Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
In most countries, you’d never give a manhole cover a second glance. But in Japan, the designs on those metal disks encircled by cement are surprisingly ornate. Most are so beautiful, you’ll have to be careful not to spend the entire day looking at the ground. Now people all over the world can enjoy Japan’s stompable artwork thanks to Hirake! Manhole, a brand new website showcasing manhole cover art across Japan.
It may be hard to believe, but it has been almost 17 years since Final Fantasy VII, arguably the most revered entry in Square Enix’s iconic RPG series, was first unleashed on the world. And in honour of the game’s impeding birthday, its creators have commissioned a series of ridiculously cute “chibi” figures for hardcore gamers and fans of all things cute alike to enjoy, with pre-orders already being taken months ahead of their release.
Heads up, snack fans! Japan’s Tohato foods has just announced a new brand that will hit shelves later this month. Called “Ninja Snack Fuwamaru“, they’re purported to melt away like a ninja into the night. Hmmm…
Even though the Japanese kind of have a reputation as stoic individuals reluctant to express emotion, we’ve shown you time and again that the Japanese are suckers for a good heart string-tugging story as much as the people of the next country.
Still, it’s safe to say there’s more than an average amount of social pressure to keep your feelings to yourself in Japan, especially for authority figure types like teachers. Which might explain why the teacher in this next story went to extraordinary lengths to pass on one final message to his recent graduating class.
Today, we’d like to talk to you about Seo-yeon Park, a young woman living in South Korea. Ms. Park used to have a respectable position at a business consulting firm, but being an attractive young woman, she discovered that she could attract a large audience by posting videos of herself online. Many of the people watching can’t do the things she does, others can but feel they shouldn’t. Deep down inside, though, everyone who watches Park’s videos, in which she gives herself the pleasure and satisfaction most can only dream of, secretly longs to follow her unbridled example.
Eventually, Park’s online activities, which started out as a hobby, became so encompassing that she quit her job. Her online exhibitionism is now a full-time gig for which she has adopted the stage name The Diva.
As we’re sure you’ve already guessed, Park has crossed over completely into the world of producing Internet videos of herself eating piles of delicious food, and is making a comfortable living from it.
In an interview with Saikyo Jump magazine, Akira Toriyama, the creator of long-running anime epic Dragon Ball, dropped some hints on a possible new movie. As well as revealing some titbits of info about Goku’s mother, the artist shared his hopes for a future animated feature, saying that he personally would like to see none other than Goku’s eternal rival Vegeta as the main character in a new Dragon Ball flick!!
I’m sure we’ve all received gifts of clothing from loved ones that we secretly didn’t like at all. We throw them on while the gift-giver is still present in an effort to show our appreciation, but more often than not the garments are destined to spend the rest of their days in the back of a cupboard or are promptly donated to charity.
We have no qualms whatsoever about pulling on an ugly garment received from a well-meaning relative, but we doubt we could even pretend to be pleased if someone gave us a hat and sweater made out of their own hair, which is exactly what one woman in Chongqing, China came up with after collecting her fallen locks over the past 11 years.
Want to go to the least popular prefecture in all of Japan? Of course you do! Pack your bags, you’re going to Shimane!
Though Shimane is home to Izumo Shrine, one of the most significant shrines in all of Japan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the indescribably beautiful Oki Islands, this particular area of the Chugoku Region gets overlooked by most of Japan. In fact, year after year Shimane is ranked as Japan’s most forgotten and least identifiable prefecture.
But not to worry, that’s where Yoshida-kun, Shimane’s brutally honest mascot, comes in. We’ve seen this fellow before, pointing out Shimane’s shortcomings and proclaiming the area to be the the 47th most famous prefecture in a country that only has 47. Well, he’s back at it again with the Shimane x Takanotsume Super Deluxe Masochism Calendar 2014! Now with 20% more snark.
Thanks to the internet and Google Street View, you can see the world from the comforts of your own home. Eat a turkey leg while touring the Palace of Versailles or walk through the Taipei Train Station in your birthday suit, it doesn’t matter what you’re doing or how little you’re wearing while virtually touring famous sites online.
If you’ve ever dreamed of traveling around Asia, but haven’t quite saved enough time or vacation days, you can always take a virtual tour on Google Street View. Let’s take a look at the top virtual tourism locations in Asia.
The hostesses of Tokyo’s red-light districts can rest easier tonight, knowing that their Jimmy Choos and Louboutins are safe. Police arrested 28-year-old Sho Sato for a rash of shoe thefts from clubs across the capital and neighboring Kanagawa and Saitama Prefectures.
Sato admitted to the charges, saying the pleasure of stealing was his—ahem!—sole reason for taking the shoes.
In the world of fantasy, Studio Ghibli gave us the magnificent Catbus in the anime film My Neighbor Totoro. Who wouldn’t want to catch a ride on a live, furry bus like that, right? Well, now in the real world here in Japan, it seems Disney is coming out with a unique ride that, while maybe not an exact recreation of the Catbus, comes pretty close. Yes, it’s the amazing furry “Duffy Bus”, and it’s a real-life cross between a bus and a stuffed animal! It’s so unique, you’ll have to see it to believe it!
The world’s worst cup noodles are to be found in none other than the fair land of England, home of delicacies such as fish ‘n’ chips, bread and butter pudding, and spotted dick. At least that’s according to one Japanese exchange student to the UK, brought up on a diet of real cup ramen back in his home country. But surely ‘worst ever’ is a bit of an overstatement?! We sent one of our Japanese reporters to find out, and weren’t quite prepared for his epic reaction (we don’t think he was either).
How would you react to being beaten up while living in a foreign country by an assailant spewing racial hatred? While most of us may be more interested in revenge, a Japanese software developer and longtime resident of Germany recently showed how to set aside anger to make the world a better place. Instead of dwelling on the attack, the Japanese man bought ad space in a Berlin subway station to ask his attacker to work on a translation project together. Click below to find out what made this Japanese man want to reach out to the man that gave him a black eye!
It doesn’t get much more iconic than Mario. The rotund plumber with a turtle-murdering blood lust is more well-known worldwide than a lot of his compatriots from supposedly less nerdy mediums than video games.
Unsurprisingly, then, most people think they have a pretty good idea of what Mario looks like, and could even describe him to you, right down to his particular sartorial choices. Obviously, he’s a squat, mustachioed man with a blue shirt and red overalls. …Or was it a red shirt and blue overalls!?
When you really think about them, even the traditions and practices that we each grew up with and seem perfectly normal are kind of odd. Easter, once solely the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, now sees us telling children that a benevolent rabbit came in the night to leave them chocolate eggs. Christmas takes us even further into the world of fantasy as kids grow up thinking that a magical man who lives in the North Pole works a team of elves all year round to make presents for them, delivering said gifts across the world in a single night via flying woodland beasts, despite the man himself likely having respiratory problems owing to his XXL frame.
Although Japan doesn’t really do Christmas, it does have a plenty of its own traditions and yearly celebrations, and it just so happens that today is one of them. Setsubun, or the spring bean-throwing festival, sees children yelling at and peppering fictional demons with handfuls of roasted beans, and families sitting down to eat enormous pieces of maki, or roll, sushi, often adhering to peculiar local traditions as they do.
The above image depicting a man looking at erotic manga on a train has been circulated wide across the internet. We even made use of it in an article about unusual train behavior. Hardcore readers, however, may recognize this man as Yoppy, a writer from the awesome Japanese humor website Omocoro.
With his new-found fame, Yoppy embarked on a quest to present his website beyond the shores of Japan. But was the world ready for the Japanese-oriented naked-man-heavy content of Omocoro? Find out in this naked-man-heavy article!
Everyone wants to feel the joy of a simple kiss; the intimacy, the passion, the physical closeness, it’s all so nice. But there are many hurdles to successful kissing – the biggest being the fact that you need a willing and kissable partner! So what about the single people of the world? How can they fill their friends’ Facebook feed with annoying photos of themselves caught in the moment and having a nice smooch?
Enter slightly eccentric Japanese blogger Keisuke Jinushi, who lives by the mantra “There’s no time like the present” and is a self-dubbed “perpetual loner”. After his hugely successful “girlfriend hand” selfies wherein he tricked the world into believing he had a real girl of his own to feed him food and wipe ketchup of his face, Keisuke now introduces us to a foolproof technique for anyone who wants to make people think they have a kissable partner! You might get a few funny stares, though…
At an event held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Japanese author Rieko Nakagawa’s worldwide best seller Guri to Gura (or Guri and Gura in English), friend and fellow artist Hayao Miyazaki has gone on record to say that – unlike in many of the animated features he has created to date – children do not simply head out on adventures and come back smarter and more mature, calling the idea “a lie”.
The PlayStation Japan channel began streaming a new trailer for Resident Evil director Shinji Mikami‘s The Evil Within (PsychoBreak) survival horror game on Thursday. The video reveals the game’s characters and monsters.
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Häagen-Dazs Japan releases new ASMR ice cream called “Rocky Crunchy!”
Starbucks Japan opens new cafe and art gallery in top Tokyo tourist neighbourhood
Heinz Japan finds its perfect pitchman: Pokémon’s Pikachu!
Pikachu and Eevee become handmade Lladró porcelain sculptures to celebrate Pokémon’s 30th birthday
Japan has a cute Pokémon menu you probably don’t know about yet
Is Daiso’s microwave Japanese rolled omelet maker worth your time and money? [Taste test]
Say hello to Japan’s new generation of adults, fresh from Kitakyushu’s 2023 seijinshiki ceremony
Japan’s cherry blossom season predicted to start earlier than we’d thought, especially in Tokyo
New multiple choice answer sheet is the anti-cheating gift from the teacher gods
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Japanese government planning higher ticket prices for foreign tourists at Tokyo National Museum
Starbucks Japan releases a new Cream Puff Frappuccino for a limited time
Silicone testicle covers banned from Japanese sauna following cups being left behind and on shelves
Studio Ghibli now sells Ursula’s backpack from Kiki’s Delivery Service at its anime shop in Japan
Is Japan’s Crab-shaped Cup Ramen Timer worth the hype?Starbucks Japan opens new cafe and art gallery in top Tokyo tourist neighbourhood
Pizza Hut Japan teams up with creator of one of the country’s best kinds of ramen for ramen pizza
Mister Donut unveils new sakura doughnuts for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
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 homeJapan’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
Japan has a cute Pokémon menu you probably don’t know about yet
Is Daiso’s microwave Japanese rolled omelet maker worth your time and money? [Taste test]
Say hello to Japan’s new generation of adults, fresh from Kitakyushu’s 2023 seijinshiki ceremony
Japan’s cherry blossom season predicted to start earlier than we’d thought, especially in Tokyo
New multiple choice answer sheet is the anti-cheating gift from the teacher gods
Pizza Hut Japan teams up with creator of one of the country’s best kinds of ramen for ramen pizza
Tokyo dressmaker crafts gorgeous wedding gowns from old kimono fabric 【Photos】
Is this Tokyo government office still one of the best places in the city for a curry rice lunch?
“Denki Anma”: The Japanese traditional torment that you’ll be glad stays in Japan
Criminals of Japan’s Edo Period Were Often Punished by Getting Face Tattoos
Namakopuri: The inexplicable “art idol” group you will hate yourself for loving【J-Tunes】
Burger King’s new sumo burger thuds into Japan…but is it worth the hype?
We investigate which conveyor belt sushi restaurant is best for drinking alone, drowning regrets
