Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Japan (Page 1633)
There have been plenty of largely portioned bowls of ramen with so much stuff piled on top that you can’t see the noodles beneath. But this one is probably the weirdest mountain-like ramen we’ve ever seen. It appears to be topped with white foam and is closer to looking like a snowy mountain peak than a steaming hot bowl of soup.
Through some elaborate camera work, realistic sound effects, and the use of small figures and buildings, this stop motion video made by YouTube user LUXE37 is impressing netizens around the world. Filmed in a retro-style with cars from the 70s and 80s, this superb stop motion film is a throwback to the golden era of car chase scenes.
It goes without saying that corporal punishment is unforgivable. At least that’s the mode of thinking these days (and boy are we glad for it), but it wasn’t always the case. In the Showa Period (1926 to 1989), it was incredibly common in elementary, middle, and high schools. In fact, it was so common that it seemed almost inconceivable for a school not to have corporal punishment.
Still, we wondered what it was really like, so the prestigious RocketNews24 Japan team took a survey to find out what sorts of punishments were common in the Showa Period. Read More
Tokyo police released a statement earlier this week asking the public for any information they may have regarding an incident that occurred on June 15 at approximately 9:20 a.m. wherein a man called out to a child playing in a local park.
As it transpires, though, all the man is believed to have said to the boy was, “You’ll never play for your country doing it like that!” leaving netizens wondering exactly why there should be any cause for concern.
For those of us born without trust funds, there will be precious few purchasing decisions in life where cost is no object. As a result, it’s important to take advantage of, and savor, that rare opportunity to purchase the very top of the line, whether it takes the form of preferred parking or double-ply toilet paper.
Or, as it did for us at RocketNews24 recently, McDonald’s most expensive Quarter Pounders ever.
For real, the best part of a cream puff is the cream, right? I mean, that thin bread-like exterior only serves to keep us one step farther away from the delicious juicy insides. But with the invention of the drinkable cream puff, inserting a straw into the specially designed pastry gives you direct access to the slightly soupier prize inside.
Drinkable cream puffs aren’t new, but this year’s are twenty percent bigger and come in two new flavors!
McDonald’s Japan is getting fresh with us this summer, and they’re not even waiting ‘til noon.
This may look like a location from the original Star Wars, but what you’re actually looking at here is none other than the Tottori Sakyuu sand dunes, the only ones of their kind in the whole of Japan.
Tottori, Japan’s least populous prefecture, has finally joined the vast majority of the country in being featured on Google Maps’ Streetview service, which takes ground-level images of the areas surrounding major roads. Of course, this being Tottori, there weren’t always roads to drive on…
There’s a lot of talk about omega-3 fatty acids and their controversial health benefits ranging from cancer to joint pain and even mental disorders. And now it looks as if a team led by Masayuki Sekiguchi at the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP) in Tokyo have found another thing omega-3 possibly cures: lingering fear.
With so many hamburger chains in Japan, each has to find a way to differentiate itself from the others. For example, MOS Burger prides itself on its high quality ingredients, and Freshness Burger tells diners right up front where its priorities lie.
With Lotteria, there are two things we’ve come to expect; multiple patty sandwiches, like the nine-layer Evangelion Q burger, and unconventional ingredient pairings, as seen in the chain’s ramen burger. But Lotteria’s newest offering combines both of the restaurant’s signature sales points.
In celebration of the release of Monsters University, Baskin Robbins Japan has created an ice cream cake featuring the movie’s main character, Mike Wazowski. We know that this movie is all about scary monsters learning how to terrify children, but this Mike cake is almost too cute to eat.
While the Internet may run on cats, they’re certainly not the only cute creatures on the planet. (We’ll leave it up to you to decide if they’re the cutest or not…)
One of the underdog challengers to the Internet Cuteness Throne is the otter.
And this otter, named Piisu-kun, is bringing more than cuteness—he’s helpful, too!!
A fundoshi is a traditional Japanese undergarment that is basically a thong for dudes. Made of a single, long piece of cloth, the fundoshi was the go-to underwear for Japanese men until the middle of the 20th century. That’s right, no boxers, no briefs, just white cotton man thongs. Thankfully, few modern men are running around Japan with a fundoshi shoved up their butt, but they are still used in many festivals to this day.
As a tribute to one of these festivals, the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Matsuri in Fukuoka, Hello Kitty can now be seen in a white fundoshi.
In 2011, the world was first baffled and then enthralled by the release of BABYMETAL’s “Doki Doki☆Morning” music video.
Not quite metal, not quite idol music, the video of three “dangerous kawaii” Japanese middle school girls singing and dancing to heavy metal music was difficult for some to comprehend. Were they for real? Was it okay for us to like them? And why couldn’t we stop listening to this song?
Two years later, the group has proved themselves to be anything but a joke, with legions of fans both in Japan and abroad. This Wednesday (June 19), they released their second major-label single, titled “Megitsune,” so we sat down with the group for an exclusive interview to learn more about them.
If you thought the darkness of a private karaoke box was a safe place to get it on, think again! One poor couple recently found themselves plastered all over the internet after one thoughtless employee decided to share photos of them getting fresh between bouts of singing J-Pop hits.
Have you ever had one of those days in the middle of summer where just the 100-yard walk to the nearest convenience store and back has you panting and so parched you’d drink right out of the toilet bowl if it was closer than the sink? Well, we haven’t, cause that’s just gross and you should probably seek help if you’re drinking toilet water. Unless, that is, you’re drinking it out of this cute candy toilet!
In the world of popular manga and anime series, Attack on Titan, making it into the Recon Corps is difficult. For some it means training from a very early age. So one mother, hoping to enlist her 5-month-old daughter, has started by fashioning an authentic-looking Recon Corps uniform from scratch.
She outlined the process in a video titled: [Attack on Titan] Mother tries sewing Recon Corps uniform for daughter which has drawn over 1,800 comments on NicoNico, 1,000 of which are “kaawaaiiiiii!”
Many couples strive to plan a perfectly unique wedding. From nonconventional backyard ceremonies to destination weddings in far off places, there is no limit to the delightfully strange and creative ways people tie the knot. However, JR East is giving one lucky couple the chance at a wedding most people have probably never dreamed of.
On 17 June, 57 men and women between the ages of 16 and 26 received a shock when they were arrested for several traffic violations such as running red lights and weaving through traffic.
The charges come as no surprise seeing as they were participating in bōsō which is en masse reckless riding and a primary activity of bōsōzoku, Japan’s version of biker gangs. However, the shock came from everyone getting arrested and charged nearly two years after committing the act.
Nike x One Piece collection brings Devil Fruits to sneakers and streetwear in Japan
Nephew of Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki serves up Totoro Shaved Ice in Tokyo
Winnie the Pooh cosplays as Yuzuru Hanyu for new plushie collaboration
Nagoya’s famous Shinkansen platform noodle shop has other, better branches nearby
Japan’s double-decker portable rice cooker/bento maker is better than ever with new version
Osaka Starbucks has one of the city’s coolest photo vantage points, but it’s going away soon
We recommend not buying one pack of Japan’s new convenience store corn soup-flavor fried chicken
Narita Airport Transit & Stay Program returns after six years with free tours and festival experiences
Ohaw? Ruibe? Pocche? While traveling in Japan’s north, we try Ainu cuisine for the first time
Data suggests increased bear sightings have led to a decrease in mountain climbers across Japan
7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
Anime fans can now wear a Seiko watch inspired by Japan’s One Piece Shinkansen
7-Eleven Japan brings back best-selling flat croissant that became a hit on social media
Foreign hiker on Mt. Fuji loses consciousness and dies, becoming climbing season’s second fatality
Universal Studios Japan partners with manga horror master Junji Ito’s Tomie
Japanese workers reveal their top five mysterious rules they wish would disappear【Survey】12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buySushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
Japanese vending machine sells freshly squeezed lemon juice with a futuristic light show
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Osaka Starbucks has one of the city’s coolest photo vantage points, but it’s going away soon
We recommend not buying one pack of Japan’s new convenience store corn soup-flavor fried chicken
Narita Airport Transit & Stay Program returns after six years with free tours and festival experiences
Ohaw? Ruibe? Pocche? While traveling in Japan’s north, we try Ainu cuisine for the first time
Data suggests increased bear sightings have led to a decrease in mountain climbers across Japan
KFC Japan unveils new Tsukimi collection that takes moon-viewing to extreme levels
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
Wait, some Shinkansen trains already have private booths that only cost 1,500 yen for an hour?
Universal Studios Japan partners with manga horror master Junji Ito’s Tomie
The Japanese government is ending its Cool Japan Fund program
Anime fans can now wear a Seiko watch inspired by Japan’s One Piece Shinkansen
Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
German woman rescued from Mt. Fuji after suffering altitude sickness symptoms, hiking to peak anyway
