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Shoko Hamada is a seven-year veteran of Japan’s gurabia industry, the subsection of the modeling world focused on women in swimwear and other skimpy outfits. In youth-obsessed Japan, she’s at an age where it wouldn’t be at all odd for her to be retiring from her line of work, but last month the 29-year-old Hamada was announced as the central figure in newly minted gurabia unit gra-DOLL.

But with so many gurabia idols filling the Japanese media landscape, Hamada and her cohorts needed to do something special to stand out and get the attention any new endeavor needs. Dressing up in Sailor Moon lingerie should do the trick.

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Limited edition Star Wars sweets are the cutest collection of edible characters in the galaxy

Star Wars fans in Japan have to be the luckiest group of Padawans on the planet. From samurai figurines to cup clingers to ukiyo-e woodblock-style covers, limited-edition releases in the Land of the Rising Sun are blessed with extraordinary details that can’t be found anywhere else in the galaxy.

Now it’s time for Japanese confectionery chain Ginza Cozy Corner to weigh in on the celebrations, with a stunning lineup of cakes, tarts and limited edition tins that feature some of the cutest characters from the movie alongside some edible dark foes. We’ll need to summon up every ounce of the force within to bite into these because these are the most amazing sweets we’ve ever seen!

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Evangelion x Japanese Sword dolls take a trip to traditional Japan with katana blades and kimono

It’s been 20 years since the critically acclaimed Evangelion series first came to life on the small screen, and to this day it remains one of the most successful animated series to ever come out of Japan.

With such a dedicated legion of fans, the merchandising has been off the hook, with everything from burgers to lingerie and even a bullet train getting the Eva treatment. But amongst all this, there’s one special limited-edition range that’s really striking a chord with Japanese fans, as it takes the tough, sexy heroines of the series out of their futuristic battle cockpits and re-imagines them as katana sword-wielding ladies in kimono.

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Amazing tool fixes ingrown nails, looks like a torture device

The somewhat euphemistically named process of “denailing” has remained a popular torture method since medieval times and, according to the sort of creepily detailed Wikipedia page for the method, it remains in use today.

There are a few good reasons for that. It apparently leaves no permanent marks or injury – after the nail grows back, of course – and requires only the most basic of tools to pull off. It also objectively hurts like hell and there’s something about the tips of the toes and fingers being manipulated that leaves a person feeling unbearably vulnerable.

All of which has us wondering why anyone would voluntarily use this tool, which is clearly just a re-purposed torture device, to fix their ingrown toenails, regardless of how amazingly well it supposedly works.

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Breakfast never looked cuter! Character toast, pancakes, doughnuts, burgers and more!【Pics】

If you’re not much of a morning person breakfast can be tricky. Sure, it’s the most important meal of the day and heading out on an empty stomach is never a good idea, but at the same time the temptation of an extra 10, 15, 20 minutes in bed is often too much to resist.

If that’s the dilemma you face every morning, these plates of edible cuteness might just be motivation enough for you to haul your ass out of bed and sit down to a proper breakfast. Generous servings of cute after the break!

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  • Oct 21, 2015

Tokyo Kawaii Musée in Harajuku lets you dress up for Halloween…in a kimono!

Here in Japan, Halloween may be a relatively new tradition, and we haven’t gotten to the point of dressing in costume at school or work (at least not at normal jobs), but there’s no denying we’re quickly embracing the seasonal event, especially with special sweets and beverages. With Halloween-themed parades and parties becoming more and more common, finding an attractive and appropriately playful costume is something an increasing number of people are thinking about this time of year.

Well, if you want something original and eye-catching, then how about renting a Japanese kimono as a Halloween costume? Of corse, you won’t be wearing it like a regular kimono, though!

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The craziest small arms maneuvers by South Korean SWAT, in 9 GIFs

With a multitude of potential threats radiating over the border from North Korea, South Korea can not be lax when it comes to security.

As such, Seoul places a premium value on the training and capabilities of its military and police forces. This is clearly illustrated through the para-military capabilities of the South Korean National Police (KNP) SWAT teams.

A 2014 video from LiveLeak shows the incredible training in small arms maneuvers that these SWAT members go through.

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Evangelion SIM-free smartphones and life-sized figures on sale at 7-Eleven

Convenience stores around the world are known for stocking everyday items like toiletries, magazines, snacks and soft drinks.

But in Japan, the konbini is also a place to send and receive deliveries, buy movie and theatre tickets, and pick up a life-sized Eva doll and Evangelion SIM-free smartphone.

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Rurouni Kenshin comes to picture-perfect life as photos of stage musical’s cast are released

Adapting anime to live-action is an extremely difficult venture. It’s not impossible, though, and one of the few icons of Japanese animation to make the transition smoothly is Himura Kenshin, hero of samurai saga Rurouni Kenshin.

The swordsman with the scarred face and soul has three successful live-action films under his belt, and this winter Japan’s all-female Takarazuka stage troupe will be raising the curtain on its own Rurouni Kenshin musical. Opening night is still a ways off, but the first photos of the cast in costume have been revealed, and gender-flipped or not, it’s hard to imagine a closer likeness for Kenshin himself than Takarazuka’s.

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Japanese rock star Yoshiki performs while debuting edgy kimono collection at Tokyo Fashion Week

One of the most talked about collections at Tokyo Fashion Week was the YOSHIKIMONO First Collection, a range of rock star kimonos created by a Japanese rock star so famous he goes merely by his first name, Yoshiki.

As a musician, composer, songwriter, and record producer, Yoshiki has a wide variety of creative interests and now he’s stepping out into the world of fashion with a collection of edgy kimonos featuring unorthodox prints and unusual obi wraps.

During his show at fashion week, the audience was blown away by Yoshiki’s artistic vision as his kimono-clad models walked around him on the runway while he provided the soundtrack to it all with a classical piano recital.

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Japanese brand comes out with a comfy-looking kotatsu made for one

Winter is undoubtedly the worst season to be alone in Japan. Soon singles will be starting the annual desperate search for the special someone to spend Christmas with and it’s not hard to see why. Having someone to cuddle up to during the upcoming cold, long months is far preferable to fighting off the chill by yourself.

Of course, not everyone wants to jump into a relationship just for a little extra body heat, and now thanks to one Japanese electronics maker and their kotatsu for one, singles just might be in for the warmest winter yet.

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Naruto and cast debut in fashion shows around the world, stun from the runway【Photos】

It is always hard to let go of the things we love, which is why we have to take a look whenever Naruto is mentioned anywhere on the Internet. It doesn’t matter what it is, just give us more Naruto.

One tumblr teases the idea of what the ninjas of Konoha and the other hidden villages would look like wearing the latest fashions and gracing runways around the world. We guarantee you haven’t seen high fashion quite like this before. Team Kakashi, strut your stuff!

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Sumo sprinting really ought to be the next evolution in track and field【Video】

Let’s face it, something needs to be done about track and field. Although it could be considered human athleticism in its purest form, surely the art of running in a straight line is nearing our maximum potential as a species.

It’s time to take events such as sprinting to the next level. Luckily a small group of sumo wrestlers may have stumbled upon a way to bring another dimension to the sport, and another chin or two as well.

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Otaku speed-dating party lets participants chat online before event, review each other during it

Even as the world of otaku becomes an increasingly co-ed one, many of Japan’s obsessive fans of anime, video games, and other forms of pop culture struggle in finding a romantic partner. That’s where Aeullura, a matchmaking company specializing in konkatsu (marriage-minded dating) events for otaku, comes in.

But conventional speed-dating can be intimidating for even ordinarily outgoing individuals, let alone otaku who might very well spend more of their free time watching fictional characters than interacting with other people. Add in the pressure of a ticking clock, and some might not feel confident in their ability to walk up to an attractive stranger, make a good impression, and then find out more about them.

That’s why Aeullura is flipping that sequence of events for its upcoming otaku matchmaking party by giving the speed daters access to a wealth of information about one another, and even letting them communicate online, before putting them all in the same room together.

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Rolling like a samurai – Japanese coachbuilder’s car features centuries-old woodcarving technique

Does Japan’s Mitsuoka Motors count as a carmaker? It’s debatable. Yes, the company does have its own dealers that sell Mitsuoka-branded cars. Almost all of them, though, are Nissans or Mazdas with extensive cosmetic modifications. Even the company’s Orochi coupe, which has its own dedicated body, uses an engine built by Toyota.

So let’s ask an easier question: Are Mitsuoka’s cars visually unique? Unquestionably. The company has always made aesthetics the number-one priority in all of its vehicles, and that tradition continues with woodcarving so exquisite it wouldn’t look at all out of place in a Japanese castle, but which instead graces this Mitsuoka sedan.

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Mounted police officers in Kyoto get Heian Period outfits to match their ancestral colleagues

Though the Heian Period probably evokes more images of poetry and courtly love affairs than daring action, there was still plenty of work for the kebiishi, the peacekeepers of the time. Though the Heian court’s police force is now long gone, they remain a fixture of Japanese police history, and, in fact, served as the inspiration for the new uniforms to be worn by the Kyoto mounted police at this year Jidai Festival!

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Japanese candy maker announces new “hot cola gum” to meet demand that probably doesn’t exist

Anyone who has tried salty watermelon Pepsi, yogurt-flavored water or whitebait ice cream can tell you that the Japanese love weird flavors. If it’s new and outlandish, the Japanese market wants to get a taste.

I can only assume that’s what confectioner Lotte was banking on with their newest creation, because there surely couldn’t have been that many voices clamoring for hot cola chewing gum!

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This adorable tubby bunny wants to pole-dance for you【GIF】

When we’re down in the dumps, there’s nothing like a cute animal to get us back in a good mood. While cats are the undisputed overlords of internet animal therapy, there’s one little bunny that’s bringing a smile to thousands of Twitter users in Japan with nothing but some adorable dancing skills and a pole.

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Japanese stir-fried noodles a huge hit in Kenya

Yaki udon, a Japanese stir-fried noodle dish made with thick, flat wheat noodles, is a popular and much-loved staple of Japanese cuisine. Both yaki udon and yakisoba—a similar dish which uses a thinner buckwheat noodle instead—are cheap, tasty, and readily available from many street food stalls and Japanese-style pubs). So when one of our RocketNews24 Japan reporters read that not only had a yaki udon restaurant opened up in Kenya, but that it was that it was a huge hit with the locals, he just had to check it out for himself.

Read on for our Japanese reporter’s restaurant review as he travels halfway across the world for a bowl of noodles.

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The future is here! Celebrate Back to the Future: Part II’s historic day at theme cafes

Do you know what day October 21, 2015 is? It’s the day that Marty and Doc come to the future from 1985! But, sorry Marty, hover boards aren’t quite what they were supposed to be, and we barely made it to five Jaws movies, let alone Jaws 19. One of the only prophecies that may still come true is the Cubs winning the World Series, but even that seems doubtful.

Okay, so Marty might not be overly thrilled with this real version of 2015, but hey, at least he’ll get to go to the limited time “Back to the Future” Cafe if he stops by Hill Valley Ikebukuro in Tokyo.

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