Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Japan (Page 1658)
A pretty rare item popped up on Yahoo Japan’s auction page recently seemingly just in time for the Halloween season. From 26 September to 3 October, users were able to place their bid on a real human skull – at least I think it’s real according to the eerily vague product description.
At the closing, the winning bid was for 104,000 yen (US$1,300) which may or may not be a bargain. I haven’t been following the human bone index recently.
For those of you who enjoy playing the lottery, here’s a story that should help put your odds of winning in perspective.
Last December, painter Shigeru Aikoh was arrested from robbing a Kushikatsu (deep fried snacks) restaurant in Settsu, Osaka. However, prefectural police later discovered he was a part of a four man group responsible for a year-long crime spree around the prefecture totaling 4.5 million yen (US$572,000).
However, much to Aikoh’s dismay a fair chunk of that loot had turned out to be totally worthless.
We’ve already shared with you recently on our site the tasty ice cream treats in Halloween flavors available this month from Baskin Robins Japan. Not to be outdone by the ice cream chain in getting into the Halloween spirit, one of our reporters at Pouch decided to make her own special Halloween sweets – an excellent idea if you want to celebrate Halloween without the hassle of putting up and taking down decorations, and also storing the ornaments, which can take up valuable space.
Our reporter shares with you below how you can make adorable, bite-sized Jack O’ Lantern dumpling cakes using actual pumpkins. Not only are they cute to look at, they’re super easy to make, requiring the use of only a microwave and simple toaster oven. Read More
Rest stops in Japan tend to be a little different from their western counterparts. Aside from offering drivers a chance to stretch their legs and powder their noses, they often offer unique goods characteristic of the area. Sometimes the rest stops are even the final destinations for summer road trips.
A perfect example of a unique rest stop is the Ranzan Parking Area (RPA) in Saitama prefecture along the Kanetsu Expressway. Here you can get your hands on two specialty dishes, ice cream and curry, both black as midnight.
And before you say it: no, neither dishes use squid ink.
You, Me, And a Tanuki is a weekly featured blog run by Michelle, a Californian who is currently one of only two foreigners living in Chibu, a tiny fishing village on one of the Oki islands in Japan. Check back every Saturday for a new post or read more on her website here!
Ah, school lunch in Japan. I’ve had some of the best meals served to me on those plastic lunch trays. I’ve also had some of the worst. You might remember my post from last week that talked about the worst school lunch in the world. But for the most part, school lunch in Japan is surprisingly delicious and enjoyable.
One of my favorite things about staying at a hotel is all the complimentary stuff they let you take home. From toiletries to beverages, bathrobes to coffee makers, each visit to a hotel is like a smorgasbord of free everyday items—the only limit is your suitcase!
Some people claim that not everything in the hotel is free. That aside the cheap toiletries everything in the room is hotel property and taking it home is “stealing.”
Yeah, sure. Even if that is true, what are they going to do, call the Hotel Gestapo?
No, but they will call the police, as one Japanese couple found out after being arrested for stealing nearly $300 worth of hotel amenities.
A few months ago, we found the top 25 things in Japan most likely to blow foreigner’s minds. This time, we asked foreigners (all men) to tell us what makes Japan such a great place. Those surveyed came from France, the United States, Tunisia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa, Malta, and Ireland.
Ranging from seemingly mundane to large-scale societal characteristics, our readers explain why they love Japan.
Stag beetles have a special place in Japan. Looking like little monsters, children love to collect, raise, and maybe even battle them with other bugs. An entire industry is built around these little critters in the country.
An incredibly rare stag beetle will be put on display in Chiba starting 6 October. This beetle has the head of a male and the body of a female and may be the first ever of its kind discovered.
According to teacher Toshio Shimizu who works on the exhibit, stag beetles that are sexually divided from left to right are common, but a cleanly separated head and body hermaphrodite is a once in a lifetime find.
About half of the milk in Japan is produced in the beautiful and vast countryside of Hokkaido, the largest of Japan’s 47 prefectures and northernmost of Japan’s four main islands. As such, cows have become a symbol of the prefecture. Walk into any souvenir shop in the prefecture and you’re bound to find a few locally-produced snacks with bovine-inspired packaging.
On a recent trip to Hokkaido, one of our reporters came across one such snack that was a little less run-of-the-mill than your usual butter cookies: “Cow Poop?” chocolate mochi.
In Koga city, Shiga prefecture on October 3 at 9am a manhole cover unexpectedly shot seven meters into the air penetrating the roof over a gas station’s pumps. The 36kg lid measuring 65cm in diameter returned to the ground luckily without hitting anyone.
Taking care of a pet is hard work. You have to remember to feed it, clean up after it, and at the very least, acknowledge its existence. Even the number one low maintenance pet, a fish, turns into a burden after you forget to change the sludgy green water that your poor fish is no longer gliding, but trudging through thanks to the algae-filled, jelly-like consistency (shame on you!).
Lazy pet-lovers rejoice! Finally, a “pet” you can accidentally forget about without any consequences. Introducing Robo Fish, the next generation of pet care giving. Invented in Japan by Takara Tomy A.R.T.S., these little robotic fish are made to look like the real thing. We noticed a small crack where the tail joint meets the body, but the fish’s movements is very realistic. They even look as if they are searching for and eating food, bobbing up and down on the floor of the tank.
Japanese anime production studio Khara wants to make sure you’re excited for the upcoming Evangelion: 3.0 movie and they’re proving their sincerity by serving you the Third Angel Sachiel’s head on a platter.
Maybe Jackie Chan was wrong after all?
Amid the reports of demonstrations, mob violence and damage to property in the name of protest over the rightful ownership of the Senkaku islands, it has been difficult to focus on the facts and keep a clear head.
Yesterday, however, the Japanese government took a step towards legally resolving the dispute, producing official documentation that refutes the Chinese government’s claim over the islands, and suggesting that the Chinese side is “contradicting” itself.
On Sept. 30, Typhoon Jelawat struck the eastern part of Aichi prefecture, Japan and then proceeded to move north, causing flight delays and affecting public transportation across the eastern region of the main island.
In Tokyo, train schedules throughout the city were disrupted and one section of the JR Chuo Line was even forced to shut down before trains could make it back to their stations, trapping passengers inside the cars until weather conditions improved.
Now, I’m sure you’ll agree with me that nothing can ruin a day (week?) like being held up in an unexpected transportation or traffic accident. The general mood among passengers in those stranded cars must have been pretty sour. Which is why it’s amazing one foreigner had the pluck to take out his guitar and start serenading his fellow passengers while they waited for the storm to pass.
Japanese fast food chain Lotteria is celebrating its 40th anniversary by bringing back the Tower Cheeseburger! Yes, the Tower Cheeseburger is nothing new: RocketNews24 has reported on it before and, of course, made an ungodly sized burger out of it (pictured above).
Worry not though, as Lotteria has a lot more in store for its big 4-0. For starters, the price of their 5-storey (five beef patties and five cheese slices) Tower Cheeseburger this year will cost a measly 500 yen! (US$6)
You might remember Japanese design company, Nendo, from their Starbucks Journey pop-up store in Harajuku.
Nendo is at it again, this time collaborating with Coca Cola to bring Coke fans everywhere a unique set of tableware. Made exclusively of Coca Cola’s signature green-tinted glass bottle, “Coca-Cola Bottleware” will be available starting on October 31st.
Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji Fish Market saw some intense bidding this week when two rare gold-colored saury from Iwate went on sale, proving once again that people are suckers for things that glitter. Read More
There is no doubt that tension stemming from territorial disputes between Japan and both China and Korea is making East Asia a volatile area. Even Taiwan, which has been known as a pro-Japanese country, sent fishing boats to the Senkaku Island area in protest of Japan’s nationalization.
But while mainland China is pulsing with anti-Japanese sentiment, Taiwan’s pro-Japanese stance has yet to waver and Japanese business men could be comforted that China’s influence on Taiwan did not reach so far as to change it. We spoke with one Japanese business man—we’ll call him Mr. T—who was in Taipei when anti-Japanese sentiments on the mainland were at their highest.
What he found was a higher level of pro-Japanese sentiment than we could have imagined. We’ve assembled Mr. T’s experiences for you below: Read More
Gundam teams up with 300-year-old daruma maker for wood-carved anime mecha figures[Photos]
Tokyo’s new extra-expensive ramen restaurant is dividing opinions, so we tried a bowl
Japan’s instant ramen snack theme park features an athletic course even adults can enjoy
Used chopsticks upgraded from “waste” to “valuable material” by Kawasaki City thanks to ChopValue
Pizza Hut Japan’s drinkable curry pizza is here – Is it all we dreamed it would be?[Taste test]
Krispy Kreme releases new limited-edition fox doughnuts at only four stores in Japan
Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed
Two new Sailor Moon art manhole covers are coming to Usagi’s real-world Tokyo neighborhood
Bizarre Japanese vending machine sells “Peace and Equality” and “Angels and Demons”
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in JapanKanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Japan has a new cute and clever sunblock for cat loversTokyo’s new extra-expensive ramen restaurant is dividing opinions, so we tried a bowl
This Tokyo Station sweets sensation sells out daily, but we finally got our hands on itJapan’s instant ramen snack theme park features an athletic course even adults can enjoyJapanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed
Krispy Kreme Japan is bringing two special donuts to the most-forgotten big city in the country
Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summerGundam teams up with 300-year-old daruma maker for wood-carved anime mecha figures[Photos]Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and SakuraKanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Studio Ghibli releases new anime keychains that are like miniature figurinesJapan has a new cute and clever sunblock for cat lovers
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
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】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Krispy Kreme releases new limited-edition fox doughnuts at only four stores in Japan
Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed
Two new Sailor Moon art manhole covers are coming to Usagi’s real-world Tokyo neighborhood
Bizarre Japanese vending machine sells “Peace and Equality” and “Angels and Demons”
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Starbucks Japan hoping fans will go bananas for its new mottainai banana affogato Frappuccino
Krispy Kreme Japan is bringing two special donuts to the most-forgotten big city in the country
The story of our reporter P.K. Sanjun’s heart attack
McDonald’s Japan adds curry French fry flavor, regional-taste burgers to its menu with Gotochi Mac
Man in Japan calls in bomb threat because he doesn’t want to go to his own work farewell party
Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists
Memorial bell inside Hiroshima’s Peace Park has been silenced, but for a sweet reason
Japanese vending machine find introduces us to a new drink you can’t get anywhere else
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer