Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Much like sweat-stained shirts or the incessant cry of cicadas, lightning storms are just a part of summer in Japan. But with all of those electrostatic discharges, something other than the ground is bound to be hit.
On August 12, one man in Tokyo not only saw a train being struck by lightning, he caught the frightening scene on film.
Ginti Kobayashi is a writer who in recent years can be seen in the series, Kaidan Shinmimibukuro Nagurikomi! In these DVDs, we follow Kobayashi and his colleagues as they explore Japan’s most notoriously haunted places.
In the spirit of summer, when Japan likes to cool down by sharing chilling stories, Kobayashi sat down with Spa magazine and laid out his choices for the top 10 most frightening haunted places he has ever experienced.
This Thursday, 15 August marks the beginning of Obon in most of Japan. Obon is a Buddhist custom in Japan where families gather together and are visited by the spirits of their ancestors. Various festivals are held to welcome the ghosts with music and dancing, depending on the region.
However, one tradition that is fairly consistent across the country is known as Ohakamairi (visiting the grave). This custom involves the family going to their grave to clean it and give presents to their deceased ancestors.
No one likes using public toilets, do they?
With the smell, the uncomfortable and unfamiliar surroundings, and the fear of butt-cooties latching onto our heinies, it’s only out of desperation that most people will drop their pants and park their naked butts onto a public toilet seat. So when one of the more fastidious members of society is faced with a dire situation, what do they do?
People have the amazing ability to see human traits in nearly anything. From the anthropomorphism of cartoons and nature to cursing at your car when it won’t start, there’s almost no limit to the things we see as human-like.
But safety pins? Surely only someone with a less-than-firm grip on reality could take a safety pin for person-like or even having any human qualities?
The following photo album might just convince you otherwise!
Okay, so there isn’t an official event called “The Running of the Nerds” in Japan, or anywhere else in the world for that matter, but what else would you call this biannual spectacle of Japanese otaku frantically clamoring off a crowded train, sprinting up the platform stairs, rocketing past the turnstiles, and…patiently waiting in line for five hours? Read More
Even as more and more people complain about how unsocial social network services have become, some Japanese Twitter users have put their faith in humanity and opened up a new line of communication with their fellow Tweeters.
How? By publicly posting their phone numbers, some going as far as posting their bank account information and address.
People change and places change given enough time, but have you ever seen a revolution of a skyline like this? China’s growth in the world stage can’t be ignored, and this simple photo comparison says it all.
A few weeks ago, we introduced you to some of Japan’s greatest themed-hotel rooms, but it seems we may have jumped the gun just a bit because The Prince Hotel located in Minato Ward of Tokyo has just opened up a brand new Hello Kitty-themed suite, and it might very well be one of the cutest rooms we’ve ever seen.
Check out the photos and details of the cutest room in Japan below.
Nagoya District Court ruled on August 9 that the family of a man with dementia who entered a railway line and consequently died after being hit by a train must pay compensation to the Japan Railway (JR) Group. The court concluded that the measures the family put in place to prevent the 91-year-old from wandering off by himself were insufficient.
The traditional onsen tamago, not widely consumed outside of Japan, follows a simple recipe of blasting an egg in its shell with hot steam or letting it slow-cook in hot water. It’s basically a poached egg that’s shelled after the poaching.
Seeing as perfectly poaching an egg the traditional western way is a messy and surprisingly complicated affair, it makes a lot of sense to just leave the eggs in their shells and stick them in some hot water for a while, or better yet, just leave them in a hot car, forget about them entirely, and go play some XBox. Next time you go on a beer run, you’ll find delicious onsen tamago waiting for you on your dashboard, like this Japanese Twitter user.
MOS Burger, the Japanese fast food chain famous for being a fresher, slightly healthier alternative to other hamburger joints, has recently announced that it will release a new hamburger sandwich to go alongside its existing range of plain and cheese “Tobikiri” hamburgers. The exciting twist? This one’s loaded with French demi-glace sauce and aligot, a sumptuous mix of potato and cheese that’s sure to send you to premium burger heaven.
Fans of anime and manga are most certainly acquainted with the ever-popular adventure series, One Piece. Now, the brand that brings us all of our favorite pirate-themed products is teaming up with the water label, FRECIOUS, to deliver some totally cool One Piece water dispensers.
Don’t worry, though the story of One Piece takes place on the ocean, these water coolers deliver only the freshest grade-A water from the forests of Mount Fuji. Read More
With character design and a visual style worthy of a Disney production, when we were introduced to this short animation by the staff at our sister site RocketNews24 Japan, we almost didn’t believe them when they said it was made not by a world-famous animation studio but by students of the National Taiwan University of Arts. Half an hour of replays later, we managed to tear ourselves away from the video just long enough to share it with you, our dear readers, too!
It’s cute, it’s emotive, and it’s absolutely gorgeous; this is Deathigner.
The girl above (yes, they’re both the same girl!) has shared a video of her incredible transformation from the rather unflattering left-hand pose to the cutie on the right. Read on to find out how she did it!
Officially called, “Stunning Black and White Fortress,” this pair of burgers, one white and one black, is being sold for a limited time only at McDonald’s in Taiwan. The name alone made our reporter want to try this duo, but how would these unnaturally colored burgers taste?
Ishigaki Island has a few well known specialty foods such as Ishigaki beef and Yaeyama soba noodle, but aside from these delicacies a little-known snack food has been making waves across the nation. They call it onisasa.
Onisasa should be mistaken for some gimmicky new flavor the city of Ishigaki has concocted just to drum up tourism. This little hidden gem had been around for a long time in the region before getting the attention of greater Japan. So just what is onisasa?
It feels like yesterday when our reporter Kuzo travelled deep into China for find the fabled “melt-proof ice pop” named Banana – a vanilla ice cream encased in a protective gummy sheath. However, this year Banana has come to the world (under a variety of names such as Bennana in Japan), and this October it will reach the shores of Japan.
To celebrate, Banana’s maker Nestle held a “Banana Day” event in Harajuku, Tokyo on 7 August. Yet another punny Japanese holiday on a Japanese reading of “8/7”, it involved the giving away of free monkey ears, T-shirts, and of course Bennanas.
It’s summer in Japan and that means everyone is on the lookout for ways to cool down and cope with the stifling heat. For many Japanese, relief comes in popsicle form, and one of the most popular and refreshing is the Suika Bar, literally “watermelon bar”, which featured in our recent Japanese convenience store ice-cream ranking.
But what happens when you have a craving for the crunchy watermelon treat and the blistering walk to the shops is too much to bear? Our Japanese reporter recently faced this dilemma and tried to recreate the popsicle with just the fruit instead. How will the humble frozen watermelon measure up next to its manufactured cousin? We bring you the answer to this summer’s most pressing question after the break.
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Studio Ghibli releases new action figures featuring Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind characters
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
Super Nintendo World expansion gets delayed for several months at Universal Studios Japan
Japan’s hot spring amusement park opens, and we check out its onsen attractions!
Kyoto’s green tea sweets capital now has matcha ramen too!【Taste test】
Muji’s Sofa Made From Air review: Is Japan’s most sought-after portable couch worth the hype?
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Muscly Japanese men fill stock photo site with hilarious poses in unusual settingsMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in TokyoAll-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Beautiful new Final Fantasy T-shirt collection on the way from Uniqlo【Photos】
Is the new Shinkansen Train Desk ticket worth it?
Foreign English teachers in Japan pick their favorite Japanese-language phrases【Survey】Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
Beautiful Sailor Moon manhole cover coasters being given out for free by Tokyo tourist centerMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Studio Ghibli releases Kiki’s Delivery Service chocolate cake pouches in Japan
Japan’s bone-breaking and record-breaking roller coaster is permanently shutting down
New definition of “Japanese whiskey” goes into effect to prevent fakes from fooling overseas buyers
Our Japanese reporter visits Costco in the U.S., finds super American and very Japanese things
Studio Ghibli unveils Mother’s Day gift set that captures the love in My Neighbour Totoro
Domino’s Japan now sells…pizza ears?
New Japanese KitKat flavour stars Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty
One of Tokyo’s most famous meeting-spot landmarks is closing for good
Kyoto creates new for-tourist buses to address overtourism with higher prices, faster rides
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitelyMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Sold-out Studio Ghibli desktop humidifiers are back so Totoro can help you through the dry season
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label designDoraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Japan’s hot spring amusement park opens, and we check out its onsen attractions!
Kyoto’s green tea sweets capital now has matcha ramen too!【Taste test】
Muji’s Sofa Made From Air review: Is Japan’s most sought-after portable couch worth the hype?
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Muscly Japanese men fill stock photo site with hilarious poses in unusual settings
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in Tokyo
Where are the worst smelling public restrooms in Japan?
Massive-variation new Pikachu plushie line lets you find the perfect Pikachu just for you
Twin Tail Day makes Twitter a paradise for guys in Japan【Photos】
Be Mr. Sato’s online friend, and he might take you to dinner, like he did with these foreign fans
Here it is: The finalized map for Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan (and its food)
Awesome website allows you to make your own Dragon Ball character, battle other fighters
We try out “Chan Ramen”, an underground type of ramen popular in the ramen community
