Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
We’ve got the info on an upcoming event in Nakano, to be held on Saturday October 31; in other words, Halloween. The event will turn the area around Nakano Station, which includes Nakano Broadway, and Nakano Sun Plaza shopping areas, into anime heaven for the day. You’ll be able to get into the spirit of the holiday by dressing up in cosplay, snap some great photos of other people’s intricate cosplay creations, or just be content with watching the various costume parades and shows on offer.
Russia is a fascinating country for many reasons, but food tends not to be one of them. For example, how many of us have a Russian restaurant in our neighborhoods? It’s not surprising as dishes with names like “borscht” don’t exactly electrify the taste buds.
But not so fast! One Russian dish has been trending online recently not only for its delicious taste but its adorable appearance as well: Squid Piglets! As you might imagine they are little pigs made out of squid and other delicious stuff.
Or, if you’re struggling to imagine such a thing, join our reporter Meg as she shows us how to make these squiggly wiggly little squid-piglets.
Back in the spring, we got all weak in the knees when Nintendo decided to forgo hard plastic and instead craft an Amiibo figure of its loveable dinosaur Yoshi out of soft, cuddly wool. But while the yarn Yoshi can help you play through the game and look adorable perched on the palm of your hand, he’s a little too small for a proper cuddle.
So for those gamers who want to give Yoshi a proper squeeze, Nintendo is releasing a jumbo-sized version.
In the west, there’s a wide range of stores selling affordable and cute fashion marketed towards teens, such as H&M, TopShop, Zara and Forever 21. But in Japan, one of the most popular places for picking up cute clothes is the interestingly named chain store Cecil McBee. With a name seemingly pilfered for some bizarre reason from Tulsa-born jazz musician Cecil McBee (he even tried to sue, but was unsuccessful), the chain has stores across Japan, with a main store located inside the trendy 109 shopping centre in Shibuya.
Now, however, the chain is branching out from fashion to release a range of educational books aimed at junior high school girls with adorably kawaii covers and illustrations. After all, you still want to look cute while you’re studying, don’t you?
People are often loathe to part with their books, even after they’ve finished reading them. Thick, hardbound editions in particular have a sense of presence that entices literature lovers to hang on to them.
Sure, maybe you’re never going to go back and leaf through that heavy tome again, but doesn’t it look stately as it sits on the shelf? It might, but it would look a lot cooler if you used the pages to make one of these amazing folded paper pieces of art.
Waterfalls and tropical vegetation make for some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. There’s just something about raw, untamed nature that fills the human mind with wonder, and Lake Sebu and its Seven Falls in the Philippines is certain to wow even the most experienced eco-tourist.
But in addition to beautiful scenery, it turns out there is also an exciting way to take in the sights: Ziplining! Sadly, Lake Sebu isn’t exactly close to home for most of us. Fortunately, one visitor has made videos of his experience available online so we can all see the Seven Falls for ourselves!
Imagine you’re driving down a country road, when you see an overturned truck up ahead. Thankfully, no one appears to have been hurt in the accident, but the damaged vehicle is blocking the lane, and since it’s spilled its cargo all over the road, you’re probably in for a frustrating wait before you can continue on to your destination.
Not the most pleasant scenario, is it? Unless, of course, that cargo happens to be thousands of adorable baby chicks.
With just under four months to go until we finally get Episode 7 of Star Wars, many people have a galaxy far, far away on their minds. Some people are clamoring for any and all kinds of movie tidbits, while other fans are desperately trying to avoid all spoilers. Which means it’s the perfect time to release some “alternate reality” Star Wars toys to the public.
Although, when your toy is this cool looking, any time is the perfect time.
It stands to reason that, upon reaching the age of 60 years, a man will find himself in possession of knowledge that he wants to share with younger generations. As a matter of fact, he may even feel compelled to do so, especially if his vocation is one that involves the dissemination of important lessons.
That might have been a factor in the decisions made by Shoden Yamazaki, former head priest of the Choshoji Buddhist temple in Akita Prefecture. And, truth be told, the lesson he claims he wanted to spread, “If you’re not careful, people might steal your lingerie,” is a valuable one.
However, being a good teacher is as much about how you deliver the message as it is the message itself. While it drives the point home, warning people about underwear security by dressing up in a skirt and high heels, then stealing their bras and panties, probably isn’t the best, or even really legal, methodology, which is why Yamazaki now finds himself on trial for lingerie theft.
Even though your mother would like you to know that it’s a silly, pointless hobby to spend your time trying to dress up like video game characters, and also, would it kill you to bring a girl home once in a while, Mike, instead of staying in your room all day reading those weird Japanese comic books?, cosplay is actually kind of hard work and requires a lot of commitment.
Sometimes that commitment comes in the form diligently researching every detail of a character, up to and including freeze frames from films and anime to get every dent, scratch and imperfection in your costume just right. Sometimes it’s commitment in the form of slaving away over the plastic pieces of your storm trooper outfit to ensure they fit together perfectly and are comfortable to wear and are appropriately badass.
And sometimes, it’s in the form of dropping the equivalent of a used car in cash to just buy a pre-made kit.
One of the things you may notice when you come to Japan is how much drinking seems to be going on. Certain Japanese societal circles (the workplace, university clubs, etc) run more smoothly with the help of alcoholic lubrication in the form of after-hours “drinking parties” to facilitate team-building and bonding—it’s called nomication (or nominication), a portmanteau of “nomu” (to drink) and “communication”.
So we were quite surprised to discover recently that Japan’s level of alcoholic beverage consumption is actually way, way down. But why?
Ah, summer. In Japan that means festivals, barbecuing on the beach, and smashing watermelons while blindfolded. It also means going on exciting camping trips in the wilderness with your friends… or maybe with Pokémon friends instead!
Camping with Pokémon is now totally possible, thanks to a new line of adorable sleeping bag plushies. Want to roast some marshmallows and tell ghost stories with Pikachu? Find out how after the jump!
Urbangarde first caught my attention last year with the release of their video for “Sakura Memento”, a song off the 2014 album Utsukushii Kuni. I’ve been rocking out to their music and pondering their quixotic videos in the many months since then, enjoying their mix of pop, rock, and electronic music. So when a chance meeting resulted in the opportunity to sit down and talk with the band’s vocalists Yoko Hamasaki and Temma Matsunaga, I nearly popped out of my skin with excitement!
If you’ve ever wondered how they come up with lyrics, why they’re so “negative,” and whether they enjoy touring or recording more, read on. Also, be sure to check out their latest video for the new single, “Coin Locker Babies”, after the jump!
In 2008, anime fans around the world would have loved to trade places with Catherine St. Onge, better known by her stage name, Himeka. The then-27-year-old Canadian singer had just won a national anime song contest in Japan, besting over 3,000 rivals to secure a recording contract and guaranteed theme song performance for an upcoming anime series.
Unfortunately, fame is a fickle thing. Unable to secure commercial success or a new work visa, Himeka had to return to Canada in 2014, even as she wistfully stated she wanted to remain in Japan forever. A year later, though, she’s singing a very different tune, tweeting that she “probably shouldn’t have come to Japan” in the first place and regrets her time in the country.
What happens when you cross Nintendo’s Super Mario with a respected art form from Japanese history? Is it a brand new Mario Paint game? Nope, although that would be pretty cool.
What you actually get is the famous Rimpa folding screen “Wind and Thunder Gods” remade with Mario and Luigi. The results are so fantastic that it’s being put on display at a special exhibit at the Art Museum Eki Kyoto. Join us after the jump for all the juicy Mario art details.
We here at RocketNews24 like to think of ourselves as gurus of internet love advice. From bird boyfriends to bringing virtual girlfriends to your own wedding, one might say that we’ve got almost everything covered. But what happens when you’re hungry for something new? Well, isn’t it obvious?
When you’re feeling down in the dumps, which mass-produced wonder is always there for you? Sliced bread. Which food is readily available world-wide, and will always be there to absorb your tears? Sliced bread. Which food will never leave you for a younger, toastier love interest? Sliced bread!
Of course just like people, not all breads are created equal. We assigned our brave but heartbroken Japanese reporter to test out the top five Japanese breads for cuddling. So read on and see if your favorite loaf makes the cut!
It stands to reason that you shouldn’t be moving around outdoors during a typhoon. At best you’re going to get soaking wet, and potentially injury-causing flying debris are be a legitimate safety concern.
As if to serve as a reminder, the typhoon currently battering Japan decided to remind everyone to stay put by using its 255-kilometer per hour (158.8 miles per hour) winds to dramatically wreck some Okinawan drivers’ cars.
Throughout the world, the Japanese are known as being a particularly diligent and hardworking people, perhaps even to a fault. They are viewed as being bound by honor to devote their lives to their company and inner circle of closest friends and family.
Italians, on the other hand, are often thought to be, shall we say, extremely laid-back. Insofar as these things can be quantified, Italians work, on average, a bit less than those in many other countries, are quicker than many to hug and show affection, and are generally understood to be considerably less formal (and more, um… amorous) than the Japanese and others in both work and personal life. And with Japan being one of the most homogeneous countries in the world, and also being an island nation, it’s pretty common for the Japanese to exaggerate stereotypes even more than people from the rest of the world, as interaction with foreigners tends to be limited.
Which is why these “OMG, that’s soooo Italian!” Twitter stories Japanese Netizens shared about their encounters with Italian friends and acquaintances are apparently considered the pinnacle of comedy here in Japan. Let’s take a look.
As one of Tokyo’s swankiest neighborhoods, Ginza is home to numerous up-scale restaurants and cafes that will as much do damage to your wallet as fill your stomach with delicious food. From French cuisine to delicious brunch, you can find just about anything in Ginza—including a Vampire Cafe!
Though you might not expect to see many theme restaurants like this in Ginza, it turns out these bloodsuckers have been going strong for over a decade. If you’re hoping for a night of spine-tingles and blood-red everything, this is the place for you!
If you’re a passionate fan of a particular of anime, movie, or video game, we’re guessing you’ve got at least one T-shirt in your wardrobe celebrating the franchise. But fandom isn’t a monotheistic religion, so if you don’t want your ability to wear your enthusiasm for the many series you love on your chest to be limited by your single torso, why not slip on one of these double-duty shirts that simultaneously broadcast your affection for Sailor Moon, Totoro, Baymax, and other heroes of animation?
Studio Ghibli releases the My Neighbour Totoro tea caddy, with a magical self-closing lid
A secluded British mansion in Chiba is a hidden holy land for afternoon tea lovers
Nissin Donbei to sell Classic line of instant udon and soba noodles for its 50th anniversary
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Japan now has a “for foreign tourists only” Mt. Fuji sightseeing train[Video]
Create a tiny Ghibli anime world on your bookshelf with new miniature papercraft art kits
Looks are deceiving when it comes to these backpacks from anello, the new hot-item bags in Japan
Naomi Watanabe is moving to the U.S., switching base of operations to outside Japan
Japan has a special foil for roasting sweet potatoes at home, and it’s like having a time machine
It’s illegal for yakuza to go to professional baseball games in Japan, Tokyo arrests remind us
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping listStarbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Cherry blossoms begin blooming in Japan with record-early starts for sakura season
Tokyo government organizes food truck event to clear out delinquent/homeless teen gathering area
The next time you’re feeling stressed out, you could relax on a Pokémon Psyduck chair from Japan
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Nine amazing off-the-beaten-path cherry blossom spots in Japan for yaezakura and shidarezakura
Stunning central Japan wisteria festival is like a purple fantasy straight out of a Ghibli movie
When will the cherry blossoms reach full bloom in Japan this year?[Forecast]
Studio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime characterJapanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping listStarbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day FrappuccinoCherry blossoms begin blooming in Japan with record-early starts for sakura seasonStudio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
Virtual idol Hatsune Miku redesigned with look that adds new elements and brings back old ones
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
Create a tiny Ghibli anime world on your bookshelf with new miniature papercraft art kits
Looks are deceiving when it comes to these backpacks from anello, the new hot-item bags in Japan
Naomi Watanabe is moving to the U.S., switching base of operations to outside Japan
Japan has a special foil for roasting sweet potatoes at home, and it’s like having a time machine
It’s illegal for yakuza to go to professional baseball games in Japan, Tokyo arrests remind us
Starbucks Japan releases the new Soupuccino, but is it everything it’s cracked up to be?
All-you-can-eat cheeseburgers offered by Burger King Japan for its 1,495-calorie King Yeti burger
Why you should be adding Calpis to your beer in Japan
Secret Starbucks sausage customization sparks sweet joy in Japan[Taste test]
Wagyu Burger opens in Tokyo, serving up highest-grade beef at reasonable prices
This one delicious Japanese dessert has at least six different names
Don’t get your lips stuck to this Coke bottle made entirely of ice