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Red Bull unveils new Japan-exclusive grape flavor

Mike
Sep 23, 2015
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Red Bull has long been the official drink of all things EXTREME!™

But, if you’re anything like us, you’ve occasionally found yourself in the middle of a sick skydiving 360-degree kickflip while firing an assault rifle and been underwhelmed by the ability of the chemical, vaguely fruit-like taste of standard Red Bull to whet your whistle.

“If only there was grape-flavored Red Bull so I could be EXTREME™ without compromising taste,” you maybe thought to yourself. Luckily, in Japan anyway, Red Bull’s got your covered.

Odaiba exhibition features rare & vintage character toys from the 1960s onwards, photos A-OK!

Krista Rogers
Sep 23, 2015

Children all over the world idolize at least one TV or comic book character at some point while growing up. For everyone who gets a rush of excitement whenever they fondly recall their favorite childhood character toys, we’d like to introduce you to a must-see event that’s currently going on in Tokyo’s Odaiba district: the “Nostalgic Toy Great Exhibition” (懐かしのおもちゃ大博覧会)!

This event is a massive display of classic Japanese character toys that date from the Showa period (1926-1989) to the present day. Everything from ultra rare vintage tinplate toys from the 1960s to Sailor Moon figurines from the 2010s are on display, for a grand total of approximately 2,000 toys. On top of that, photography is permitted—it’s truly a toy lover’s paradise!

Tokyo trains to ease cellphone restrictions near priority seats — but not during rush hour

Preston Phro
Sep 23, 2015

If you’ve been on the train in Japan, you’ve likely seen the stickers and signs plastered everywhere around the priority seats asking people to make room for those who need and to turn off cell phones. While you should definitely continue to give your seat to anyone who needs it, starting next month, you’ll no longer have to feel guilty about playing Angry Birds in the priority seating section—unless it’s rush hour.

Twitter users request anime analogies to better comprehend the magnitude of Japan’s rugby win

Master Blaster
Sep 23, 2015

Last weekend, the rugby world was shaken to its very foundations by a historically massive upset when Japan defeated South Africa. I read that it was an amazing game where the Japanese team did these things called “tries” or something…and then did an “over” at some point…

You might guess that I have no idea how rugby works. I have nothing against the sport—it actually looks interesting—but it and I have never really crossed paths. And apparently I’m not alone, as some in Japan have taken to Twitter to ask that the significance of this win be explained to them in terms they can better understand. Terms like Evangelion and Dragon Ball Z.

Five nature hikes and trail runs just off Japan’s bullet train

Amy Chavez
Sep 23, 2015

Japan’s major cities offer just about everything, but did you know that includes great nature trails? From forests and waterfalls to ancient temples and shrines, many of Japan’s best hiking trails are literally just a step off the bullet train. If you have a Japan Rail Pass, you’ll find it even harder to resist these hikes near Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Hiroshima and Fukuoka. Got a day–or even a half-day–to spare? You can still get your hike in!

These hiking routes make it convenient to explore Japan’s natural surroundings. No long drives to get out to the countryside, no great changes in altitude, and there’s always a good view waiting at the top. The trails are sign-posted, well-maintained, and many pass through historic districts and are tailored for sight-seeing by foot. You’ll find eating establishments, public toilets, lockers and even hot springs along the way on some of them. In short, Japan is a day-hikers dream! And if you like to run, these hiking courses make great running trails too.

New rum raisin-flavored chocolate Oreo bars to go on sale in Japan

Krista Rogers
Sep 22, 2015

Despite the popularity of goodies like Kit Kats and Oreos around the world, most countries sell only the original flavors of such snacks with perhaps one or two flavor variations on the side. This area, however, is where Japan goes totally nuts with novel and often downright bizarre marketing campaigns to introduce the latest flavors of ordinary snacks—just ask anyone who’s ever had the courage to try wasabi Kit Kats or strawberry chocolate-covered shrimp chips!

Case in point, confectionery and baked goods company Yamazaki Nabisco has unveiled its newest flavor of the popular Oreo cookie: rum raisin.

4chan creator hands reins over to 2channel’s Hiroyuki Nishimura

Jamie Koide
Sep 22, 2015

Right before the internet entered a new millennia, Hiroyuki Nishimura launched 2channel, an online community website that would eventually change the face of otaku and internet culture in Japan. The simple layout and anonymity later went on to spark the creation of an English language version of the website, called 4chan, which would similarly impact the international online community as 2channel had in Japan.

In a curious turn of events according to a recent announcement by 4chan’s founder and former sole administrator, Nishimura has been named as the owner of the English spinoff community to his original creation.

We try GOSSO nose hair pluckers, and the results are as impressive as they are gross

SoraNews24
Sep 22, 2015

Nose hair is one of the stranger parts of our bodies. While we imagine it plays an important role in our physiological functions, it’s also kind of…really gross. As P.K., a writer for the Japanese side of RocketNews24, points out, no matter how sexy a guy is, if he has a bunch of nose hair poking out of his nostrils, there’s a good chance he’ll have trouble getting a date.

But fear not, bushy-nosed readers! Help is here in the form of GOSSO, the nose hair pullers! But do they actually work? And will you actually want to use them? Well, find out what our brave Japanese writers thought of the product below!

Now you can buy badass bandanas for your cat…from a vending machine

Oona McGee
Sep 22, 2015

While Japan is known for its large number of vending machines, offering everything from ink stamps to gold cans of Coca-Cola, there’s a very special type of vending machine that can be stacked three high and in long rows of twenty or more: the gachapon machine.

Often forming a huge wall outside gaming stores, these plastic-windowed devices spit out mystery capsules with tiny collectibles inside at 100-600 yen (US$0.84-$5.02) a pop. The latest gachapon to appear on the market is aimed at the feline customer, and if kittens could master the art of coin handling, they’d all be down at the vending machines, getting in on the craze that all cool cats are into – cat bandanas.

Trailer for Totoro character designer’s new movie is a sampler of Ghibli’s best themes 【Video】

Casey Baseel
Sep 22, 2015

Studio Ghibli, as an entity, is more or less in a coma, but that doesn’t mean that all of the talented artists that made up the storied anime production house have retired.

Veteran animator Yoshiharu Sato has worked on a number of Ghibli films, most notably as the character designer for My Neighbor Totoro and its sequel Mei and the Kitten Bus. Now, Sato is serving as animation director for an upcoming theatrical anime release that may not bear the Ghibli name, but captures much of the famed studio’s style and atmosphere.

Osaka doctor wins Ig Nobel Prize for discovering kisses can reduce allergic reactions

Master Blaster
Sep 22, 2015

Japan has had a pretty good track record with the annual Ig Nobel Prize. Scientists from all over the country have been awarded for nine years straight for their contributions to wacky and humorous research. Last year, Professor Kiyoshi Mabuchi recieved the Ig Nobel Prize in Physics for determining exactly how slippery a banana peel on the floor is.

Now, Dr. Hajime Kimata of the Osaka Prefecture Neyagawa Allergy Clinic has been given the Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine. However, rather than investigating a silly topic, Dr. Kimata’s findings were actually rather sweet: Kissing can reduce a person’s allergic reactions.

Exclusive Amazon beer coming to Lawson convenience stores in limited quantities

Cara Clegg
Sep 22, 2015

You can get practically anything via online retail giant Amazon, and there are even some products that you can only get via the website. Ordinarily one such product is a special beer from popular Japanese craft brewery Yoho Brewing, but beer drinkers will soon be able to pick up a can at their local Lawson convenience store. You’ll have to hurry, though, because the number available is limited, and once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Reminisce on over 30 years of Mario games with this sweet Evolution of Super Mario tribute【Video】

Krista Rogers
Sep 22, 2015

This month, the whole world is celebrating 30 years of Mario, only the most famous video game character of all time. It’s been a long time since the Italian plumber’s humble beginnings as Jumpman, and Nintendo is pulling out all the stops to make this anniversary year as special as possible for long-time gamers who got their start playing as starry-eyed kids back in the 8-bit era.

To continue the festivities, we’d like to share with you this nifty video tribute which tracks the evolution of Mario over the past three decades of video gaming history. Prepare yourselves for a nostalgic trip down memory lane!

McDonald’s Japan’s straws are designed to mimic the experience of drinking breast milk

Casey Baseel
Sep 22, 2015

Even if you’re not a fan of McDonald’s burgers, fries, or food offerings of any kind, you have to admit the fast food chain knows how to make a pretty tasty shake. Thick and creamy, sipping on a McDonald’s shake can instantly bring back those feelings of happy contentedness you felt as a child, and in Japan part of the reason might be that the experience is designed to make you feel like a baby sucking down a meal of breast milk.

Japanese electronics shop turns smartphones into anime hotties, has them neg female customers

Casey Baseel
Sep 22, 2015

A young Japanese woman suddenly finds herself surrounded by four hot guys, each one vying for her favor. One is tough, another is cool, and the third is going with the soft sell. There’s even a handsome man trying to game her or rule her or neg her, whatever the term is when pseudo-aggressive dudes simultaneously tell a girl that she’s insufferably lame but that they also desperately want to hook up with her.

The woman’s pulse races as she realizes she hold all the cards in this game of love. But this scenario is too good to be true right? Is it a dating simulator video game? A reverse-harem anime?

Nope, it’s the cell phone corner of a Japanese electronics store.

Restaurant raises the bar for customer service in Japan, will help you name your baby

Casey Baseel
Sep 22, 2015

In Japan, customer service tends to pretty amazing across the board, but perhaps nowhere more so than in the restaurant industry. Some restaurants may be boisterously friendly and others may be quietly courteous, but you can just about always be assured that everyone on the staff, from your server to the owner, is working hard to ensure an enjoyable dining experience.

But even by those standards, this yakiniku restaurant goes above and beyond the call of duty, with an extensive list of extra special services they’re willing to provide. Of course, courteousness is a two-way street, so the restaurant also has 10 unique requests it in turn makes to its customers.

Japanese men reveal 10 times they fell in love with their wives all over again

Casey Baseel
Sep 22, 2015

en though a lot of couples in Japan officially start their relationship with a dramatic and explicit expression of love, that level of passion can be hard to maintain indefinitely. Especially among married couples in Japan, it’s not common to say “I love you” every day, and after a few years as husband and wife, some spouses stop seeing each other as a man and a woman.

But marriage is a long string of small shared experiences, and sometimes couples find a spark that rekindles the flames of their emotions for one another, like in this list of the top 10 times Japanese men fell in love with their wives all over again.

Kennin-ji Temple Masters Project: craftsmen make ornate watch inspired by Kyoto temple

Oona McGee
Sep 22, 2015

Kennin-ji is one of Japan’s most historic landmarks. Founded in 1202, it’s the oldest Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto and its founding monk, Eisai, is credited with introducing the philosophy of zen to Japan. To celebrate the temple’s 800th anniversary in 2002, a pair of dragons were painted inside the Dharma Hall, with instructions from the Abbott that they be “rampaging across the ceiling”.

The beauty and power of these dragons has inspired an experienced collector to commission a timepiece featuring the very same artwork, calling on the expertise of four of the very best master craftsmen in the business to come together in what’s being called the “Kennin-ji Master’s Project”. Helmed by acclaimed English watchmaker Peter Speake-Marin, experts are saying this is one of the most exquisite and ornate watches ever made in the history of the craft.

Are Japanese rice cookers really better than Chinese ones? We test it out and get some surprises

Scott Wilson
Sep 22, 2015

Whether rightfully or not, Chinese products are much maligned for their supposed lack of quality. Even the Chinese people themselves are often critical of their own country’s products, criticizing everything from Chinese news to rice cookers.

But are they really that bad? Our Japanese reporter Meg recently went on a trip to China and brought back a Chinese rice cooker to test it out. She had a couple of surprises along the way, involving everything from getting the rice cooker to even work, to the taste of the final product, so read on to see how it all turned out!

New citrus-yuzu-salt-flavored Jagariko potato sticks are delicious, cheap, and ultra-limited

Preston Phro
Sep 22, 2015

Calbee’s Jagariko is among the tastiest snacks in Japan, if you ask us. The little cups of potato sticks come in a variety of flavors, including cheese, butter, and salad. There are also some seasonal flavors, like yuzu-shio, or yuzu and salt, available now! If you haven’t tried Jagariko yet, this is definitely a great introduction to one of the best snacks in Japan!