Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Artist and T-shirt designer Saqman, who, despite his pen-name inadvertently reminding this writer of genitals, actually seems like a pretty wholesome guy, recently put together this spiffy and kind of spookily appropriate-looking mashup of Spirited Away and Alice in Wonderland, and it really works on a level we never really thought about!
If you’re feeling a little jaded on romance in these days of impersonal dating apps, casual hookups and seeing who can pretend to be the most indifferent, then pull up a chair and watch this heart-warming video! RocketNews24’s intrepid team of reporters hit the streets of Sugamo, Tokyo to interview some of the shopping district’s oldest and wisest residents on matters of the heart, touching on topics such as money vs looks, where to find hot guys in Tokyo, and why you’re never too old to fall in love.
There’s a unique art to making video game background music. It has to be engaging enough to produce an emotional response, but not so much that it becomes a distraction from the gameplay. Each piece has to quickly establish its tone, but can’t be so simplistic that it becomes repetitive on the many occasions where the music loops around for a second play during the hero’s journey across the map or epic boss fight.
For years, the Pokémon franchise has been hitting the nail on the head with its soundtracks, and if that musical accompaniment adds a special something to your quest to catch ‘em all, why can’t it do the same to a late night of studying or your commute to work? So not only will a new app let you play Pokémon music on your smartphone, it’ll even give you a regular batch of free listens.
We can just imagine how immensely excited all of England must be about the birth of the new princess (and we’ve all swooned over the darling pictures, haven’t we?) … because we’re pretty excited here in Japan too! It seems the Japanese public has always had a fondness for the British royal family, perhaps because we have our own well-respected and loved imperial family, and the new royal baby has received huge attention on the Japanese media.
We’ve been so delighted with the birth of Princess Charlotte, in fact, that a British themed boutique in Omotesando, Tokyo, has welcomed to their store the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — well, their very life-like figures, actually, and we visited the shop to join in the celebration!
One of the best scenes in any martial arts movie is when a skilled fighter shows off just how powerful he is by fighting blindfolded. After all, a true master of hand-to-hand combat should be able to utilize his other senses to defeat his opponent.
But if one blindfolded pugilist is cool, two blindfolded combatants going against each other must be even more awesome, right? Not always, but it does make for plenty of physical comedy, as this video of blindfolded boxing shows.
Every now and then, Japan takes a shine to something that’s new to it but much more common overseas. Chairs, for example, were pretty much nonexistent in the country until the late 1800s, but now you’ll find them in just about every home except the most bare-bones of bachelor pads. Beer (one of the greatest beverages to enjoy while sitting on said chairs) is another foreign concept that’s gained mainstream popularity.
Likewise, although it’s taken some time to catch on, the number of places offering free Wi-Fi in Japan has been steadily increasing over the last few years, and is now available on the Tohoku Shinkansen and all of the stations on Tokyo’s most convenient train line.
Back in 2009, a research team from the University of Tokyo led by Professor Tsutomu Miyasaka found that a substance called perovskite had the potential to generate solar power. However, at the time it only had a very weak power conversion efficiency (PCE) of about four percent and would break down in just a few minutes.
Because of these sizable flaws, not could practical use could be made of perovskite and the discovery lay dormant for a few years. Then, after a Korean team managed to double the PCE in 2011, research into the material was reignited. Now as scientists around the world continue to work on it, the PCE has become well above 20 percent and comparable with the standard silicon-based solar panels that we see today.
With perovskite being drastically cheaper to produce, more flexible to use, and now as efficient as regular solar panels, could we be on the verge of a solar energy revolution?
One of the great things about services like Airbnb, which help travelers and independent lodging owners find each other, is that they let guests find exactly the type of accommodations they want. For example, you might not have any need for the business center or room service of a traditional hotel. Maybe your personal checklist instead includes laundry facilities, a kitchen, and a full complement of awesome Super Mario interior accents.
If so, this short-term apartment in Tokyo is just the place for your next stay in the capital.
Disney lovers have Disneyland, Harry Potter fans got The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and even those who like Hello Kitty and her friends have the Sanrio Puroland.
And now Mario fans have reason to celebrate, as Nintendo has announced its partnership with Universal to bring you the first Nintend0-themed park attractions!
Japan’s always had a soft spot for the dashing, regal couple of the U.K.’s Prince William and wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. The warmhearted admiration got kicked up a notch when the prince (who’s also a duke, just for good measure) made his first trip to Japan this spring, and the infatuation went into overdrive this week with the news of the birth of the couple’s second child.
That exuberance has manifested itself in many ways, including visitors to an animal park in Oita Prefecture deciding that the facility’s newborn baby should share the infant princess’ name, Charlotte.
Not everyone agrees that’s such an honor, though.
You guys, it’s May, so that means you can finally go see the beautiful wisteria tunnel that we told you about last October! If you find yourself anywhere near northern Kyushu or have time for a weekend getaway, head to Fukuoka Prefecture’s Kitakyushu City. If you think we’re exaggerating or doctoring the pictures to make them more beautiful (we’re not), at least trust the opinion of the Japanese Twitter users gushing over the wisteria’s beauty!
On 17 April, a man whom the Chinese media is referring to as Zhang headed for the toilet to perform a crucial part of his morning routine. There would be no chance to catch up on the sports section of his paper this day, however.
During his bowel movement the man in his 40s experienced a severe pain in his anus. It wasn’t until the pain grew so intense that he could barely walk that Zhang decided to seek medical help.
And so begins a lesson on chewing your food properly.
Even when speaking with fellow English speakers, sometimes you realize that the same thing can be called a variety of names. (Try calling soda “pop” in most of the US and enjoy the funny looks you get.) The same is true in Japan, where, thanks to regional dialects, some people have a hard time being understood when they leave their hometowns.
One Twitter user recently brought regional dialect differences to the forefront of the Internet when he surveyed over a thousand people about the word they would use to describe a certain way of sitting. Collecting and plotting the data on a map of Japan, the results have been surprising people from all regions!
So there’s some good news and some bad news about Digimon Adventure tri., the follow-up to the phenomenally popular Digimon Adventure anime that’s set 15 years after the events of the original. The bad news is, contrary to early speculation, Digimon Adventure tri., isn’t going to be airing on Japanese TV during either the spring or the summer.
The good news is, the latest installment in the franchise is a theatrical feature, just the first of six parts of the new series, and we now know when we get to see it!
It seems that when Japanese food makes its way over to America, something gets lost in translation and the food winds up inside-out. Just look at California rolls, for example.
And now, here’s another example of Japanese food being flipped: “Ramen burgers” which usually consist of a bun filled with ramen noodles, have been reborn in the US as, um, “ramen burgers”, but with a twist – the meat patty is sandwiched between two “buns” made of tightly packed noodles!
We sent our resident office culinary “expert” Mr Sato down to the first “US-style ramen burger” joint in Japan for a taste test!
It’s time once again for an episode of Why Does Engrish Happen in Japan? If you missed the first installment (which we really should have given a clever name like Why Does Engrish Happen in Japan? ~Unexpected Opening to the Truth~) you can check it out here.
Today, we’re taking a look at a hotel in Japan that seems to be clamping down on solo peeing, with a sign posted in its lobby that requests visitors “Please refrain from using the bathroom alone.”
Congratulations, Japan; you’re on your way to being awarded yet another UNESCO World Heritage honor!
This time around the honor will be going to “Sites of Japan Meiji Industrial Revolution,” which includes Nagasaki’s legendary (and awesomely spooky) “Battleship Island” among others, granted it passes the final approval stage.
While people in Japan put up decorations to celebrate different holidays, most of them are placed inside the home, such as the dolls for Girls’ Day/Hina Matsuri in March or the vegetables displayed during Obon in the summer. Out in public, though, though, you’d be hard-pressed to tell one Japanese holiday from another, with the exception of Children’s Day/Kodomo no Hi on May 5.
That’s because when Children’s Day rolls around, all you have to do is look up at all of the beautifully awesome carp streamers flying overhead,
Hilton’s Odawara Resort & Spa, tucked away in Kanagawa Prefecture’s southwestern Odawara City, is offering something that you and your children simply can’t refuse: the opportunity for them to participate in special ninja training during your brief stay at the hotel!
Thanks to Japan’s love of fashion and animals, you can walk into just about any pet shop and find cute outfits for your dog. From styles that copy human duds such as shirts and dresses to playful costumes that look like cartoon characters or other animals, you can easily put together a wardrobe a pooch that’s as extensive as that of its human owner.
On the other hand, there’s a lot less to choose from in off-the-rack clothing for a pet squirrel. It turns out that you don’t have to go to the pet supply store to have your loveable little companion looking dashing, though, or even be handy with a needle and thread. All you need is some leftover veggies.
Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
The Almost All Lettuce Burger from Dom Dom Burger really lives up to its name
Hayao Miyazaki gifts autographed Ghibli anime cel to president of France[Photo]
Three ways going to see cherry blossoms alone is better than seeing them with other people
Nintendo’s Animal Crossing crosses over into Japanese convenience store cosmetics line[Photos]
Why is Yoshinoya called Yoshinoya?
Japan’s prime minister exchanges Dragon Ball kamehamehas with president of France[Video]
Meet the Mega Bento, a Japanese meal that’s heavier than a newborn baby
Japan has vending machines that put protective film on your phone for you — Here’s how to use them
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
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Totoro and Calcifer become little light-up lanterns for Ghibli-style excursions or at-home decor
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]
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
Fatal stabbing at Pokémon Center in Tokyo reignites concern over rising stalking cases in Japan
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026Japan 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
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime characterKrispy 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
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
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
Nintendo’s Animal Crossing crosses over into Japanese convenience store cosmetics line[Photos]
Why is Yoshinoya called Yoshinoya?
Japan’s prime minister exchanges Dragon Ball kamehamehas with president of France[Video]
Meet the Mega Bento, a Japanese meal that’s heavier than a newborn baby
Japan has vending machines that put protective film on your phone for you — Here’s how to use them
Pachinko parlor worker lists the three worst types of customers in Japan’s gambling dens
Japan now has a “for foreign tourists only” Mt. Fuji sightseeing train[Video]
Tokyo travel hack: How to enjoy a free sightseeing boat tour around Tokyo Bay
What it’s like to get a haircut at Japan’s oldest barber shop
Float all of your troubles away with a boat ride down the Shimanto River in Kochi Prefecture
Small-breasted Japanese women sound off on common thoughts and experiences of sub-busty life
Pokémon lacquerware series expands for Year of the Horse with new handcrafted design[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday