Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Twice a year, Japanese amateur manga convention, Comiket, rolls through town, bringing in its tow an apocalyptic nerd storm of cosplayers, manga enthusiasts and rare comic and figure hunters. If stereotypes are to be believed, this means that twice a year, instant ramen, energy drinks, curry and soda consumption spike considerably.
We recently found a McDonald’s in Taiwan with cashiers who served customers in ultra-cute pink maid uniforms, but apparently that was just the beginning. Not happy with just catering to McDonald’s customers with maid fetishes, this particular McDonald’s has been branching out and workers were seen wearing the iconic Japanese-style schoolgirl outfit, knee-high stockings and cat ears. These cat-eared Sailor Moon-inspired costumes were a big hit and have left netizens all over the world wanting more!
Did you know that the ice cream emoji is just the poop emoji re-purposed?
In honor of the Emoji Art Show in New York City, creative agency 5Loom created a timeline of emoji development that points out this and other pivotal moments in emoji history.
Check it out:
While “twerking” and “Harlem Shake” were among the top search terms in the US, our neighbors to the west were busy Googling other, more wholesome words. Let’s take a look at the top trending search terms in Japan this year!
One of the pet peeves many housewives have is the accidental sprinkle when their husbands tinkle, which eventually leads to one of the things couples commonly argue over; putting the toilet seat up (or down). It seems it’s impossible for women to understand why men can’t keep their sprinkle within the bowl, and at the same time, men can’t seem to get why women get pissed over a tiny splash.
Some innovative housewives in Japan decided that the best way to solve this issue is to make the men go down on their knees when they use the potty.
While staying in Thailand, one of our reporters came across an expansive estate littered with colossal buildings. This was said to be the property of the Chairman of Saha Farms Group, Dr. Panya Choititawan.
As we will soon see, Dr. Choititawan seems to be a devout Buddhist and has opened his home, called Sukhawadee, to the public for a nominal fee of 200 bahts (US$6). It’s said the purpose was to give people a feeling of being a joint owner and treat them to the images of Buddha it contains. Kowloon Kurosawa, wanting to get a taste of success decided to take a look around.
On 20 December a research team led by Professor Kohei Onishi unveiled their Force Transceiver technology. This is technology that can remotely transmit physical forces and resistances two-ways in real time.
Prof. Onishi hopes that this technology can be used in robotics such as carrying out precise work in environments too hazardous for humans. Not only that, work that would require direct, personal contact such as physical therapy could be done anywhere in the world with an almost identical level of quality.
A story about a knight who braves all dangers to save his princess and eventually asks for her hand in marriage might be a bit of a cliché, but we’ve all had that fantasy at some point in our lives, hoping that we’ll meet our special someone in a fairytale-like situation. Unfortunately, chances are that real-life proposals are not as magical and grand, especially if both you and your beloved are game-enthusiasts who spend half your time “living” in a fantasy game world.
One chivalrous knight upped the game by proposing to his gamer princess with a video game he specially made for the proposal! Was his level-up a success? Click “Start”… I mean, click “Read More” to find out!
While we were already busy filling our faces with fried chicken, our friends over at JapanCulture•NYC – still with a few hours to go until December 25 arrived – sent us a few snaps of their own office Christmas tree before packing up for the holidays. For a site based in New York City and that’s all about Japanese culture in the area, we probably shouldn’t have been surprised that they put a cute, Japanese twist on the traditional ornaments, but this tree brought huge smiles to our faces.
With tiny octopuses, smiling onigiri riceballs and even Kumamon dressed as Santa, this is probably the best cross-culture Christmas tree we’ve seen this season, and we’re thoroughly jealous.
Ah, the good old days! It seems like every generation longs for that time when they were young and all was right with the world. McDonald’s Japan is taking that feeling of nostalgia and cramming it into a hamburger with their freshly announced American Vintage campaign, taking us back in time with 1950’s diner fare, 1970s soul food and 1980s pop culture cuisine.
As an American living in Japan, I often get asked, “Do you miss McDonald’s?” This always strikes me as a strange question, as living near downtown Tokyo puts me in closer proximity to more outlets of the Golden Arches than I ever had growing up in the suburbs of Los Angeles.
Plus, it’s a little hard to get homesick for McDonald’s when you’ve got access to mouth-watering okonomiyaki and sushi joints, not to mention delicious Indian and Chinese restaurants. Being surrounded by the culinary delights of Asia means it takes something pretty special to coax you into a Big Mac run.
McDonald’s cashiers in Taiwan dressing up in frilly pink maid outfits definitely qualifies.
Not so long ago, making a video game was strictly for big businesses. Putting out a quality product required expensive workstations, plenty of office space to house the development team, and huge distribution and advertising budgets.
But at the same time as the cost of producing blockbuster interactive entertainment continues to skyrocket, a growing number of independent game creators are showing that with some reasonably priced development and project management software, a talented team can put together gaming experiences that rival anything from corporate-backed studios in terms of emotional impact.
We sat down for a chat with a young woman with the dream and drive to do just that, indie game director and composer Yumi Hashimoto.
Gokiburi Kujo Maisuta (Cockroach Control Meister) is a service that helps provide estimates for the removal of terrifying cockroaches in the home. Thousands rely on them to kill off the shiny black terrors in kitchens and bedrooms across the country.
However, the company has apparently felt a pang of guilt recently. They feel that the roaches have done no wrong and are simply trying to exist just like everyone else. And so, the company has created Itsuki Kurohane: the cockroach moe girl to help combat the centuries of vilification unfairly handed down to these creatures.
Over the next month Gokiburi Kujo Maisuta is holding a contest to give away five Itsuki Kurohane hug pillows, but there’s a catch – besides her being a half-roach-half-human thing.
In Japan, Christmas is a romantic couples’ holiday on par with Valentine’s Day. Families gather over New Years, but on December 24th and 25th, couples go out for romantic dinners and singletons pine for someone to share the Christmas spirit with. Of course, some people don’t let the lack of a real world romantic partner stop them from feeling some holiday love.
On popular message board Himasoku, an anonymous user posted “live coverage” of his Christmas date with his virtual girlfriend. Spoiler alert: things get very naughty.
You may recall that we ran an article about two months ago featuring American-born J-POP singer Nicholas Edwards, who studied Japanese and moved from Oregon to Japan in pursuit of his dream to become a singer here. Now, three years after his move, his singing career certainly seems to be moving in the right direction.
This year, he released his debut single from a major Japanese music label in July, followed by a double mini album in October, and as mentioned in our previous article, he also performed at his very first concert this past Sunday at The Garden Hall in Ebisu. And yes, we were able to get tickets and see and hear Edwards live! So, to follow up on our article from October, here’s our report on Edward’s debut concert, “Silent Night 2013“.
Every year on this December 25, thousands gather online and pay tribute to the man whose numerous sacrifices and wondrous acts have helped to make our world a better place… by killing titans.
That’s right, December 25 is the birthday of Levi from Attack on Titan, and as such fans has taken to Twitter to celebrate. Several photos of Levi cakes and shrines have been posted online that are so intense you’d have to believe at least one person was institutionalized as a result of today.
That droopy-eyed wunderkind of the Survey Corps Special Operations Squad sure has a hardcore fan-base. Let’s take a look.
Amazon Japan announced the top 10 games bought on their site from December 1, 2012 to November 30, 2013. Let’s take a look at Japan’s favorite games!
Do you love beer? We here at RocketNews24 certainly do! And fortunately, there’s no shortage of tasty beer in Japan. But where can you go if you want to learn a little bit more about the cold, refreshing drink as well as drink it? The first place that comes to mind may be Sapporo, on the northern island of Hokkaido, where Sapporo Breweries have their Sapporo Beer Garden and Sapporo Beer Museum. To be sure, visiting the Sapporo Beer Museum for an educational tour and then hopping over to the Beer Garden next-door for some delicious Genghis Khan (lamb or mutton) barbecue can definitely be a wonderful experience, but what if you’re not in Hokkaido, which usually is a little out of the way for visitors to Japan.
Well, there’s actually a facility you can visit in central Tokyo that may be of interest to beer lovers. It’s called the Museum of Yebisu Beer, located near Ebisu (or Yebisu, either spelling is possible) Station within the Yebisu Garden Place complex. I actually found it quite by accident a few days ago and was pleasantly surprised after taking a look. Here’s what you can see at the museum… and yes, you can drink and taste as well!
DARPA, the American agency commonly known for its hilarious supervillain-esque laser projects and weaponized dolphins, took time out of its wacky military inventions schedule to hold its Robotics Competition in Miami, Florida, where a humanoid robot from Japanese company Schaft, Inc. took top prize.
With the plethora of applications available across all the major platforms, it seems there’s nothing a smartphone app can’t help you with. And now for those who to spend part of their days exploiting the insecurities of people for their own amusement, Yahoo! Japan has released Kisushiyo!, an app that secretly photographs women as they would look when going in for a smooch.
Granted it’s a novelty app that might not appeal to those without a sweet tooth for schadenfruede. However, the story of how this app became available to Android phones everywhere is an interesting look into the state of the internet.
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
New zombie ship sets sail in Japan, includes Shinkansen tickets and all-you-can-eat sushi
Downloads of 39-year-old Guns N’ Roses song increase 12,166 percent thanks to Gundam
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Huge Evangelion Unit-01 head appearing in lights in Japan to celebrate anime’s 30th anniversary
Five amazing snow-view open-air Japanese hot springs in Hokkaido [Photos]
Sanrio changes Hello Kitty lead designer for first time in 46 years
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Majority of Japanese mayors say foreign residents are essential but most see good and bad effects
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s HokkaidoSuper-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on EarthStarbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourismDownloads of 39-year-old Guns N’ Roses song increase 12,166 percent thanks to Gundam
Can you eat lunch in Tokyo for less than 500 yen?
A look back on 40 years of Japanese schools banning stuffJapan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Japan releases first official sakura cherry blossom forecast for 2026Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Archfiend Hello Kitty appears as Sanrio launches new team-up with Yu-Gi-Oh【Pics】Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning looks to be affecting tourist crowds on Miyajima
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting the lines at a popular Tokyo gyukatsu restaurant?
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 TokyoStarbucks 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]
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 reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Huge Evangelion Unit-01 head appearing in lights in Japan to celebrate anime’s 30th anniversary
Five amazing snow-view open-air Japanese hot springs in Hokkaido [Photos]
Sanrio changes Hello Kitty lead designer for first time in 46 years
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Majority of Japanese mayors say foreign residents are essential but most see good and bad effects
It’s illegal for yakuza to go to professional baseball games in Japan, Tokyo arrests remind us
Japanese women’s breasts continue to grow, reach historic tipping point in lingerie maker’s study
Anime artist illustrates the differences between Japanese fashion now and ten years ago
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Japan’s most famous Mt. Fuji view park cancels cherry blossom festival because of overtourism
Yoshinoya’s new ramen doesn’t smell like it tastes【Taste test】
A look back on 40 years of Japanese schools banning stuff