Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Japan (Page 1686)
Have trouble getting to sleep? The sensory depriving qualities of a sleep mask might be just what you’re looking for. Sure, you may think eye masks are for wealthy dowagers and other fuddy-duddies. However, these masks cater to the hip, urbanite otaku in all of us with patterns ranging from mainstream (Sailor Moon) to the obscure (Black Butler).
As a rule of thumb, if you want to cuten something up, add some panda. Just look at these panda rice balls (onigiri). There is no other animal on this planet that can make a ball of white rice look this adorable.
We know what you’re thinking: “Sure they’re cute, and I’d love to make them myself, but don’t you need the dexterity of a Japanese ninja housewife to do so?”
Not anymore you don’t! The panda rice balls you see above were actually made by one of our Japanese reporters (single, female, hasn’t made a bento in 5 years) with the help of the fabulous “Panda Onigiri Set,” which can be purchased for around $13 from sites like Bento & co or JBOX.
Already own a Panda Onigiri Set but are having trouble getting your rice balls to look like the ones in the picture? RocketNews24 is here to pander to your needs with our step-by-step guide to making adorable panda onigiri!
The first sushi train themed ride in Japan!
This is one ride we would like to try at least once before we die. The newest attraction at the Hamanako PalPal amusement park in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture allows you to ride on a piece of sushi. The name of the attraction?“Ride on the sushi and spin around!”
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![Possum Cat Plays Dead(?) in the Heat [Video]](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2012/08/mikochiko-picture-1.jpg?w=640 "Possum Cat Plays Dead(?) in the Heat [Video]")
Summer can be tough. Some days are so hot that it’s difficult to do much more than idly lie there as the heat drains you of your energy. And just imagine how bad it is if you’re covered in fur.
At first glance this kitty is just sprawled out on a sofa, but as the camera moves around (up and down, circling around, even going right up to the cat’s face), you’ll notice that it doesn’t even move its eyes.
We reported previously on a mystery countdown taking place on the website of the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, which hinted that the popular manga “Dragon Ball” may be making a come back on the magazine. Well, fans of the manga can rejoice! We’ve found out that Dragon Ball is indeed coming back, although not to the Jump magazine, but as a new feature length animated film! Read More
The Japanese branch of global hactivist group Anonymous has announced they will be holding their second Anonymous Cleaning Service event at Comic Market 82, which started today at 10am Japan time.
Those wishing to participate should ready their Guy Fawkes masks and head to the Yagurabashi pedestrian bridge in front of Tokyo Big Site by 3pm. Participants should also be prepared to take home whatever trash they collect and dispose of it themselves (there are no trash cans on the street in Japan).
At Japanese universities, female science and engineering majors are definitely in the minority. Even in Tokyo, it’s not uncommon for ladies to make up less than 10% of enrollment for science departments. But the elusive rikei joshi, or “science girl,” does exist and Japanese student organization CURIE is holding a pageant called “Miss Rekei Contest” to give them a chance to prove they’ve got beauty as well as brains.
Sunday afternoon, Seattle Mariners shortstop Munenori Kawasaki was on first base and showed off a sweet little fake steal move before pedaling back to first. It got not only the commentators but team members on both sides chuckling a bit. Read More
We’ve all had teachers with a variety of temperaments. Some were cool, mellow. Some awkward, or just characters. （But hey, teachers are human too and they have to put up with students’ quirkiness as well).
Have you ever said or done anything that pushed your teacher over the edge, even for just a second? Below are an assortment of such utterances taken from a 2ch thread titled “Tell Us Something You Said That Pissed off Your Teacher.” Some of them may sound weird, and you may be shocked at the violent reaction of some of the teachers, but you need to take into account that some forms of hitting are still considered acceptable in Japanese schools. Read More
In my career as a journalist, never have I seen such a debacle. The match in question was a bantamweight match, between Azerbaijan’s Magomed Abdulhamidovand Japan’s Satoshi Shimizu. On five occasions in one round, Shimizu knocked down Abdulhamidov, who also received a two-point penalty. The judges ended up awarding victory by judgment to his opponent, who was the one who spent more time on the canvas, and the referee didn’t stop the match as he would reasonably expected to during one of these downs, nor did he even start counting down a single knockdown. What exactly is going on with refereeing in the London Olympics? Read More
Summer in Japan is all about matsuri, or festivals. Young people dressed in yukata walking through streets lined with food stalls and game booths, the rowdy, drunken group of local men carrying a giant mikoshi shrine through the crowd while yelling “Washoi! Washoi!” and, of course, the fireworks.
The Japanese take fireworks very seriously, which is why Japan is home to some of the most spectacular fireworks displays in the world. To see what we mean, the fireworks show at this year’s Nagaoka Matsuri in Niigata prefecture has been generating buzz on the net thanks to some amazing video footage posted to YouTube. Check it out below!
When robot vacuum cleaners first hit the scene about a decade ago, they appeared to signal the end of lugging around traditional upright models. However, with a pretty hefty price tag and comparatively limited cleaning ability, they haven’t exactly caught the world on fire.
Seeing this, Sharp has developed a robot vacuum cleaner destined to light a fire under consumers: ladies and gentlemen, meet COCOROBO (also affectionately known as, RX-V100W). So what makes COCOROBO so great? Well, for starters, it’s remote-controlled and able to talk with people.
A 19 year-old male university student was arrested on suspicion of violating the Minor Offenses Act for attempting to video tape inside another female university student’s room.
The shocking part was how he came to be arrested. Before starting the story, I would like to emphasize that this criminal was enrolled in an institution of higher learning, which should imply a certain level of intelligence.
Tokyo’s famous Comic Market (Comiket) 82, the world’s largest doujinshi convention, is set to kick off on 10 August. We can be sure to expect cosplayers and original comics a plenty, but one particular creation has be stirring up a fair bit of hype weeks before the gates open – the PC game Sutra Master.
Sutras are, in a nutshell, short pearls of spiritual wisdom like something you might find in a high-brow fortune cookie and are often compared to prayers in other religions. Taken from Buddhist texts and often chanted during meditation or religious ceremonies, sutras are generally treated with solemn dignity but Sutra Master takes them to a weird new place.
The Shiba Inu is one adorable little ball of fluff, especially from behind. I mean, who can resist that curled up tail nestled atop a plump little posterior that shakes back and forth as they trot along.
Japanese blogger and Shiba Inu-lover Takedatake has recently found inspiration in that captivating rear view for a novel at-home recipe he calls: “Shiba Inu Plump Booty Curry.”
Instructions on how to make the dish follow below:
If you’ve visited Singapore, you may be familiar with the tasty local noodle dish, hokkien mee. Well, now that the Singapore Restaurant and hokkien mee specialty shop “Yac Man” has opened in Omote-Sando, those of you based near Tokyo won’t have to travel all the way to Singapore to get your fix! And since we’re always on the lookout for new and interesting foods, we sent one of our reporters to “Yac Man” to see what hokkien mee is all about.
Collecting is one of the predominate themes of the Pokémon franchise and Nintendo never seems to run out of new things for fans to spend their Pokédollars on.
For example, on August 3, The Pokémon Company reveled, “Pokemomo,” their newest lineup of adorable Pokémon merchandise featuring the artwork of Japanese illustrator Momo Okada.
Japanese Shinkansen welcomes overnight guests for one night during summer festival
Pokémon Card Stores requiring facial recognition scans for entry in Japan in latest anti-scalper move
Starbucks Japan unveils exclusive new Frappuccinos limited to three regional areas
A roadside hair salon stall in China made us Norway’s Haaland for US$1, and warmed out hearts too
Starbucks Japan brings back the Caramel Waffle, but is it as good as it used to be?
Japanese government okays plan to create a backup capital city
McDonald’s Japan goes viral for Samurai Mac burger hack
Pikachu and Ditto Pokémon desserts at Baskin-Robbins Japan look AND feel like their inspirations
Studio Ghibli Laputa figure looks like it’s really flying thanks to cool visual trick
How are you supposed to wash a Japanese futon duvet at the laundromat?
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Which country’s foreign tourists spend the most money per-person in Japan? Hint: Not the U..S. or China
Giant Evangelion Spear of Longinus to be installed at Japanese train station with Eva art trains
Starbucks Japan releases a miniature display rack so you can create your very own store at home
Face lettuce appears in Japan, with the face of Death Note’s Light Yagami, but why?
Cup Noodle releases cold-water instant ramen in Japan, but can it really be made with just cold water?
Kodama Shinkansen trains on popular Japan route get a whole new look this winter
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see itTokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Japan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Family Mart opens new “Famima” flagship store in Tokyo that’s like a tourist attraction
Sanrio Character Poll announces winners, Hello Kitty absent from top 10 in many countries
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 TokyoStudio 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 abroadSalomon 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】
Japanese government okays plan to create a backup capital city
McDonald’s Japan goes viral for Samurai Mac burger hack
Pikachu and Ditto Pokémon desserts at Baskin-Robbins Japan look AND feel like their inspirations
Studio Ghibli Laputa figure looks like it’s really flying thanks to cool visual trick
How are you supposed to wash a Japanese futon duvet at the laundromat?
Family Mart’s new Famima flagship in Tokyo has a hidden gem that most visitors miss
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Starbucks Japan releases a miniature display rack so you can create your very own store at home
Why is Taco Bell failing in Japan, even as the country falls in love with tacos?
Japanese Coo-Che becomes a viral sensation, and everyone wants a taste
61-year-old Kyoto man arrested for playing guitar and radio too loudly for seven years
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Face lettuce appears in Japan, with the face of Death Note’s Light Yagami, but why?
Which country’s foreign tourists spend the most money per-person in Japan? Hint: Not the U..S. or China