Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Japan (Page 1557)
Comiket 81, the world’s largest self-published comic book fair, was held 29 December, 2011 at Big Sight in Tokyo. Like Comikets before it, the cosplayers came out this year in full force. Yet, among the standard cosplay fair was one who stood out in the crowd like no other.
First Kitchen is a Japanese fast-food chain that has been rapidly expanding in the Kanto and Kinki areas. Readers in Japan have probably been to a First Kitchen at least once, but did you know that there is a branch with phenomenal views that rival high-end resorts and skyscraper restaurants?
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About 70km from Fukushima Daiichi, on the boarder of Fukushima and Tochigi prefectures lies the city of Shirakawa. It’s was a pleasant city with lots of green space that was mentioned by Basho in his famous poem The Narrow Road to Oku. Every year they hold the Daruma Ichi festival that celebrates Daruma dolls, traditional toys that symbolize perseverance and good luck.
However now the background radiation is at times 0.60μSv which is about three times the average dose of radiation we receive during our daily lives. Here, a tearful mother of two confesses to reporter investigating financial compensation something that a mother should never have to say: “I wish my daughters were never born.”
Japanese strawberry shortcake is different from the kind usually eaten in the United States in that it’s more like an angel food cake with whipped cream icing and sliced strawberries. Amongst Japanese people, strawberry shortcakes are considered a classic dessert. In Sugamo, Tokyo, is a bakery where it is said that the finest shortcakes in Japan are produced. The French Pound House Bakery is found in a quiet residential district, only a five minute walk from JR Sugamo train station.
Because they have received a lot of media exposure, their strawberry shortcake is still their top selling item. Even though they try to keep up with demand, they often run completely out of sponge cake.
For such a good reputation, I felt that it was necessary to find out for myself.
When deciding to travel in Japan we are faced with a rather large assortment of hotels that don’t exist in our home countries, one of which is the “business hotel”. The label of business hotel may conjure up images of the infamous “capsule hotels” for some, while for other’s it may have the sense of a dank, narrow, room that was occupied by the cast of Mad Men. I suspected such things at first until, in an effort to save money, I bit the bullet and tried a few out.
I can now confidently say that despite their label, business hotels are actually rather comfy – some of them downright elegant!
These hotels don’t skimp on the amenities. For instance, it wouldn’t be hard to find a business hotel that offers air conditioning, humidifier, or even an air purifier. Most have fairly spacious bathrooms and offer a complimentary breakfast. Even if you are just looking for a place to have a brief romantic rendezvous, a business hotel can be a cheaper alternative to a dingy motel or robotic love hotel.
Let’s take a look at 6 prime business hotels that can be found in the Tokyo area. All hotels charge rates less than 3,500 yen (US$44.80) per person when two people are staying in the room at a rate of 7,000 yen total ($89.60).
Ever since the Great Tohoku Earthquake led to one of the worst nuclear disasters at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant people have been left with a lot of uncertainty. Information has not been coming from places of authority in a free and timely fashion. News broadcasts often tell stories of contaminated food and radioactive puddles near schools. Still, these stories are after the fact and often hard to process given the complex nature of radiation.
Luckily, on 27 December, Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute (KURRI) announced they are working with Fukushima Transportation Inc. to begin testing a system to monitor radiation in Fukushima City that is in real time and is accessible by anyone over the internet.
Apple has given word that they will be selling Lucky Bags (Fukubukuro) again this New Year’s! The sale will begin on 2 January at 8:00am.
Natto, for those of you that haven’t been introduced to the smelly, sticky Japanese foodstuff, is fermented soy beans. And if you do know natto, you probably also know that Mito in Ibaraki Prefecture is the place to go for the good stuff. Well, recently a venerable Mito natto company started selling a rather surprising new item: natto cheesecake. That’s right, a cheesecake made from fermented soy beans. Read More
According to a book recently published by Tomohiko Suzuki, a freelance journalist who went undercover as a laborer at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant for two months this year, people who were unable to repay loans from yakuza gangs were forced to work at the site as a means of repaying their debts. Tokyo Electric issued a refutal, calling the claim that organized crime would be allowed to influence the recruitment process “groundless”.
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Recently a lot of attention has been directed at Japanese mothers’ painstakingly crafted packed lunches called charabens (character bentos). It’s something of a competition for mothers to send their children off to school with not just the best tasting or healthiest food, but also the most creatively arranged. The BBC ran a feature showing how housewives attend classes to arrange rice, seaweed, and other ingredients into characters ranging from Hello Kitty and Totoro to Michael Jackson and Barack Obama.
On Yahoo Shopping, a site famous for its oodles of unique merchandise, an ornamental sword is attracting a lot of attention. It’s called the “Whale Sword” and it’s a model of a style of ornamental sword used in the pre-war days, with a blade close to a meter long. Who wouldn’t want that in their stocking?
Uniqlo, the clothing retailer who has achieved ubiquitous status in Japan is continuing its ambitious plans to expand worldwide. In order to achieve their goal of earning 5 trillion yen (US$60 billion) by 2020, they have been aggressively building larger and larger flagship stores around the world.
As I was taking a walk through the city the other day, I encountered a cake shop with a fantastic exterior like something out of a fairy tale. It had a very cheerful ambiance, and on closer inspection, I noticed a remarkable figure. Could it be? Star of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Jack Sparrow, selling pastries? Captain Jack managing a cake shop?
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Are you looking for something to give to that special someone in your life? Choosing the right gift is a huge burden for many of us this time of year, especially with so many options to choose from.
Did you know that there is a secret, members-only restaurant in Tokyo Disneyland called Club 33? The majority of memberships are corporate accounts, allowing them to do business entertaining there, but there are also individual members. Don’t get your hopes up, though, because they aren’t accepting applications. If you want to get in the door, no matter who you are or how much money you have, you have to be invited by a member.
But what is this mysterious Club 33 actually like? We’ve tracked down someone who was invited to enjoy a luxurious evening there, and according to him, these are the six most amazing things about Club 33.
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Snack food giant, Calbee, opened up their latest Calbee Plus store in Harajuku on 7 December, where you can buy their famous potato chips straight from the deep fryer. Calbee already has shops located in Kyoto and New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido, but this newest store gives Tokyoites their first chance to enjoy piping hot potato chips.
I rushed out to get a first-tongue taste.
Who could forget, Masako Mizutani, the 40-year-old magazine model who laughs in the face of time and recently set the international internet community ablaze. Her perplexingly unfailing sex appeal has even caused some of our readers to suspect vampirism or cryogenic freezing, while others were left with uncomfortable thought about their mothers.
Now, we’ve tracked her progress from age 20 to 30 in search of her secrets, so let’s take a trip down memory lane to see how this stunner pulled off what most women (and let’s face it, men too) could only dream of.
Hopefully we won’t encounter any vampires on the way.
The weekend is almost here! You’re off tomorrow, so how’s about hitting the bars? Come on, you’re probably sitting at your desk right now sneakily checking out your options for a post-work tipple.
Yes, I know what you’re thinking: if you want to drink the good stuff and actually manage a buzz, it’s going to cost a pretty penny. Well, think again. Rocket News has found the best, cheapest nomihoudai in town.
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Every day on my way to work, I pass one of the many outlets of fast-food giant Lotteria. Usually, I grab a cup of coffee there and drink it as I head to the office, but this morning something new caught my eye.
They’re selling Matsusaka Beef hamburgers? Hamburgers made from one of the best quality meats in Japan, famous for its exquisite marbling? But at 1800 yen (about $23), that’s a pretty steep price tag for a fast-food burger… Will it be worth it?
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“Gourmet” fans, add Ikebukuro Station to your list of stops for fine fare. Platform 3/4 for the Tobu Tojo Line, to be exact. HOT DOG 59 is the name, hot dogs are their game.
Folks in gourmet circles rave about these sizzling sausages available only at this single location. HOT DOG 59 spares no expense on the quality of the buns and dogs, said to be a step above New York’s famed red hots.
The best Japanese curry in Japan isn’t eaten at a restaurant
We found an underground Kyoto vending machine that sells multi-course French meals
Late-night vending machine find in Japan leads to a midnight party
Howl’s Moving Castle is now a die-cast car in Studio Ghibli anime toy line, and Calcifer too!【Pics】
28 things that surprised SoraNews24’s Japanese founder on his trip to San Diego
Japanese vending machine at Shinjuku Station is a rare gem hiding in plain sight
Death Spray from Japan causes buzz online for powerful ability to cut ties with bad energy
“Infinite Destroyer”: The Japan-exclusive Subway sub available at only one unique branch in Tokyo
Curry rice, to mix, or not to mix? That is the question survey attempts to answer
The story behind “the most hopeful ramen bar in the world”Japanese vending machine at Shinjuku Station is a rare gem hiding in plain sightLate-night vending machine find in Japan leads to a midnight partyHowl’s Moving Castle is now a die-cast car in Studio Ghibli anime toy line, and Calcifer too!【Pics】
How should you use the small hiroen in a Japanese ryokan hotel room?
Seoul anti-suicide initiative backfires, deaths increase by more than six times
Fujisan View Express: A train journey to Mt Fuji so stylish you’ll never want it to end
Fish and chips shop in Japan is highly rated by foreigners, but will it impress a Japanese local?
Fisherman’s izakaya serves up awesome fresh seafood in Tokyo
Is Japan’s new Asahi Super Dry beer better or worse than the original formula?
We try the new Gaming Cup Noodle and Gaming Curry Rice from Nissin
Japanese vending machine is the only one of its kind in Japan, dubbed the “phantom machine”
Become snoozing Pikachu Snorlax with new Pokémon Sleep line from Japan’s coziest sleepwear brand
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
Studio Ghibli cookbook teaches how to make beautiful, super-easy Laputa Levistone candies【Recipe】
Studio Ghibli and Uniqlo team up for line of beautiful T-shirts and bags, but not in Japan【Pics】
Japanese convenience store apologizes for putting Meatballs in meatball packages, issues recall
Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki gives up driving, donates beloved car to Ghibli Park
Nissin releases new Gaming Cup Noodle in Japan, with caffeine to keep you gaming all night long
Can a plant-based restaurant serving Buddhist meals turn meat-loving Mr. Sato into a vegetarian?Japanese vending machine at Shinjuku Station is a rare gem hiding in plain sight
Manga artist wants Japanese teachers to feel, for two seconds, how dumb their girls’ dress code is
Travelling to Japan soon? Beware the “Three Small Hells” awaiting tourists upon arrival
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely
Pokémon Center apologizes for writing model Nicole Fujita’s name as Nicole FujitaOne Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
New Studio Ghibli humidifiers breathe anime magic into your home
Message to foreigners at Japanese convenience store sparks controversy online
How do you split two apples for three people using one knife? Japanese Twitter’s violent ideas
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Japanese vending machine at Shinjuku Station is a rare gem hiding in plain sight
Death Spray from Japan causes buzz online for powerful ability to cut ties with bad energy
“Infinite Destroyer”: The Japan-exclusive Subway sub available at only one unique branch in Tokyo
Curry rice, to mix, or not to mix? That is the question survey attempts to answer
The story behind “the most hopeful ramen bar in the world”
Talking about takoyaki got us thinking…why can’t you use squid instead of octopus?【SoraKitchen】
Sailor Scout transformation brooch compact now available from collectible company Premium Bandai
How should you use the small hiroen in a Japanese ryokan hotel room?
Attack on Titan gets arcade game by Capcom
Japan’s new wearable air conditioner belt is here just in time for the Tokyo heat wave
Japanese educators want to allow students to use robot substitutes to attend school
Hiroshima samurai house’s toilet and shrine show it wasn’t always easy being a warrior family