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A couple of days ago this little graph surfaced online displaying some interesting statistics. It’s a bar chart of the busiest train stations in the world, measured by the number of people who pass through them each year.

Perhaps coming as no surprise to those who have experienced its mind-numbingly complex transport complexes, Japan tops the list. What is surprising is the degree to which Japan dominates this list, with all but six stations residing here, and about half of them in the Tokyo area alone.

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What’s Better than Chocolate Beer? Chocolate Beer in a Chocolate Glass!

Kanagawa-based brewery Sankt Gallen has been turning heads with their unique brands of chocolate beers. Released on 10 January, these beers provide a welcome change to the typical chocolate gifts of Valentine’s Day (generally, guys aren’t really that into pure chocolate).

But it appears that Sankt Gallen has raised the stakes more with their new combo set of a 330 mL bottle of their Imperial Chocolate Stout, complete with an edible glass made entirely of chocolate.

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In a survey conducted by Japanese magazine Nikkan Spa, 200 married male office workers aged between 20-40 were asked whether they had ever considered divorcing their spouse. As part of our recent love and relationships series, we’ve translated the results below for your delectation. Get ready for some seriously blunt answers and eye-opening reading.

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Nerd Oriented Dating Guide on Sale, The Art of Seduction Presented in Manga

Although the recent otaku marriage hunting party showed good results, millions of nerds still have to struggle with more conventional dating methods. Feeling ill-equipped in the social graces, these poor souls further entrench themselves in their obsessions lessening the chances of hooking up even more.

Luckily to the rescue comes Who’s Afraid of the Goukon? the latest book by Yoshi. This book is intended for mainly for otaku nerdy types but could be used by anyone feeling too socially awkward to take part in the Japanese group blind dates known as goukon.

Heavily-illustrated with manga examples, this how-to guide depicts the entire goukon culture assuming the reader knows absolutely nothing about them and provides hints as well as dispelling common misconceptions about these outings.

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Pervert News: Man Asks for Directions, Informs Woman He is Going Commando 【News Nibble】

Officials in the city of Sanda, Hyogo Prefecture, have released a statement urging women to be on their guard after a man stopped to ask a woman directions on the street before telling her that he was going without any underwear.

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Fluffy “Space Balls” Want to Keep Your Apartment Dust Free!

What is it with Japan and weird cleaning devices today? No sooner have we received news of a remote-controlled “awesome mop” and driveable dustbin than these fluffy little creatures turn up intent on keeping our homes clean!

Going by the moniker Mocoro (a play on the word marimo, a round, fluffy moss ball, and korokoro the onomatopoeic word for a rolling object) these new time savers/lazifiers from Japanese home appliance company CCP are designed to roll around your room picking up dust while you put your feet up.

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Japan Sets Guinness Record for Synchronized Mascot Dancing 【Video】

It’s not surprising that in Japan, the land of cute and cuddly, pretty much everything has a fuzzy mascot. Even prefectural and city governments are getting in on the merchandising mania with adorable (or terrifying, depending on your point of view) characters called yuru-kyara meant to promote tourism and local products.

This week, 141 yuru-kyara from 25 prefectures across the country gathered in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, to make their mark on history by becoming the largest group of mascots ever to do the same dance together. Jaw-droppingly awesome video after the break. Read More

Too Lazy to Clean? Remote Control Mops and Trash Cans are Here to Help! 【Video】

Living in filth but too lazy to do anything about it? Have a penchant for new technology and toys? Today’s your lucky day!

Introducing the new Sugoi Mop and GomibaGo! two new remote controlled devices that enable you to remain firmly planted on your sofa while doing a half-arsed job of cleaning. Operated via video game-style controllers, you can zoom your Sugoi (“incredible”) Mop around the room and bring the trash can to you whenever you need it.

Deliciously over-the-top promotional video and images after the break.

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  • Jan 28, 2013

It’s an age-old question: Which is more important, love or money? There’s no right answer, and your feelings on the matter could very well change over the years. But really, you don’t want your life to be completely devoid of either, do you? Well, maybe if you’re exceedingly lucky, you have plenty of both and won’t ever have to think about choosing between the two (but I have the feeling that many of us aren’t that lucky). Sure, the Beatles can sing “All You Need Is Love” all they like and we can join along at the top of our voices, but can you really make a relationship, or even more complicated, a marriage work without money?

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Man, I wish someone told me this in the days of free AOL trial CDs.

It seems that putting an ordinary Compact Disc into your average microwave creates freaky lightning and a dramatic fiery demise.

Although you might expect them simply to burn up like an iPhone does, these data storage discs actually provide a kick-ass light show first.

This little known scientific gem was beautifully photographed and uploaded to Twitter, which then led to the discovery of a YouTube video documenting microwaved CDs.  So please don’t kill your microwave or yourself trying this – just check out these videos and pictures instead.

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Sega Japan Offers $22k to Play Games With Latest Job Offering, Total Working Hours: 1 Week

For many of us out there, the recent festivities of the New Year will be leaving our pockets empty and our stomachs a little bloated, but if a certain recent job advertisement is anything to go by there’s a way to make some quick cash on a large scale. No this is not some dodgy backstreet deal but a fully fledged chance for a six month contract with Sega.

The position offers a 2 million yen (US$22.5k) compensation, and while it’s ongoing for a six month period, the actual hours of work sum up to no more than one week!

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Toothbrush Hero! Candy Maker Plans to Fight Cavities through Video Games

Major Japanese food conglomerate Morinaga had a dilemma to face.  Children have loved their fruity Hi-Chew candies for a long time but the high sugar content means eating too much can be bad for their teeth.

Just as tooth decay ravages ones pearly whites, so does poor hygiene affect Morinaga’s bottom line. You can’t eat chewy candy without teeth after all.

That’s why the confectioner has declared war on tooth decay.  To do this they have invented and are testing the “world’s first” toothbrush training video game to prefect the nation’s tykes’ dental habits.

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During a press conference on 25 January, Takeshi Endo, a representative for, JGC Corp, the construction firm working at the ill-fated Tigantourine natural gas plant told the story of one lucky survivor who was rescued by the Algerian workers there.
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The Taste of Luxury in a Can: Japanese Canned Food Worth Your 100 Yen

Consider the following scenario: you’re having a chat with a friend about some of the high quality foods on the market out there. You mention some of the more refined dishes you’ve tried first hand and how, as much as you’d like to eat them day after day, doing so would undoubtedly leave a large hole in your wallet. If your friend responded by saying, “I have a product just for you. It’s got the high class factor, is easy on the finances, and is packed into a small can.”, I’m sure you’d think he’d lost the plot a little.

Inaba and other Japanese food companies beg to differ, and have developed a new set of canned food products that turn the notion that cheap ≠ quality on its head. 

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Fill Your Sandwich with Potato Salad or Shrimp at Subway in Japan【You, Me, And A Tanuki】

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!

With loads of other tasty, portable alternatives, Japan hasn’t embraced the sandwich like other countries have. Sure, there are sandwiches readily available at any convenience store…but they aren’t any good.  The most common sandwich found chilling alongside the rice balls consists of ham, too much mayonnaise, and limp lettuce sandwiched between two whiter than white pieces of bread.  Another conbini favorite is the egg salad sandwich…again with too much mayonnaise on white bread.

Living in rural Japan, the only option to satisfying my cravings for a good sandwich has been to 1) make it myself or 2) trek 2.5 hours all the way to the nearest Subway. Driven by my cravings, I decided to stop by Subway after a business trip. I usually don’t like Subway sandwiches, but I have no room to be picky nowadays.

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Simple Pleasures: The Story of One Man’s Love Affair with a Nylon Washcloth

“This is one thing that I want to continue using until the day I die.”

Of all the things that Japan is renowned for– all of its architectural triumphs, pioneering technology, sexy shenanigans and mind-bending animation — it comes as a surprise to this writer to read that one Chinese blogger in Japan values one thing above all else. Residing in Japan for more than 15 years, this 39-year-old blogger and professor of fine arts claims that, were he to return to his homeland, he’d miss one item more than anything else, and simply can’t begin to fathom why it hasn’t caught on back home.

Forget underwater Walkman music players, forget strawberry ramen and cuddle cafes; for this man, the humble nylon wash cloth is the pinnacle of Japanese invention, and it has become an essential part of his life.

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According to a recent survey conducted by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), as of September 2012, numbers of foreign tourists visiting Japan reach 430,000, an increase of 32.7 percent. Japan’s tourist industry suffered as a result of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, but it looks like tourism is on the rise in Japan once again.

 When foreigners do find themselves in Japan, travel guidebook in hand, they are inundated with advice regarding must-see places. But the worst part about taking a trip is arriving to one of these “must-see” locations and realizing it isn’t all that great. That’s why we’ve gathered up a list of the top five most disappointing tourist spots in Japan as recommended (unrecommended?) by users on Reddit.

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This Valentine’s Day Let That Special Guy Eat Your Face with Some Fava Beans and a Nice Chianti

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. In Japan this means it’s time for women to bestow gifts of chocolate unto the men in their life.  However, for the guys who are really special, homemade chocolate awaits.  That personal touch makes all the difference.

The Fab Café in Shibuya Tokyo is setting up a workshop which uses a state of the art 3D printer to create the ultimate in personal chocolate.

On 14 February, much like how Mr. Sato had himself made into a figurine, participating women will be able to sculpt their own likeness on a chocolate truffle this season.

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Hey, Slimebags!! No, Not You – Limited Edition Bags to be Handed Out at Lawson Convenience Stores

Arguably Japan’s most successful video game franchise and mightiest convenience store chain are joining forces again to celebrate the re-release of Dragon Quest VII: Warriors of Eden (aka Dragon Warrior VII) for the Nintendo 3DS.

In their previous celebration of Dragon Quest X a limited edition plastic bag was handed out stylized after the hit game online game.  This time they’re taking it further with a new style of bag never before seen from Lawson’s – and possibly never again.

There are two types of bags available each depicting the lovable enemy “slime” from the Dragon Quest series.

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On the subject of love, marriage and relationships, Japan’s My Navi News carried out a survey late last year in which it asked 905 regular readers to share their pet peeves and relationship deal breakers. Rather than focusing on a partner’s merits, readers were asked to list the points that would turn them off or cause them to rule out the idea of marriage altogether. A relationship hate list, if you will.

Dividing the responses by sex, there were some surprising – and some not so surprising – replies. Dozens of tips for singletons and plenty for those already in relationships to bear in mind after the break.

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