Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Google Japan has announced that it is now possible for Google Maps users to access street view images of Namie, a coastal town in Fukushima that was severely affected by the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami before being completely evacuated when the nearby Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant went critical.
Many Asian women believe that having double eyelids is a sign of beauty and many who possess single-eyelids are forever in a quest to achieve a crease above their eye. In fact, double-eyelid surgery is the most common cosmetic enhancement in South Korea and Taiwan, and is very popular throughout Asia. For those who are hesitant to go under the knife in the name of beauty, there are plenty of non-surgical options to create the illusion of a double-eyelid such as special glues, tapes, and plastic devices.
The newest product to hit the double-eyelid market has been flying off the shelves with a reported 7,000 units sold in the first month of sales. Called “Eyelid Trainer”, this special device is worn just like a pair of glasses and claims to “create a double-eyelid with daily use.” It also makes you look ridiculous.
Japan often gets a reputation as a suicide-heavy nation but the social problem of self-destruction is something all parts of the world have to tackle.
The following is a list of five places in the world where suicides have most often occurred. It’s a bittersweet honor in that they are all either places of extreme natural beauty of impressive feats of engineering.
On the other hand, they are also places and countries that clearly do too little to prevent either the mental illness that leads to suicide of the act itself.
The Japanese Football Association has stated that it will be making an official complaint to international governing body FIFA after both forward Yasuhito Endo and goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima had lasers shone in their faces during yesterday’s qualifying match for the 2014 World Cup.
Tokyo District Public Prosecutor’s Office officially announced that it intends to prosecute cyclists who repeatedly violate road traffic laws in Japan. Ignoring a red light or not stopping when necessary may also become subject to penalty, with a three-month jail sentence or a fine of up to 50,000 yen. In addition, riding parallel with other cyclists or failure to make use of one’s light under conditions of poor visibility could carry fines of up to 20,000 yen and 50,000 yen, respectively.
Love lollipops? Love ice-cream? You can now make your own Chupa Chups flavored ice candy! Japanese toy maker Takara Tomy A.R.T.S will be releasing an ice candy making kit this coming 18 April.With the candy kit, making the lollipop flavored ice candy is simple and fun.
Japan worships the bathroom. Heated seats, music players, and carefully calculated washing mechanisms to clean your behind are just a few of the bathroom luxuries that can be found here. Now there’s a new product on the market in Japan ensuring that the toilet paper will smell wonderful even if what it’s cleaning doesn’t.
Tourist shops everywhere in Japan are filled with colorful boxes of local sweets that are perfectly portioned for sharing. These are omiyage. At work, it’s almost expected that you bring back a box of omiyage filled with a specialty product from the area your business trip took place in, and friends and family often purchase omiyage for those who weren’t able to make the trip. Many argue that giving omiyage is a distinctly Japanese custom; Yuichiro Suzuki, author of Omiyage and the Railway, explains in an interview with Yahoo! Japan.
Bon, a fashion house from Hiroshima, Japan, has been creating some buzz on the Internet. What for, you ask? Well, it turns out their clothing, actually intended for fashion-forward Zen priests, is being bought be regular Joes–er, Juns?–as well. Which leads us to ask: what the hell do fashion-forward priests even wear?!
You would think any transportation business would realize that in the event of a massive delay, a steady flow of information to the passengers is crucial.
Still, places like Kunming Changshui International Airport in China and more recently Keihan Electric Railway in Japan continue to leave their customers stranded without a clue about what’s happening with disastrous results.
On 24 March, Keihan Electric Railway experienced a massive loss of power along the entire Main Line running between Osaka and Kyoto. The hour-and-a-half delay ruined many people’s days and resulted in a tongue lashing for one blind lady.
It’s official: Studio Ghibli’s Kazu Tachinu, or “The Wind is Rising”, will be released in Japanese cinemas from July 20 this year.
As has been previously reported here, kimchi, the super-spicy fermented cabbage dish from Korea, appears to be one of the world’s healthiest dishes. Now, media sources in China are reporting that this fiery condiment is also beneficial for those seeking to lose a few pounds.
Every year, pollen counts in Japan are getting worse. In fact, pollen levels in Tokyo were literally off the charts just a few weeks ago. As a result, for four months out of the year, an estimated 15 to 30 percent of the Japanese population suffers from hay fever.
The tragedy of this situation is that Japan’s pollen problems are caused by its own government which encouraged people to plant cedar trees to meet the growing demand for timber in the 1940s and to replace forests that were destroyed during WWII. Hay fever was actually relatively rare in Japan until the 1960s when the millions of cedar trees began to mature and produce pollen.
As cedar pollen levels continue to climb, Japanese scientists may have found a solution to the problem: pollenless cedar trees.
Whether you realize it or not, you’ve probably had a happoshu (発泡酒）or “low-malt beer-like beverage” if you’ve ever had a night out in Japan.
The taste of a typical happoshu can vary from “pretty close to the real thing” to “yes, this is definitely weasel urine.” Going into a convenience store and blindly grabbing a beer can is thus a bit of a gamble in Japan, so, ever the masculine, barrel-chested and dashingly handsome role model father to our readers, we’ve done the work for you and chosen the five happoshu brands that are worth your time:
Elementary and high school students from Miyagi Prefecture were given a special send off at Japan’s Narita Airport yesterday afternoon as they set off for the U.S. in order to convey messages of thanks for the efforts of those involved in relief operations following the 2011 earthquake and resulting tsunami in Northeast Japan.
Below is an account from Sayaka, a reporter over at our sister site Pouch. It is an intriguing look at differences in business culture between Japan and the west. It makes one realize that there is no perfect business strategy as such but by incorporating the best parts from each culture, one can get pretty close to their own perfect business model. Moreover, Japan’s business culture has to be one of the most unique in the entire world.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of Tokyo Station as well as Grand Central Station, New York: two titans of transportation who have served their respective metropolises proud.
To honor this centennial, Grand Central hosted “Japan Week” which drew crowds to the already crowded terminal. Hearing of this, RocketNews24 sent a reporter to investigate the centerpiece of Japan Week; the ekiben counter!
It’s a question that’s plagued people for generations: How do I get a three-ton load of bamboo off the back of my truck with minimal effort? Well, the Taiwanese truck driver in the following video has developed a rather efficient method for dropping off his deliveries.
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Possessing Harry Potter’s Sword of Godric Gryffindor is now illegal in Japan
Eight unforgettable hot springs, as recommended by Japan’s “Professor Bath”
Mt Fuji convenience store becomes “lawless zone” as tourists hurl abuse at security guards
Uniqlo announces first-ever collaboration with horror manga master Junji Ito【Photos】
Yakuza family speaks out against rise in organized crime
Big dam Godzilla appears in Japan as power-washer art on side of 195-foot dam【Video】
Japanese bank’s founders blood-signed promise to commit samurai-style suicide if they committed fraud
Doujinshi manga/anime chain announces moratorium on Visa/Mastercard credit card payments
Japan’s workplace drinking party communication is unnecessary, says majority of workers in survey
Late-night cake cafe in Tokyo’s hostess/host bar district will satisfy your confectionary desires
Studio Ghibli releases new range of cardigans for anime fansMt Fuji convenience store becomes “lawless zone” as tourists hurl abuse at security guards
Kyoto Whopper divides customers at Burger King Japan
Celebrating Good Couple’s Day in Japan…by getting our significant others to dress us
7-Eleven Japan releases fukubukuro lucky bags filled with convenience store surprisesEight unforgettable hot springs, as recommended by Japan’s “Professor Bath”
Japanese burger chain no longer serves onion rings, but offers intriguing replacement【Taste test】
Travel tip: Fukuoka has a great luggage delivery service that’s cheaper than a coin locker
Starbucks Japan reveals new holiday goods for the 2024 festive seasonPossessing Harry Potter’s Sword of Godric Gryffindor is now illegal in Japan
Nintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】
One of Japan’s most beautiful hot spring towns announces new limits on number of day trippers
Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke teams up with Foxfire for outdoor apparel collaboration【Photos】
Ghibli Park debuts first winter illumination display with Howl’s Moving Castle themeStudio Ghibli releases new range of cardigans for anime fans
Sanrio and magical girl anime PreCure join forces for new merch line【Photos】
Pringles releases a limited-edition sweet flavour in Japan
Japanese job-quitting service contacted by other job-quitting service because employee wants to quit
After cancelling Halloween, Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood cancels New Year’s Eve too
Berserk T-shirts coming to Uniqlo for launch of new Manga Curation line【Photos】
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Foreign tourists on Shinkansen bullet train break suitcase etiquette, angering local passengers
[Deleted] Article written for April Fool’s Day 2018
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Japanese convenience store Family Mart announces abolishment of eat-in spaces
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
Studio Ghibli releases free-download board game — Here’s how to play it without reading Japanese
Big dam Godzilla appears in Japan as power-washer art on side of 195-foot dam【Video】
Japanese bank’s founders blood-signed promise to commit samurai-style suicide if they committed fraud
Doujinshi manga/anime chain announces moratorium on Visa/Mastercard credit card payments
Japan’s workplace drinking party communication is unnecessary, says majority of workers in survey
Late-night cake cafe in Tokyo’s hostess/host bar district will satisfy your confectionary desires
Bad tourist manners at Mt Fuji Lawson photo spot prompts Japanese town to block view with screens
Japanese job-quitting service contacted by other job-quitting service because employee wants to quit
Japanese Prime Minister once criticized deploying military to fight Godzilla
Majority of Japanese women in poll support idea of men-only train cars
Starbucks Japan reveals new holiday goods for the 2024 festive season
McDonald’s Japan’s Gurakoro burger faces a giant rival in Komeda’s Gurakuro
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Freaky veggies trending in Japanese groceries, possible precursor to real-life “The Last of Us”
