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Tohoku tsunami survivor’s $12K camera: heart-felt gift or PR stunt?

Scott R Dixon
Mar 17, 2014
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Three years ago, Japan’s northeastern region was devastated by a triple disaster of a Magnitude 9.0 earthquake, an ensuing tsunami that wiped away whole towns and caused the meltdown of a nuclear power plant. Affected deeply by the tragedy, Japan has since rallied together as a country to support those who lost loved ones, livelihoods and homes.

Last week, as a part of remembering the three years that have passed since the disaster, famed German camera maker Leica gave a high-end camera worth 1,200,000 yen (US$12,000) to a high school student whose community was devastated by the tsunami. Initially touched by the show of support, Japanese netizens began a heated conversation online about whether the very generous gift was a heart-felt present or just a PR stunt for the well-known camera maker.

Frozen’s “Let It Go” sounds just as impressive sung in Japanese 【Video】

Philip Kendall
Mar 17, 2014

I’ve honestly never been much of a Disney fan (anyone else just want to punch Mickey in the face? Just me, eh?), but after having passively listened to Frozen‘s “Let It Go” as my wife played it a good 30 or 40 times over the last few months, I have to admit, it’s a superb song.

The movie finally released here last Friday as Ana and the Snow Queen (didn’t I tell you Japan was always late with movie releases!?) in 2-D and 3-D, with both dubbed Japanese and subtitled versions available. Something of a purist, I insisted on watching the film in its original English if I was to see it at all, but having just caught the Japanese version of “Let It Go”, it almost makes me want to watch the film in its translated version too.

Check out the Japanese version of arguably one of Disney’s best tracks ever after the jump.

Sesame Street Fighter, the most badass children’s TV show ever (if only there were a show for it)

Joan Coello
Mar 17, 2014

I grew up watching the characters on Sesame Street count numbers, spell words, and sing songs about goldfish and birds. Even after I had outgrown the long-running children’s series, I had to sit through it again while babysitting my little cousins. And my guess is that many of you out there went through a similar experience since the show has been on TV since 1969 and is broadcast in over 140 countries worldwide.

How many of you then subsequently got hooked on to the arcade game Street Fighter II in your school days? I definitely did, and this guy called gavacho13 on Deviantart probably did too, as he has been creating some awesome illustrations of the Sesame Street Fighters!

19 movie posters seen through the eyes of Japan, from “Malkovich’s Hole” to “Captain Supermarket”

Master Blaster
Mar 17, 2014

As we’ve seen before, with many international releases the names of films can sometimes be vastly different from the original. The changes are made for a variety of reasons due to language, culture, or style. This begs the question: How much of an impact do these title changes make on the people who see them?

Just for fun, we took 19 movies from other countries that have had their names changed for Japanese audiences, translated them back to English and put them in their original posters.

So join us after the jump for such gems as Academy Award-nominated Nairobi Bees, Love is Deja Vu with Bill Murray, and cult classic Captain Supermarket. What, never heard of them!?

Japanese train platform door tech promotes safety, illusions of being in a sci-fi universe

Mike
Mar 17, 2014

Japan’s “suicide problem” is much talked about, both within the country’s borders and without, with a shocking number of people each year choosing to end their lives by jumping in front of a train. Less talked about are all the other deadly and injurious accidents that take place on train platforms in Japan on a semi-regular basis.

Recently, Japanese rail companies have been experimenting with platform barrier doors to prevent both suicides and other grievous accidents, and most of these inevitably end up looking like something out of Star Trek or a 1990s first-person shooter before technology allowed swinging door animations.

Ironically, this video of a typical Japanese breakfast doesn’t show one

Casey Baseel
Mar 17, 2014

There’s a certain mystery about what different countries have for breakfast. Most people’s contact with the eating habits of other nations comes from dining out, so as long as you’ve got a Japanese restaurant near where you live, you don’t necessarily need to fly to Tokyo to see what a typical lunch or dinner looks like.

Unless you grew up in a culture, though, you might not have had the chance to see what the locals eat for their first meal of the day though. We recently came across a video that aims to shed a little light on the subject, and while we’re intrigued by the premise, they sort of dropped the ball on what Japan eats at breakfast.

Words of wisdom and humor from 12 Buddhist temples (and… Cameron Diaz!?)

Preston Phro
Mar 17, 2014

It’s quite common in the United States for churches to post weekly messages on the signs standing on their front lawns. The public texts can run from deeply religious sentiments to pleas for more tolerance, though it’s also not uncommon for a careless mistake to lead to messages with multiple meanings–hilarious or unfortunate, depending on your perspective.

While Japan certainly does have its fair share of churches–perhaps more than one might expect–it is primarily the Buddhist temples that fill the role of making public, semi-religious proclamations. Like their Western counterparts, these messages can leave passers-by nodding their heads thoughtfully–or perhaps just chuckling. Check out these 12 posters that left a big impact on Japanese netizens! We never knew Buddhist Monks took so much notice of what Western celebrities had to say…

The best night views in the Maldives are on its magical shores

Oona McGee
Mar 17, 2014

The Maldives has always been a popular honeymoon destination, known for its crystal clear waters, gorgeous beaches and glamorous, resort-style accommodation. As if the area wasn’t romantic enough, at night there’s a breathtaking natural phenomenon that transforms its shores into glimmering waves of iridescent blue. One visitor who stumbled on the unbelievable sight likened it to the starry night skies of the Milky Way and took to the internet to find out the cause of the mysterious occurrence.

‘Miss Korea’ ladies in the 1970s looked different, beautiful long before Photoshop existed

Joan Coello
Mar 17, 2014

Last April, a case of overdose on Photoshop caused a group of ‘Miss Korea’ contestants to look like cloned beauties produced by the same plastic surgeon. Though it is now clear that the ladies were not high technology clones created to take over the pageant, the incident made some of us feel that beauty pageants these days are geared towards finding a certain type of beauty standard, rather than celebrating the beauty in different women.

Is it really necessary to “enhance” the beauty of these already stunning women? Let’s take a look at the Miss Korea pageant ladies before the era of Photoshop and cosmetic surgery!

Aichi fertility festival surprises everyone with gigantic membership

Master Blaster
Mar 16, 2014

Every year on 15 March in Komaki City, Aichi the Honen Matsuri (Harvest Festival) is held. Unlike other harvest festivals this one is to celebrate all forms bounty from crops to cash to family.

Also unlike other harvest festivals, this one has a 2.5m wooden phallus that gets paraded through the city during the afternoon. It’s called “Ooowasegata” (lit. big guy stem figure) and this year it drew a crowd of 190,000 spectators according to a Tagata Shrine announcement.

We test the taste of the King’s Dog from Burger King

Oona McGee
Mar 16, 2014

And now, due to popular demand, we have the taste test you’ve all been waiting for: the King’s Dog from Burger King. Ever since news of the hot dog offering from the fast food burger chain was released, we’d been anticipating its arrival. Boasting an extra-large sausage 2.5 times the thickness of a regular Burger King hot dog, we bought one of each to really see how the King’s Dog weighs up.

You’re not seeing things, that’s a cat selling roasted sweet potatoes

Joan Coello
Mar 16, 2014

It’s a common sight to see hot dog stands in America. In Singapore, ice cream stands are a lifesaver in the sweltering hot weather. In Japan, however, you’re more likely to find a yaki-imo (roasted sweet potato) stand on the streets, especially during winter. If you’re lucky enough, you might even meet the legendary cat that sells stone roasted sweet potatoes in Kurayoshi City, Tottori Prefecture!

Bandai Japan releases hugely impractical “sprout” desk accessories, catchy jingle

Philip Kendall
Mar 16, 2014

In the world of capsule toys, there’s always room for newcomers. Part of the reason so many people buy gashapon is the tiny thrill of excitement they get as they hear the capsule drop down into the dispenser and excitedly grab it to see whether they were lucky enough to get the toy they really wanted.

The toys themselves are often quickly forgotten about, doomed to a life of rolling around in the bottom of a bag or lining a windowsill turning a weird shade of yellow in the sun. But these new “desktop accessories” from toy maker Bandai, if their accompanying commercial video is to be believed, are designed to make their presence felt at every possible occasion, to the point of making your emails indecipherable.

Never agonize over your fast food decisions again – Pizza-Burger is here!

Cara Clegg
Mar 16, 2014

Ever had that terrible indecision between pizza and hamburger? Japan’s got your problem solved! It’s not quite as out-there as the bizarre creations we’ve become used to – in fact, maybe this time they’ve actually got things right.

Why increased thyroid cancer rates in Fukushima kids isn’t necessarily a cause for concern

BUSINESS INSIDER
Mar 16, 2014

A “cancer cluster” detected in kids near the Fukushima disaster is probably due to the increased examination of these children, not because of the disaster itself, according to epidemiologist Norman Kleiman of Columbia University.

Five of the cutest otter videos from Japan

Michelle Lynn Dinh
Mar 15, 2014

Otters are adorable, there’s no doubt about that, but how often do you actually get to see one in person? Sure you could go out and watch one at the zoo, but we wish there were a way for us to get closer. Although owning an otter is out of the question for most people, we can at least live vicariously through these residents of Japan who are able to live in close proximity to those cute river animals. Take a look at these five otter videos and prepare to say, “Awww!”

NHK TV worker woken by earthquake, gives viewers a show by accident

Preston Phro
Mar 15, 2014

As you already know, the third anniversary of the 3/11 Tohoku disaster was remembered this week through a variety of activities, including a fundraiser by Yahoo! Japan which saw the company donating roughly $250,000 to charity. The anniversary was also marked by a powerful earthquake off the coast of Kyushu at around 2 am on March 12, injuring about 14 people and wrecking havoc on innocent anime figures.

It also brought grins to all of the NHK viewers and Twitter users who happened to catch the public broadcaster’s footage of a confused-looking man running around an office in his underwear!

Buttery and flaky goodness — Mister Donut Japan to sell original Croissant Doughnuts

Kay
Mar 15, 2014

Many of you have probably heard about the croissant doughnuts that have been all the rage in New York, so much so that buying them for people apparently has become a business on its own. Well, we’ve heard about the delectable pastry here in Japan too, and we already have some bakeries and even a convenience store chain selling the sweet, flaky treats. Now it looks like Mister Donut in Japan is going to be the newest member to join the Cronut bandwagon. From April 1, the major doughnut chain will be offering their own version of the treat, which they’re calling the Mr. Croissant Donut. And we have to say we’re quite happy with the news, because frankly, New York is a bit far for us to go and buy pastries, but these, we can’t wait to try right here in Japan!

Rilakkuma rims add 16 bearpower to your car

Casey Baseel
Mar 15, 2014

Generally, customizing cars is a guy thing, and most guys are into power. When it comes to aftermarket wheels, the two biggest camps are those who want performance-boosting lightweight versions, or the largest, most blinged-out set available to advertise the driver’s financial status.

Now, though, there’s a third option beyond looking sporty or wealthy: cute wheels.

Osaka medical association warns against angering the gods through marijuana use

Philip Kendall
Mar 15, 2014

Drugs are bad, mkay. We know this. But apparently someone at the Osaka Pharmaceutical Association felt that the message would be better delivered by two shirtless men made up to look like (we think) Jesus Christ and Buddha…