Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Japan (Page 1520)
Aside from software development, Japanese video game maker Nitroplus has worked on novelization and illustration work for popular anime franchises such as Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Psycho-Pass, and Guilty Crown.
Yes, Nitroplus has its fingers in a lot of pies, including, surprisingly enough, pizza.
If you’ve traveled to Japan, you may be aware that while Narita Airport has been the main international port of access into the Tokyo area for many years, there is now an increasing number of International flights in and out of Haneda Airport, which functions as the main domestic airport in the Tokyo area. And since Haneda Airport is located much closer to central Tokyo than Narita Airport, and with more flight options through Haneda becoming available, we guess it’s understandable if some travelers to Japan prefer to use Haneda Airport instead.
Well, for a limited time, there may be even more of a reason to fly into Haneda — in the form of a large welcome poster that should delight you particularly if you’re an anime fan!
Hollywood films are popular around the world and Japan gets its fair share of dubbed and subtitled blockbusters. But sometimes things get a little mixed up when changing words from English to Japanese. This gives rise to translated titles that come in a wide range of strange from unintended sexual innuendos to spoilertastic summaries.
Let’s take a look at 13 weird Japanese movie titles that make you wonder what the translators were thinking.
With its new home console, Microsoft is hoping to make Kinect – the motion-sensing camera that comes bundled in the box – one of the main features of the Xbox One experience. Far superior to the original Kinect camera released in 2010, the new unit is noticeably more accurate and can be used in almost complete darkness, also boasting a field of vision 60 percent wider than the original.
But for many Japanese gamers, Kinect simply isn’t a device that works for them. Compared to Western residences, Japanese homes are much smaller, in closer proximity to others, and in some cases with walls so thin that you might wonder whether you could punch through them during moments of nerd rage.
Can Kinect for Xbox One offer the same exciting, controller-free experience in Japan that it does in America and Europe? Our man went hands-on.
If you’ve noticed, many of our writers here at Rocketnews24 have crossed the seas to make Japan their second home. Sure, we love the local flavor, but sometimes we just crave a solid meal that smells of our hometown. The same goes for Japanese nationals living abroad.
Even though Japanese cuisine has more or less infiltrated most of the major cities worldwide, domestic foodstuffs and condiments still remain mostly inaccessible and rare in most countries. Japanese blogger Madame Riri shares a list of 10 Japanese foods that can be made at home, no matter where that may be! We’d like to call it the lifesaver list for Japanese abroad, or the inspiration list for non-Japanese who would love an authentic taste of Japan in their own kitchen!
While the Japanese education system is often highly praised by people in the West, many Japanese folks aren’t so keen on it these days. Yutori kyouiku, or “pressure-free education system,” a phrase used to describe what many see as an education system whose standards are too lax, has skyrocketed in use. Every time a young person does something stupid, it’s followed by sighs of “yutori kyouiku” by observers, who went through much harder schooling in their youth.
Although we often think people are really exaggerating when they say that the “kids of today” don’t know a thing, a recent study carried out by a professor at Tokai University has us wondering if today’s youth are lacking a little common sense…
Even though tap water in Tokyo is perfectly safe to drink, and in most cases indistinguishable from bottled water, the metropolitan government is concerned about the bad rap it gets from citizens who will not give it a try. In October, the Bureau of Waterworks, charged with providing clean and tasty water for Japan’s largest metropolitan area, wrapped up a 25-year-long project to connect the majority of Tokyo residents to great-tasting and specially treated water from the Tone River system.
According to an NHK article, the government agency wants to get the word out that their water is just as good as any store-bought bottled water and has asked 700 private citizens all over Tokyo to become “water monitors” and test their home’s tap water for minerals and judge its quality.
Have you taken a look in your freezer lately? Has that carton of ice cream from last summer grown into an ice fortress yet? What about that mean-looking freezer burn on that mystery meat? Maybe it is time to clean out the chiller and fill it up with some surprisingly yummy frozen foods from your local Japanese grocery store.
While this is far from world-class gourmet dining, the following six foods will definitely make your stomach happy on a night when pushing the microwave’s “start” button is all the cooking you want to do. Click below to find out which Japanese frozen foods are worth your hard-earned yen!
Japan is well-known for its beautiful sightseeing destinations, particularly in and around Kyoto. From Kiyomizu Temple to the Gold Pavilion, there’s a nearly unlimited supply of gorgeous buildings to check out. But perhaps one of the most fascinating is the Phoenix Hall in Byoudou Temple, the expansive temple gracing the ten-yen coin.
Sadly, the hall has been undergoing repairs since September 2012, making it off-limits to visitors. Fortunately, the Phoenix Hall will reopen in March next year, but what a bummer it must have been for visitor who missed out over the last 16 months. Well fret not, disappointed sight-seers! We’ve found something almost as awesome: A Nico Nico Douga user has made a near-exact replica of the structure–using only cardboard!
It’s been said that Christmas in Japan is for lovers, and that’s bad news for someone like our Mr. Sato. That’s not to say he’s unlucky with the ladies, but whenever he goes in for that first kiss his prickly stubble never fails to repel them.
However, Christmas is also a time for miracles, and while walking through the Akihabara streets last week, a blue Oasis appeared before him. Staffed by several sexy women clad in cute blue Santa outfits stood the Gillette Skin Diagnosis Event.
Before March 11 2011, Fukushima Prefecture was pretty much unknown outside of Japan. Within the country, however, Japan’s third-largest prefecture was known for much more than its nuclear power plant. Along with being a producer of delicious, mouthwatering peaches and home to areas of stunning natural beauty, Fukushima was also known as a hotspot for incredible ramen noodles.
Now, some of the more prominent ramen restaurants in the area have banded together to remind us all that the real heart of Fukushima has always been fuelled by ramen power. And they’ve even got shiny, new anime characters to prove it!
Weird and wonderful things happen on Tokyo’s Yamanote train line. From puzzle-solving challenges to weddings and men walking ears of corn, it seems the popular downtown route is a great way get on board with new trends.
From this month, Yamanote line trains will be continuing their tradition of innovation with a surprising collection of artistic photographs. Mounted at a perfect angle for the eye of the passenger, these photos will take you away from the discomfort of a crowded train and transport you to a much more beautiful place.
Earlier this year, we brought you news of cute earphone jack puppies, perched atop owners’ smartphones in a number of irresistibly cute poses. Just when we thought things couldn’t get any cuter, the company behind the adorable animals announced an update to the series with an extraordinary litter of samurai warrior kittens.
If you like your cats with a side of history, this could be the most perfect gift you could ever wish for.
If you’re a chocolate lover, then you probably know something about the humble cocoa bean. But what does a cocoa bean actually look like? And how does it become a smooth, delicious piece of chocolate?
Now there’s a simple kit to answer all your questions. Even better, it promises to take you from bean to chocolate in a matter of hours. We take a step-by-step look at the process and discover what it takes to create a little piece of chocolate heaven.
Now that we’re well into December and with winter in full swing, it seems we’re more and more often in need of warm, comforting drinks. And if there’s a way to make the hot drinks cute as well as relaxing, so much the better, right?
Well, earlier this year, we brought to you a story about the perfect product for that — cat-paw marshmallows! And now, it seems the same people have come out with a special Christmas set of the marshmallows, and they looked so beautiful (and cute, of course), we just had to share the images with you again. Read More
There’s no denying that smartphones are awesome. They can send messages, let you browse the web, take photos and play thousands of songs, all while fitting into your pocket, ready to be used anytime, anywhere. But for some of us, none of that convenience can compare to the fun of fitting a cassette tape into a cassette player and pressing play.
Now there’s a gadget that lets us have the best of both worlds: the joy of thousands of songs combined with the lost art of old-school push button technology. Now that fluoro’s back in fashion, there’s never been a better time to pull on those leg warmers, download some Madonna circa 1985 and experience music the way it used to be.
Recently, computer glasses have become quite popular and are sold in shops everywhere in Japan. I never really bought into the concept even though my work requires painfully long hours in front of a computer screen. However, a couple of days ago we announced that up-and-coming idol Kanna Hashimoto would be appearing at two ALOOK glasses stores in Tokyo and Osaka.
After wrapping up that article I wiped the usual blood from my tired eyes and thought maybe it’s time to try out a pair. And what better way to do it than by meeting this future star while I’m at it!
We headed down to the grand opening of ALOOK in Shinsaibashi, Osaka to meet the starlet and see what all the fuss is about.
I’m sure as children we all had our favorite picture books that we never tired of looking at, the images on the pages completely mesmerizing us. Well, this is one picture book that is definitely just for adults, and not just in terms of content.
The book, titled Riley the Circus Elephant (“Saakas-zo no Riley” in the original Japanese), apparently contains an uplifting message that is meant for adult readers who have to deal with the pressures of everyday life and work. But what really caught our attention is the fact that there is a “deluxe edition” of the book that comes with a very special trinket — and a price tag of 750,000 yen (US$7,500)!
The sleek metropolis of Tokyo welcomes most foreign visitors to Japan, but bustling, friendly Osaka is making a bid to be a major international gateway and attraction for foreign visitors in its own right. With that goal in mind, they’ve just announced a Japanese pop culture event to be held in March of next year called the Osaka Pop Festival, and they’re looking for a few good designers and the best cosplay get-up you can muster.
Lonely this Christmas? Shiga Prefecture’s Pieri Moriyama shopping mall most certainly is.
Although technically still operating, the once thriving shopping centre is now home to just 14 stores after the local economy took a nosedive and businesses started pulling out in their droves. In the spirit of Christmas, however, the mall’s operators evidently decided to pop a tree up for visitors to enjoy. But as this Twitter user’s photo shows, when surrounded by naught but vast expanses of nice shiny floor, this tiny tree is possibly the loneliest Christmas ornament we’ve ever seen.
7-Eleven Japan’s ramen-cooking robot whipped us up a bowl of noodles【Taste test】
Is it rude to sing along at concerts in Japan? We ask a pro musician for his take
Can a dirty butthole make you filthy rich in Japan? We’re starting a New Year’s lottery experiment
An extremely simple trick to spice up plain rice for a refreshing, citrusy summer treat
The 10 best day trips from downtown Tokyo【Survey】
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Is this the most relaxing Starbucks in Japan?
Starbucks on a Shinkansen bullet train platform: 6 tips for using the automated store in Japan
Take a look inside the Future Train, a unique new restaurant diner and cafe in Kyoto
Boys’ love at the temple? Sensual ikemen art that raised eyebrows in Japan now set to be removed7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Starbucks Japan releases new zodiac chilled cup drink for 2026
Lacquerware supplier to emperor of Japan and Pokémon team up for new tableware
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the monthIs this the most relaxing Starbucks in Japan?Starbucks on a Shinkansen bullet train platform: 6 tips for using the automated store in Japan
Street Fighter Hadouken Churros to be launched and eaten in Tokyo, Okami pudding on offer too
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Japanese train company is letting fans buy its actual ticket gates for their homes7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branchesDisillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in TokyoStarbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo considering law requiring more trash cans following litter increase in heavily touristed areaTokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Nintendo’s Kirby now delivering orders at Kura Sushi restaurants, but not in Japan
Tokyo event lets you travel back in time, for free, to celebrate 100 years since Showa era start
Sanrio theme park in Japan announces plans to expand into a Sanrio resort
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answerJapan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
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
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】
The top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Is this the most relaxing Starbucks in Japan?
Starbucks on a Shinkansen bullet train platform: 6 tips for using the automated store in Japan
Take a look inside the Future Train, a unique new restaurant diner and cafe in Kyoto
Boys’ love at the temple? Sensual ikemen art that raised eyebrows in Japan now set to be removed
Lacquerware supplier to emperor of Japan and Pokémon team up for new tableware
Japanese Cabinet to officially announce new romanization spelling recommendation next week
Power up like Godzilla with new limited-edition Godzilla Energy Drink
Ranma 1/2 Cafe opening in three Japanese cities, features food with transformable flavors
Three kotatsu-boosting items to turn your home into a toasty fort against winter’s cold
Large amount of supposed human organs left in Osaka marketplace