Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
There is no better way to beat the heat of the summer than a day at a water park! Ice cream and cold drinks only cool-down your mouth, whereas at a water park, you can jump into a refreshing pool of water again, again and again! You can’t do that with ice cream. For those people that love roller coasters and are always on the lookout for brand new adrenaline pumping attractions, a new ride at a famous water park has “funneled” into our sights!
We’ve seen a lot of things here at RocketNews24, from unholy Thomas the Tank Engine doodles to Ladybeard and Sailor Suit Old Man, but we’ve never seen anything quite like this before.
The following video needs no introduction, so sit back, relax, and enjoy footage of a young man from China putting on his own pants without using his hands to the tune of “The Final Countdown.”
We’ve been impressed by Nissin’s clever ads for Cup Noodles more than once. With previous ads featuring breakdancing samurai, battlefield language barriers, and fanatic idol fans, we’ve usually come away with chuckles or goose bumps, and sometimes even both.
Now Nissin is back again with a skewed look at another piece of pop culture: romantic leads in girls’ manga that pound on the walls.
It turns out that there are a surprising number of mirrors in museums, so when Google unleashed its Street View cameras to catalog the insides of museums around the world, more than a few of them ended up accidentally taking pictures of themselves, we learn via Quartz.
Spanish artist Mario Santamaría noticed this happening quite a bit and did exactly what one should do upon noticing a trend: build a Tumblr around it.
Titled “The Camera In The Mirror,” Santamaría’s site catalogs the eerie moments in which Google’s cameras photograph their own reflections. You get a peek at them wrapped up in silver cloth or exposed to reveal a surprisingly robot-like body.
Is this a masterpiece in culinary art? Of course not, but it surely captures the look and feel of a titan from the series Attack on Titan. Voice actress Yuki Takao has been making and sharing her bento creations on her blog, and her unique style is starting to get some attention. Everyone needs a hobby, even famous people, and with their busy schedules, we’re sure they really appreciate the chance to relax and enjoy their time off. Yuki seems to spend it making unique bento and with food art like this, you have to wonder, what other creations has she made???
Over the last several months, anime merchandiser Bandai has released a huge number of high quality Sailor Moon items through its Premium Bandai online store. Up until now, these have all been based on the original anime from 1992, but with the July 5 premier of the brand new Sailor Moon Crystal, Bandai’s ready to open the floodgates on a whole new batch of magical girl goodies.
The company is starting things off on a classy note, with the simultaneous release of five fashionable rings based on the tiaras worn by the Sailor Scouts.
Even we can’t believe how much news and Twittersphere coverage Ryutaro Nonomura has been receiving. The disgraced politician who attempted to claim over 3 million yen (around US$30,000) in travel expenses without providing any supporting evidence has been seen around the world sobbing violently at a press conference thanks to numerous YouTube videos. Even a local station in California showed a short clip of the unprecedented meltdown during the evening news just yesterday.
Just like any other video of an unexpected reaction, this one has sparked a virtual onslaught of meme after meme showing the Hyogo Prefectural Assemblyman with the likes of Hulk Hogan and popular girl group Perfume. But one parody in particular caught our attention for how difficult it was to pull off. Prepare to cringe and be impressed while watching the following video of a perfectly timed, perfectly pitched recreation of Nonomura’s teary defense performed on an electric guitar.
Recently, we dined on a gigantic, gooey, and glorious cheeseburger. We were glad we did, but honestly, in one sitting we consumed enough beef to last us a week.
So for our next meal out we decided to head for the opposite end of the dining spectrum in both ambiance and ingredients, and headed to a different part of Tokyo to try their pickled avocados with a flavor that’s been over 30 years in the making.
The folks at Häagen-Dazs Japan clearly know they’re onto a good thing with their special-edition ice creams, and there seems to be no stopping their creativity. With Japonais, Rose and Sakura, and even Vegetable flavours all appearing within the last six months alone, there’s seemingly always something sweet on the horizon. And now, before summer has even had a chance to break in its beach sandals, the ice cream giant has unveiled three decidedly autumnal flavours.
With Japan’s love of travel and fictional characters, it was really only a matter of time before hotels started offering rooms based on popular animated franchises. You can always count on Disney to have its finger on the pulse of travelers, and sure enough the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel has a block of rooms decorated with the cast of its classic films.
It’s been six years since the hotel opened, though, and management has decided it could use a little sprucing up, So next year the character rooms are being renovated, with some returning favorites getting new amenities plus the hotel debut of a few more.
We’re not shattering any illusions when we point out that the hit anime Evangelion is a work of fiction, right? Japan hasn’t built a new capital in the mountains of Kanagawa Prefecture, aliens aren’t attacking the country, and as far as we know, no one’s turned into a puddle of Tang because they couldn’t find a way to deal with their loneliness.
But there is one thing you’ll see in Evangelion that’s 100 percent true to life. The brand of sake hard-drinking character Misato regularly enjoys, Dassai, actually exists, and we recently tried a bottle. Not only that, since one of the many themes Eva deals with is confronting your fears, we decided to pair it with a snack that just might kill us.
Japan is in a league of its own when it comes to drinking. Sure, the pubs of England may be filled with raucous drunken shenanigans and those in Argentina have surely experienced their fair share of malbec-filled late nights, but nowhere else is publicly knocking back a cold one (or two or five) as socially sanctioned as it is in Japan. What some might consider chronic alcoholism in the United States is perfectly okay, and in many cases considered good for your career, in this land of sake and sochu. So it came as no surprise to us to learn that Japan landed on the very top of the list of the countries that think drinking alcohol is morally acceptable.
Though it might be hard for non-pet-owners to understand, it’s undeniable that our cats and dogs are part of our families. We love them like children–or siblings who can almost get away with peeing on the carpet.
And with good reason, too! They comfort us when we’re sad and play with us when we’re happy. And if you’re lucky enough to have two pets, watching them play together can be better than anything Disney has to offer. Just take this video of a dog entertaining a hyper-active kitten for example!
Okay, so you may have grown up being told not to play with your food. But now, there’s a gadget that takes the concept of being creative with your food to a whole new level, making it in fact quite irresistible even if you’re not as artistically inclined as food artist Tisha Cherry. It’s the TP-101E Direct Food Printer sold by ink and printing material maker Creative Print.com, and … you guessed it, it prints letters and pictures directly onto food! Now who wouldn’t want to play with a machine like that?
Anime fans the world over are about to get a treat with the July 5 premiere of Sailor Moon Crystal, the new series featuring Japanese animation’s most beloved cast of magical girls. But while we’re all excited about being able to see the Sailor Scouts once again, this month also brings a chance to become them, with a cosplay event in Tokyo that’ll provide you with not only a Sailor Moon costume, but a professional photographer to take pictures for you, too.
All cat owners are aware of the kind of mischief the lovable little furballs can get up to when we’re not around (and there’s probably also plenty of mischief we’re blissfully unaware of). Thankfully in this age of mobile phones, cameras, and YouTube, we can now keep a close eye on what the little rascals are up to, which often results in some cute comedy gold.
While some have argued that a woman can increase her bust size by eating a bunch of hamburgers or copious amounts of frog fallopian tube, not every woman who’d like to project a more voluptuous image wants to reach that goal by changing her diet.
Some instead turn to visual subterfuge, such as buttoning their shirt out of order to create the illusion of having a larger chest. That technique won’t help you much once swimsuit season rolls around, though, which is why one Japanese fashion magazine is suggesting a non-wardrobe related way to give yourself larger-looking breasts: paint them on.
Here at RocketNews24 we love a good toilet story, whether it’s the health benefits of old-school squatters or a visit to a long drop. And the washlet toilet, with its wash-and-blow dry function, noise-masking function and hilariously perplexing control panels, is one of Japan’s most famous inventions.
But what if, just like Napoleon’s height and the Vikings’ spiky helmets, the ultimate icon of technological wizardry is also surrounded by misconception and mystery? What if (almost) everything we know about super-toilets is wrong?
Think you know your washlet? Think again.
Smells do funny things to our brains. They connect us to memories and moments in a way that something visual never could. Just as interestingly is the effect smells have on our moods. Have you noticed that smells like lavender and vanilla give you a calming effect while a smell like coffee or citrus will perk you right up?
Now, Japan has combined the excitement of receiving a letter with the power of different scents to create a world first in letter sending. This service is available for only a limited-time, so try it before the letters (and smells!) are gone with the wind.
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Tommy Lee Jones cries, says sayonara to the Heisei era in epic new Boss coffee commercial 【Video】
Japanese security polearm maker’s takedown videos are crazy, products look crazy effective【Vids】
New Japanese KitKat flavour, Sugar Butter Tree, is like cracking a chocolate tree branch
New adults go wild at Seijinshiki Coming-of-Age ceremony in Kitakyushu, Japan 【Photos】
Retro Japanese-style hotel room with kotatsu, free ice cream is both amazingly cool AND warm
Shinkansen operator apologizes for three-minute delay because conductor was napping
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Studio Ghibli helped create final Evangelion movie, since no one else had the right machine【Vid】
7-Eleven Japan releases Uji matcha smoothies… but only at select locations
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of JapanJapan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Move aside, convenience store egg sando – there’s a better version of the iconic sandwich in Japan
Japan’s popular bead bonsai kit is as beautiful as it is gruelling to make
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Pikachu to cuddle with kimono-clad beauty on Tokyo street as part of flower art event
Pokémon hot spring footbath opening in Japan this spring
Studio Ghibli croquettes not to eat, but to keep your stuff in, going on sale in Japan[Photos]
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 TokyoBrand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthdayJapan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
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
Retro Japanese-style hotel room with kotatsu, free ice cream is both amazingly cool AND warm
Shinkansen operator apologizes for three-minute delay because conductor was napping
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Studio Ghibli helped create final Evangelion movie, since no one else had the right machine【Vid】
7-Eleven Japan releases Uji matcha smoothies… but only at select locations
New Roaring Totoro plushies from Studio Ghibli make us view the character in a new light
Passing the JLPT N1 — Here’s how I did it, so you can too!
Turns out you can draw all four original starter Pokémon with just three colored pencils【Video】
Mr. Sato shares his own secret Ministop hack to help save the ailing convenience store
How many married people with children in Japan admit to cheating on their spouse? Survey says…
Japanese government creates new word for cruelly hot summer days
Japanese conveyor belt restaurant delivers food by boat in Tokyo
Fulfill your dreams of becoming Goku with a Flying Nimbus cushion and Kamehameha ball