Japan (Page 1489)

Japanese woman found guilty of murder after refusing to accept welfare

On 16 May Kumiko Osawa was found guilty by Sapporo District Court after pleading guilty to the assisted suicide of her 70-year-old mother. According to the prosecution, Osawa had agreed to kill her mother after the two nearly ran out of money. In addition, about one year prior to this they had refused to accept government assistance as a matter of pride.

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Pigs fly (in broth form) as ANA serves up in-flight Ippudo ramen

Japan has earned plenty of foodie cred over the last few years. Tokyo has topped multiple lists of the best cities in the world to eat out in, morning talk shows showcase delicious, hole-in-the wall restaurants and bakeries almost every day, and this month even provincial Hiroshima got its own Michelin Guide.

But even with a nation of enthusiastic diners and gastronomic craftsmen ready to serve them, airline food is, for the most part, nothing to get too excited about. Unless you happen to be flying ANA internationally, that is, where you can now get Ippudo ramen. Read More

The Starbucks tumbler limited to one place in the world: Haneda Airport

People in Japan love Starbucks coffee and their cute, branded drinking tumblers. In big cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka you can even buy limited edition tumblers with different local designs. The regional travelling cups are sold at a number of stores though, so they’re actually not that difficult to come across. For die-hard fans looking to get their hands on the Holy Grail of Starbucks drinking vessels, you’d be better off heading to a store at Haneda airport, the one place in the world that sells this very exclusive tumbler.

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Japanese iPad artist is the Leonardo da Vinci of digital finger paints 【Video】

In the future, great works of art will need to be located near museum power outlets because, apparently, the iPad is rapidly becoming the next generation canvas.

iPad artists have wowed us before with astonishing works of art, but most of them rely on paintbrush-like styluses. Japanese artist Seiko Yamaoka, however, is cranking out eye-poppingly realistic copies of famous paintings using that most clumsy and smelly of tools: the human fingertip.

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Silly Pun Leads to Great Dessert – Special Strawberry Shortcake Available Just Once a Month at Japanese Convenience Store

In almost every company in Japan, payday is on the 25th of the month. While this means every month feels a little like Christmas, it also means that if you’ve been partying a little too hard for the last 30-odd days, around the 22nd, your bank balance might be looking pretty dismal.

But no matter how much you try to cut back, man can’t live on bread alone. Looking to treat yourself to the most meager luxury possible, you might stumble into a branch of the Japanese convenience store Lawson, where there’s a special treat to brighten your day that’s available only on the 22nd of each month. Read More

84 Percent of Women Don’t Want to See Nipples at the Office, World’s Least Surprising Survey Says

With summer fast approaching and people shedding layers to stay cool, every businessman faces a decision of vast importance: what type of undershirt to wear beneath your white button-up.

Men, if you’ve never given this any thought before, consider this fair warning: A Nikka Spa! survey of 100 female office workers confirms that your choice of undershirt could have grave and far-reaching consequences and the wrong choice might even get you accused of sexual harassment.

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Roll Up! Roll Up! See the Headless Hokkaido Penguin Here! 【Video】

The penguins! They’ve… lost their heads!!

There’s no Photoshop trickery involved here – just living, breathing penguins wandering around their enclosure in Hokkaido’s Asahiyama Zoo with nothing but air where their heads ought to be. What on earth is happening on Japan’s northernmost island!?

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The Definitive Video Guide to Using Chopsticks, Guaranteed Everyone Will Learn Something From It

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Throughout my time in Japan I’m often reminded of how “awesome” I am at using chopsticks at every possible moment by the locals (a phenomenon compounded by my being left-handed).

Yet despite this excessive praise for eating like a human, I still feel I have a lot to learn about manipulating said utensils with more poise and grace. That’s why I’m excited to have found this instructional video that has answered all my questions and more.

Please, join us in learning how to use chopsticks like an expert through this video. And for all our Asian friends who think they have chopsticks mastered, I’m sure there is something for you to learn too!

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Satisfy a Royal Craving – We Try Ice Cream Fit for an Emperor

Even royalty can get a sweet tooth from time to time, and in the blistering heat of a Japanese summer, what could be a better way to satisfy the urge for sweets than a big bowl of ice cream? Of course, when dealing with the imperial family, not just any old brand of ice cream will suffice. That’s why in 1968 a special recipe for handmade ice cream was developed for their royal highnesses, the Emperor and Empress of Japan. It’s called Snow Royal and can still be purchased from Snowbrand-Parlor (雪印パーラー) in Hokkaido..

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Original Evangelion Design Portfolio Gives us Ripped Robots, Smiling Shinji, and One Unbelievable Plot Divergence

The anime/merchandising franchise Evangelion is one of the few animated series, like One Piece or Gundam, to have achieved true cultural mainstream status in Japan. Even people who have never watched an episode of the TV series (or seen an installment of the movie, or read a chapter of the comic, or played one of the pachinko machine adaptations, or shaved with one of the Eva razors, or eaten one of the Eva burgers… like we said, franchise) can recognize its iconic characters and giant robots.

It wasn’t always like that, though. When Evangelion (or simply Eva, as its fans call it) began airing in 1995, its robot designs took some getting used to. Whereas most anime robots were inspired by a body builder’s physique, Eva’s machines had an almost gangly appearance, with lanky limbs, stooped posture, and what appeared to be tennis shoes. Their fragile look would turn out to be a perfect match for the psyches of their teenaged pilots, but things didn’t start out that way, as shown in Eva’s early planning portfolio. Read More

Hello Kitty Melons Selling for an Exorbitant Price in Japan

Japan seems to have mastered the art of growing cute fruit. Heart lemons, star cucumbers, and even the infamous square watermelons are all testaments to the lengths farmers in Japan will go to in order to provide the masses with adorable fruit. The newest delightfully deformed fruit to hit the market is a musk melon with an image of Hello Kitty etched into the rind. However only a select few who are quick (and rich) enough to snatch them up will be able to enjoy the flavor of Hello Kitty’s melons in their mouth.

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Free Hugs? Uhh…Okay, Says Japan

The free hug boom that swept the world nearly a decade ago also made it to Japan. Though only on shaky legs, it seems.

In case you don’t remember or somehow missed it, the idea was that people would stand around in public areas holding signs that read, simply enough, “Free Hugs.” If interested, anyone was welcome to step forward for a warm embrace. Ostensibly, it was an attempt to spread love and peace, and it did seem to bring a lot of smiles to a lot of people. Overall, a net positive.

Though the movement seems mostly to have quieted, one Japanese writer in Tokyo has described his recent experience meeting some Japanese Free-Huggers. Read More

Take a Ride on Japan’s New Amphibious Bus and See the Sites of Tokyo!

Japan’s latest tourism offering looks set to capture the attention of both sightseers and locals seeking a spot of adventure. From the Japanese company that embarked on such enterprises as the open air double-decker bus comes the “land and water bus”. The development of the vehicle is part of a new Tokyo sightseeing strategy undertaken by Japanese automobile company “Hinomaru Bus”. The service, dubbed “Sky Duck Tokyo Splash Tour”, launched on March 2013 and has been fully booked since its first day of operation.

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Toys for Grown-Ups – Tokyo Marui Comes to Play with ‘Gun-Sound’ Replica Sniper Rifles, Pistols and Grenade Launchers

Despite being a country where firearms are incredibly rare and licences to own them notoriously difficult to obtain, there nevertheless remain thousands of gun nuts in Japan. Thankfully, the majority of firearm fans here are content to spend hours poring over photos and technical diagrams of weapons, occasionally visiting shooting ranges or watching videos of pretty girls squeezing off a few rounds while dressed as French maids.

For those who prefer to have something to play with at home, there are airsoft guns from makers such as Tokyo Marui, which feature a shockingly high level of detail and come with all manner of bells and whistles in an attempt to recreate the experience of firing the real thing without the risk of death, serious injury or being arrested. But as aesthetically pleasing as these firing replicas are, one key element was always missing: sound.

Enter: Bakuon Gun-Sound replicas.

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My Smell-o-phone! Japanese Company Set to Make Your Smartphone Stink

Remember Google Nose? No, we don’t either, because it was just an April Fool’s joke. But, naturally, a Japanese company has taken the idea way too seriously, and is set to release a bizarre new plug-in device for your smartphone.  Read More

We Use Lotteria’s Ramen Burger to Make a Bowl of Ramen Noodles, Restore the Natural Balance of the Universe

On May 17, Japanese hamburger chain Lotteria’s ramen burger went on sale in the Tokyo area. Comprised of a slab of seasoned pork and a handful of noodles sandwiched inside a bun, with a cup of broth on the side, the sandwich is a collaboration between Lotteria and the popular ramen restaurant chain Musashi.

Representing the convergence of two of fast food’s all-stars, the ramen burger has been a hit, with lines stretching out the door when it went on sale. But our stomachs are fickle masters, and we decided to tear the two star-crossed lovers apart once again by using the ramen burger to make a bowl of ramen noodles. Read More

Lotteria Mega Ramen Burger Challenge: Mr Sato Takes on a Tower of Carb Power

Mr. Sato’s love of hamburgers and ramen noodles is perhaps known by thousands of people across the world. But what if we put bun and noodle together and served them up in an enticing tower of excess? We decided to put his love to the test by pimping out the new Lotteria Ramen Burger with an extra 10 servings of noodles. Because we’re nice like that.

So who will win, man or beastly carbohydrate? Will the burger ultimately contribute to its own demise by giving Mr. Sato the carbs he needs to complete the challenge? Or will they tire him out with a good old-fashioned belly bloat? We’ve got the photos and video of their tryst inside.

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Ranking of Taxi Fares Around the World – Japanese Passengers Getting Hosed, Even More So Next Year

Countries of the world have a lot of different features and services that make them unique to each other, but one of the things you can always find from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe is the humble taxi cab.

Of course not all taxis are equal; the cars used and more importantly the fares charged can vary greatly. If you’re interested in where your country stands or if you’re planning a trip abroad, Trip Advisor Japan has whipped up a quick and handy infographic ranking 25 places around the world by the rates of their taxis.

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There’s a Sailor Moon in my Coffee! Photos and Tips From a Japanese Manga Latte Artist

Latte art, created with a skilled pour of steamed milk and some clever manoeuvres, has been mesmerising coffee lovers for well over a decade. While the most common creations are heart and leaf designs in different shades of mocha, here in Japan we’ve spotted 10 hot, candy-coloured manga characters, of the Sailor Moon variety! We fell in love with these designs and needed to know how the pretty guardians and their pals came to life in coffee form. And, more importantly, whether it’s something we can do at home. Mouths watering and hearts fluttering, we asked the artist directly to find out.

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Oh Dear! Has Peter Rabbit Discovered a New, Darker Side to Himself?

I’m sure many of you have memories of reading tales from Beatrix Potter‘s famous Peter Rabbit series as a child and being fascinated with the exquisitely drawn anthropomorphic animals in the books. Although Peter and his friends wore brightly colored human clothes, they looked so real that they seemed like they might walk out of the pages of the book at any time, didn’t they? You probably even had a favorite character too. (Mine was Tom Kitten, by the way.) Some of you may also recall the 2006 Hollywood movie Ms. Potter, which told the extraordinary story of how the Peter Rabbit series came into being, with Renée Zellweger starring in the title role.

But now, as an adult, do you ever feel the urge to see such pure, wholesome characters from your childhood acting just the slightest bit naughty? Well, Japanese comic artist Keiichi Tanaka apparently had just such an urge and actually produced a drawing depicting exactly that — our beloved Peter Rabbit indulging in kinky behavior! Read More

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