Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Japan (Page 1521)
It may look like some CG monster out of Cloverfield, but the monstrosity above is actually a giant isopod, a type of crustacean that lives deep in the sea. Yes, that Pekinese-sized pill bug actually exists. And now, you can have an iPhone case that looks just like it!
What comes to mind when you think of popular Japanese dishes? Of course, sushi and ramen top the list, but it’s also hard to leave out curry rice. Our modern notion of Japanese curry, which originally came from India and was further developed in England, came to Japan during the Meiji Era (1868-1912). However, the ingredients used for “medicinal curry” (based on Chinese medicine) have actually been in Japan for 1,300 years, since the Nara Era (710-794). We were lucky enough to find a pouch of instant “1,300-year-old curry” and just had to try it!
Japan has an unspoken problem with homelessness in its cities. It’s not uncommon to see tent cities along the edges of recreational parks or to see leather-skinned men sleeping on newspapers around the train stations. These people are largely ignored by the public and will keep to themselves unless provoked by some means. The vast majority do not even beg.
Unfortunately, the problem of poverty is not the only issue that these people face. Mental illness is not uncommon amongst the homeless, and the combination of hungry people and unstable mental states can lead to some especially unfortunate circumstances.
The characters above should look very familiar to any student of Japanese. Hiragana is the phonetic alphabet that is usually the first writing system you learn. Compared to the much more complex and difficult to remember Chinese characters and the angular katakana alphabet, the loopy hiragana characters have a pleasant round feel that’s often called “cute.”
But which character is the cutest of them all? Japan weighs in.
Many of us have an impression that Japanese girls are slim and petite (which many of them really are), but one of the sad truths behind their stick-thin figures is a rather serious case of discrimination from society. While voluptuous women are popular in certain parts of the world, being even slightly chubby (not obese) is a big no-no in Japan and chubby girls often get called “debu” (fatso) online and sometimes to their face.
But recently, a new nickname for such chubby ladies has started trending among Japanese netizens, which hopefully will change the attitudes people have towards them. Behold, the rise of the “marshmallow girls”!
It’s almost the end of 2013 and that means it’s time to sit back and reflect on the events of this past year. Was it a good one for you, filled with PS4s and all-you-can-eat Whoppers? Or are you anxious to get on with the year of the horse? Whatever 2013 looked like for you and no matter where you are located in the world, we’re sure you spent a good portion of your time on YouTube. So why not ring in the new year by watching the top 10 most popular YouTube videos in Japan during 2013.
A peculiar flower that resembles Darth Vader has just bloomed at the Kyoto Botanical Garden, causing rebels in the Kyoto metropolitan area to tremble in fear. With two deep pitted areas and a smaller one in the middle, as well as a bulbous cap with curled edges, it appears the Sith Lord has been reincarnated as a flower.
Visitors to Tokyo may be aware of a popular local sweet called Tokyo Banana sold here in the city. They’re cute, yellow, banana-shaped sponge cakes with banana custard cream filling inside. And yes, they’re as good as the description sounds, which is why the cakes are a well-loved treat in Japan, and seemingly in other parts of the world as well, as I’ve actually heard people from Singapore and Malaysia mention that they’re fans of the cake.
One of the reporters at our sister site Pouch is also apparently a big fan, so when a new version of Tokyo Banana came out this month, she naturally had to get her hands on some! And what’s so special about the new Tokyo Banana cakes? Well, to start with, they’re only sold at one location — Tokyo Station to be exact — and not only do they come in a different flavor from the regular cakes, they come in beautiful, colorful prints!
Itasha, literally “painful cars,” are vehicles tricked out with all kinds of crazy body work and paint jobs so that they look like something out of an anime and are supposed to “hurt” just to look at. There’s a vibrant subculture of itasha owners and fans in Japan and they meet up every now and then to show off their wheels and talk shop. Take a look at our photo gallery and see if you don’t get a little depressed over your own car’s lack of fins.
We often like to cover the more absurd things that get put up for bid on Yahoo! Auction Japan, but this time something has come up that may be of genuine interest to either Lady Gaga or Hello Kitty fans. If you happen to be a fan of both then this is downright priceless.
Currently an extremely limited edition Hello Kitty doll is the subject of fierce bidding. This Hello Kitty is done up in fashion inspired by one of the biggest musicians in the world today, Lady Gaga.
If you are hungry, Japanese convenience stores are beautiful places that have pretty much everything your heart could desire, from a quick on-the-go snack to a yummy summertime ice cream treat. And some of the best things they offer are ready-made meals like curry and rice, pasta or ramen. These ready-made meals can be like a gift from heaven on a busy day when you don’t have time to cook and need to take a break from frozen food.
But did you know that many convenience stores in Japan put out a new ready-made meal every Tuesday? Since you may find it hard to stake out every convenience store, we sent our reporters to try out some new meals. Click below to see the six that they recommended!
Naver Corporation’s Line has been steadily becoming a juggernaut of smartphone apps in recent months. Starting out as a mild-mannered free text and voice chatting application, it has since expanded into a drawing app, games, and even a recently launched Q&A service.
Now, the company’s free camera app has hit the scene and is causing a bit of a stir for its rumored ability to enhance anyone’s beauty. Our Japanese writer GO, who’s always looking for ways to improve his already stunning features, took it out for a spin.
Thirty-one Ice Cream, as Baskin Robbins is called in Japan, just revealed four new “flavors of love” to be released in time for Valentines Day 2014. You might think that love tastes different depending on who you talk to, but the popular ice cream chain suggests it actually tastes like armaretto chocolate, berries, cheesecake and chocolate raspberries.
Compared to older forms of media such as books and movies, the video game industry is still somewhat wet behind the ears. But as technology advances and developers become increasingly able to realise their creative visions without having to rein in their imaginations due to hardware limitations, we are finally reaching the point where games are able to not just entertain but challenge us both intellectually and viscerally, creating emotive experiences and acting as vehicles for genuinely engaging tales.
9.03m does precisely that. Developed by independent Scottish game studio Space Budgie, the game, whose proceeds go towards those affected by the disaster, stands as a memorial to the victims of the 2011 Tohoku tsunami, questing players with gathering the possessions of those lost in the tsunami, which have been carried across the ocean from Japan to America, with each object telling the story of a lost soul.
At once heartrending and beautiful, this is a title that deserves the attention of not just every gamer but every person with access to a PC.
Shimane Prefecture, located along the northwestern edge of Japan’s main island of Honshu, is commonly the butt of jokes. At best, it’s often confused with neighboring Tottori Prefecture, and at worst, it’s forgotten about altogether.
Despite its natural beauty and historical sites such as the Grand Shinto Shrine of Izumo, there’s no getting around the fact that Shimane is a quiet, rural place. Even in the prefectural capital of Matsue, there’s usually not much going on.
Except, perhaps, for a recent poltergeist attack.
It seems like you can make almost anything out of Legos, including your favorite characters. Sure, there are kits that come with instructions, but making a Lego figure using just your imagination is so satisfying and really impressive. We recently showed you Robot Lego Pokemon. This time, please enjoy 11 different characters from Japanese video games and anime all made out of tiny plastic bricks.
With New Year’s just around the corner supermarkets and department stores all over Japan are displaying kagami mochi. These are mounds of the popular Japanese food mochi which is made from rice and has a gummy consistency.
They can serve as household decorations up until 1 January when they may then be happily, and hopefully safely, devoured. However, mochi has a subtle sweetness that some might find rather bland. If that’s the case for you then Baskin Robbins is hoping you’ll enjoy their Kagami Mochi Ice Cream Cakes.
It’s been over 80 years since the words “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!” were made famous by the 1920s song of the same name. Well, here we are in the 21st century, and it looks like we’re still screaming for ice cream, because who doesn’t love the sweet, cold stuff, right?
Even in the middle of winter, frozen treats like yukimi daifuku and other ice cream products in tantalizing seasonal flavors (seriously, why do they have to come up with ice cream flavors like pumpkin, apple pie and french toast?) can be incredibly tempting. Among our favorites, of course, is Häagen-Dazs ice cream, and today, one of our reporters from the Japanese RocketNews24 site shares with us his very own quick and easy recipe for creating a yummy dessert using store-bought Häagen-Dazs ice creams cups. And what makes it interesting is that although it involves ice cream, it isn’t a frozen dessert!
On 16 December, Judge Ryosuke Takahashi of the Fukuoka District Court ruled in favor of Japan Rail Kyushu and ordered a Higashi Ward resident to pay 1.3 million yen (US$13,000) to compensate for damages brought about his near daily urination routine over the course of six months.
Are you planning to make that trip to Japan in the new year and in need of a few travel tips? Well, look no further because we here at RocketNews24 know a little bit about the Land of the Rising Sun and want to share our collective knowledge with you about unique restaurants, free Tokyo attractions, haunted places and surprisingly interesting tours.
So whether you are planning a first-time visit to Japan or you are looking for something new on a return trip to the country we all have come to love, click below and bookmark this post to jumpstart your 2014 travel plans to Japan!
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Massive manga collaboration bringing 100 years of Shueisha manga to Uniqlo T-shirts【Photos】
The Yellow Lucky Bag from Village Vanguard is so bad it may damage Japan-US relations
Finally! Nintendo Japan expands Switch 8-bit controller sales to everybody, Online member or not
Pizza Hut x Tamagotchi collaboration features first-ever pink-dough pizza
Majority of Japanese women in survey regret marrying their husband, but that’s only half the story
Visiting Hokkaido’s adorable and awesome Asahikawa rice paddy art【Photos】
Defector: Gaming culture is alive and well in North Korea, popular titles include GTA V and FIFA
Foreign resident of Japan starts work as city’s first-ever non-Japanese rickshaw puller【Photos】
Pokémon Lego kits are finally on their way!【Photos】Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Princess Mononoke magnets return just in time to treat yourself to awesome anime decorations
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
Umamusume anime girl plushie recalled for having parts she absolutely should not have【Pics】
What’s inside Starbucks Japan’s fukubukuro lucky bag for 2026?Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branchesStarbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s DayOur 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
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】
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the monthRamen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
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 validStarbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
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
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Majority of Japanese women in survey regret marrying their husband, but that’s only half the story
Visiting Hokkaido’s adorable and awesome Asahikawa rice paddy art【Photos】
Defector: Gaming culture is alive and well in North Korea, popular titles include GTA V and FIFA
Foreign resident of Japan starts work as city’s first-ever non-Japanese rickshaw puller【Photos】
Pokémon Lego kits are finally on their way!【Photos】
Sanrio and magical girl anime PreCure join forces for new merch line【Photos】
Japan’s kid-friendly ski program is now selling Pikachu snowboards for a limited time only
A century’s worth of Japanese beauty trends, from silver screen chic to puffy-eyed catharsis
Studio Ghibli’s kodama ready to leave the Princess Mononoke forest as a squeezable keychain【Pics】
We visit the restaurant where Prime Minister Abe ate with reporters, since he didn’t invite us
Ghibli glow-in-the-dark T-shirt lights up your style with Princess Mononoke’s cutest character
McDonald’s Japan releases a Mushroom Mountain and Bamboo Shoot Village McFlurry