Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
This coming spring will mark four years since the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011. While that’s not nearly long enough for the those who experienced the tragedy first-hand to forget about the destruction, sadness, and fear, some politicians are concerned that in time memories will fade, which is why a bill is being introduced in the Japanese Diet to establish March 11 as an official day of remembrance of the disaster.
Have you ever wondered why Pikachu says, “Pika-pika”? It’s just a random noise that sounds like his name, right? Wrong! Pika-pika is actually an onomatopoeia for something sparkling, like lightning– how fitting for a Pokemon whose ability is static electricity! But wait a minute, flashing light doesn’t make a sound! How can it be an onomatopoeia?
Japanese can be, more times than not, a tricky language. Onomatopoeia not only have three distinct categories that far surpass the narrow range of those in English, but can also be used mid-sentence and as various parts of speech. Even seasoned veterans of Japanese can’t always figure out the meanings.
Hands up everyone who loves Japanese food. Now, hands up everyone who loves Tex-Mex. Okay, you can put both of your hands down now. If you’ve never had the pleasure of chowing down on a bowl of delicious “Taco Rice”, then you’re seriously missing out! This Okinawan dish is a staple of the islands, being both tasty and filling while at the same time satisfying many a US military serviceperson’s hankering for a taste of home. We recently picked up a “Taco Rice bento box” from one of the best Taco Rice establishments on Okinawa. Read on for our thoughts!
For some reason, Japan has a deep fascination with giant isopods, the deep-sea creatures that look like, well … giant roaches. Perhaps it’s because of their “unique” appearance, or because one of these critters at the Toba Aquarium in Mie Prefecture became famous for going over five years without eating at all (although that individual is sadly no longer with us), but whatever the cause, these marine creatures seem to make regular appearances on the Japanese Internet in one form or another. In fact, their popularity is such that making cocktail sausages shaped like one of these sea bugs became a hugely popular topic on the Japanese twitterverse earlier this year.
Now, it seems one toy manufacturer has taken Japan’s fondness for isopods one step further and come out with a product modeled after not the actual sea bug itself, but its sausage incarnation — and as a gachapon toy you can buy from a vending machine, no less!
With all of the secular Christmas decoration displays at shopping centers, and Japan’s focus on finding a date at this time of year, it’s all too easy to forget the real reason for the holiday on December 25. Really, the central figure in our minds shouldn’t be Santa, nor the cute girl or hot guy you just went on a Christmas Eve date with.
Christmas is a day when we should all stop for a moment to remember that the holiday is an observation of the birth of an amazing individual. Someone who, at times when our souls are tested, has always been there to show us the way, through his combination of wisdom, courage, and ability to effortlessly slice a 30-meter giant to death.
In other words, happy birthday, Attack on Titan’s Levi!
We’re taking a little break today to spend some quality time with our two favorite men: Santa and Mr. Sato. But while we’re stuffing our faces with Christmas cake and taking selfies with Colonel Sanders, we’ll be sure to pause, raise a glass of whatever questionable liquor Mr. Sato brought along, and toast you, our dedicated reader. Thank you for making 2014 our most successful year yet! And even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, we hope your day is filled with glad tidings and all the fried chicken you can stomach.
Christmas in Japan is more of a romantic date night than a family gathering, and comes with its own set of new(ish) customs, from KFC to strawberry shortcake.
There are some aspects of the modern western Christmas that Japan has adopted unadulterated, however, and one of those is the shopping. And while we’re sure there are plenty of awesome presents exchanged at this time of year, a recent report from Japanese magazine Peachy showed that almost fifty percent of Japanese people surveyed have received a disappointing present from Santa-san.
So what kind of rubbish presents have Japanese parents been putting in their kids’ stockings? Join us after the jump to find out!
Sailor Moon has taken the anime world by storm this past year with the revamped Sailor Moon Crystal. Ever since it premiered this summer, we’ve gotten Sailor Moon lingerie, tortilla chips, and even a holy grail air freshener, but it’s only recently that we’re finally able to do the one thing we’ve wanted all along: become a sailor scout ourselves.
While respect for the elderly and admiration of the experienced are both parts of Japanese culture, when it comes to ideals of fashion and human beauty, the country definitely puts a premium on youth. It’s not at all unusual for the careers of female models, actresses, and entertainers to have their career reach its zenith in their late teens or very early twenties, then disappear from the public eye altogether.
Since 2010, though, the Bimajo Contest beauty pageant has been challenging the idea that if you’re old enough to have graduated from college you’re just about too old to be considered beautiful. Each year assembles a field of attractive women in their late 30s and 40s, and this week the pageant crowned its newest winner.
Most people who have a fondness for Japan have encountered origami at one point or another. It’s certainly one of the most famous of the Japanese paper arts and the origami crane carries so much more meaning than a simple piece of paper.
Another Japanese art that utilizes the complexities of paper is kirie, or paper cutting art. All it takes is a craft knife, a little dedication and free time and you can turn a black piece of paper into a stand-out work of art. Looking for a new hobby this winter vacation? Look no further than kirie!
As someone may have once said, “Great artists steal.” Then again, someone else probably said, “I’ll catch that hack who ripped me off and teach them a lesson or two,” so maybe we should just say that sometimes people “borrow” inspiration to make great things. And sometimes pirates come up with better titles than the original!
Of course, in the world of mobile games, “similar” and “inspired-by” games are the norm–but one Japanese game developer isn’t exactly happy about someone making a game just a bit too similar to his own. Is he overreacting or does he have a good point?
Calling all fans of Interstellar! Can’t get enough of Christopher Nolan? Get yourself this Zero Gravity Armchair from Japanese gadget and technology fiends Thanko and pretend that you’re in space. This large rocking chair even comes with a smartphone stand so you can watch Interstellar at the same time, too.
Join us after the jump for a closer look at this gravity-defying modern-day throne!
There are many “symbols of Japan”–from Mt. Fuji to Akihabara, the country has numerous faces to the outside world. But regardless of what comes to mind when you think of the country, there’s a good chance that you’ll stop by one of its many convenience stores on the way to your destination. In many ways, the army of small shops that squat on half the corners from Hokkaido to Okinawa are the perfect symbol of the country. But it looks like the convenience stores of Japan are now facing a serious problem: They can’t find enough employees!
Artistic talent, creativity and pop culture geekery seem to overlap way more than to call it all a coincidence. Super fandom in one or another or more pop culture franchises seems to inspire a lot of creative energy.
This would all seem to fly in the face of everyone’s disappointed parents who insist we stop wasting our lives and talents on video games and go out and get a job. No, no, go out and get a real job instead of just bloggertweeting about Japanese anime and cats and OKAY MOM I HEARD YOU THE FIRST HUNDRED TIMES!
Anyway, the point of this meandering lede is that some My Little Pony fans (possibly the much-talked about Bronies and possibly their female counterparts… My Little Pony fans?) have been doing a pretty swell job of turning their favorite anime characters into MLP characters and we thought we’d share some:
What happens when you combine the moves of traditional Chinese martial arts with the modern sport of basketball? A whole lot of awesome, that’s what.
A particular group of basketball freestylers have been making waves recently with a video of their impressive tai chi-basketball infusion.
A trait of good business leaders is that however high they rise in the company, they never overlook the organization’s frontline operations. It’s important, even for presidents and CEOs, to understand how low-level employees go about their tasks and the manner in which products are purchased and used.
According to accusations from Korean electronics maker Samsung, though, a senior executive from rival LG Electronics got a little too zealous in his point-of-sale activities when he stopped by a retailer and broke one of Samsung’s display models.
This past year the Tokyo Metro has been brought to life in many different ways, ranging from a spaghetti-alien map to, well, a 3-D spaghetti-alien map. But it’s the latest re-imagining of the Tokyo Metro in the highly versatile SVG format that’s currently causing a lot of commotion online.
Manga artist Masashi Kishimoto’s ninja saga Naruto finally came to a close last month. But after 15 years of being on the receiving end of the awesome artwork and heartfelt words of the Naruto cast, fans now have a chance to send some of their own with a nifty message-writing tool on the franchise’s official website.
Unfortunately, it isn’t very user-friendly. But just like how Naruto’s titular blond ninja never gives up in the face of adversity, so too have fans found a way to work around the clunky interface and come up with some powerfully cool creations.
Especially during this hectic holiday season it sure would be nice to get away from it all. Everyone needs a chance to refresh and get a new perspective on things. And what better way to get a new perspective than to visit an upside down house?
You might be thinking “What, are you high? There are no upside down houses where I live.” Well, you might be right about the high part, but couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to upside down houses because they can be found all over the world it seems. Here is just a small sampling of these dizzying monuments, perhaps one of them is in your very own backyard – or over it.
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Move aside, convenience store egg sando – there’s a better version of the iconic sandwich in Japan
Almost all Japanese women say they dislike random gacha/blind-box toys in survey
Pokémon hot spring footbath opening in Japan this spring
We take a cat yoga class at a Japanese rescue cat cafe
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
McDonald’s Japan has free smiles on its delivery menu, but does asking for one make a difference?
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
Underwater Knee High Girls appear in new exhibition celebrating soft thighs and kaiju monsters
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 Tokyo
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flawLawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in JapanJapanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
Japanese government wants overseas anime market to roughly triple in 10 years, but are they crazy?
Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Japanese bento shop sells croquettes for 13 cents, but are they any good?
Final version of Sanrio: Beginning of Kawaii exhibition opens in Tokyo[Photos]
Japan’s popular bead bonsai kit is as beautiful as it is gruelling to make
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration eventsWisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
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 timeInjuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
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
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
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
We take a cat yoga class at a Japanese rescue cat cafe
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
McDonald’s Japan has free smiles on its delivery menu, but does asking for one make a difference?
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
Underwater Knee High Girls appear in new exhibition celebrating soft thighs and kaiju monsters
Hana Komon: Japan’s beautiful, samurai-style floral birthday crests
Japan’s Top 10 Scenic Train Trips–according to two “densha otaku” train guides
Starbucks Japan releases the new Soupuccino, but is it everything it’s cracked up to be?
Police in Japan warn of scam artists posing as cops to collect fines for breaking new bike rules
Daiso opens massive new 25,392-square foot Tokyo flagship store with its two sub-brands included
Full cast of live-action Final Fantasy X play appears in costume for the first time【Pics】
McDonald’s Japan now has Hello Kitty and Pompompurin drinks on the menu
7-Eleven Japan releases a crazy new viral sandwich: Chocolate Sprinkles and Whipped Cream
Mysterious “The Color of That Sky” bath bombs selling at Don Quijote
