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Pet treats from China pulled from shelves, suspected in the illness/death of thousands of dogs

Meg Murphy
Jan 13, 2015
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Any pet owner will tell you that pets are undeniably a part of the family. Everyone wants the best for their furry four-legged friend, and it is emotionally painful to watch them when they get sick or when their lives end. Even worse is when their already too-short lives are cut even shorter due to illness caused by something that was believed to be good for them. So, in response to consumer concerns that jerky treats manufactured in China have been the cause of thousands of pet illnesses and deaths, pet-supply chain Petco has decided to stop all sales of Chinese-produced dog and cat treats.

Japanese Twitter trend of the week: Outfitting your cat with a regal boot-cover mane

Krista Rogers
Jan 13, 2015

What could be a better way to stave off boredom the cold than by dressing your kitty up with a regal lion-like mane?

That’s exactly how Japanese Twitter users have been entertaining themselves this past week–only the “mane” is actually made from the fluffy material of a boot covering purchased at one of Japan’s favorite 100 yen stores, Daiso. Whether the cats themselves are amused or not is a different story…

You’ll never guess what these Chinese students are lining up for!

Hayashi 'Fang' Hougi
Jan 13, 2015

Ever since Mr. Sato returned from his annual overnight vigil to obtain an Apple Lucky Bag, we learned that humans are able to withstand adverse conditions in queues driven solely by their utmost desire for something. Just look at these Apple lovers who braved snow for their favorite brand! So when you see these students in China lining up, we bet your guess is that they are getting $1 TVs…or concert tickets for the latest K-pop star…or perhaps a free iPhone. The answer, however, is none of the above; these students are in fact lining up to…

Nonsensical conbini crime: Incapable clerk vs. drunk guy’s money

Audrey Akcasu
Jan 13, 2015

When you get change after paying for something in cash, do you ever actually count it to make sure you received the right amount? I sure don’t. Maybe I’m just too used to Japan, where the person working the register will count out each bill and the coins in front of you before handing the change over. It’s just a simple measure taken to double-check that the person at the register isn’t short-changing the customer.

Thorough as it may be, it’s not a flawless method, leaving room for human error, like not being able to tell the difference between a 1,000 yen bill and 10,000 yen bill. But really, who would make that mistake?

Apparently a teenager working the register at a convenience store in Nara recently managed to make that very mistake, but instead of short-changing the customer, he ended up giving 46,000 yen (US$390) in change for a 13,000 yen (US$110) purchase. Fishy! Oh and then, the customer got arrested. Fishier!

Can you figure it out? Japanese man creates puzzling perpetual motion machine from paper【Video】

Megumi Matsuki
Jan 13, 2015

Have you ever woken up in the morning and thought, “I’m going to achieve the impossible today and build a perpetual motion machine!”? Well, Niconico user LupinIII didn’t exactly think that, but earlier this month he uploaded a video of what seems to be an impossible object on a Japanese video-sharing site: a deceivingly simple, Escher-esque structure with four slopes, upon which a marble continuously rolls. The video quickly garnered over 250,000 views, reaching number one in the science and technology category.

Read on to watch the mystifying video at the end of the article and learn a bit more about how the crafty paper structure was designed and built!

Craving ramen, but can’t find decent noodles? Transform your spaghetti with this pasta hack!

Scott R Dixon
Jan 13, 2015

For those living outside Japan, a good bowl of ramen is almost impossible to find unless you’re in a big city like New York or London, and even then the options can be a bit of a let-down. And for many, the only ramen available is the dried variety that frankly has made some of our Japanese culinary experts gag.

But all is not lost, dear ramen lovers around the world. We’ve found a kitchen hack to turn ordinary everyday pasta into noodles fit for a delicious bowl of homemade ramen.

Track the stylistic evolution of Eiichiro Oda’s most famous One Piece characters

Krista Rogers
Jan 12, 2015

It’s hard to believe that One Piece, Japan’s best-selling manga series in history, will be celebrating its 18th anniversary this July. With 76 collected volumes of manga, a mega-popular anime television adaptation, an upcoming theme park, and hordes of international fans, the series is stronger than ever after almost two decades.

A recent post by a Japanese internet forum user showed the evolution of series’ creator Eiichiro Oda’s artwork by comparing older pictures of the Straw Hat Pirates with more recent ones side-by-side. While most of the changes are fairly subtle, the slight differences were still enough to spark an online debate about which of the two drawing styles is better. Which is your personal preference?

Video of Thai soccer team’s gorgeous passing play leaves us amazed

Preston Phro
Jan 12, 2015

I’ll be completely honest with you here–I don’t know much of anything about soccer. I hate to fit the dumb American stereotype, but when it comes to sports, soccer is one that I definitely never got into.

I have nothing against it, of course! Partly, it’s just exhausting watching the ball bounce back and forth between players, changing directions like a whip. But on the other hand, I have to admit that it’s easy to see why some call it a “beautiful” game, and this video of a Thailand soccer team ably slipping through a Malaysian team’s defenses is nothing less than amazing.

Giant maguro donated to shrine of fishing-god Ebisu

Scott Wilson
Jan 12, 2015

The start of a new year means it’s time for hatsumōde, the year’s first visit to a Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple. You pray for good luck in the new year, throw some spare yen into the saisenbako (big offering box), get some omamori (good luck charms), and hope that the omikuji (fortune) you get is dai-kichi (great luck) and not dai-kyō (you’re screwed).

While most people are satisfied donating a few yen coins in the donation box when they visit their shrine, the Nishinomiya shrine in Hyogo Prefecture does things a little differently. They want to make sure the gods hear them loud and clear, so they lug a massive frozen maguro onto the donation box and leave it there for three days.

How do Japanese cats stay warm and accessorize during winter? With tail scarves, of course!

Preston Phro
Jan 12, 2015

Though spring is only a few months away, Tokyo is still downright cold these days. Of course, if you’re from a colder climate, you probably annoy your friends by running around in shorts asking why they’re shivering, but for many people here, it’s still pretty cold. Whether it’s the sea breeze zipping through the streets or some sort of reverse heat island effect, we’re not sure, but it is enough to make mornings downright brutal.

And people aren’t the only ones cursing the cold–our furry feline friends are none too fond of winter either! But unlike humans, they come with built-in scarves. Check out some of Japan’s cutest cats wrapping themselves up nice and warm with their tails.

Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon together? This talented artist says, “Yes!” 【Pics】

KK Miller
Jan 12, 2015

For most of us growing up in the US in the early 2000s, there was one thing we looked forward to after school: episodes of Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon. While DBZ glued us to the TV with its excruciatingly long but always awesome fight scenes, Sailor Moon gave us powerful girls with prism power. These shows were the gateway to the land of anime, where love, sacrifice and training for more power had us positively transfixed for more hours than I’d care to count.

Is it any wonder that there is an entire fandom dedicated to Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon crossovers? What’s the story behind the Saiyans and the Sailor Soldiers? Do these two series secretly belong together? Find out this time on Dragon Sailor Ball Soldiers…Z!

Buddhist monks cultivate cat haven at Fukui Prefecture’s “Kitty Temple”

Evie Nyan
Jan 12, 2015

Here’s a familiar saying: “In Ancient Egypt, cats were worshipped as gods; they have never forgotten this.” Certainly in Japan, cats are still given a huge amount of respect, with entire islands of moggies being given free roam to peacefully exist in their own little kitty ecosystem. Of course, things aren’t perfect, and stray and abandoned cats are a sad reality in Japan as much as they are in many other countries. But today we’re here to appreciate the happy cats of Gotanjo temple in Fukui Prefecture, who are lovingly tended to by Buddhist monks and fawned over by the adoring tourists who come to visit. You can even get a special kitty cat fortune and see what’s in store for the coming year!

Facing obscurity, Pikachu smuggles himself in a Youkai Watch UFO catcher bag

Evie Nyan
Jan 12, 2015

We’ve talked a lot recently about how Youkai Watch has now definitely overtaken Pokémon in the popularity stakes, at least among Japan’s young’uns. With Youkai Watch replacing Pokémon as McDonald’s yearly calendar stars and with Pikachu himself being shunted into the background on anime convention posters in favour of Jibanyan and pals, 2014 really hasn’t been a good year for all things Pikachu. Still, with Pokémon’s legion of worldwide fans and entertainment-world pedigree, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Pikachu would be taking this all on the chin. Instead? He’s exposed himself as a desperate has-been, clinging on to relevancy by whatever devious means he can turn a paw to, and that includes smuggling himself into some unsuspecting kid’s life by disguising himself as a Youkai Watch product! For shame!

These stockings should keep fans of naruto happy — but we’re not talking about the manga!

Kay
Jan 12, 2015

Yes, naruto stockings have arrived! But before you get all excited, we’re not talking about the hit manga and anime here, but about a different naruto — these stockings actually feature naruto the food. That’s right, these stockings are all about the naruto fishcakes commonly used as ramen toppings, and their unique design is sure to catch everyone’s eye!

Drinking sake just got more convenient with convenience store Family Mart’s new canned brews

Casey Baseel
Jan 12, 2015

Like with wine, there are variations in flavor between different types of Japanese sake. However, it can be kind of tough to pick up on the subtle differences unless you’re drinking them back to back. Unfortunately, it’s not unusual for prices for anything other than the house sake at restaurants to start at about 800 yen (US $6.75), so putting together your own sampling set can get pricey.

But if you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to dip you toes in the wide, wonderful world of sake, convenience store Family Mart is here to help, with its new lineup of affordably priced canned sake.

Aw snap yo! JR Kyushu’s really cheap “Gachi Ticket” is in the hizzouse!

Master Blaster
Jan 11, 2015

Wassup young people, I’m speaking your language today to tell you about to totally tubular deal from JR Kyushu! They’re offering some super-rad discounts of up to 40% off on train fares around the island of Kyushu for a seriously limited time.

It’s called the Gachi Ticket, where “gachi” is a new word the kids in Japan are using that’s hard to translate to English but somewhere along the lines of “for realz!” and “aww psssht it’s on!”

Pervy anime character mouse pads…butt for ladies! 【Photos】

Casey Baseel
Jan 11, 2015

Not too long ago, we took a look at an anime girl figurine with its butt lovingly crafted out of soft, pliable silicon. Clearly, this is a sign of the hyper-sexualized nature of certain Japanese animated series, and the depressingly horny psyche of many male otaku.

Except, the fact of the matter is that everyone loves butts. As proof, feast your eyes on these pervy mouse pads for female anime fans.

Japanese woodwork: A tradition hundreds of years old, but still as cool as ever 【Video】

Audrey Akcasu
Jan 11, 2015

One of the beautiful aspects of Japanese culture is the dichotomy between, yet the harmony of, modern technology and steadfast tradition. On one hand they create things like smart toothbrushes and virtual girlfriends, yet their hundreds-of-years-old temples and homes are cherished and preserved, as are many of their age-old customs. Structures such as the Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto and Todai-ji in Nara have stood for hundreds of years thanks to more than just preservation, however; it’s at least partly down to the careful craftsmanship that went into them to begin with.

Traditional Japanese carpentry is not just a trade, it’s also an art and a science. Carpenters are able to build tables, houses, even great temples, without the use of a single nail, screw or other metal hardware− giving it strength and durability. China Uncensored, a web series devoted to bringing serious issues about the Chinese Communist Party to light in a parodical style, took a break from their communist offerings to show a video about Japanese carpentry from an unaired show called Journey to the East. In the 25-minute video we learn about the art and its place in the modern day, specifically modern-day New York, thanks to a traditional craftsman named Hisao Hanafusa.

Sandwiched Between Twintails Pillow: For if you don’t know to hug your pillow or let it hug you

Casey Baseel
Jan 11, 2015

We’ve talked before about Japan’s love affair with gigantic hug pillows. Even if they’re not covered with pictures of your anime or celebrity crush, dakimakura, as they’re called in Japanese, have a number of physiological advantages, as well as the psychological benefits some people reap from having something to hold as they sleep.

Of course, some people also feel more secure and relaxed being held as they sleep, which is why Japan has a new, double-pronged huggy pillow that can hug you back.

Some snuggly bunnies to warm your heart and soul this winter【Video】

Meg Murphy
Jan 11, 2015

As much as I hate being cold, I love the wintertime. There’s nothing better than coming home after being out on a blustery day to sit down under the kotatsu (those wonderful creations – low, Japanese tables fitted with a blanket and a heater underneath) and curl up with mounds of blankets and a hot cup of tea.

While rabbits can’t really curl up under a kotatsu with a cup of tea (though I’m sure they would if they were offered!), they certainly have their own way of weathering the winter chill, and these particular bunnies at a park in Japan’s Kanagawa Prefecture are warming the hearts of park-goers in the process.