Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Here’s a striking example of how strained the relationship is between South Korea and Japan: The latest survey from Asian Institute for Policy found that among South Koreans, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un scored higher in favorability ratings than Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Recently, my wife and I went out to see the live-action Kiki’s Delivery Service. As we waited for the film to start, we swapped impressions of the 1989 anime version of the story, which like the live-action version is an adaptation of author Eiko Kadono’s 1985 children’s novel of the same name.
My wife mentioned that one of her favorite characters was Osono, the owner of the bakery where witch-in-training Kiki boards. Osono’s actually got quite a few fans, due to her tough yet kind personality and mature outlook on life.
How exactly Osono managed to acquire those admirable traits is the subject of a new serial by Kadono, a coming of age story focused on the baker who would eventually serve as Kiki’s mentor.
To help combat the steady wave of shoplifting in Japan (360 reported cases a day), authorities remind shop staff to stay vigilant and know that anyone who enters their store – whether a little school girl or her 89-year-old grandfather – is a potential criminal just aching to take your hard-earned merchandise.
Just look at the kitty pictured above. Cute lil’ guy doncha think?
Wrong! That pilfering feline has stolen hundreds of yen worth of cat food from a helpless major convenience store… possibly to sell on the street for crack-cocaine.
A while back, food conglomerate Kibun and soy giant Kikkoman announced a couple new flavors for their popular Tonyu Inryo line of soy milk. In and of itself, this wasn’t too surprising, as new varieties are regularly swapped in and out of the Tonyu Inryo lineup.
One of the new flavors caught the eye of our junk food loving team, though: healthy cola. Ordinarily, the words “healthy” and “cola” are in such direct opposition that we expected the package to be contain a paradox-induced black hole, or to at least be completely empty inside. To our surprise, though, Kibun was indeed able to develop its healthy cola soy milk, and we wasted no time in trying it.
In its never-ending quest for new, cute things, Japan sometimes latches onto things that the rest of the world might not apply the adjective to. It’s understandable when someone sees Hello Kitty or Totoro and squeals “Kawaii!, but by some twisted criteria, The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Jack Skellington and the rabbit Usavich, with his creepy drugged-looking eyes, are als considered “cute”.
So perhaps it’s not too surprising that you can now get a costume that turns you into the latest character from adorable mascot king Sanrio, despite that character being a filet of salmon.
At approximately 4:17 p.m. on Tuesday this week, North Korea fired seven short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast into the Sea of Japan. While this in itself is not especially unusual for the world’s most secretive and hardline dictatorship, a genuinely unsettling detail later emerged that reflects the seriousness of the situation and just how close one group of civilians came to danger: Just six minutes after its launch, a China Southern Airways passenger plane passed directly through the path one missile had taken.
The modern dilemma over whether it’s okay for young boys to play games based on warfare was seemingly put to the test in Taiwan recently as two very young boys happened upon a real and unused grenade near the park they were playing in.
The event, which was reported in Searchina based on New Taipei media, resulted in the military getting called in and opened up a slew of legal and sociological debate.
As someone who learned to drive a car before he could ride a bike, there are a couple of things that slipped through the cracks on my path of acquiring basic life skills. Sewing, for example, is still an arcane art to me. After all, why go to the hassle of making my own clothes, when there are plenty of stores perfectly willing to take my money in exchange for a new shirt or pair of jeans?
But maybe I’m missing the point. After all, knowing how to sew doesn’t just mean you can design your own wardrobe, it also means you can create awesome anime and video game figures made entirely of felt.
With today’s economy, even colossal titans need extra work. Luckily, their tall statures make them a perfect fit for construction.
The Shinkansen is already a pretty cool way to get around Japan, as it whisks travelers from the country’s cosmopolitan urban centers to its more traditional rural locales.
But what if you want to experience a bit of authentic Japanese culture while you’re zipping across Japan at 200 miles per hour? Fear not, Japan Railway has just the thing: a bullet train with tatami reed flooring and a Japanese-style foot bath.
Not a day goes by without Japanese school children hearing the terms globalization (グロバール化) or internationalization (国際化), and why it’s so important for their future careers. In fact, the whole country seems to be swept up in a fervor of these two words. But do Japanese people really understand the meanings of them, or are the terms just being used as catchphrases?
Enter Austin, an international student who has been living in Japan since 2012. Last week he posted a thought-provoking piece called “Some Thoughts – And Doubts – About Japan’s Internationalization” on Tofugu, a Japanese language and culture blog. The piece has circulated around the Internet, and was even picked up and summarized in Japanese by popular Japanese blogger Madame Riri. In it, Austin addresses how while Japan may be making efforts to globalize on the surface, it still lacks something on a deeper level that is preventing it from becoming truly internationalized. Join the debate after we take look at some of his thoughts below.
While North America has had the PlayStation 4 for a few months now, Japan had to wait until February 22 to pick up the (arguably) hottest console in the world. Now that the long wait is over, Japanese gamers can hunker down and get some serious gaming done!
And, thanks to the PlayStation 4’s snazzy new streaming technology, they don’t even need to leave the house to catch a live idol show! This Thursday (March 6) at 6 pm JST, the game-centric group Game Girls will give their debut performance–and be the first to stream a live show via PlayStation 4! Because…umm…well, why the hell not, right?
In June last year, we brought you news of whisperings in Japan’s Tochigi Prefecture about the proposed creation of a new public holiday, which was to be known as Yama no Hi, or Mountain Day. Since then we have heard little more on the subject, but the good news is that, although the plans may have changed a little, parliament is now considering a bill to make the national holiday a reality, meaning everyone may soon get an extra day off every August 11!
Just traded in your Xbox 360 for a shiny new PS4 or Xbox One? Want to clear some clutter under your TV set? Proud of your gamerscore and want the world to know that you eat, sleep and breathe video games? Well if you’re a pet owner we’ve just the thing! Instructables user mikeasaurus has come up with a novel use for an old Xbox 360 controller – turning it into a dog leash, which as well as having multiple fire buttons and twin analogue sticks, even comes with a built-in poop bag dispenser.
All right, burrito lovers, step right up! Burritos are perhaps the most convenient well-balanced meals in the world (in my opinion). You get your carbohydrates, meat, vegetables, and a great burst of flavors, all in a handy-sized wrap that you can basically eat anywhere, even on the go. Perfect!
However, if there’s just one thing that’s better than a burrito, it’s gotta be an animal burrito! All you have to do is look at it and it’ll fill up your empty hearts and souls with an irresistible gush of cuteness that will leave you feeling like a better person (hypothetically)! Here are twenty of them, all rolled up and ready to go!
A certain custom-made itasha van, modeled after Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, has been drawing attention in the the Fukui Prefecture. Taking a look at the realistic detail put in to it, there’s no question as to why that is.
The first iteration of the van was built in 2009, and was a black van with the disembodied lower half of a person sticking out of the trunk and numerous character decals. According to Shiren Amakusa, the vans’ owner, he ran into problems when customizing the first van, due to the fact that it was black, which would make the blood less visible against it. The latest version of the van solves that problem, as well as adding a human hand sticking out of the front hood.
Guys, are you scrambling to find a romantic White Day gift by March 14? If you want something a bit more classy to go along with your donuts or gummy udon, then maybe you should try this easy, do-it-yourself gift idea (and you’ll even get bonus points since it’s homemade!). Our sister site Pouch ran an article yesterday about how to make your very own dried flower bouquet in a matter of minutes. It’s a perfect present to surprise your friend with on a birthday or special occasion, too. Of course, the best part is that the flowers won’t fade away, so you can enjoy them and the memory for a long time. Plus, you’ll be shocked at just how easy it is!
Tokyo’s astronomical rent costs mean people will go to great lengths to find a cheaper deal. For many, this means living up to a 30-minute walk from their apartment’s nearest train station. Others might choose to live in extremely small or narrow rooms or may opt for what amounts to a cardboard box on an apartment building’s roof.
There is, however, another option that almost seems too good to be true: So-called “Accident Site” apartments. These are rooms in which a previous tenant has died inside, usually from non-natural causes. Some rental agencies specifically advertise rooms as “accident site,” while some agencies just list a room that’s mysteriously low-priced and let people figure it out for themselves.
Certain bargain hunting types with extreme mental fortitude and who don’t mind the occasional bleeding wall or mysterious, warm puff of breath on their cheek while they sleep, actually seek out these deals, but the large majority of Japan avoid them.
One of Japanese confectionary maker Morinaga’s biggest hits is the Hi-Chew line. The soft, chewy candies come in a variety of fruit flavors, such as grape, strawberry, and green apple.
Morinaga also occasionally shakes things up with limited-edition flavors. Recently the special versions have been golden pineapple and pink grapefruit, but this month they’re joined by another unique offering, Super Mario Hi-Chews.
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
Virtual idol Hatsune Miku redesigned with look that adds new elements and brings back old ones
The next time you’re feeling stressed out, you could relax on a Pokémon Psyduck chair from Japan
We asked our Japanese team of writers how they deal with seasonal allergies in Japan
Starbucks Japan opens new Kyoto store in Place of Scenic Beauty
Japan’s budget chain restaurant Saizeriya might just be the perfect first date location
90 minutes of all-you-can-drink alcohol for 550 yen at revolving sushi restaurant Koma Sushi
A look back on 40 years of Japanese schools banning stuff
We tried Korea’s way-too-big King Tonkatsu Burger at Lotteria 【Taste Test】
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan opens new cafe and art gallery in top Tokyo tourist neighbourhoodVirtual idol Hatsune Miku redesigned with look that adds new elements and brings back old ones
Komachi Shokudo: Japanese mum’s-style cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Tokyo
Pizza Hut Japan teams up with creator of one of the country’s best kinds of ramen for ramen pizzaStudio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
The top 10 graduation songs in Japan as chosen by current Japanese high school students
Is Japan’s Crab-shaped Cup Ramen Timer worth the hype?
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to localsNine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Now is the time to visit one of Tokyo’s best off-the-beaten-path plum blossom gardens
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
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
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
Starbucks Japan opens new Kyoto store in Place of Scenic Beauty
Japan’s budget chain restaurant Saizeriya might just be the perfect first date location
90 minutes of all-you-can-drink alcohol for 550 yen at revolving sushi restaurant Koma Sushi
A look back on 40 years of Japanese schools banning stuff
We tried Korea’s way-too-big King Tonkatsu Burger at Lotteria 【Taste Test】
Genuine Muramasa blade and Muromachi katana on display at Tokyo’s Touken Ranbu store【Photos】
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Three-way “yankee” street brawl breaks out following Coming-of-Age Ceremony in Japan【Video】
Twin Tail Day makes Twitter a paradise for guys in Japan【Photos】
Japanese squat toilet plastic model kit: Weird, gross, or both?【Photos】
Getting a driver’s license in Japan the hard way: The first written test
Welsh onion umbrella is perfect for vegetarians and Hatsune Miku fans alike
Learn Japanese through ridiculous manga: Two Piece 【Episode #1】
Sushi Push Pops aiming to be Japan’s newest sakura season snack sensation
Dove’s “Real Beauty” commercial a big hit in Japan
Mar 6, 2014
Sex, as the saying goes, sells. What exactly that means seems to be somewhat up to interpretation–we don’t think you’d want to buy a couch after watching a couple…um…”frolicking” on it–but it’s hard to deny that a bit of sexiness goes a long way in boosting sales. Even something as boring as shampoo can seem exciting when you film a young, perky model showering.
Of course, not everyone thinks that this is the best way to hock merchandise. Last year Dove earned a bit of respect from consumers with their “Real Beauty” campaign aimed at bolstering women’s self-images and emphasizing seeing the natural beauty we all have. Though the main commercial hit the shores of Japan last spring, it seems that it’s recently gotten a lot of attention over here. Click below to see what Japanese commenters are saying about the video!
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