Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
In a news story over on the Asahi Shinbun Digital, despite the Japanese coastguard coming to the aid of a Chinese freighter that had caught fire, the Chinese government has yet to issue a statement of thanks.
Chinese netizens, however, have taken to their keyboards to show their gratitude and express their joy upon hearing about the act of humanity despite relations between the two countries being so bad at this time.
Starbucks Japan has teamed up with Spanish luxury leather designer Loewe to produce a range of sexy leather sleeves for its paper coffee cups, it was announced yesterday.
The limited-edition sleeves are part of a programme designed to provide financial support to those affected by the earthquake and tsunami that stuck north-eastern Japan in March last year.
ANGFA Co Ltd is a Japanese company that develops health and anti-ageing beauty products like medicinal shampoos for the scalp.
Wanting women to know the importance of good scalp care, which is reported to help keep hair beautiful five and ten years down the line, on October 19th this year the company launched a campaign called “Scalp D Hair Care ‘Scalp Revolution”.
The first part of this project focused on, would you believe it, the smell of women’s scalps. The research included verifying the strength of the smells of the scalps of 500 men and women between the ages of 20 to 30. They also took part in surveys and interviews with body odour care specialists. The results were posted on a special site. Read More
Are you often visited by cockroaches? Do you hate having to do battle with these quick menaces for the sanctity of your home?
At the moment, circling around tumblr, is an intriguing yet simple method to rid your home of cockroaches – possibly forever – and it wouldn’t cost you a dime. It certainly seems plausible, but whether it truly works or not remains to be seen.
Japan is no stranger to exciting, original or downright odd beverages. Just 20 feet from this writer’s apartment, in fact, there’s a vending machine that sells cans of grape jelly or caramel pudding flavoured “drinks”, and convenience stores stock an enormous array of beverages from green tea or chilled coffee to butterscotch milk and melon soda.
Still, it’s better than row after row of tremor-inducing caffeine-packed cola and the illegitimate offspring of child’s cough syrup and lemonade that is Dr Pepper, I suppose…
On the 15th of this month, however, dairy experts Meito brought Japanese consumers something altogether more challenging- a milk-based drink that’s designed to taste not just like strawberries, but classic Japanese favourite strawberry daifuku mochi rice cakes!
But no sooner had the delicious-sounding beverage found its way into stores than internet users starting leaving rather odd comments on message boards about the drink’s taste…
Located in Kyoto is the headquarters of hair styling product maker Nakano Pharmaceutical. This company is well-known for something besides their high quality hair care gels and sprays and confusing name. They are one of the few companies to almost completely eliminate everyone’s favorite sitting device, the chair, from their facilities.
In its place staff and visitors are treated to a wobbly seat on those large plastic balls often seen in Pilates classes.
Before I was five years old, I’d been chased, bitten and cornered by dogs no fewer than three times.
From then on, whenever we went on to the park or were out for a family stroll, the mere sight of a dog– be it leashed, unleashed, right in front of me or 100 metres away– would have me clinging to my parents’ legs, begging them to turn back.
If only we’d had a dog like this loveable little Shiba-inu, who lies patiently while his master rests towel after towel on top of his head, I’m sure it would have taken me far less time to get over my fear of dogs.
Any anime or manga fan will tell you that the sight of characters suffering sudden, sporadic nosebleeds when they’re sexually aroused is not uncommon in Japanese-created works.
A male character catches a glimpse of a girl undressing, a girl has the object of her affection wink seductively at her, a character trips and finds his face inches from a female character’s ample bosom; the result is always the same- a flushed face followed by a gushing nosebleed.
The idea is that sexual arousal causes an increase in blood pressure, which in turn sets off a nosebleed. It’s certainly true that arousal or embarrassment can cause us to flush– I can clearly recall my face bursting into flames when I was 12 years old and the girl in my class whom I was madly in love with was dared to kiss me on the cheek– but could it really cause a nosebleed?
NicoNico News turned to a medical professional to find out whether there’s any truth to the anime phenomenon, or whether it’s just an old wives’ tale…
A sun bear cub residing in Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo was videoed having a frustrating time dealing with the door to its den. It would seem the handle to the door was juuuuust out of reach of the bemused bear cub. Even standing on its tip-toes it can’t quite make it. Then it starts spinning around, gets dizzy and falls on its back.
Prepare to go “Awww” hard.
I’m sure most people will agree that Hello Kitty, born nearly 40 years ago in 1974, is a creation that Japan can be proud of. She is now franchised in over 70 countries around the world. And once again, our beloved Ms. Kitty, the busiest and most famous cat in the world, is hard at work, this time at a restaurant in Beijing, China.
Yes, China is no exception when it comes to Hello Kitty’s popularity, and one of our reporters from Pouch recently had the chance to visit a Hello Kitty themed restaurant in the fashionable Sanlitun area of Beijing. And just in case you’re wondering, sure, we all know rip-offs are big business in China, but this shop is a legitimate operation officially recognized by Sanrio. So, let’s see what the aptly named “Dreams Restaurant (夢幻主題餐庁)” is like. Read More
As the world inches closer and closer to driverless cars, Nissan released a video demonstration of their newest precrash system, the Autonomous Emergency Steering System. It utilizes an arrangement of camera, laser, and radar sensors to detect objects around your car and avoid potential collisions by commandeering the steering wheel.
In other words, if your car thinks it can drive better than you then it takes control of the wheel.
As a high ranking anti-terrorist agent in my fantasies off-time I’m often attacked by knife wielding maniacs. This is why when I read Gigazine’s coverage of the recent Special Equipment Exhibition & Conference for Anti-Terrorism (SEECAT) 2012 in Tokyo I saw something that really piqued my interest.
On display at the Tanizawa Corp. booth was a sporty looking sweater that also prevents damage from knife slashes. It could be the most comfy looking piece of armor I’ve seen.
You, Me, And a Tanuki is a weekly featured blog run by Michelle, a Californian who is currently one of only two foreigners living in Chibu, a tiny fishing village on one of the Oki islands in Japan. Check back every Saturday for a new post or read more on her website here!
My husband and I live on a five square mile island with less than 600 inhabitants. To make matters even cozier, most of our island is mountainous so the houses are clustered together on the coasts where any flat land is available. As a result of our close proximity to our neighbors and the fact that we are the only two foreigners on the island, everyone knows where we live.
This is a great thing most of the time. People often come to our door to give us extra vegetables from their garden or fish they caught. When Khoa and I stayed on the island during New Year’s, the principal of the elementary school saw the light on at our house, figured we were home, and invited us over for a big New Year’s feast.
However, there is a downside to the entire island knowing our whereabouts.
![[Perfect for Halloween] Make Your Own Gaping Flesh Wound Without Wounding Yourself!](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2012/10/0002.jpg?w=580 "[Perfect for Halloween] Make Your Own Gaping Flesh Wound Without Wounding Yourself!")
With Halloween just around the corner many people are looking around for those finishing touches on their costumes. And what better accoutrement to your costume is there than an open sore or gaping wound?
However, store bought injuries can be cumbersome and might not look the way you want. And while injuring yourself with a butcher’s knife is an economically sound idea it could seriously hamper your day to day activities.
So let us show you a safe way to make your own realistic wounds using ordinary household items! Just follow our multimedia guide on wounding yourself and get yourself some markers and glue.
Fight! Fight! Fight!
Times are tough in Japan, and, as reported here on RocketNews24 earlier this week, the country’s two biggest gyūdon chains, Sukiya and Yoshinoya, are tightening their belts after seeing financial losses in the first half of the tax year.
The restaurants’ response to the decrease in profits? Stop cutting costs, end the focus on dirt-cheap dishes and instead launch new, fancier menus in the hope of enticing new customers and squeezing a few extra yen out of regular patrons.
Both Yoshinoya and Sukiya’s new dishes that are more than twice the price of their regular gyūdon staples, but the restaurants claim that they are a cut above the rest as a result. But will the average salary-man, with just 500 yen per day to spend on lunch, want to pay extra for a fancier menu? And if they do, which dish should they choose?
Armed with a camera and grumbling stomachs, we headed out to both restaurants on two seperate days to try the new dishes for ourselves.
Let the New Gyūdon Wars begin!
For those of us living in cities, the idea of moving away to a country home surrounded by vast meadows of these pretty white autumn flowers sounds nice doesn’t it? However, this year, in Fukui Prefecture, where crops of thousands of these soba (buckwheat) flowers are grown, residents are perplexed that all these little blossoms literally smell like an ocean of sh*t.
In pretty much any major city around the world, you’re bound to run in to a person collecting money for some cause or other. It could be in aid of curing a deadly disease, cutting world hunger, protecting the environment or even animal rights activists PETA asking for donations when they’re not making online videogames…
In Japan, it’s not uncommon to encounter Buddhist monks, standing still in the street with a bowl in hand, asking for donations. This is a tradition that has existed in Japan for centuries, and, while few busy city-dwellers stop to drop a few yen in the bowl, even fewer would begrudge the monks for doing it since they have scant income and bring a lot of comfort to many people.
A photo that appeared online earlier this week, however, showing what appears to be two monks sitting in a side-street laughing and smoking while counting their takings for the day, has caused quite a stir among Japan’s internet users…
Most people think the art of juggling is played out. We think we’ve seen it all from balls to batons to even the point that flaming chainsaws gets yawns from spectators. But a performance at the 2012 Japan Juggling Festival by a mysterious juggler called Yanazo drew gasps and a standing ovation from the crowd.
Even only using a single ball he is captivating to watch. If you can catch a ball with the outside of your elbow then congratulations: You can do about a half a second of this six minute act.
Singapore, a country famous for its strict punishments for even minor crimes, again lived up to its reputation with a new law threatening a fine of 10,000 Singaporean Dollars (US$8,000) for every single unwanted e-mail sent for the purposes of solicitation otherwise known as spam.
What this will mean for the generic medicine and penis enhancement industries in Singapore remains to be seen.
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
Tokyo Tsukiji fish market site to be redeveloped with 50,000-seat stadium, hotel, shopping center
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Sakura tree falls on man at Sannenzaka near Kiyomizu temple in Kyoto 【Breaking News】
New private rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen change the way we travel from Tokyo to Kyoto
We tried Korea’s way-too-big King Tonkatsu Burger at Lotteria 【Taste Test】
French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Mt. Koya planning to instate visitor’s tax to cope with huge tourist numbers
Beautiful Red and Blue Star luxury trains set to be Japan’s new Hokkaido travel stars
McDonald’s Japan releases a pancake pie for new retro kissaten coffeeshop seriesMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
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
Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Studio Ghibli releases new action figures featuring Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind charactersFrench Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
Is the new Shinkansen Train Desk ticket worth it?New private rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen change the way we travel from Tokyo to Kyoto
Beautiful Ghibli sealing wax kits let you create accessories and elegant letter decorations【Pics】McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
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 things
Studio Ghibli unveils Mother’s Day gift set that captures the love in My Neighbour Totoro
Domino’s Japan now sells…pizza ears?
New Japanese KitKat flavour stars Sanrio characters, including Hello KittyAll-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky loungeMore 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
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitelyMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
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
We tried Korea’s way-too-big King Tonkatsu Burger at Lotteria 【Taste Test】
French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Mt. Koya planning to instate visitor’s tax to cope with huge tourist numbers
Beautiful Red and Blue Star luxury trains set to be Japan’s new Hokkaido travel stars
McDonald’s Japan releases a pancake pie for new retro kissaten coffeeshop series
Hello Kitty isn’t a cat!? We called Sanrio to find out!
Let’s try some “deer poop” ice cream in Nara, Japan’s city of deer!
Haku is…Chihiro’s dead brother? Studio Ghibli fans blown away by Spirited Away theory
What’s it like to shop at Family Mart’s first “unmanned convenience store” in Japan?
Japanese balloon jellies, or “Tengu’s Treasure”, are a very unique souvenir
Giant Clodsire Pokémon plushie comes with up to 32 Woopers in super size, super cute set【Pics】
Here are Japan’s most-sung karaoke songs in 2022 from karaoke system Joysound
We slide down Osaka’s most famous tower and get free curry for it
Massive-variation new Pikachu plushie line lets you find the perfect Pikachu just for you