Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Hello Kitty was a hot topic for a while last year when news suddenly broke that Kitty-chan wasn’t a cat! Of course that subject was cleared up by Sanrio representatives, but it got us wondering, what other sordid secrets does Hello Kitty hide behind that cute veneer? One of the writers for our Japanese-language sister site Pouch is a huge Hello Kitty fan and she’s compiled a list of factoids about the lovable Kitty-chan. You will definitely learn something new after reading this 33-item list!
Hello Kitty is one of Japan’s greatest cultural exports and one of the world’s most famous cats despite being both a) fictional and b) not quite a cat. But now, the pinnacle of Kitty-chan merchandise has been reached. We don’t need to buy any more cute pens or candy or even any toy money.
What is the Hello Kitty merchandise to end all Hello Kitty merchandise? Nothing less than a Hello Kitty diving suit.
Despite our fondness of cats here at RocketNews24, we do still have a soft spot for pooches. So here’s something to appease the dog-loving readers of our site–a new line of gel dog beds sold by Japanese pet interior brand UNIHABITAT, which are designed to recreate the feeling of lying between a human’s legs.
Get ready, pampered pooches of the world, because you’re in for a treat–if your jealous humans don’t buy them all up for themselves first, that is!
When one of our Japanese writers grew frustrated with Mr. Sato spending so much money on his lunch while at the office, they decided to show him that it’s possible to get great food at a fraction of the cost. And not just any food, but takoyaki!
Cheap takoyaki? This place must be in Osaka, right? Wrong! Mr. Sato soon found himself on an altogether different flight from Haneda airport, bound for octopus balls and adventure.
Gintama fans are in for a special treat as a cafe in Ikebukuro is re-working its image and re-opening as Yorozuya, the “we do everything” office from the Gintama manga.
While this cafe won’t be able to help you with all your life problems, they will be able to satisfy your need to eat, dine and be merry surrounded by Gintama characters and decor. This special theme cafe will finally make a Yorozuya store a reality and you only have to wait until this August.
Japan, thanks to its obsession with limited-edition and seasonal foods, has come to be known for its unusual drinks and snacks that come out throughout the year – matcha-flavored Kit Kats, purple sweet potato milkshakes, and sakura flavored hamburgers to name but a few.
Soda is no exception in the world of weird flavors, what with shiso and salted watermelon flavors having graced store shelves in the past. But here’s an even crazier one for all of you adventurous eaters out there: grilled eel flavor soda.
They may have come from China originally, but Japan has made gyouza – those little parcels of deliciousness that go perfectly with a cold beer – their own just as much as they did ramen. Tasty and moreish whether made fresh at home or bought in bulk at the supermarket, gyouza are one of the simpler foods you’re likely to encounter on a trip to Japan, but one that you’d be a fool to miss out on.
But while we may all agree that these things are delicious, one issue divides us on the gyouza front: namely, are they better 焼き yaki (fried on one side before being steamed in the pan), or 水 sui (gently boiled and often served with, or sometimes even containing, tasty soup)? Some argue that sui is the purer, not to mention healthier, form of gyouza, but others will tell you that yaki is infinitely better.
Let’s find out what you good people have to say on the matter!
While visiting friends who were a part of the recent Naruto stage production, Japanese film and music star Gackt was left with a bad feeling. Having watched one of the overseas Naruto performances, the singer couldn’t help but notice the lack of people in the audience.
Gackt doesn’t rule out possible flaws with the play such as too much material crammed into a short time. However, as he wrote in a recent impassioned blog post, he thinks the real culprit may be the Japanese government and their Cool Japan promotional program, which he feels is anything but.
It’s a well-established fact that Disney theme parks are places of dream and magic. Well, visitors to Tokyo Disney Resort can now feel the magic even while washing their hands — courtesy of the special “Hand Washing Areas” that officially opened today July 1 at both parks in the Resort.
Yes, guests at Tokyo Disney Resort can now wash their hands with adorable Mickey-shaped soap foam, and parents just may have to deal with their children wanting to wash their hands too many times instead of not enough!
Walk into any Japanese convenience store or supermarket, and you’ll find a row of rice balls waiting. You can always count on the old standards, such as salmon, pickled plum, and spicy cod roe being represented, but each store also sets aside a bit of shelf space for unique, limited-time versions as well.
In the past, this form of carbohydrate-packed one-upmanship has given us such wonders as the bacon cheeseburger musubi and headscratchers as the fish butt onigiri (musubi being one of the Japanese words for “rice ball,” and onigiri the other). It’s always a flip of the culinary coin whether these outside-the-box rice balls are going to be a hit or a miss, but when we heard about ramen-style onigiri, we were immediately onboard.
There are some people out there who aren’t afraid to take their fandom to a whole new level. Take Somchai Nitimongkolchai from Thailand, for example, who opened up a museum dedicated to his most favorite superhero of all time – the one and only Batman.
The unique thing about this exhibit, though, is that everything in the museum is part of Somchai’s very own private collection of over 50,000 pieces, including one-of-a-kind figures, posters, a LEGO-replica of Gotham City, and yes, of course, even the Batmobile.
July in Japan means Mt Fuji is open for business. For the next two months, shops at the 5th station become bustling hives of activity, hikers line the various trails up to the summit and tour buses start jamming the roads.
But what about the dreams of our feline friends who yearn for the thrill of scaling Mt Fuji? Well now they don’t even have to leave their air-conditioned homes because compliant owners can finally bring the mountain to their cats. Kitty’s goal of dominating Japan’s highest mountain can be achieved at last!
A luxury leisure resort on the lush hillside of Okinawa. Panoramic ocean views. A waterpark, a petting zoo, a night club. Now crumbling into ruins, swallowed up by nature reclaiming the land developers tried to take. Perhaps the owners should have known better than to build on the site of ancient tombs. The local priests warned them. But they didn’t listen.
This is the tale of Okinawa’s Nakagusuku Kogen Hotel, one of the most haunted abandoned sites in Japan.
“I mean, we have sushi here in Cuba, but it’s terrible. You’re better off eating it in Japan!” That was the advice our reporter Yuichiro got when, craving a taste of home, he asked a Cuban friend where he could find some tasty sushi in his home country.
But for some reason, his friend’s protestations made our intrepid reporter even more intrigued. “Looking back on it now though,” says Yuichiro, “I wish I’d quit while I was ahead…”
Not too long after we started dating, my wife and I were walking through a seaside park, hand-in-hand. The sun was shining and the mood relaxing and romantic. Just as I took a deep breath of the sweet ocean breeze, though, an insect landed on my wife’s arm, causing her to scream, recoil in horror, and practically pull my shoulder out of its socket.
And that’s how I found out she really hates bugs.
She’s not alone in that regard, either, as a recent poll of women in Japan found that more than half are too terrified to face their creepy crawly adversaries head-on, and also revealed a suave kabe-don wall pound-like move guys can do to score points with the ladies.
Remember those beautiful edible “jewels” that we shared with you a couple of weeks ago? Made simply from sugar, agar-agar, and a beverage of your choice, the jewels are both pretty to look at and make a cool – in both senses of the word – summer treat.
They’re still all the rage right now on Japanese social media, so our Japanese reporter Shimazu decided to try making some jewel flavor combinations for herself. She even experimented with three different manners of preparation–serving them right away, freezing them, and letting them sit for a few days to harden.
Which method of making them do you think she enjoyed the most?
During my time in Japan, I’ve been thrown into a cherry blossom tree, hit by a car, and sucker punched by a wannabe tough guy in Shibuya Station, but luckily I’ve never needed to be hospitalized. That means I’ve been able to avoid the anxiety-filled situation of having a doctor explain an urgent medical procedure to me in a foreign language, but it also means I’ve been missing out on some of the mouth-watering food some Japanese hospitals serve.
You may have heard that Japan is obsessed with youth, which is ironic for a country with an ageing population , this is ironic. In fact, Japan is purported to have the highest proportion of elderly citizens compared to all other countries. With so many older folks making up a vast percentage of the population, why is Japan’s society still often casually ageist, particularly towards women?
A recent poll asked “at what age does a woman become middle-aged?” and the results are extremely telling.
For many Japanese, somen is the go to food of choice for keeping the summer heat exhaustion blues away. These thin, white Japanese noodles that resemble vermicelli are traditionally made from wheat flour and served chilled.
But what do you do if a somen craving hits and you don’t have a full serving of mentsuyu, or noodle dipping sauce, on hand to eat them with? What if you’re tired or eating somen the traditional way? Or what if you’re in need of a little caffeine kick with your meal?
If you answered mix your noodle sauce with Starbucks coffee, congratulations! We’re stumped as to how our Japanese staff arrived at this weird food combination, but apparently it tastes much better than it sounds.
It’s been made into an anime TV series, live-action film, and Takarazuka stage musical, but more than anything else, it’s the original manga that’s captured the hearts of Rose of Versailles fans. Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, the series’ themes of desperate love, self-sacrifice, and challenging gender norms have been striking a chord with readers for over four decades.
Unlike last year, there’s no new volume of Rose of Versailles coming out this summer. However, there is still going to be a ton of new illustrations in the form of entries to a Rose of Versailles fan art competition that’s accepting submissions online right now, awarding impressive cash prizes, and being judged by the manga’s creator, Riyoko Ikeda herself.
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Samurai Coffee: Try Edo period coffee once enjoyed by Japanese warriors
Beard Papa goes beyond just matcha with its new premium green tea cream puffs
Studio Ghibli releases crystal glass paperweights featuring Totoro and the Catbus
Eating cheap sushi in a narrow building in Tokyo is an adventure for bold diners
Uniqlo’s high-end sunglasses are a fashion minefield for anyone who isn’t Mr. Sato
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Police in Osaka file charges against resident for serial pigeon/crow feeding
Studio Ghibli releases new anime keychains that are like miniature figurinesJapan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at homeThe average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey showsJapan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trioStudio Ghibli releases new anime keychains that are like miniature figurines
Brand-new Square Enix Cafe to open in Tokyo…and in Los Angeles too!Studio Ghibli releases crystal glass paperweights featuring Totoro and the Catbus
Dorayaki from 89-year-old Japanese confectionery shop is one of the best sweets hidden in Tokyo
What are the worst things about living in the Japanese countryside?[Survey]
Retro-style Evangelion T-shirts coming to Uniqlo sister brand GU[Photos]
Viral tweet suggests Japanese convenience store ripping off customers with donuts, so we investigate
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to TokyoJapan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration eventsThe average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
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
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 saysJapan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Uniqlo’s high-end sunglasses are a fashion minefield for anyone who isn’t Mr. Sato
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Police in Osaka file charges against resident for serial pigeon/crow feeding
Studio Ghibli releases new anime keychains that are like miniature figurines
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Viral tweet suggests Japanese convenience store ripping off customers with donuts, so we investigate
Sega opening 65th anniversary store in downtotn Tokyo with deep-cut game merch
Japanese hair salons going bankrupt in record numbers
Retro-style Evangelion T-shirts coming to Uniqlo sister brand GU[Photos]
Hayao Miyazaki’s Whisper of the Heart concept art revealed in new Ghibli illustration book
Japan’s 30 Best Selling Video Games of All Time
Lipton releases… Pudding Milk Tea in Japan?!?
49-year-old Japanese shut-in spends weeks living with corpse of mother who died at home