Our Japanese-language reporter Meg sets out to defend the honor of her favorite ice cream flavor by eating a breat mint sundae, and also makes her English RocketNews24 video debut.
We’ve all got that song that really moves us, gets us caught up in its beats and has us tapping our feet or nodding our head. But are the pleasures of music limited only to the human species? Most would argue that yes, music is an art unfortunately lost on animals. Or, at least, that they can’t enjoy it on the same level as us Homo-sapiens.
To you nay-sayers, hold that thought, because we found one groovy cool cat who begs to differ!
Tough economic times can and do happen everywhere in the world. Even in wealthy, developed countries like Japan, some folks struggle every day to make ends meet. Sometimes, those people are families with young children.
Childhood hunger is a worldwide problem, and while no one deserves to go hungry, it is an especially sad situation for children. For one thing, they can’t really do anything to help better their situation, and secondly, they need the food and nutrition to help their bodies continue to grow properly. In Japan, approximately 16 percent of two-parent families are financially unable to provide enough food for their children, and that number jumps to 32 percent for single-parent households, according to a 2012 survey. But there are some who refuse to stand by doing nothing and are dedicating themselves to feeding the hungry children in Japan.
If you like your sushi with a side of crazy psychedelic, this new music video from long-serving Japanese band Orange Range will definitely whet your appetite.
Called “Sushi Tabetai – featuring Soy Sauce”, the catchy tune and mesmerising images are the perfect blend of cute and bizarre that we’ve come to love from the Japanese music scene.
Just when you thought “anime girls with boobs so big they can’t stand up” was going to walk away with the award for this week’s most exaggerated character design, here comes a new challenger.
The Japanese have a knack for doing things in such a way that are just satisfying to watch. Whether it’s traditional Japanese carpenters putting together pieces of wood perfectly or a grown man in a pink bunny suit bonding with rabbits, there’s no shortage of videos that make you feel like everything is right in the world.
And the next video to add to the list of things to make you go “ahh:” a Japanese knife-sharpening master turning a rusted kitchen knife into what could pass for a brand new tool. Prepare to feel like the air around you tastes a little sweeter as you watch the rust melt away with his delicate yet masterful technique.
‘Tis the season to eat Pocky! Celebrate Pocky Day with these amusing (and tantalizing) tweets from Japan!
A collaboration between video game giant Konami and prostheses expert Sophie De Oliviera Barata aims to give an amputee gamer a new arm inspired by Metal Gear Solid.
Who knew the seemingly specialized kitchen gadget was so multitalented?
If you love Japan’s bite-sized Pino ice creams as much as you love Disney’s range of adorable Tsum Tsum characters, then this special collaboration is sure to bring you joy this holiday season.
The Japanese government has asked the UN to retract its recent statement that claims 13 percent of girls in Japan are involved in compensated dating.
Living abroad is fun and exciting; hardly a day goes by when something doesn’t surprise, humor, or baffle you. Living in another country also gives you a chance to understand your own native nation and evaluate the good and the bad from an outsider’s perspective.
So today we want to share with you some things that we miss from our own countries—that is to say mainly the US and UK—that we never realized we’d miss! Because, you know, they just seemed so normal, we thought Japan would have them too.
English language proficiency is a tricky subject with Japanese people. There’s always an excuse about why they can’t understand it, from, “I’ll never use English,” and “It’s not interesting,” to the catch-all, “It’s too hard.” Well, it’s a good thing the Ministry of Education isn’t looking to adopt any new fonts for their textbooks as a little-known computer font developed back in 1998 is gaining some notoriety for being absolutely impossible to read by native Japanese. You might be able to read it, but can your Japanese friends?
Who isn’t fond of a little eye candy, right? Yup, we all like to take a look at good-looking guys (and gals) from time to time. But now, Japanese brand and product promotion company ESSPRIDE is giving us the chance to enjoy ikemen (hot guys) in a completely unexpected way…by pulling one out of a bag of chips!
That’s right, we present to you Ikemen Chips, a unique snack that comes with a special “hot guy card“, each featuring a picture and profile of an ikemen. And what makes the product especially interesting is that they’re actually regular guys working at various Japanese companies who have submitted their pictures and information to be made into the ikemen cards!
Speakers of certain languages sometimes get a leg-up when learning Japanese. For example, Japanese includes Chinese characters, which means Chinese speakers can often get the gist of a text even if they don’t understand the grammar. Similarly, Korean speakers might find that Japanese grammar is kinda similar to theirs. And we native English speakers get a huge helping hand from the hundreds of English loan words that have been adopted into modern Japanese.
But sometimes, these loan words aren’t really our friends at all. Instead, they’re what’s known as false friends – words that sound similar in two languages yet have a completely different meaning. In co-opting English words into Japanese, sometimes our crafty Nihonjin pals have assigned our words to things that actually mean something totally different. It’s almost like they’re trying to trick us!
Join us for a quick primer on some Japanese loanwords you might have heard before, and what they really mean!
There are many beautiful videos of Japan floating around on YouTube, but there’s one special channel that’s aiming to stand head and shoulders above the rest. Called TokyoStreetView – Japan The Beautiful, this is an ongoing project that’s working towards compiling a library of high definition 4K videos, showcasing unique aspects of Japanese culture and featuring beautiful locations all around the country.
We take a look at four of their stunning videos, filmed within the nation’s capital, at Akihabara and the famous Senso-ji temple in Asakusa, and in its more picturesque regional areas, at Nikko and Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture. The superb, high quality of the images is so remarkable, you’ll feel as if you’re seeing the country not through a lens but through your very own eyes!
Sailor Moon and fashion shop Honey Salon are collaborating to release a string of new products in time for the holidays to be sold at Honey Salon locations in Japan.
Despite being one of the few legal forms of gambling in Japan, boat racing (kyotei) is not enjoyed by most people. Many Japanese people have never been to a race and would struggle to give you directions to one of the large-scale venues across the country where they take place.
So Boat Race Biwako has taken the daring move of implementing a new promotional campaign of hardly even acknowledging the existence of boats and instead starting a fantasy sports system based on a quintet of doe-eyed moe girls…because it just wouldn’t be Japan if they hadn’t.
MOST POPULAR
Now
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]
Two food hacks take Japan’s convenience store fried chicken to amazing new sandwich heights
A Kyoto factory vending machine sells gourmet mystery meals at bargain prices
Licca-chan dolls released in North America for first time in nearly 60 years
Tokyo teahouse serves up a sakura matcha dessert you won’t find anywhere else
Which Gundam is the favorite for fans in different countries? Gundam election announces results
Studio Ghibli releases new free-to-use anime images to “use within the bounds of common sense”
Here’s what happens when you mix all 53 kinds of Muji curry into one crazy super curry【Taste test】
Weekly
- Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Tokyo’s best museum for foreign travelers finally reopens after being closed for four years
Pokémon lacquerware series expands for Year of the Horse with new handcrafted design[Video]
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Picturesque Tokyo park plays host to millions of flowers and soap bubbles this spring
Tokyo subway and almost all Tokyo train lines now accepting credit card tap payments
Totoro and Calcifer become little light-up lanterns for Ghibli-style excursions or at-home decor- Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]
Monthly
- Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
- Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
- Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country- Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Yearly
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
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
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
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
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Licca-chan dolls released in North America for first time in nearly 60 years
Tokyo teahouse serves up a sakura matcha dessert you won’t find anywhere else
Which Gundam is the favorite for fans in different countries? Gundam election announces results
Studio Ghibli releases new free-to-use anime images to “use within the bounds of common sense”
Here’s what happens when you mix all 53 kinds of Muji curry into one crazy super curry【Taste test】
Ghibli releases a Howl’s Moving Castle that walks and lights up【Video】
It’s like the samurai era never ended at this beautiful Japanese mountain town
Starbucks Japan unveils epic Frappuccino hunt with five to find in new Star birthday campaign
Fatal stabbing at Pokémon Center in Tokyo reignites concern over rising stalking cases in Japan
Chrono Trigger comes to Japan’s capsule toy gacha machines
Uni Donuts are pretty in pink for a limited-time spring sakuramochi flavor
Pokémon lacquerware series expands for Year of the Horse with new handcrafted design[Video]
Tokyo subway and almost all Tokyo train lines now accepting credit card tap payments
The mystery of the phantom “sake pass card” at Japanese alcohol vending machines
-
