Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Despite having a name that induces chuckles in many English speakers, Kinki University (Kinki being the name of the region around Osaka) is a well-respected school, with roots stretching back to 1925 when it came into existence as Osaka Technical College.
In keeping with the school’s long history of pursuing technological advancement, a team at Kinki University has recently developed a mouse that allows users to operate their PC with nothing more than their breath.
Everyone loves a good tongue twister, especially when getting to grips with a new language. I’ve had fun being challenged by Japanese coworkers at drinking parties to get my mouth around phrases like basu gasu bakuhatsu (“the bus gas explodes”) five times in a row, or aka-makigami ao-makigami ki-makigami (“red paper roll, blue paper roll, yellow paper roll”) on many occasions, but this Chinese tongue twister blows them all out of the water.
Japan cranks out a huge number of corporate and regional mascot characters, and each one is required to be cute, right down to its name. Unfortunately, sometimes a moniker that sounds perfectly fine in Japanese doesn’t have quite the same inoffensive ring to it in English.
Of course, naming choices can have unfortunate implications for Japanese speakers as well, like with Akita Prefecture’s cute little garden eel character called Chinanabo. In Chinanabo’s case, however, there’s enough evidence to make us think his creators are in on the joke.
Hello Kitty has always taken center stage when it comes to Sanrio characters. But now My Melody is getting her shot at an extremely popular limited-time only pop-up cafe in Tokyo. Even My Melody’s rival, Kuromi is making an appearance at this cute cafe, which features lattes, cakes, and light snacks with the faces of My Melody and friends.
Imagine if the characters from Street Fighter, Capcom’s classic fighting game, were born as members of the opposite sex, with the same amount of physical strength and fighting spirit but a decidedly different physiques. Thanks to a fan-made short movie by Really Clever Androids, we don’t have to wonder what to expect from a world like that. This awesome three-minute clip gives us a pretty good idea of the conflict and copious cleavage we might encounter. Let’s just say that these genderswapped Street Fighter folks really know how to bring it!
Spanish grand prix motorcycle champ, Marc Marquez, showed up to the 2013 Moto GP held in Motegi City, Tochigi Prefecture wearing what he thought was an acceptable design giving a shout-out to his fans in Japan. He posted the picture above on his Twitter with the caption (written in Spanish), “Special helmet and shirt for a special GP in Japan, at home!!! ;) Do you like?” It turns out, many people around the world don’t like it. However, an overwhelming amount of Japanese netizens don’t seem to understand why so many people are getting upset about the design.
Japan is no stranger to typhoons. Every year, the island nation is battered by howling winds and torrential rain. This year 28 typhoons have made their way to Japan, but it was the 26th that had a particularly disastrous impact on apple farmers in Nagano prefecture. With their crops partially destroyed and most of their fruit unable to be sold in stores due to scratches and imperfections, the clever farmers took to the internet. Their crops are now being sold at online retailer, Oisix, as “typhoon apples.” And believe it or not, many people are actually buying the flawed fruit.
Coca Cola’s newest soda “Hot Ginger Ale” hit Japanese vending machines on October 21 and we have an official RocketNews24 tasting review for anyone not daring enough to take on the hot, fizzy drink. So before you shell out 120 yen (US$1.20), take a look at what our expert vending machine beverage team has to say.
Female manga fans understand that there’s more to Japan’s comic industry than the schoolyard romances and shojo sparkles with which we are targeted. A lot of us really love the action, the fighting, and the hero adventure stuff too! Thankfully, there are at least a handful of manufacturers out there who understand where we’re coming from. One such company is catering to us girls with less feminine fandoms by bringing us tattoo tights from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure!
In an earthquake-, typhoon- and Godzilla-prone country like Japan, you’ve got to think about disaster preparedness. Most people here have an emergency kit ready by the door and most offices conduct drills on responding to a disaster. The big problem is storage space. You need a lot of room when you are trying to provide food, water, first aid and physical protection to a number of people.
One company has come up with a new solution for the protection part of the equation: a simple chair that doubles as a hard hat with the simple twist of a dial.
Last weekend in Japan’s Kanagawa Prefecture, thousands of hardcore cosplayers and Halloween lovers descended on the streets of Kawasaki City to take part in the Kawasaki Halloween Parade 2013, the 17th of its kind and Japan’s largest public parade dedicated to the Western festival.
The 1.5 km course was flanked by food stalls and specially decorated shops catering to the tourists and locals vying to get the best shots of the coolest outfits, and despite the somewhat inclement weather last weekend, thousands turned up to witness and take part in the event, proving once and for all that Halloween has most definitely found a permanent home in Japan.
Up north in Hakodate, Hokkaido, there is a restaurant chain called Lucky Pierrot, known around the country for their uniquely large hamburger and fried squid dishes. It’s absolutely delicious and a popular draw for tourists. However, this was not why our man Kuzo was sent to the town.
His mission was to track down a restaurant serving “Active Dancing Squid Rice Bowl” (Katsu Ika Odori-don). Videos of this dish have stirred up controversy around the world by using what appears to be a living squid atop a bowl of rice and other ingredients.
Apparently, when soy sauce is poured over the squid it begins to move and “dance,” much to the delight or horror of those watching.
Locally owned ramen shops can be found spread out all across Japan. In fact, some of the best flavors aren’t found at the big chain restaurants, but at the hole-in-the-wall shops that you might never even notice without a proper introduction. Hence, we’d like to make it our duty to tell you about an amazing, little ramen joint in Aomori Prefecture, which is famous for its miso flavored curry milk ramen.
When we at RocketNews24 first heard about this place, we couldn’t imagine how so many different flavors could possibly achieve good balance within a single bowl of noodles, so we sent one of our adventurous Japanese reporters, Mami Kuroi, to try it out. Here’s what she had to say about the experience.
It’s well known around the world that many people in Japan are overworked. Long hours, overtime, working on the weekends; all of these less than ideal conditions can build up and create unhappy employees. But did you know that not all prefectures are equally overworked?
Japanese online job search site, Rikunavi Next, have ranked the 47 prefectures of Japan based on how many hours of overtime and how much compensation workers receive on average. How does your prefecture stack up?
Floresta isn’t as well known as the big chain stores in Japan like Mister Donut or Krispy Kreme, but their “nature doughnuts” deserve all the attention they can get. As a company, Floresta strives to provide customers with healthy, yet satisfying snacks, using organic local ingredients with no additives or preservatives. They are also careful to reduce waste that can have a negative impact on the environment. You would think a healthy doughnut might taste like cardboard, but Floresta manages to serve up delicious rings of environmentally friendly goodness. They also make animal doughnuts that will make you want to buy out the store.
People all over the world head to Kentucky Fried Chicken when they want some deliciously seasoned fried chicken fast and easy. Japan is no exception, but when it comes to meals, fish is generally the meat of choice in this country.
So it comes as no surprise… Actually nevermind, it’s still pretty surprising that KFC Japan has begun putting Kentucky Fried Fish on their menu. Curious to see how the land-locked state of Kentucky does fish, our reporter Kuzo put his cholesterol-count on the line and went in to investigate.
There are few things quite like the bond between a human and their pet, and most of the staff here at RocketNews24 can’t even begin to imagine life without their respective pups and feline overlords, but there are some animals that we definitely wouldn’t recommend keeping at home–particularly those on the endangered species list.
According to a recent NHK news report, a man living on the Japanese island of Tsushima narrowly avoided prosecution after it became clear that he had secretly kept a wild Japanese leopard cat in his home for 15 years before he was forced to seek assistance. As angered as the authorities were, however, they ultimately decided that they might learn from the man’s experiences and are due to talk to him about how he managed to keep the animal alive for such a length of time.
You may have resisted the appeal of our future feline overlords so far, but if their internet popularity is any indication, total world domination can’t be far off. If you don’t want to be first against the wall with the dogs and dog-lovers, you may want to invest in these super-cute cat tights. As the ad copy says, put them on and you’ll “transform into a devil-may-care cat!” You’ll be able to blend right in…
There are a few telltale signs that winter is coming. The sunset starts to come a little earlier in the day. Christmas lights go up around town. And, as sure as Santa making his rounds, McDonald’s Japan starts selling one of its most popular seasonal menu items, the gratin croquette burger.
We realize, though, that many of our loyal readers live outside of Japan. We don’t want anyone to feel left out, so we’re explaining how you can duplicate the sandwich, mostly with ingredients you’ve probably already got in your pantry. Be warned though. The gratin croquette burger is almost entirely made out of flour, and this delicious cocktail of carbs is in no way a feasible choice for anyone following the Atkins diet, no matter how delicious it is.
Dogs are often referred to as “man’s best friend,” and it’s no wonder! Dog-owners spend so much time tethered to their pups: walking, eating, and sometimes sleeping together. It’s so calming to stare into those big, soulful eyes, filled to the brim with undying affection and emotional character.
But did you know that admiring the magnificence of their tail-ends can also leave one feeling refreshed? One of Japan’s Twitter users at least thinks her pup’s posterior has a lot to offer the world and recently decided to share…
Starbucks Japan releases a new Cream Puff Frappuccino for a limited time
Japanese government planning higher ticket prices for foreign tourists at Tokyo National Museum
Mister Donut unveils new sakura doughnuts for cherry blossom season 2026
Visiting Japan’s one-and-only, and only-for-a-limited-time, Dragon Ball noodle restaurant[Photos]
Hello Kitty isn’t a cat!? We called Sanrio to find out!
Starbucks Japan offers special sakura picnics at Reserve Roastery Tokyo beside Meguro River
Fried sandwiches arrive in Tokyo, become hot topic on social media
The town with Japan’s best castle also has one of Japan’s best breakfasts. Here’s where to eat it
One Piece creator has hidden secret of anime treasure’s identity in chest at bottom of real-world ocean
This is what Tokyo’s ultra-premium 12,960-yen (US$117) seaweed looks like
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Japan’s cherry blossom season predicted to start earlier than we’d thought, especially in TokyoJapanese government planning higher ticket prices for foreign tourists at Tokyo National Museum
Is Tokyo Station’s startlingly expensive wagyu bento boxed lunch worth its high price?[Taste test]One Piece creator has hidden secret of anime treasure’s identity in chest at bottom of real-world ocean
Studio Ghibli now sells Ursula’s backpack from Kiki’s Delivery Service at its anime shop in Japan
Silicone testicle covers banned from Japanese sauna following cups being left behind and on shelves
Live-action One Piece’s Luffy teaches Sesame Street’s Elmo a Japanese word for friendship[Video]Starbucks Japan releases a new Cream Puff Frappuccino for a limited time
Sakura Festival in Chiyoda mixes illuminations, boats, music, and Rilakkuma in the heart of Tokyo
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
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
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
Starbucks Japan offers special sakura picnics at Reserve Roastery Tokyo beside Meguro River
Fried sandwiches arrive in Tokyo, become hot topic on social media
The town with Japan’s best castle also has one of Japan’s best breakfasts. Here’s where to eat it
One Piece creator has hidden secret of anime treasure’s identity in chest at bottom of real-world ocean
This is what Tokyo’s ultra-premium 12,960-yen (US$117) seaweed looks like
Elementary and junior high students speak out on Japan’s strangest school rules
Japanese curry chain Coco Ichibanya to open a branch in India next year
Four things you should order at rotating sushi restaurant Sushiro if you don’t eat raw fish
“Ugly” South Korean woman goes from “Old Lady Face” to “Dream Girl” with help of cosmetic surgery
Is Tokyo Station’s startlingly expensive wagyu bento boxed lunch worth its high price?[Taste test]