Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
If you grew up with Pokémon, you probably spent years wishing deep down that they were real and you could have one. Let’s be honest, you still want one, no matter if PETA thinks you’re a monster for doing so. Well, a couple of guys from California went on the hunt to find a real Pikachu, not in the Viridian Forest, but around their neighborhood, and you might be surprised at what they found.
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Do you have an active Facebook account with more than 10 friends, a filled-in profile with both profile and cover photos? If so, have we got an opportunity for you!
In a story currently making the rounds among Japanese Twitter users, it seems that SoftBank (the cellphone carrier that recently made a bid to buy Sprint in the U.S.) was seeking “Likes” on Facebook, and didn’t mind paying for them.
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More than just fleshy tones, solid colors, and basic patterns, Japan has found a major fad with women’s tights that look like tattoos featuring popular Disney characters and the like. You may have seen our article earlier this month regarding the onion tights on sale at this year’s Niconico Chokaigi. Now, tights are taking an even more nerdy turn with popular anime and game references. Just take a look at these leggy designs in the works! Read More
As a measure to prevent drink driving and to improve people’s health, many Japanese beer manufacturers have released non-alcohol versions of their products, with such products seeing surprisingly strong sales in the marketplace. Since the products on sale contain no alcohol, it is safe to say that there is no fear of the law being broken by underage drinkers enjoying them. In fact, it’s not uncommon to find alcohol-free beer in the soft-drink section of the menu.
Nevertheless, when it comes to minors and the consumption of non-alcohol beer, the exact legalities of it all become rather confusing. The reason being that it is still necessary to show proof of your age when purchasing non-alcohol beverages. So what’s the deal here? Is it really safe for those under age to drink non-alcohol beer? RocketNews24 got to the bottom of it all by speaking to Japan’s top beer manufacturers directly.
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Hobo-chic is back! Just when you thought Mugatu’s Derelicte style was long gone since the peak of Zoolander, here it comes again in the form of a bag that’s made to look like a shabby cardboard box.
If there’s one thing Massively Multiplayer Online RPGS (MMOs) are known for, other than their marriage-destroying addictive qualities and almost cult-like fan communities, it’s the absolutely mind-numbing repetition of doing the same quests and activities over and over again to level up your character.
Realizing computers are pretty good at that whole mindless repetition thing while humans generally dislike it, one entrepreneurial Japanese geek has figured out a way to jury-rig PCs that will perform a leveling task for you over and over again and is offering them for sale on bidding site Yahoo! Auctions right now.
We’ve all heard about the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world and I’m sure we all wish we could go back in time and see them at the height of their glory. For me, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon might have been the best, even if they probably didn’t actually exist.
Unfortunately, no one’s figured out how time travel works yet. Fortunately, though, PARKROYAL on Pickering seems like a pretty amazing substitute. (And, starting at US$180 a night, probably cheaper than time travel too.)
Japanese office supply company Kokuyo S&T says that obsidian is believed to be a powerful stone which can protect against evil and calmy improve one’s focus and endurance.
This is why they named their newest device with the Japanese word for obsidian, Kokuyoseki. This little gadget slides onto your finger like a regular ring and lets you smoothly navigate your presentations without having to touch your computer.
Japanese animation has over the course of its evolution branched out into several sub-genres based on the proliferating light novels and manga series. While this is great, it seems as though the once-loved era of giant fighting robots seems to be slipping away.
Gundam‘s still chugging along and Evangelion has been enjoying its reboot, but there hasn’t been a whole lot new going on. Enter Abu Dhabi-based Alter Ego Productions with their trailer for Torkaizer which offers a fresh look on a classic genre.
At this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Chinese mega-entertainer and occasional political commenter Jackie Chan made some waves by stating his desires to become the next Iron Man. With current Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. reaching that magic number of three we may soon see a new actor step into the suit of armor. But could the current king of colorful kung-fu really be up to the task?
Head on over to your nearest Subway the next time you’re wondering, “How can you have any pudding if you don’t eat yer meat?” Starting May 29, the purveyor of those fresh, delicious, made-to-order subs is offering double meat portions on selected sandwiches.
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Not familiar with natto? Shame on you! Natto is the fermented soy bean “snack” loved throughout the Kanto region for its supposed health benefits that outweigh the questionable flavor and strong smell, which is optimistically described as “cheesy and pungent” and otherwise described by detractors with violent gagging noises.
While Amazon Japan may have its share of amusing, inappropriate, and disturbing reviews written by its customers, this (hopefully) mistaken listing is all on Amazon.
With rumors of a live-action remake of Studio Ghibli’s Kiki’s Delivery Service swirling, attention has been focused on the original movie. And now questions about the true nature of the adore cat Jiji are starting to surface. What are we talking about? Well… Read More
Recently, a team of highly-qualified Japanese scientists assembled for a mission, the danger of which was equaled only by its importance to society. On May 22, they announced their findings to the public, revealing that a menace we have always been aware of has grown to staggering proportions.
90 percent of men have smelly armpits. Read More
I think we can all agree that Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball is one of the most popular and well-known animes in the world. Well, here in Japan, a good understanding of the story and characters of Dragon Ball is considered basic knowledge on the Internet, so much so that it has become routine practice for Japanese Internet users to ask someone to explain a complex story or situation by using the story and characters from the series as comparison. Yes, you’ll see people on message boards literally saying, “I don’t quite understand that. Can someone explain it to me in terms of Dragon Ball, please?”
Now, it seems this practice has spread beyond Japan, and a tweet from Spain comparing some pieces of electronic and gaming equipment to Dragon Ball characters has fans of the anime laughing out loud. Read More
It’s a problem all professionals have to face. You’re meeting a client out of town but after an extended period in your vehicle of choice, your collar’s flattened, pants are saggy, and your tie is crinkled making you look like some kind of hungover 1950s gumshoe.
I used to avoid losing valuable creases in my clothing by travelling naked. However, after my second suspended sentence I was thrilled when my parole officer recommended the Portable Trouser Press to me. It’s fantastic!
A new brand of curry has recently appeared in Japan that’s entirely inappropriate for minors, or at least that’s the way it’s being marketed–we haven’t seen this many mature content labels grouped together since we last sent a reporter to the adult video store. The otherwise nondescript packaging is absolutely covered with R18 warnings in print both large and small, and in case that isn’t enough to tempt frighten underage eaters, the curry’s makers have even slapped a sticker in the corner that reads “for adults only.” Naturally, we were wanted to see what all the fuss was about, so we called in our most adult-minded taste tester to try it out.
Don’t worry. While the contents of the curry are too hot for children, we’ve censored the summary so that it’s entirely safe for work.
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The monument for the Iwate miracle tree, which as you might remember was the only pine tree out of 70,000 left standing following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, is finally nearing completion. The project, though, has not been without its fair share of troubles. Read More
Ever wanted to cross Japan by rail but hate the idea of being stuck on the train, watching the scenery flash by without ever being able to get out and experience it? Today we’re going to let you in on a little secret few foreigners are aware of so you can explore further, without having to pay extra for the privilege.
Have you ever noticed that when you’re messaging someone while you’re really mad or really excited about something, your typing becomes faster? Even the slowest hen pecker typist is able to kick it up a notch and bust out a scathing remark at record speed. But the typist in this video is some kind of typing wizard. Watch as his lightning quick fingers dance across the keyboard, no anger required.
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Should you add tartar sauce to Japanese curry rice? CoCo Ichi makes diners an unusual offer
Seaside scenery, history, and so many desserts on Yokohama’s Akai Kutsu【Japan Loop Buses】
Japanese city loses residents’ personal data, which was on paper being transported on a windy day
Ghibli Park now selling “Grilled Frogs” from food cart in Valley of Witches
Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Harajuku Station’s beautiful old wooden building is set to return, with a new complex around it
Akihabara pop-up shop sells goods made by Japanese prison inmates
Osaka governor suggests lowering voting age to 0 to curb population decline
The 2023 Sanrio character popularity ranking results revealedForeigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Studio Ghibli releases new action figures featuring Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind charactersRed light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
New private rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen change the way we travel from Tokyo to Kyoto
Tokyo Tsukiji fish market site to be redeveloped with 50,000-seat stadium, hotel, shopping center
Beautiful Ghibli sealing wax kits let you create accessories and elegant letter decorations【Pics】Japanese city loses residents’ personal data, which was on paper being transported on a windy dayMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goodsForeigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Studio Ghibli releases Kiki’s Delivery Service chocolate cake pouches in Japan
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 thingsJapanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
New Pokémon cakes let you eat your way through Pikachu and all the Eevee evolutions
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in TokyoMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely
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 design
Doraemon 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
Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Harajuku Station’s beautiful old wooden building is set to return, with a new complex around it
Akihabara pop-up shop sells goods made by Japanese prison inmates
Osaka governor suggests lowering voting age to 0 to curb population decline
The 2023 Sanrio character popularity ranking results revealed
Suntory x Super Mario collaboration creates a clever way to transform into Mario【Videos】
Limited-edition Carbonara Udon will anger noodle purists and pasta lovers 【Taste test】
How to tell Japanese’s two most confusing, nearly identical characters apart from each other
Smash Bros. director Sakurai stabs Kirby in the face, has delicious justification for it
Harvester Yakumo: A restaurant inspired by the Colonel from KFC
Cappuccino Ramen becomes super popular in Japan, but is it worth the hype?
Gacha machine backpack is Japan’s hottest new fashion statement
