Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Japan (Page 1420)
McDonald’s Japan last weekend introduced the first in its limited-time lineup of luxury quarter pounders with the 1,000 yen (US$10) “Black Diamond,” which features truffle shavings and thick-cut bacon.
Some McDonald’s locations, apparently unconvinced their usual clientele would spring for the exorbitantly-priced burger, decided to go above and beyond by offering a special seat for anyone who ordered the menu item.
Sometimes, it’s only after the fact that you realize just how close you came to dying.
After eating dinner a few nights ago, my wife was flipping through the channels on TV. “Oh, that’s right, Whisper of the Heart is on. Do you want to watch it?” she asked.
Now ordinarily a cute girl asking me if I’d like to watch anime with her gets an automatic “Why yes, I would.” But at that point there were just 20 minutes left before the end, and I said I’d rather just rent it from the video store down the street some other time, so we could watch it from the beginning.
That decision may have saved our lives.
Whenever foods specific to a certain culture make appearances in foreign restaurants, something almost always gets altered along the way. For example, I’ve been living in Japan for years, and yet I still shake my head whenever I see an “American-style” pizza topped with eggplant, potato and mayonnaise. It’d be one thing if everyday consumers realized that the “Western” food they eat is actually unique to Japan, but as far as they are concerned, all of us Americans put taters and mayo on our pizzas!
But of course, Japan is in no way the only country to confuse traditional ingredients for those suited to their local tastes. Recently, one of our RocketNews24 correspondents, Natasha from Ukraine, wrote up a fine report on the sad state of sushi in her country. Here’s the gist of what she had to say.
It’s the end of the first semester of the Japanese school year, and you know what that means: party time!
No, wait, sorry, it means kimatsu shiken, the end of semester tests. Man, what a drag.
Fortunately, some teachers at least have a sense of humor about it. Here are nine examples of anime-inspired attempts to spice up tests!
Yakiniku (Korean barbecue) restaurants have been popular in Japan for a long time now. People around here can’t seem to get enough of managing their own grill and eating copious amounts of pure meat. However, in recent years Japan seems to really be getting into red meat what with romantic meat themed video games and classily stacked Quarter Pounders for a king’s ransom.
Particularly around the summer season Japanese people appear to be craving red meat extra hard. News Post Seven reports that of all types of restaurants in Japan, the yakiniku sector has grown a hearty 14 percent compared to the previous year. It was the only type to grow over 10 percent – an impressive feat in this sluggish economy. As a result we are seeing other restaurants and bars adopting charcoal grills to tap into this success.
To answer the million dollar question of why Korean barbecue is going so strong, News Post Seven‘s Tatsuya Matsura came up with an interesting theory. Let’s see if it holds water and maybe a little BBQ sauce too.
With a declining birth rate and depopulation in many rural areas, Japan is seeing an increase in the number of schools that are being forced to close. While this is undoubtedly all rather saddening, we’re getting reports that some of the elementary and junior high schools that have met their demise so far are being turned into a variety of new facilities. Find out how after the break.
Every woman deserves to be treated like a princess sometimes. Plied with champagne, pampered, flattered and adored. What if you could go to a luxurious bar and receive this kind of attention, from the man (or men) of your choice, selected at whim from a “menu” of attractive males?
This is one extracurricular activity you can get up to in Tokyo. It helps if you speak Japanese, but you might even find a host who’s fluent in English. This actually happened to my mother when we visited Shinjuku together. A good-looking, very well-groomed young man in a suit approached us and propositioned us in a strong Australian accent. I tried to explain to her what a visit would entail—it’s not a brothel, women go there to enjoy male company and attention. We didn’t end up going to a host club that night, but recently one intrepid RocketNews24 reporter took one for the team and visited one of these fine establishments, along with three friends. She spills the beans on her first time!
He was a good man; a perverted man; a man who liked games in which female characters’ unfeasibly large breasts bounce around with every tiny movement of their body, and clothes dissolve into pixel dust with every well-timed button press or click. Today, ladies and gentlemen, we mourn an ero-gamer.
Tokyo police announced this week that, for the first time since they started keeping detailed statistics, the number of elderly shoplifters has exceeded the number of juveniles. So much for the “you kids these days” rant, Oba-chan.
History has a way of creating awkward situations for future generations. I can’t think of how many times I’ve attempted friendly conversation by asking a Japanese local where they’re from and been blindsided by the answer, “Hiroshima.” I, with my American perspective, will then fall into this comically long pause as I wonder how appropriate it would be to apologize on behalf of my country for turning their city to dust, but the fact of the matter is that most Japanese people bear absolutely no grudge towards America for the atomic bombings of World War II.
Apparently this is difficult for some Internet users in China to comprehend, as there was recently a thread on one of the country’s most popular bulletin board sites asking “Why doesn’t Japan hate the USA for bombing them with two atomic weapons?” Interestingly, the answers that the thread received probably say more about Chinese people’s lingering disdain for the Japanese than Japan’s view of America.
Some of the smartest and cutest creatures to ever flip in and out of the sea, dolphins have long captured the imagination and hearts of us land-dwellers. Dolphin watching excursions seem to be as popular as whale watching excursions, and there’s hardly anyone who isn’t thrilled by these friendly mammals’ smiles and enthusiastic squeaks.
So, if you happen to be melting in the Japanese heat this summer, why not head out to Ishikawa Prefecture where you can cool off in the ocean—and have a 98-percent chance of seeing some dolphins!
Summer’s the perfect time for romance. You’ll catch couples snuggling on the train, at the department store, in the corner of the café where they think nobody can see them – newsflash, we can. There’s so much sweaty, bare flesh on show, people just can’t keep their hands off each other. And the absolute worst place for sickening displays of “get a room” is at the beach. What is it about the swelling waves and blazing sun that makes people stick together like sand to your bikini bottoms.
But no matter how much you might have the urge to cling, it’s no good if you don’t have a partner to endure your affections. For anyone looking for some summer lovin’, this guide–penned by our very own sister-site writer and native Japanese, Kanako–is for you.
A Japanese Twitter bot has surfaced on the microblogging service in recent months which has confused many a follower. Its sole purpose seems to be posting photos depicting food burnt to various degrees.
If you thought being an anime director was all cosplay groupies and cool action figures, think again. Turns out it’s long, long hours in front of a computer, less-than-fancy convenience store dinners and tons of office all-nighters.
Our reporter was strolling through Ginza one afternoon and found herself in an Okinawa specialty goods store. As she was browsing through the aisles, she couldn’t help but notice a brightly colored can of Coca Cola with a red shisa (lion dog) printed on the front. Upon further inspection of the can, she realized that she had stumbled upon Okinawa Coca Cola, made with the waters of Okinawa. How would this special Coke taste? She just had to buy one and find out.
All around the world, young and middle-aged adults have fond childhood memories of giant robot cartoons. I can remember watching Autobots brawl with Decepticons over their endless hunt for energon cubes. Meanwhile, South Koreans were enjoying Robot Taekwon V.
Robot Taekwon V was such a hit that even today the Korean government uses its robot protagonist’s likeness to promote the nation’s claim to ownership of the Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo in Korea, Takeshima in Japan), a disputed island that has recently renewed some tensions between Korea and Japan. However, a recent plan to erect a statue of Taekwon V has been met with strong resistance from South Korean net users who feel that instead of being intimidating, the statue would cause Japanese citizens to laugh.
With so many sushi shops around Japan you’re bound to come across some irregular ones every now and then. Our very own Kuzo caught wind of one shop in particular that serves up sushi rolls with names that challenge you to guess what’s inside.
Maruhachi Sushi is located in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture and you can find creations such as Sexual Harassment Sushi, Ice Cream Sushi, and Frigid Lady Sushi alongside your favorite sushi toppings. Kuzo headed to Nagoya to find out what these menu items were all about.
While kendo is an inherently violent sport–after all it’s basically the Japanese version of fencing–the general perception is that it’s more about calm, carefully-coordinated attacks than all-out aggression. In fact, kendo very strictly adheres to etiquette and respect, with competitors generally expected to act with the utmost sportsmanship.
Unless you happen to be a cop.
From countries and camera lenses to burgers and government corporations, Japan has a vibrant moe culture of personifying inanimate objects – in other words, turning them into cute, giant-eyed anime characters. The latest addition is a game populated by beautiful, shapely “warships”, which seems like a very modern idea but may actually have its origins in the prewar era.
McDonald’s Japan recently announced a new line of high-class Quarter Pounders that cost nearly ten bucks. Marketed as the “Jewelry series,” they come with premium ingredients such as truffle sauce, pineapple, or chorizo and each burger will only be available for one day in Japan. The first of the series, the Quarter Pounder Gold Ring, will be served up in a special “jewelry box” on July 6. If you live in Japan, hurry on over to your nearest McDonald’s, this ultra limited edition Quarter Pounder is only available today.
Japan has nearly 4 million abandoned homes, but where and why?
Japanese cosplayer creates amazing outfit: Sailor Moon’s transformation sequence!【Photos】
Enjoy a Pokémon tea ceremony with new matcha goods featuring Poltchageist and Sinistcha
We save money on crotchless jeans from Japanese brand Beams by making our own
Studio Ghibli unveils massive T-shirt collection featuring top anime movie characters
Orange Juice Crisis ’24 – Japan’s OJ supplies drying up
Beautiful set of 24 Ghibli anime memo pads returns, will have you wanting to take notes by hand
Bad tourist manners at Mt Fuji Lawson photo spot prompts Japanese town to block view with screens
History’s largest force of Samurai Colonel Sanders deploying to KFC Japan branches
Mikado Coffee is a 76-year-old coffee chain with a major celebrity connection
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of societyBad tourist manners at Mt Fuji Lawson photo spot prompts Japanese town to block view with screens
McDonald’s Japan’s new pancake pie is a taste sensation
One 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 Returns
FUK COFFEE?!? Japanese cafe has a perfectly innocent reason for its startling-looking nameStudio 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
Orange Juice Crisis ’24 – Japan’s OJ supplies drying up
Beautiful set of 24 Ghibli anime memo pads returns, will have you wanting to take notes by hand
Bad tourist manners at Mt Fuji Lawson photo spot prompts Japanese town to block view with screens
History’s largest force of Samurai Colonel Sanders deploying to KFC Japan branches
Mikado Coffee is a 76-year-old coffee chain with a major celebrity connection
Easy DIY open-air bath setup makes life at our Japanese country house better than ever【SoraHouse】
Uniqlo’s new Dragon Ball T-shirts and hoodies modeled for the first time【Photos】
W.T.F. Japan: Top 5 “shikata ga nai” (“it can’t be helped”) situations in Japan【Weird Top Five】
Watching the making of tiny sushi will alleviate stress, make you ache at the cuteness【Video】
Four moments when Japan’s single men are glad they’re not married
Pokémon Cafe serves up a green tea ceremony in Japan with Poltchageist and Sinistcha matcha menu
Studio Ghibli unveils new goods that tip the hat to The Cat Returns
Is Japan’s massive Shizuoka steak sandwich really as delicious as it looks in promo photos?
Seaside scenery, history, and so many desserts on Yokohama’s Akai Kutsu【Japan Loop Buses】
