachu.
Everyone loves strawberries, right? Not only are they pretty hard to beat on the deliciousness scale, but they have the ability to ward off allergy symptoms and can even occasionally taste like peaches. Not bad for a little red fruit–or big red fruit if we’re talking about the Guinness World Record-breaking strawberry recently harvested in Fukuoka.
Fatal stabbing at Pokémon Center in Tokyo reignites concern over rising stalking cases in Japan
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese kindness restores our faith in humanity after a highway bus accident in Tokyo
Japan’s ministry of economy reminds us to “use sound judgment” before buying toilet paper
Japan now has a “for foreign tourists only” Mt. Fuji sightseeing train[Video]
“Online streamer” tops dream job poll for young Japanese kids, older kids not so interested
Deer are appearing in Osaka City, may have wandered there from Nara[Video]
Here’s what you need to know before the 2026 Sanrio Character Ranking voting goes live
Totoro and Calcifer become little light-up lanterns for Ghibli-style excursions or at-home decor
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Tokyo government organizes food truck event to clear out delinquent/homeless teen gathering area
7-Eleven Japan releases a crazy new viral sandwich: Chocolate Sprinkles and Whipped Cream
Nine amazing off-the-beaten-path cherry blossom spots in Japan for yaezakura and shidarezakuraJapan now has a “for foreign tourists only” Mt. Fuji sightseeing train[Video]
Stunning central Japan wisteria festival is like a purple fantasy straight out of a Ghibli movie
Studio Ghibli releases the My Neighbour Totoro tea caddy, with a magical self-closing lid
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Create a tiny Ghibli anime world on your bookshelf with new miniature papercraft art kitsKrispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime characterStarbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the countryJapanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Cherry blossoms begin blooming in Japan with record-early starts for sakura season
Studio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
Virtual idol Hatsune Miku redesigned with look that adds new elements and brings back old ones
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japan now has a “for foreign tourists only” Mt. Fuji sightseeing train[Video]
“Online streamer” tops dream job poll for young Japanese kids, older kids not so interested
Deer are appearing in Osaka City, may have wandered there from Nara[Video]
Here’s what you need to know before the 2026 Sanrio Character Ranking voting goes live
Totoro and Calcifer become little light-up lanterns for Ghibli-style excursions or at-home decor
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
Japan’s lap-pillow ear-cleaning salons aren’t just for pervy guys, we find out
Canned cuteness as Hello Kitty and friends kick off Can Chara capsule toy line【Photos】
Yakuzen ramen restaurant in Tokyo is very different to a yakuza ramen restaurant
Kagawa Prefecture becoming Slowpoke Paradise this spring
The best and worst Japanese food for foreigners
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Shimane has a secret hot spring town that feels like stepping into an old Japanese film