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Watch the “world’s largest firework” go off 【Video】

Master Blaster
Jan 9, 2014
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That bad boy pictured above is the Yonshakudama (Four Shaku Ball) and it claims to be largest single firework in the world. At a pot-smoker pleasing weight of 420kg (926lbs) and with a diameter of 1.2m (4 feet), most people tend to take the maker’s word for it.

Fireworks of this immense size are launched during a show at the Katakai Festival in Ojiya, Niigata Prefecture and are said to have a beautiful blast radius of 800m (2,625 feet). But enough talk. Let’s kick the tires and light some fires watching them in action thanks to a video uploaded to YouTube by Temple Fireworks.

Are your “healthy” new year’s resolutions harder than you thought? Try some Rilakkuma tofu!

Philip Kendall
Jan 8, 2014

It’s only Wednesday, and already we’ve seen two brand new Rilakkuma products–clearly Japan’s favourite little bear is going to have a good year. Thankfully, this one won’t hurt your bank balance quite like the ear-toting Rilakkuma sofa we showed you yesterday. What you see before you are blocks of tofu designed especially for fans of the lethargic teddy, each featuring imprints of his face. Tofu may not be the most exciting foodstuff in the world, but we’re fairly sure this would help liven it up.

New product stirs your natto 424 times to bring out its ultimate flavor

Krista Rogers
Jan 8, 2014

Whether you love it or won’t go near the stuff, there’s no denying that natto is an important part of the Japanese diet. The fermented soybeans are notorious for scaring foreigners away with their pungent odor and sticky strands. If you’re someone who’s not convinced that natto could ever taste good, then keep reading: Japanese corporation Takara Tomy Arts has recently announced a new product that guarantees the ultimate natto dining experience. Introducing the new Natto Flavor Enhancing Machine.

A look at New York’s first maid cafe

Michelle Lynn Dinh
Jan 8, 2014

For better or worse, Japanese culture has made its way to the US and now sushi, cosplay, anime, and a number of other bizarre hybrids (sake bombs, anyone?) are fully integrated into American life. Now it seems maid cafes, those sickeningly sweet pink restaurants where waitresses act as servants, have made their way across the Pacific.

Located in New York City’s Chinatown, Maid Cafe NY brings a little bit of one of Japan’s strange subcultures to the United States. But will American patrons feel comfortable being greeted by cute maids in frilly outfits saying, “Welcome home my master and my princess”? Let’s take a closer look at Maid Cafe NY and find out.

How glam is your pussy? Cat wigs hot in 2014

Philip Kendall
Jan 8, 2014

Meet Shiro and Mimi, just two of the stars of Kago Neko, a blog all about one Japanese cat fan’s pets. Sadly, the pair were not, in fact, born with such luscious barnets, but their owner, perhaps sensing their inner glam rock star, provided them with a couple of rather fetching blonde wigs. We think you’ll agree that they look pretty rockin’.

The top 10 things cool guys do on the trains of Japan

Michelle Lynn Dinh
Jan 8, 2014

Have you ever looked over while riding the Yamanote Line and saw the coolest guy you’ve ever seen? Sure he was probably wearing fashionable clothes and had great hair, but what was he doing? A poll conducted by Japanese mobile phone provider, NTT Docomo, reveals the top 10 things cool guys do on the train.

Dark Souls Cafe opens to fans of punishing game series

Mike
Jan 8, 2014

After a month or so of breathless preview coverage, the brand new Dark Souls Cafe, based on the award-winning, but notoriously difficult, From Software action game is finally open for business.

The new cafe channels the next game in the series, Dark Souls 2, which is slated for a March 13 release in Japan.

This Rilakkuma-themed sofa is soft on your bottom, hard on your wallet

Philip Kendall
Jan 8, 2014

Rilakkuma, whose name is a combination of the words “relax” and “kuma” (meaning bear in Japanese), is one of Japan’s more deserving popular characters. Created back in 2003, the lazy little bear with a zip on his back became an instant hit with a series of picture books and cuddly toys, and continues to be adored almost 10 years on–a feat that few cute-for-the-sake-of-it mascots besides Hello Kitty could ever boast.

Now, a furniture maker in Japan is offering Rilakkuma fans the chance to purchase an original order-made sofa based on their favourite po-faced bear. But with a price tag of almost US$2,000, their bank balances will have to be just as healthy as their love of all things cute and cuddly to afford it.

The evolution of one cat’s pestering skills 【Video】

Krista Rogers
Jan 8, 2014

Meet Leo-chan, an American shorthair cat living in Japan who is a master at being both annoying and adorable at the same time. Check out this video of her adorable poses as she begs for food.

Town offers “Mayor for a Day” with tax payment of over one million yen, benefits include sake, pickles

Master Blaster
Jan 8, 2014

Starting this year, the town of Mamurogawa in Yamagata Prefecture is offering up their mayor’s office for those generous enough to hand over one million yen (US$9,600) in furusato tax (hometown tax). It’s the latest move in an increasing trend of offering premiums for tax revenue in rural areas struggling with decreasing populations.

Offering something in exchange for taxes seems like an odd concept without knowing what furusato tax is, so let start with that. Don’t worry it’s simple.

Yes, Mountain Dew flavoured corn chips are a thing in Japan – and they taste…

Philip Kendall
Jan 7, 2014

We see a lot of weird stuff on the internet, but corn snacks made to taste – and fizz, no less – like the carbonated soft drink Mountain Dew are undoubtedly the oddest thing to happen since millions of adults across the globe simultaneously lied to their children about a bearded man sneaking into their home and leaving gifts for having refrained from murdering anyone or punching an otter since the previous December.

Nevertheless, as the internet chatter suggests, Mountain Dew corn snacks really do exist here in Japan, and so despite imagining that they’d taste about as good as minty orange juice, we tracked some down and, along with a can of actual Mountain Dew (or “Mtn Dew” as it’s now being branded in the US, because who has time fr vwls?) for comparison, conducted a little taste test of our own.

Full impressions after the jump.

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We try Häagen-Dazs’ special edition Forêt Noire ice cream found only in convenience stores

Krista Rogers
Jan 7, 2014

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Especially for everyone’s favorite, Häagen-Dazs. Even in the middle of winter, we can find happiness by eating ice cream in a warm room. We were curious what Häagen-Dazs’ new, hard-to-pronounce flavor Forêt Noire tasted like, so we tried it ourselves. Prepare to be tantalized by the following enticing photographs.

This lightning fast cat has us laughing out loud【Video】

Krista Rogers
Jan 7, 2014

Okay, who gave this cat coffee!?

Watch this short video to get your daily cat fix and start your week off on a (caffeine?) high – it’s sure to bring a smile to your face and dazzle your feeble human eyes.

Traditional hot spring dance reminds us of locker room fights, 3rd degree burns

Jessica
Jan 7, 2014

Kusatsu Onsen is a hot spring resort town in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture. Its spring is famous for both its prodigious daily output and its high sulfur content, which makes the entire town smell of rotten eggs but is said to cure a host of bodily ills. In fact, the locals say the hot springs in Kusatsu cure any sickness but love sickness.

Whatever its healing properties, you wouldn’t want to jump into the spring at the source, as it comes bubbling out of the ground at up to a scalding 95°C (203°F). You could add cold water, but that would dilute the beneficial mineral content, so the locals use a traditional method called yumomi, which involves splashing the water around with big tongue depressors while singing and dancing.

I love Japan.

Sagawa Electronic’s newest robot suit in production, looks to be taller with bigger claws

Master Blaster
Jan 7, 2014

A few months ago, we brought word of the Powered Jacket MK3 by Sagawa Electronics, a fully functioning robot suit valued at around US$125k. It was undeniably cool and even came with a funny promotional video, but I think I could take it in a fight, which is rarely a good sign as far as mecha exoskeletons go.

However, work is currently underway to produce its successor, the MK4. Although still in development it appears to be getting some upgrades in size and intimidation.

Renowned Japanese cosmetic surgeon comes out with … totally funky stationery!

Kay
Jan 6, 2014

The subject of plastic surgery has come up in a number of our past articles, but did you know there’s a certain cosmetic surgeon here in Japan who is practically a national celebrity? If you’ve spent some time in Japan, you may have heard of Dr. Katsuya Takasu, known for his chain of clinics for cosmetic procedures, the Takasu Clinic. Although he’s strictly a cosmetic surgeon by profession and not a media personality or entertainer, his face and name are recognizable to virtually everyone in Japan, thanks in large part to a series of unique ads that have aired on TV over the years.

Well, it now seems the good doctor will be coming out with some goods that have nothing to do with plastic surgery, but still boldly feature pictures of himself, and the sheer visual impact of these goods have definitely caught the attention of Japanese netizens. But don’t take our word for it, see the pictures yourself!

700-year-old swordcrafting ceremony lives on in Gifu Prefecture【Video】

Preston Phro
Jan 6, 2014

While many people immediately think of samurai when Japan is mentioned, you might not expect to find many swordcrafters still working in the modern-day. And certainly not out in public for everyone to see!

However, the start of every year sees a gathering of swordcrafters in Gifu Prefecture where they ceremonially pound a piece of steel in a centuries old traditional ceremony. It looks cool and must be great exercise to work off all the osechi calories too!

A perfect blend of fashion and function: the Tokyo Subway Map Necktie!

Master Blaster
Jan 6, 2014

Even for those living in Tokyo, its plate-of-spaghetti-like tangle of train lines can be overwhelming to navigate. Worse for visitors, it’s hard not to get lost, but you also don’t want to walk around gawking at a map like some touristy chump. So, for basically anyone in Tokyo, we humbly present the Subway Map Necktie.

This is what happens when you order ramen with “200 times” the regular spiciness

Mike
Jan 6, 2014

Ramen is a popular comfort food in Japan because, unlike many Japanese foods, there’s very little formality in eating it, it’s not especially good for you and therefore tastes wonderful, and you’re generally free to customize to your heart’s content, choosing a broth of your liking and then heaping on the toppings until you can barely see the noodles if you so desire.

Spicy ramen varieties aren’t uncommon, either, with many popular chains such as Ichiran offering customizable spiciness levels from one to ten. Of course, if you’re the right combination of bored, crazy and rich, you can pay extra to exceed the tenth level of spiciness; right on up to 200 times normal.

Amazing Attack on Titan sand sculpture captivates and terrifies tourists 【Video】

Krista Rogers
Jan 6, 2014

The overseas resurgence of photos of a spectacular Attack on Titan sand sculpture has fans bursting with excitement again. If you haven’t seen it already, you won’t believe the detail of this sand art!