SoraNews24 —Japan News—

Featured

This “power spot” in Kumamoto, Japan looks straight out of a Ghibli movie, is pure magic 【Photos】

Meg Murphy
Oct 19, 2015
Tweet

Deep in the forests of Takamorimachi, a small town in Kumamoto Prefecture on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu, hides a humble shrine shrouded by trees and moss-covered greenery. Hailed as a “power spot” by the Japanese, Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine (上色見熊野座神社) is a mystical destination for those looking to feel the earth’s energy and recharge their spirits, or to just take in the all the scenic beauty it has to offer. Even if you can’t make a visit in the near future, you can at least pacify yourself with these stunning images instead.

Thai fans approve of Miss Universe contestant’s tuk tuk-themed costume

Jamie Koide
Oct 19, 2015

Tuk tuks aren’t the cheapest or the safest way to get around Thailand, but as one of the more iconic local and tourist symbols of the country, they’re worth taking for a ride around town at least once.

Decked out with flashing lights and homages to the Thai flag and royal family, they’ve even recently become a fashion icon in the least likeliest of places, like the upcoming Miss Universe Pageant.

“Noooo!” Pouting pooch really doesn’t want to go for a walk, Internet loves everything about it

KK Miller
Oct 19, 2015

The days are getting increasingly shorter and the sound of cicadas has now been replaced with that of leaves crunching underfoot. As winter approaches, it’s hard enough to convince ourselves to get up in the morning and start the day, but when we have to get up extra early and then convince our pets to go out for a walk, that makes us just want to go back to bed.

Such was the case for one dog owner when trying to take their pretty pooch out for an early morning walk. The expression their dog wore of its face clearly showed how it felt about it, too…

Dine like a samurai on the night of the Ikedaya Incident at Kyoto-themed restaurant in Tokyo

Oona McGee
Oct 19, 2015

If you’ve ever wanted to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Kyomachi, the old streets of Kyoto, there’s a special dining establishment in Tokyo that will take you there. The Kyomachi Koishigure restaurant features private dining rooms, red bridges, bamboo corridors and a running stream so you can enjoy all the traditional beauty of Kyoto without having to leave the nation’s capital.

And now, for a limited time only, the restaurant will take you back in time to the late Edo period, with a special “fair” that recreates the infamous Ikedaya Incident, a significant moment in Japan’s history when a group of masterless samurai were ambushed at Kyoto’s Ikedaya Inn.

As part of the experience, diners can enjoy a specially designed menu inside a recreation of the inn, and staff dressed as members of a sword-wielding police force who “ambush” your private room every time you place an order.

Illustrator creates beautiful “Bicycle Boy” watercolour series inspired by Studio Ghibli

Oona McGee
Oct 19, 2015

Studio Ghibli, Japan’s famed animation house, has a remarkable talent for captivating audiences around the world with inspiring storylines and loveable characters. What really brings them all to life, however, are their animated backgrounds; beautiful palettes of light and shade and inky hues that draw us into their magical worlds and have us never wanting to leave.

There’s one background illustrator in Tokyo who knows just how to recreate the atmosphere of a Studio Ghibli movie and now he’s bringing out the beauty of Japan’s narrow roads and suburban landscapes in a series of illustrations entitled “Bicycle Boy”. Using a real-life setting from Studio Ghibli’s Whisper of the Heart, the picturesque journey of a boy and his bike through the streets of Japan is so beautiful we’ll happily follow him wherever he goes!

Kirin tea drinks now available in adorable and artistic mix and match Disney labels!

Kay
Oct 19, 2015

Step into a convenience store in Japan, and you’ll find no shortage of tea drinks—and not just Japanese green tea either. You’ll have a wide variety to choose from, including oolong tea, barley tea, jasmine tea and English-style straight, lemon or milk tea. And one of the most well-known tea drinks in Japan has to be the Gogo no Kocha (Afternoon Tea) line of products from major beverage manufacturer Kirin.

Well, the folks at Kirin have apparently decided to make their popular “Gogo-tea” drinks, as they’re sometimes called in Japan, into something artistic and playful as well. It’s the “Disney Design Label” line of their Gogo no Kocha drinks, and with these, you’ll actually be able to mix, match and play with the bottles!

Expand your Super Mario figure collection with enemy characters

Anime News Network
Oct 19, 2015

Bandai’s S.H.Figuarts line has released several figures from the Super Mario video game series: Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and important items from the games like pipes, blocks and coins. Its latest figures expand the collection with iconic enemy characters: a Hammer Bro, Lakitu and Spiny.

Kanji quiz time! Can you identify the characters behind Japan’s creative municipal flags?

Scott Wilson
Oct 18, 2015

Japan’s national flag may be well-known for its simplicity—after all it’s just a big red circle in the middle of a field of white—but did you know that’s not Japan’s only flag? Every single prefecture, city, town and village has its own special flag to represent its history or what it’s famous for.

Even more commonly, many of the municipalities’ flags have stylized versions of the kanji found in their names. And when we say stylized, we mean highly stylized. We have here a selection of some of Japan’s kanji-flags, so you can see the creativity that went into each of them.

If you think you’re a kanji master, then get ready to test your skills and see how many you can guess correctly!

Star Wars cup clingers may or may not use the Force to hang on the rim of your glass

KK Miller
Oct 18, 2015

When you are kicking back in the theater on December 18 with a big bag of popcorn in one hand and a tall drink in the other, there’s only one thing you’ll be missing: appropriately themed cup clingers that will level up your movie game from Padawan to a Jedi Knight.

Survey reveals the top five times Japanese travelers realise just how Japanese they are

Meg Murphy
Oct 18, 2015

Whether we like to admit it or not, where we were brought up has a huge impact on the person we become. From our way of thinking to what foods we prefer, it’s hard to deny that our environment shapes our personal identity.

While some people come from nations that are veritable melting pots of backgrounds, languages, and cultures, others come from a country with much more homogeneity. Japan is one such country, and its people have a strong sense of identity—though they may not readily admit it.

But often during a trip to a foreign country, there comes a moment of self-realization where they become aware of just how Japanese they really are. A recent survey asked Japanese travelers to identify the five moments they felt most Japanese when abroad. The results are really quite telling.

Japanese-style sangria with sake and pear: One of the best things about fall【RocketKitchen】

Casey Baseel
Oct 18, 2015

If you’re someone who loves the sunshine and hates the cold, you’re probably feeling a little down that we’ve now undeniably entered autumn. Maybe you’re doing your best to look on the bright side by enjoying some tasty seasonal produce, like delicious Asian pears, or maybe you’re just trying to brace yourself against the advancing chill in the air with a stiff drink.

But why rely on just one of those coping strategies when you can employ both by whipping up an easy and delicious batch of Japanese-style sangria with fruit and sake?

Young Black Jack’s singer brings the manservice in nude cosplay

Anime News Network
Oct 18, 2015

Viewers got an eye full of Tezuka’s iconic doctor’s abs in the first episode of Young Black Jack‘s but opening theme song singer UMI☆KUUN is giving the 2D bishōnen a run for his money. The singer reproduced an image by the manga’s artist Yū-Go Ōkuma where Kuroo Hazama appears only half clothed.

Toxic bubble froth in Bangalore catches fire, raises environmental flags for the second time

Krista Rogers
Oct 17, 2015

This is one bubble bath that you’ll never want to take a dip in.

Locals in Bangalore, India are calling for immediate action after foam which had accumulated on Bellandur Lake, the biggest lake in the city, was blown onto streets and even caught fire for the second time in only a few months. While experiencing a gigantic bubble bath outside of your bathtub may seem like a fun idea at first, the foam that is spewing out from Bellandur Lake is actually toxic in nature and supposedly has a terrible stench.

It’s a hard rock life: NINGEN ISU’s Shinji Wajima talks about songwriting, working with friends

Preston Phro
Oct 17, 2015

After the awesome NINGEN ISU show we saw with Mr. Sato recently, we were exhausted but exhilarated. The band’s hard rock/heavy metal sound is great for getting the blood pumping and the performance felt like it ended as soon as it began—despite lasting well over an hour! It’s safe to say, these guys are the real deal.

So, when Mr. Sato asked if we wanted to come along for an interview with vocalist and guitarist Shinji Wajima, we didn’t hesitate in saying yes! Check out our fun (and fascinating) conversation with Wajima where we cover everything from camping and songwriting to being in a band with someone you’ve known nearly your entire life.

JINS MEME: Award winning glasses track your physical state and concentration levels

Oona McGee
Oct 17, 2015

Thanks to the world of smartphones, we’re now able to connect to ourselves on a physical level in a way we never could before. Fitness apps and wearable devices like the Fitbit wristband allow us to monitor everything from the number of steps we take to our walking speed and heart rate.

While activity trackers usually take physical data from our wrists, Japanese eyewear brand JINS is taking a very different approach by monitoring not only our physical but also our mental state, with the new JINS MEME glasses. Using a number of built-in sensors to gather data from the eyes and body, now you can monitor everything from posture to alertness levels and find out how your body and mind “age” alters throughout the day.

Train and transform your hero into a prime beefcake in otome romance game Muscle Paradise

Cara Clegg
Oct 17, 2015

Do you even lift? ‘Cos these macho guys certainly do! While the heroes of otome games, story-based romance games aimed at women, tend to err on the feminine side, the hunks in this mobile game cater specifically to women (or men!) who like their guys beefy. And when I see beefy, I mean ox-on-steroids beefy.

Cosplay ideals vs. reality-Part 3: Super Slouch Edition 【Photos】

Casey Baseel
Oct 17, 2015

Barring the most delusional individuals, cosplayers don’t really think they’re becoming their favorite anime or video game characters by putting on a costume. Cosplay is all about playing make-believe, and recently more and more cosplayers are willing to share the “make” portion by revealing the silly process by which they create a cool photo, including all the embarrassing slouching and off-camera assistance they get from their friends.

Neko Atsume air fresheners and kitty friends just as relaxing and cute as the game itself

Scott Wilson
Oct 17, 2015

Have you played the cat-collecting smartphone game Neko Atsume yet? If you’re a fan of adorable kitties and haven’t already tried it, then download it immediately. No seriously, go now. Don’t worry, we’ll still be here when you’re done.

Back? All right, now that you’re in love with the game, you obviously want to surround yourself with all things Neko Atsume. And what better way to start with some refreshing Neko Atsume aromas?

Neko Atsume air fresheners are now available in four relaxing scents, and each one comes with an adorable little kitty friend to gaze at you in wonder.

Buy this Star Wars PC featuring Darth Vader’s ugly mug, impress your nerdy friends

Evie Nyan
Oct 17, 2015

Since Star Wars fans tend to be a pretty die-hard bunch, it’s probably not a wise idea to openly express apathy towards the franchise whilst in the presence of the same. Since you’re reading this, you’re probably a bit of a Star Wars nerd – and that’s totally fine! But it’s also surely okay that, while I think I saw the original trilogy at some point in my childhood, they never really made a lasting impact on me. All I recall are some furry things, Harrison Ford looking suave, and Darth Vader’s creepy death mask.

But if you are one of those til-the-death Star Wars fans (what do they call you, anyway? Star Warians? Where’s your catchy collective noun?), then you’ll surely be drooling over this new fancy-schmancy Star Wars laptop from HP, featuring none other than the big cheese himself.

Why deer are drawn to train tracks, and how Japan is solving the problem with this simple block

Master Blaster
Oct 17, 2015

Recently Nippon Steel & Sumikin Metal Products unveiled a new type of deer bait that is not only highly effective, but also works exclusively on deer. It’s called a Yukuru and as you can see in the picture above, it’s pretty much just a regular salt lick but it contains one very important ingredient: iron.

That’s right, deer apparently go crazy for the great taste of the metal. It’s a fact that went widely overlooked until now.