Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
From baked goods to blue hedgehogs, there’s nothing international superstar Hello Kitty won’t do to make a quick buck.
And now, ladies and gentlemen, our beloved “Kitty of All Trades,” the face of untainted feline innocence herself, has gone full-frontal.
In my native UK, while we’re permitted to drink, smoke, vote and watch (reasonably) naughty movies from the age of 18, our 21st birthday is still recognised as the moment when we become real adults, and are expected, as a result, to stop getting upset when Simba’s dad dies in The Lion King, and to brush our teeth a minimum of twice a day.
In Japan, a seijinshiki (coming of age ceremony) is usually held for a birthday boy or girl on their 20th birthday. They may have long since left school, found a job, started smoking and staying up later than their own parents, but until a person is 20 years old, they are not considered a true adult.
With this in mind, Japanese “Woman Smile Company” Senshukai’s “mama & baby for baby” catalogue has recently listed a new item: a special wooden box-set of 20 birthday cards that a mother (or father!) can pass over to their child upon their “coming of age”.
Already proving to be a big hit with young parents, the box-set has seen a sudden and huge increase in customer orders. Read More
Perhaps irked by the fact that we humans are tweeting almost as much as they are, perhaps just victims of the information age like the rest of us, birds have taken to keyboards to share their thoughts through micro-blogging site Twitter. No word yet as to whether they’re just telling us what they had for lunch or the topics they’re trending…
A bird lover in Latvia has set up a twitter account just for his local birds, and let’s them do the typing, with the account having already attracted more than 2,000 followers. Read More
Alright, let’s recap.
Last Tuesday, a flotilla of Taiwanese fishing boats was rumored to have set off for the disputed Senkaku islands, located near the Japanese islands of Okinawa, seeking to assert their ownership among China and Japan.
At around 6 a.m. on Sept. 25, the 50-strong Taiwanese flotilla arrived in the disputed waters. At least eight patrol ships were sailing alongside the fishing vessels and many of the boats were displaying banners reading “We swear to defend the Senkaku islands!”
Japanese coastguard patrol boats moved in to intercept the tiny fleet and warned them to vacate the area. However, the Taiwanese boats maintained their position, asserting that they were in Taiwanese waters and their presence perfectly legitimate. Tensions were running high and it seemed only a matter of time before the conflict turned hostile.
And that’s when Japan decided to bring out the big guns.
South Koreans like big butts and they cannot lie, but those Japanese brothers try to deny. That’s right. It looks like the big butt trend has finally hit this side of the Pacific. The first nation to fall victim to a big ol’ badonkadonk: South Korea.
One of our reporters got a first-hand experience while travelling there recently, when she stumbled across a pair of padded panties designed to give you that extra junk for your trunk.
We don’t know about you fine people, but when our old bulletproof riot shields start looking a little worse for wear, we usually turn to good old Amazon for a replacement.
Just last week, in fact, I was buffing a few scratches out of my trusty ArmaLite-R50 model when my boss informed me that he’d stumbled upon a bargain on Amazon JP– a brand new bulletproof shield for just 650,000 yen (US$8,300 )…
Rather than the item itself, however, it’s one particular customer review of the shield that’s making headlines online this week… Read More
Can you guess what the product pictured above is?
If you really, really love teddy bears, you may be interested to know that it’s a picture of a very unique clothing item sold by major sports brand Adidas. Read More
Tired of listening to the same, soulless car navigation systems while you drive? Wouldn’t you rather listen to someone a little cuter while you’re trying to track down your nearest Guns ‘n’ Ammo store? Wouldn’t it be fun if your favourite animated high-school girls could be the voice of sense and direction!?
If you’re a K-On! fan, you’re in luck- a new portable car navigation system has just arrived in stores, ready to drive you home and everyone else up the wall. Read More
While living in Japan and working as an assistant English teacher, I’ve lost track of how many times Japanese people have asked me why most people in Japan can’t speak English. Due to compulsory education requirements, every Japanese citizen must take 6 years of English language courses. What’s more, starting from the 2011 school year, elementary school fifth and sixth graders are also required to have an English class once a week. Some school districts even offer English classes for kindergarteners and elementary school students in grades first through fourth.
But even after spending half or more of their adolescent years studying the English language, many Japanese struggle to carry out an everyday conversation in English. This isn’t just a casual observation by Japanese citizens, either. Japanese students have among the lowest English TOEFL scores in Asia.
So when Japanese tourists want to take a trip abroad, many are unequipped with the practical language tools necessary to go about daily life in English. The reality of this can be discouraging and even come as a shock to people who have spent years studying back home in Japan, especially when they realize phrases like “Is this a dog? No, It’s a pen.” don’t come up in conversation as much as their textbooks had suggested.
The following is a compilation of impressions of Japanese tourists who have limited English ability while traveling abroad.
Iran has always fascinated me. A rich history inherited from one of the world’s oldest civilizations, cities filled with beautiful Islamic architecture, delicious cuisine—and the people!
Okay, while my acquaintanceship with Iranians has been limited to a few Persian friends back home in America, they’ve always been some of my favorite people, which is why it’s a shame our respective countries just can’t seem to get along.
Japan, on the other hand, has maintained a favorable relationship with Iran over the years and travel to the country is perceived to be easier for the Japanese than it is for Westerns. Our own globetrotting Japanese corespondent Photographer Koach recently wrote to us about his recent travels in the country, in which he affirms my positive impression of the people with a list of ten reasons why Iranians are the kindest people in the world.
Check his report below! Read More
Picture the scene- a businessman walks on to the set of reality TV show Dragon’s Den (which, would you believe, originated in Japan as Manē no Tora?). He sets a briefcase down on a black leather stool, adjusts his necktie and, staring the affluent entrepreneurs straight in the eye, confidently proclaims:
“Dragons, I am here today to present to you a marvel of modern technology. The pinnacle of human engineering. Never before has humankind witnessed such a feat of industry. I am about to present to you… a notebook computer thinner than a single one yen coin!”
The dragons look at one-another in awed silence. All five of them lean forward in their seats.
“Thinner than a coin?? That’s incredible!” splutters one of the millionaires, his hungry eyes flashing.
What with the recent troubles and disputes in China concerning the Senkaku islands, and with many of the fervent anti-Japanese demonstrations often escalating into violence, Japanese both at home and abroad are understandably feeling a little delicate right now.
Japanese-owned stores and factories in China have borne the brunt of many nationalists’ anger, suffering considerable damage to property, and a number of Japanese businesses with locations in China are incurring significant losses.
With this in mind, we here at RocketNews24 are doing our bit to cheer Japan up and get back some of that lost pride.
As well as buying plenty of Japanese-produced goods to give the economy a helping-hand, we’ve decided to add a dash of patriotism to our plates and bring you a recipe for possibly the most patriotic, yet easy to make, dish ever: Land of the Rising Sun Omu-Raisu (omelette rice).
So grab a frying pan, put on your apron, and let’s cook up a little cheer for Japan! Read More
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUtS52lqL5w?feature=oembed&w=640&h=360%5D
Behold the Lego Great Ball Contraption (GBC), dreamed, designed and built by a 21 year-old Japanese college student who goes by the name of Akiyuki, (Akiyuky if you want to search him on YouTube).
Taking over 600 hours of work, this robotic wonder is the perfect blend of engineering and art as the 31 meters of 17 intricately built stages hypnotically and seamlessly operate with the sole existential purpose of moving tiny plastic soccer balls and basketballs in a perpetual loop.
“Swaaaaag!”
Although it’s often easy to forget, what with all those games to be played and women in skimpy costumes to pretend not to be staring at, Tokyo Game Show, like every other trade show of its kind, is really all about one thing for the companies attending- advertising and self-promotion.
So when the games have been played, the doors have been closed and the booth girls are just lifeless still images on an otaku’s hard-disk, what remains? Why, of course, the freebies! The swag that seems like an amazing idea until you ride the train home with it and realise that, outside of the event setting with every other guy carrying the same junk, you look faintly ridiculous.
And TGS had it by the bucket-load.
But Sega, the house that built Sonic the Hedgehog and dozens of other gaming greats, pulled out all the stops this year, and, proving that size really does matter, absolutely dominated the show. Read More
Apple users from all over the world have been discovering new and exciting destinations and brand new locations of well known landmarks thanks to iPhone’s newest iOS 6 mapping service. The Washington monument has been moved a few miles away and is now near the Potomac River, London is currently located in Ontario, and the birth place of Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avon, no longer exists. Also, Helsinki station is now a park and Airfield Garden, once a working farm in Ireland, has been transformed into an airport.
Japan, just like the rest of the world, is not immune to Apple’s amazing ability to destroy beloved landmarks and erect fabulous new destinations.
Checking out the iOS6 operating system’s new map, our reporter discovered a new station on Tokyo’s busiest train line, the Chuo Line. Filled with excitement and curiosity, our reporter embarked on a quest in search of “Pachinko Gundam Station.”
Pachinko, Japan’s noisy silver ball-filled answer to the slot machine, and Gundam, kickass giant robot, have teamed up to create an epic train riding experience (or so we were led to believe by Apple). Read More
A research team from Tokushima University discovered that a substance found in hops can prevent the deterioration of muscle tissue. The breaking down of muscles in old age is a leading cause of elderly people being confined to a bed.
This is great news if only a beer or two would do the trick. Unfortunately, to harness the anti-aging effects of ale you’d have to drink enough to kill you several times over.
This year’s Tokyo Game Show was the first major gaming event I’ve ever been to, and honestly, I don’t even consider myself a “gamer.”
Sure games a formative part of my childhood, but the last home console I owned was a GameCube and now my gaming activity is limited to quick bouts of Team Fortress 2. And since Valve wasn’t at the show, there weren’t really any titles I was interested in checking out from the beginning.
So I spent most of the show wandering from booth to booth with very little to no knowledge of what each game was about, eventually deciding to allocate my precious time among the numerous titles in the only way that seemed fair: visiting the booths with the cutest girls.
Interestingly enough, this strategy led me to one of the two games that gave me my most enjoyable Tokyo Game Show experiences: EX Troopers.
Dark and edgy Jujustu Kaisen teams up with bright and cheery Sanrio for new merch line【Pics】
Japanese samurai randoseru backpack lets you carry the bushido spirit with you wherever you go
Japanese Prime Minister once criticized deploying military to fight Godzilla
Sip with Snorlax – Clever drinkware design creates Pokémon in your glass with every pour【Pics】
New heater-less pet kotatsu is a safe way to keep your furry friends warm this winter
What’s the most popular way to prepare Japan’s beloved breakfast dish, Tamago Kake Gohan?
Nintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】
Cat paw yoghurt is now a thing in Japan
American teenage tourist arrested on suspicion of arson in Tokyo during family trip
Totoro stamp collection lets you add adorable Ghibli touches to cards and letters【Photos】Nintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】
American gun owner opens our eyes to a different way of life in Tokyo
Japanese communities giving their skylines a spring clean and saying goodbye to power lines
New Akita Inu and Hachiko marshmallows are the best and squishiest souvenirs from Japan
Burger King Japan creates Kyoto Whopper, its most Japanese burger ever, with Kyoto rice merchant
Starbucks Japan unveils new Holiday goods for 2024Sip with Snorlax – Clever drinkware design creates Pokémon in your glass with every pour【Pics】Totoro stamp collection lets you add adorable Ghibli touches to cards and letters【Photos】
Overwhelmed by modern social media? Japanese company is bringing back pagers with an emoji-twist
Discovered: An even better way to open Japanese convenience store rice balls【Video】
Studio Ghibli releases new insect whistle necklace from Nausicaä of the Valley of the WindNintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】
Totoro sequel anime Mei and the Baby Catbus will screen at Ghibli Park this winter
Tokyo Disneyland loses top-attendance crown for Japanese theme parks for second year in a row
Starbucks Japan unveils Halloween Frappuccino for 2024, and it’s like drinking a magic spell
Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno returning to anime with new project for 50-year-old franchise
Studio Ghibli releases new Howl’s Moving Castle goods that capture the magic from the anime movie
Adult Jam Bread causes a stir at store in Tokyo
What’s the deal with akebi, the perfectly purple, alien-like fruit that’s in season now in Japan?
Kyoto becomes City of Yokai, with Night Parade of One Hundred Demons festival this autumn
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
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
What’s the most popular way to prepare Japan’s beloved breakfast dish, Tamago Kake Gohan?
Nintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】
Cat paw yoghurt is now a thing in Japan
American teenage tourist arrested on suspicion of arson in Tokyo during family trip
Totoro stamp collection lets you add adorable Ghibli touches to cards and letters【Photos】
New Akita Inu and Hachiko marshmallows are the best and squishiest souvenirs from Japan
Does Starbucks Japan’s new holiday Frappuccino really taste like a cup of fallen snow?
Blue Bottle Coffee now offering traditional sweet bean gelatin cake at stores across Japan
Suicide cakes – Sweets to die for
10 awesome ice creams available from convenience stores in Japan
Discovered: An even better way to open Japanese convenience store rice balls【Video】
Man in India viewed as a god for his really long butt hair
Genuine Muramasa blade and Muromachi katana on display at Tokyo’s Touken Ranbu store【Photos】
Studio Ghibli producer makes bombshell anime revelations during online Q&A