Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
We previously brought you a video capturing beautiful images of a “super moon“, but we now have some amazing photos from another astronomical event – the transit of planet Venus across the Sun. The event was observed in Japan on June 6th over a period of approximately six hours starting from 7 a.m. Japan Time. You may want to take a look at these images, because the next time Venus makes a transit across the Sun will be 105 years from now! Read More
Good news for users of smartphones and other portable devices constantly frustrated by batteries that don’t seem to last the day. A new type of energy saving memory has been successfully developed that can extend your battery life from 5 to 10 times.
Following the opening of Evangelion Store Tokyo-01, and with the release of the third installment of the reboot series, Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo, a new Evangelion souvenir shop is scheduled to open in the town of Hakone on 14 July.
Hakone, which serves as the backdrop for the Evangelion story (where it’s renamed as Tokyo-3), is happy to be home to the second official Evangelion store, called “Eva Shop” but is also hoping they don’t get a repeat of what happened two years ago.
A research group headed by Professor Kazunari Komuro at Osaka University believes they have found the chemical responsible for effects of aging like deterioration of muscles.
The nasty chemical responsible for making us old and frail is called C1q. Being able to regulate it in our bodies can possibly lead to treatments and prevention of more serious health problems like heart attacks and strokes.
Legend has it that in China there exists a frozen treat so incredibly powerful that it never melts, even if left in room temperature. RocketNews sent a reporter into the mysterious country to learn more about this potent popsicle of the gods.
The following takes place between 3:40pm and 6:50pm. Events occur in real time… if you’re really slow at reading.
If you’re an iPhone user you probably are very familiar with its Messages app which allows you to easily send instant mails to friends and family. Even if you don’t have an iPhone you’ve probably seen it in one of the many funny pictures of auto-correct gone wrong floating around the net.
Here’s a little trick that’s also been circulating the internet on how to make a cute little whale using the iPhone Messages speech bubble format. It’s so easy anyone can do it.
![[Video] From sick animal to beautiful healthy kitten – one cat’s amazing recovery will warm your hearts!](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2012/06/cat-receovery-video-1.jpg?w=576 "[Video] From sick animal to beautiful healthy kitten – one cat’s amazing recovery will warm your hearts!")
See this picture of an adorable kitten? Well, just one month earlier, this kitten was a sorry sight – she was very sick and her eyes were closed shut with an infection. Fortunately, she was found by someone kind who gave her the food and tender loving care she so desperately needed, and in the space of just one month, she makes an amazing recovery from a sick little animal to a beautiful healthy kitten! And it’s all captured in a lovely, heartwarming video. Read More
![[Quiz] How Well Do You Know Your Japanese Hand Gestures?](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2012/06/img_4379.jpg?w=640 "[Quiz] How Well Do You Know Your Japanese Hand Gestures?")
Recently we ran an article about obscene gestures in many parts of the world, but now RocketNews would like to turn the lens inwards for a look at Japan’s hand gestures.
You may have some experience with these from spending time in Japan or from Japanese film and manga, but how well do you really think you know the gestures of this country? Take this quiz to find out.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsbvkOkfLYw?feature=oembed&w=640&h=480%5D
While attending Wireless Japan 2012 this year, we were able to see some offerings by the best companies of the mobile industry. But many times, it’s the small to mid-sized businesses that really aim to make a name for themselves.
Enter Sun Crest Ltd., who shocked many with their line of shockproof screen film protectors. Although it’s not officially released, we got ahold of a sample and put it to the test with some whacks from a wine bottle.
The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST for mercifully short) has announced the development of a new material that can be used as an adhesive product.
Conservation and efficient use of energy is a huge issue these days, particularly in Japan where the nuclear power plants have been shut down and people are seriously concerned about whether we will have enough electric power in the coming summer months when electricity use will be at the highest. Well, if you’re worried about running out of electric power, here’s the perfect gadget for you – your very own portable solar panel kit! Read More
In recent months, we’ve brought to you news on several interesting and creative beverages such as fat-busting cola, salty watermelon flavored pepsi and Okinawa brown sugar cola. Now, major beverage maker Suntory Holdings Limited has announced another new innovative drink that will come on to the Japanese market on July 31. The new drink, called Espressoda, is actually a carbonated coffee drink! However, based on the response on the internet, it appears that Japanese consumers are not so sure about coffee soda as a drink. Read More
Now you can capture random moments of craziness or novelty happening while you’re driving with this new in-car camera / rearview mirror from Hamwha. It looks more or less like a normal rearview mirror but has an internal camera pointing forward to record what’s happening in front of your vehicle. Read More
In Japan, we say that there are (at least) three people in the world who look exactly like you. Well, we seem to have found 2, possibly 3 publicly recognizable figures who look very much like each other. Could they be doppelgängers? Read More
Still making the re-post rounds on the internet is this sweet, heartwarming and funny musical marriage proposal, “Isaac’s Live Lip-Dub Proposal“. Isaac Lamb got together over 60 friends and family, most certainly planned and rehearsed, and on the day of reckoning, invited his unsuspecting fiancee, Amy, over to be met by his brother …
Can you guess what these gadgets are? It’s hard to tell from their appearance, isn’t it? Well, they’re portable devices that are designed to keep you cool in warm weather, so they’re not just cute and smart looking, they’re actually quite functional. So what exactly are they and how are they used? Read More
Kyoto Sangyo University opened a brand-new research facility this week, the Honeybee Industry Research Center, to study the ecology of the little bumblers and the benefits of their honey. This kind of specialized facility is extremely rare and is generating a lot of buzz among entomologists. Read More
So you want to keep your smartphone on your desktop, but you don’t want to lay it flat to get inadvertently smothered by paperwork or worry about some careless mungo putting their coffee mug on it. Or you want to watch some videos on it so you prop it up against your coffee mug but the phone slides down and you actually want to drink your coffee at some point. Read More
Hesogoma Karametoru (Belly Button Sesame Mixer-Catchers) has been flying off the shelves of major department stores all over Japan recently, and it’s no surprise. This product fulfills a basic human need to clean one’s navel, otherwise known as “the forgotten orifice.”
Before the egg-head biologists write in and complain: no, the belly button is not an orifice, but it certainly needs cleaning like one. In further medical news, Japanese people don’t have sesame seeds in their navels. It’s just the slang term for belly button lint.
We all know that tomato juice with its frosty phlegm-like consistency can really bring down the best of days. Even the much needed boost it received as a diet fad appears to be quickly waning due to its general crappiness.
Now, researchers on the dime of beverage companies Asahi and Kagome have discovered that it can also bust up anyone’s party by reversing the effects of alcohol.
Possessing Harry Potter’s Sword of Godric Gryffindor is now illegal in Japan
Mt Fuji convenience store becomes “lawless zone” as tourists hurl abuse at security guards
Finally! Icees are coming to Japan!
Eight unforgettable hot springs, as recommended by Japan’s “Professor Bath”
Foreign tourist angers locals for doing pull-ups on torii gate at shrine in Japan
Japanese bank’s founders blood-signed promise to commit samurai-style suicide if they committed fraud
Japan’s workplace drinking party communication is unnecessary, says majority of workers in survey
Yakuza family speaks out against rise in organized crime
An extremely simple trick to spice up plain rice for a refreshing, citrusy summer treat
Flying dango: Unique tourist site where Japanese sweets are flown to you over a gorge
Studio Ghibli releases new range of cardigans for anime fans
Kyoto Whopper divides customers at Burger King Japan
Japanese burger chain no longer serves onion rings, but offers intriguing replacement【Taste test】
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 surprises
Starbucks Japan reveals new holiday goods for the 2024 festive season
Travel tip: Fukuoka has a great luggage delivery service that’s cheaper than a coin locker
Taking the Kyoto overnight bus for the first time
Beautiful Totoro bag returns, still requires jumping through an extra hoop to get, still worth it
Berserk T-shirts coming to Uniqlo for launch of new Manga Curation line【Photos】
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 tooBerserk 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
Japanese bank’s founders blood-signed promise to commit samurai-style suicide if they committed fraud
Japan’s workplace drinking party communication is unnecessary, says majority of workers in survey
Yakuza family speaks out against rise in organized crime
An extremely simple trick to spice up plain rice for a refreshing, citrusy summer treat
Flying dango: Unique tourist site where Japanese sweets are flown to you over a gorge
Japanese Twitter users agree that yakuza members are more Photoshop savvy than the average joe
Japanese tourist center asks small-penised travelers to not make a mess in the bathroom
Made In Japan Fender Limited Edition Hello Kitty Stratocaster now on sale in Japan
Moving to Tokyo? Real estate agent picks five best neighborhoods for single residents
How often do Japanese people search for their ex online?【Survey】
New Japanese bowl-shaped donburi rice cooker cooks rice and toppings at the same time
Studio Ghibli’s Howl’s Moving Castle x Loewe collection is as magical as the anime movie