Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Each year, volunteer artists from Japan travel to one of the poorest regions of India to share their talents with schoolchildren at the Niranjaya Public Welfare School. They join local artists at the annual Wall Art Festival to collaborate with the students on amazing works of temporary art in their school.
Japanese candy maker Morinaga’s Milk Caramel line has been around for 100 years, which is essentially an eternity in the fiercely competitive, constantly evolving Japanese snack food arena. To celebrate the milestone, Morinaga is partnering with a number of restaurants to bring caramel to bold, baffling new worlds.
We recently talked about the caramel banana and caramel mayonnaise corn sushi that started the ball rolling, and now Morinaga has teamed up with Pizza Hut to create a caramel pizza. Not unique enough? Don’t worry, it also has marshmallows. Still not weird enough for you? You’ll be happy to know it also comes with chili sauce.
As a cat owner, I’m used to having cat hair on absolutely everything. But every so often in amongst the clouds of fur I find a dropped whisker lying alone on the floor, and for some reason it feels wrong to just throw it away. Turns out I’m not alone, and some people go a few steps further when it comes to storing these precious mementos of their feline friends.
Few who have not visited the country would ever imagine that Japan is practically overrun with bakeries. When people think of food in Japan, they usually think of things like rice, sushi and ramen, but the truth is, while Japanese supermarkets may not carry anywhere near as many varieties of bread as those in the West, dedicated bakeries can be found all over city centres, with pretty much every station, shopping mall and supermarket having its own shop or dedicated corner offering up freshly baked pastries, and the variety is astounding.
Check out this video to see 30 typical pastries available at Japanese bakeries.
During Japan university students’ final year, many go through a long, physically and mentally draining process of finding a job before they graduate; a process known as “shuukatsu.” Students don matching black suits and attend job fairs, company briefing sessions and employment seminars en masse in the hopes of obtaining a job offer, or “naitei.” Young people often complain about the soul-sucking system and how difficult it can be to land a job offer without completely abandoning your personality along the way.
Recently, an animated short film has been making waves among Japanese netizens for the horror movie-like way it portrays the difficult and often depressing job hunting process in Japan.
On June 1, a gathering was held to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the municipalization of Takasago City, Hyogo Prefecture. Dubbed the Gotoji Expo, it brought out those lovable civic-minded mascots called yuru-kyara.
And for such as auspicious anniversary the town called in a major mascot from each of the 47 prefectures of Japan such as the former Yurukyara Gran Prix winner Kumamon of Kumamoto Prefecture. An invitation was also sent out to Funasshi, the unofficial yet hugely popular mascot of Funabashi, but it had to decline because of scheduling issues.
So you can imagine the organizers’ surprise when the highly animated pear had actually turned up at Gotoji Expo?
Now, I’m sure that to most people, weddings are a big deal. And finding the right venue is surely one of the most important steps in planning a wedding. What, then, would be your ideal wedding location? You may say Disneyland, or if you’re a train fan, maybe a ceremony on the JR Yamanote Line is what you would call the wedding of your dreams.
Well, if anyone out there thinks a video game arcade is the perfect wedding venue for them, then there’s an arcade in central Tokyo that could actually make your dream come true!
“Aw, what an adorable little karate tot!” I thought to myself as I stumbled upon a video of seven-year-old Mahiro-chan about to do some adorable flailing. “It’s like someone put a karate gi on a Cabbage Patch Kid!”
Trembling in anticipation of some otherworldly cuteness, I clicked play and GAHHHHHHHH!!!! She’s TERRIFYING!!!!!
Like it or loathe it, Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” is still killing it in the charts more than six months after its initial release and remains of the most played songs on the radio. Sure, the lyrics are kind of simple, and its gets kind of repetitive, but when an artist devotes so much energy to being upbeat and provides a track that you just can’t help tapping your feet to, it’s hard not to crack a smile.
Fan-made remakes of the music video are ten a penny right now, with people all over the world feeling the urge to make their own smiling, strutting, and dancing compilations, but one particular video, titled “Harajuku Happy“, is by far one of the coolest we’ve seen, giving us a tour of the titular town while showing that life in Japan’s capital isn’t all black suits and bowing.
With Attack on Titan collaborations springing up between burger joints, SUVs, and gummies, anything is possible.
The newest company to court the titans is razor company Schick, whose teaser website hints that something is coming June 9.
Have you ever wanted to dress like an astronaut? Well, you’d better get your moon walk on, cause now you can–in terms of your undergarments, at least.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced a new line of cooling underwear vests designed using cutting-edge technology applicable to space research. A limited supply of the product, known by the slightly awkward yet wonderfully Japanese moniker “cooling by the space technology,” went on sale to the general public on May 30. While each vest will set you back 60,000 yen (US$590), isn’t knowing that you’re wearing the same thing as an astronaut enough to justify the price? More details after the jump.
Our mothers always told us that it’s not polite to talk about money. And while we usually listen to what our mother’s tell us, this one time we’re going to ignore their advice. Sorry, mom!
But, really, it’s not a big deal, because we’re not talking about our money. Instead, we’re talking about Japanese people’s money–specifically, how much they have saved up on average. And the number might surprise you.
Without a doubt, one of the things Japan is best known for is trains. And it’s not just marketing hype either–public transportation is apparently good enough to accommodate the decreasing number of Japanese youth getting driver’s licenses. But while most trains can be counted on to run from 5 am to 1 am every day of the week in the cities, that’s not always the case in rural areas.
Take Tsushima no Miya station in Kagawa Prefecture, for example, where the train has the most limited schedule in the country: It’s only open two days out of the year!
Did you have anything OC Desu (OCです) today?
If your answer is “Wha?” then you’re probably not hip to the new buzzword circling around social media in Japanese recently. Students of the language can probably figure it out by saying it out loud, and the image above gives us a pretty big hint too.
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Malaysia, like many southeast asian countries, is a melting pot of people of different ethnicities and religions. Of course, there are more and more people working and studying overseas nowadays, so you might think that every other country is in the same situation, but you’ll know you’re in a seriously multinational city when almost every new person you meet asks you “are you local?” (my personal experience as a Singaporean).
To that sort of question, 17-year-old Malaysian YouTuber Joyce Chu proudly answers with her song Malaysia Chabor (chabor means “woman” in the Hokkien dialect), which has garnered over 1.6 million views in slightly more than a week!
It’s been a couple of years since we featured something about Masako Mizutani (水谷雅子) on our site, but Japan’s Lady of Eternal Youth is back again and looking just as youthful as ever. Even now at 45 years of age, she’s still the envy of women everywhere with barely a wrinkle to be seen.
In fact, Ms. Mizutani’s age-defying looks are so legendary that she was (unsurprisingly) selected to star in a new commercial for Asahi’s line of “Asahi Perfect Asta Collagen powder.” You can bet that with her endorsement, Japanese women will be flocking to stores to buy the new product. Keep reading to see the commercial now.
It’s not really a secret that Japan can sometimes get a little carried away with its youth obsession. Look no further than the abundance of pre-pubescent, yet disturbingly sexualized, anime characters and girl idol bands with shockingly young “retirement” ages – around 21 in many cases – for proof.
It’s one thing to have a creepy countdown to when Hermione Granger turns 18, but it’s kind of way creepier to just lose all interest in celebrities altogether when they reach official adulthood.
Anyway, a new Japanese film called Sweet Pool Side and a limited run promotional cafe for the film may have just set a new precedent in youth-obsession creepiness. The film, according to the trailer, is lightly related to the trials and tribulations of being on the high school swim team but also focuses on a young boy’s decision of whether or not to shave the pubic hair of one of the girl’s swim team members (at her request). He then at one point appears to eat some of the girl’s body hair.
Does your country have everything you need? If it doesn’t, usually the internet can provide for you. But in some specific cases, there are certain products or contraband that just aren’t allowed in a particular country. Here’s a list of 15 things that are currently not allowed, or weren’t allowed at some point!
Toppings and seasonings have an often overlooked power to completely make or break the overall taste of a dish. And yet, many of them can be found at prices under 100 yen (US$1). Why is something so important to your meal’s flavor made and sold so cheaply?
Back in 2013 Kobayashi Shokuin, decided to buck that trend and came out with a luxury furikake (dried condiment) that sells for the premium price of two 30g (1oz) cans for 10,000 yen ($100). Much to their delight, the response has been great and people have been buying up this Kuchi Doke at an increasing rate despite its exorbitant price.
Now, I think kimonos are lovely, and I find their colors and patterns absolutely fascinating. But as beautiful as they are, kimonos tend to be expensive, and the process of wearing them is complicated enough that it takes considerable practice (usually involving going to classes of some kind) to dress yourself properly in one. And the truth is that there are very few opportunities today for the average Japanese to dress in kimono outside of special occasions, such as the coming-of-age ceremony, university graduations or weddings. Yes, people do still wear kimonos, but it’s rare enough that someone in a kimono will stand out in a crowd, as visitors to Japan will undoubtedly have noticed. And if simply being in a kimono can be eye-catching, imagine how much attention you might get wearing a stunning kimono like the one pictured above!
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Rumors say this is Japan’s very best McDonald’s branch, but what makes it special?[Taste test]
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Starbucks Japan adds new Sencha Matcha Tea Frappuccino to its menu, but only at 28 locations
Create a tiny Ghibli anime world on your bookshelf with new miniature papercraft art kits
Picturesque Tokyo park plays host to millions of flowers and soap bubbles this spring
Starbucks Japan has a secret coffee press service that not many people know about
This upcycled Kyoto train cafe is the ultimate kawaii spring experience
Final Fantasy invites you to adventure in Fukushima with Fukushima Fantasy Chocobo fun[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthdayJapan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthdayFamous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
7-Eleven Japan releases a crazy new viral sandwich: Chocolate Sprinkles and Whipped Cream
Japan now has a “for foreign tourists only” Mt. Fuji sightseeing train[Video]
Studio Ghibli releases the My Neighbour Totoro tea caddy, with a magical self-closing lid
Totoro and Calcifer become little light-up lanterns for Ghibli-style excursions or at-home decorCreate a tiny Ghibli anime world on your bookshelf with new miniature papercraft art kits
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in TokyoStarbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime characterUniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthdayFamous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping listKrispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
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
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
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
Picturesque Tokyo park plays host to millions of flowers and soap bubbles this spring
Starbucks Japan has a secret coffee press service that not many people know about
This upcycled Kyoto train cafe is the ultimate kawaii spring experience
Final Fantasy invites you to adventure in Fukushima with Fukushima Fantasy Chocobo fun[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Japanese pasta dish ranked 24th worst food in the world, but does it deserve that dishonor?
Japanese kindness restores our faith in humanity after a highway bus accident in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan opens new Kyoto store in Place of Scenic Beauty
Father of shojo manga hosts yearly one-man exhibit with new and classic artwork【Images】
Japanese retailer Felissimo brings cute from the oceans with adorable deep sea creature pouches
Mist descends upon Japan’s “Killing Stone” after ceremony to appease nine-tailed fox spirit
Japan now sells…sake made with moth poop?!?
The etiquette rules for visiting Shinto shrines in Japan
Fatal stabbing at Pokémon Center in Tokyo reignites concern over rising stalking cases in Japan