Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Driving drunk is a serious matter, and no matter what country you’re in, you can be sure to expect serious consequences should you decide to take the wheel after a drink too many – or in some countries after even a single sip.
However, a photo of this chart detailing punishments by country for drunk driving, posted by Twitter user @luckyseven43, has Japanese net users discussing whether some of these punishments – like the death penalty for a first offense – are too harsh.
People are always forgetting to take stuff out of their bags. Sometimes you’ll hear your phone ringing and have to rush to unzip all your rucksacks, or you’ll have to scrabble through endless purses to find the one you left that receipt in. Or sometimes you’ll hear your dog barking and… huh?
Every year at the end of December, something magical happens to Japan’s tallest mountain. As the sun descends in the sky bringing a close to another day, it meets with the summit of Mount Fuji for a few brief moments, making it appear as if the peak is topped with a glistening diamond. Thousands of people flock to vantage points around the area for a chance to see this special phenomenon, dubbed “Diamond Fuji.”
When Steve Jobs showed up at the San Francisco airport at the age of 19, his parents didn’t recognize him.
Jobs, a Reed College dropout, had just spent a few months in India.
He had gone to meet the region’s contemplative traditions — Hinduism, Buddhism — and the Indian sun had darkened his skin a few shades.
The trip changed him in less obvious ways, too.
Although you couldn’t predict it then, his travels would end up changing the business world.
There’s just something soothing about the face of Baymax, the caretaker (and superpowered) robot that plays a prominent role in Disney’s Big Hero 6. Baymax looks like a big pillow to some people. Others say he more closely resembles Japanese dumplings, or the rounded discs of mochi used as New Year’s decorations in Japan.
Or, as these photos show, you could also duplicate Baymax’s inviting aura of soft plumpness with a white T-shirt and large pair of breasts.
Satsuma Shuzo began streaming an animated commercial directed by Yoshiharu Sato last week. The commercial, titled Oyaji no Imo no Kamisama. (Dad’s Potato God.), advertises the company’s Satsuma Shiranami sweet potato shochu (traditional japanese hard liquor).
So you’ve studied up on sushi, ramen, tempura, sashimi, and gyudon. You can tell udon from soba, and okonomiyaki from tamagoyaki. Perhaps you think you’ve completed your food education and are ready to head to “the Land of the Rising Sun” to experience the legendary food first hand. But before you step on that plane…have you brushed up on your curry pan?
Far from being a ubiquitous Japanese food, the Japan Currypan Association is hoping to raise the awareness and love for curry pan all across the country and the world. And they will do it with cute girls and fashion. It’s Japan, did you expect anything else?
Are you feeling under the weather? Is your fever running higher than 38°C (100.4°F)? Are you living in or around Tokyo? If you’ve answered “yes” to all of the above, then there’s a good chance you have the flu! After the results of a weekly influenza check came in for the week of December 22 to 28, it seems that epidemic levels of the virus have reached Japan’s capital city.
Grab your mask and water for gargling; it’s only predicted to get more serious!
It’s customary for companies in Asia to hold year-end parties (bounenkai in Japan, weiya in Chinese-speaking countries), and these often reflect the state of the companies. In a good year, employees will be treated to lavish affairs complete with lotteries, extravagant performances and attractive prizes. However, one Chinese company stole the limelight this year with their ‘cash grabbing game’ that guarantees everyone a winner!
Let’s get this out of the way first: Miso soup is delicious. It’s a great addition to nearly any meal, but we have to admit that it is pretty…basic, in every sense of the word. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that! Basic doesn’t mean bad, though we imagine it presents a bit of a marketing problem–how do you differentiate one brand of miso soup from another? If you deviate from the tried-and-true recipe too much, it’s just not miso soup anymore!
Well, it looks like Marukome, one of Japan’s top miso paste producers, has found a way: They’ve played loud, fast, and raw rock music for their newest instant miso soup–right in the miso paste factory !
Tirol chocolate has been around in Japan for as long as any of us can remember. Super tasty, available in dozens of flavours, and cheap enough even for elementary school kids to buy with their pocket-money, you’ll find these tiny squares of goodness in pretty much any convenience store or supermarket up and down the country. Occasionally, Tirol (or chiroru as it’s pronounced in Japanese) will release a handful of limited-edition flavours, fusing sweets like custard pudding and tiramisu together with their tasty choco to create unusual, moreish combinations.
But every now and then, they’ll try something really, really strange. Like Cheese & Pizza chocolate.
Pranksters and sketch-makers TMD Shanghai are back with another look at relationships in China – and this time, it’s the girls getting sent up. TMD, formerly known as Monkey Kingz, are the team that brought us that ‘Single Chinese Guy vs Single White Guy’ skit. As we might expect from a comedy video playing on ethnic stereotypes, that provoked some decent debate online. Is it ok to make generalisations based on race? Does the comedic context make it more, or less acceptable?
So after watching TMD’s new video ‘Chinese Girlfriends: North VS South’ video, we immediately jumped to the YouTube comments, expecting the usual cries of stereotyping and “WTF man you couldn’t be more wrong.” But we were surprised to discover that, well, everybody loves it!
What happens after we die? Is it possible to communicate with loved ones after they are gone? And if not, how can we explain the stories of those who claim to have done so? These questions are pertinent to the work of journalist Shuji Okuno, who researches the yūrei banashi, or ghost stories, of relatives bereaved by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
Over 18,000 people were killed in the disaster in March 2011, most by drowning; including 2,601 bodies that were never recovered. Okuno has been researching and recording the stories of Tohoku people bereaved by the disaster who say they were visited by the spirits of their deceased family members, often at the exact moment of their passing.
But reporting on ghost sightings in a disaster zone is controversial work. In an interview with Tohoku-area newspaper Kahoku Shimpo this week, Okuno spoke about the stories he has uncovered and the criticism he continues to face.
As we follow the Chinese zodiac here in Japan, we too are celebrating the Year of the Sheep this year. Not surprisingly, that means we’ve seen an abundance of sheep-themed products for the New Year, including some in edible form. Famous bakery chain DONQ is just one of the many companies that offered such sheep-related food items, and their selection of sheep breads was so cute, we simply had to share them with you. Just take a look at the pictures, and we think they’ll get you in the mood to start off the Year of the Sheep in good cheer!
From afar, it seems like this building in Japan has given its lobby’s floor lights a fancy new makeover by adding cat statues to them. On closer inspection, however, we can see that these are actually real cats that have decided to position themselves right on top of the light sources and are being illuminated like heavenly beings.
About 200 South Korean Special Forces are taking part in ten days of grueling winter weather combat training.
With a constant threat from North Korea, South Korea’s Army Special Warfare Command (SWC) is responsible for special operations in the country. SWC soldiers frequently work closely with US Green Berets and their modus operandi include guerrilla warfare, assassinations, and counter-terrorism.
Every year, members of the SWC must participate in winter warfare training in the mountains of Pyeongchang, east of Seoul. Conditions in Pyeongchang generally include temperatures as low as negative 22 degrees Fahrenheit and deep snow.
If you head out to the countryside in Japan you’re likely to notice that there’s a whole lot of wildlife to be found on these myriad islands. Whether it’s brown bears (Hokkaido), venomous snakes (Okinawa), or stinging centipedes (Everywhere), it’s important to be aware of what might be lurking. It’s not all creepy crawlies and bitey-stingies, though – there’s a possibility you’ll bump into capering monkeys, wild boar trotting down residential streets, and other adorable and fuzzy members of the animal kingdom. If you’re extra-lucky, one might even seek you out as a special friend, which is what happened to one bloke on Twitter when a deer decided to take up residence under his porch!
One of the worst things about winter in Japan is that with no central heating and a lack of insulation, the temperature inside your house feels pretty much the same as the temperature outside your house. One of the best things is taking the opportunity to snuggle up under a kotatsu, especially if you have a furry friend to join you.
To both fuel and satisfy its intense interest in celebrities, Japan is always on the lookout for its newest “it girl.” In the case of the nation’s newest sweetheart, the “girl” portion of the title is pretty appropriate, seeing as how the popularity of 16-year-old actress Suzu Hirose is soaring. But while her tender age lies squarely in the period associated with puppy love, Japan is apparently serious about its affections for Miss Hirose, as her highest profile gig to date is appearing in ads for the country’s most popular marriage planning magazine.
The recent news that Scarlett Johansson is interested in starring in a live-action version of science fiction anime Ghost in the Shell got fans around the world excited earlier this week. But while the actress sounds ready to step in front of the cameras as cybernetic public security officer Motoko Kusanagi, the project itself is yet to be greenlit, odds are you’re still a couple of years away from being able to buy your tickets (provided the film avoids the common fate of would-be Hollywood anime adaptations that never make it off the ground).
There is one sure thing Ghost in the Shell fans can look forward to in the near future though: a new anime movie in the franchise, which is set to open in 2015.
New Studio Ghibli stamps – Too cute to wait until New Year’s to use, so they’re available right now
Osaka’s famous Glico Running Man will be removed and replaced with a new-look sign
Studio Ghibli creates illustrated Kyoto sightseeing map, available at any 7-Eleven Japan store
Man in Suzuka offered 9 million yen for his semen, conned out of 38 million yen
The cheapest bento at this Osaka shop is only 200 yen, but is it actually any good?
Tokyo bakery has a crazy expensive 10,000-yen bread loaf set, and we’ve tried it [Taste test]
Burger King Japan now selling hamburgers minus everything but the meat
Eight low-key great places to spend the day (or half a day) in Japan this fall
Studio Ghibli adds new Totoro and Jiji blanket socks to its merchandise store in Japan
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
What’s it like to stay in a Japanese container hotel?Studio Ghibli creates illustrated Kyoto sightseeing map, available at any 7-Eleven Japan storeOsaka’s famous Glico Running Man will be removed and replaced with a new-look sign
American man runs out of money in Japan, gets arrested for overstaying tourist visa
Foreign travelers sitting on sidewalks of Tokyo’s Ginza are Japan’s latest tourism culture clashFamily Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in JapanStudio Ghibli adds new Totoro and Jiji blanket socks to its merchandise store in Japan
Studio Ghibli adds Totoro family goods to its anime merchandise store in Japan
New Gundam plush goods mix cosplay and comfort for Char-custom-level coziness [Pics]
We waited three hours to get into the new carb heaven all-you-can-eat bread restaurant in Osaka
Japan announces new permanent residency guidelines, foreigners must earn more than average Japanese person
Starbucks Japan unveils new Pokémon collaboration with Pikachu Latte and exclusive goods
Studio Ghibli’s Calcifer is ready to light up your home as a magical-looking candle lamp [Photos]Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Lady Gaga and Family Mart team up for a Japanese convenience store work video [Video]What’s it like to stay in a Japanese container hotel?
Studio Ghibli releases new plush mascot character collection with a focus on friendship
Tokyo train station will play Godzilla theme song as new departure melody
Do Japan’s new single-minded convenience store bento show depressing poverty or satisfying focus?
Studio Ghibli unveils new anime stationery collection, with a Spirited Away River God memo stand
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Tokyo bakery has a crazy expensive 10,000-yen bread loaf set, and we’ve tried it [Taste test]
Burger King Japan now selling hamburgers minus everything but the meat
Eight low-key great places to spend the day (or half a day) in Japan this fall
Studio Ghibli adds new Totoro and Jiji blanket socks to its merchandise store in Japan
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Japanese taxi drivers granted right to kick rude passengers out of their cabs before destination
Japan’s bean sprout shortage hitting Jiro-style ramen businesses hard
This Japanese sandwich mascot is filled with fiery rage, and he’s got a point [Video]
Shiga woman defrauded 4.4M yen by man asking for money to fly down from the ISS and marry her
Foreign travelers sitting on sidewalks of Tokyo’s Ginza are Japan’s latest tourism culture clash
Japan’s Suica Penguin character is “graduating”, and you can choose its successor
We hunt for treasure at an all-you-can-stuff Kanagawa secondhand shop for just 1,000 yen
Ghibli/Kyoto crossover artwork decorates goshuin papers for Zen and Ghibli art exhibition [Pics]
We waited three hours to get into the new carb heaven all-you-can-eat bread restaurant in Osaka