Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
It’s the water bottle of the future! The OKO “advanced filtration water bottle” isn’t your average container for high quality H2O. It features a filtration system developed by NASA that’s so powerful it can filter cola into a clear, colorless liquid in seconds. Don’t believe us? Take a look at the video.
If number of stores is any indication, McDonald’s is the world’s most loved fast food chain with over 34,000 locations in 119 countries. We’re guessing the most common order at the golden arches is a burger with a side of fries, but if you happen to find yourself in Thailand, you might be surprised to find a bowl of curry and rice on the menu right next to the McDonald’s classics. The official name for this bizarre burger joint item is the McGrilled Chicken Curry Rice.
Nara Kenko Land is a well-known spa here in Japan which offers pools, baths, massages, and exercise equipment.
However, for a limited time they are holding the “Big Amazon Mysterious Fish Exhibit” giving us a rare chance to eat the South American river’s fish, including the deadly piranha.
Suspicious that a health spa would offer edible piranhas, our lovely reporter Usagi went down to check it out and perhaps eat a fish that eats people.
The collapse of McDonald’s Japan continued as the company recorded declining year-over-year sales for the 12th consecutive month at the end of March. The situation is dismal, as whatever the company does seems to end in failure.
Its 100-yen menu (about one US dollar) and free giveaways no longer impress customers who have grown accustomed to deflationary pricing. Its “Food in 60 seconds or next burger free” campaign, which the company initiated in January as a measure to help revive fortunes, also failed to deliver. And there doesn’t appear to be any light at the end of the tunnel. Its most recent venture, free gum and other “unique”gifts to purchasers of breakfast sets, has been roundly criticized on the Internet as being a “hackneyed idea.”
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A short while ago, a group of men belonging to a particular delivery service company became hot news in Japan, not for their sterling courier service as you might expect, but, to put it bluntly, for their dashing good looks. Yes, as silly as it may sound, good-looking delivery men, specifically those working for major Japanese delivery company Sagawa Express, have been making many a Japanese woman swoon.
But then again, perhaps it isn’t too surprising that these “Sagawa Danshi” (literally, “the Sagawa men”), as they have come to be collectively known, have been in the media spotlight, as plenty of hot men are indeed in the employ of Sagawa Express, and the busy delivery work tends to keep them physically fit and energetic looking. However, all of this attention now seems to have resulted in a rather unfortunate phenomenon for some Sagawa delivery men. Read More
There were rumours recently about a live action version of Ghibli’s Kiki’s Delivery Service. What’s more, these reports claimed that Takashi Shimizu, the horror film director who brought us nightmare-inducing classics like The Grudge, would be sitting at the helm of the project. A horror take on the story of a cute 13-year-old witch? It seemed too good to be true! Well, it was a sad day when Studio Ghibli released an official statement quashing the salacious rumours, saying, “We have no involvement in the matter.”
South Korean automobile manufacturer Hyundai revealed its new E4U single-person concept car at the recently completed Seoul Motor Show. Egg-like in shape, the mobility device measures 92cm in width while standing 123cm tall. Hyundai believes the vehicle to be suitable for narrow streets in urban centers where speeds are generally slow.
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Players of the Call of Duty series are no strangers to downloadable content in the form of additional maps on which to shoot, stab and detonate. Ever since downloadable map packs were released for Call of Duty 3 back in 2007, console gamers have been treated to (or blighted by, depending on your stance on DLC) regular releases of additional content to purchase or risk being the one guy in their group of friends who can’t play on the same maps as everyone else.
This time around, developers Treyarch are dropping virtual soldiers and screaming headset-wearing pubescents on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands. As well as being situated in the shadow of an erupting volcano, the town featured in the map is absolutely covered with cute cultural references and written Japanese which, we’re happy to say, is not riddled with mistakes.
Whether working late or partying late, people lacking the stamina for an all-nighter and missing the last train home in Japan are primarily left with two rather expensive options: taxi or hotel.
Well, in the not-so-distant future, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government may provide a more wallet-friendly third option, buses and trains operating 24 hours a day.
Ever since Japan started its whole Cool Japan kick, it’s been pushing manga and anime to a world-wide audience like never before. Near the forefront of it all is the software program turned pop icon, Vocaloid, with Hatsune Miku stealing most of the spotlight. Just last week, more than 20 real-life Mikus gathered together at a park in Kaohsiung, Taiwan! It was a truly magnificent spectacle, perhaps the highlight of our year thus far. Read More
Imagine putting a travel brochure on the table, touching the word “Hawaii” and having a video of sandy beaches appear next to it. Better yet, image tossing some Post-it notes onto the table and tapping them with your finger to instantly digitize and upload them to your computer. Sounds like something from a movie set in the distant future, doesn’t it?
Fujitsu Labs has made this and more possible with a new interface system that may let us toss out our mouse and scanner in a single throw.
Watching the video below, you might think cutting edge sensors are required, but all it takes is a run-of-the-mill webcam and an on-the-market projector.
“Seen this way, Tokyo really is beautiful.”– A comment from the Japanese Niconico Video user who originally posted photographer Samuel Cockedey’s video “Inter States” to the social video site.
The time-lapse video shows splashes of neon interspersed with orange street lamps, streaking red taillights and rushes of black figures, painting detail onto the concrete canvas that is Japan’s capital city. Hives of energy and movement, it sometimes takes an outsider’s perspective to recognise that even a sprawling metropolises like Tokyo can be quite breathtaking when we stop to notice them. The full video after the jump.
Anyone familiar with the hit Japanese comic and animation Doraemon will likely know the character Nobita. Cursed with terrible luck, the schoolboy receives help from an earless robotic cat sent back in time by his own great-grandson in the future. Nobita is a lovable character, but “cool” is rarely a word that people use to describe him.
Throwing caution to the wind, however, one young man was spotted riding Tokyo’s trains yesterday dressed exactly like the hapless character. Cosplay or just quirky fashion sense, we don’t know, but the Internet had plenty to say about the rare sight.
Inspired by a recent re-watching of the classic Studio Ghibli film Kiki’s Delivery Service, we decided to try our hand at making grandma’s signature dish, herring and pumpkin pot pie. Why? Because the movie made it look so tasty!
We don’t care what that the old woman’s granddaughter had to say, Kiki worked hard to help make that pie and deliver it in pouring rain, and… all right, so perhaps some of our desire to cook actually came from a need to understand how the young lady in the movie could possibly hate her sweet, sweet grandmother’s homemade birthday present. It took a bit of research, but we think we may have found the perfect recipe!
Egashira 2:50, or Ega-chan for short, is a Japanese comedian with a very unique style. He’s a scrawny, partly balding middle-aged man, who usually appears bug-eyed and disheveled in a diaper or skin-tight pants to perform very physical, usually very dirty gags. His motto is “It’s better to appear once and become a legend than to be a regular all season long,” and his appearances are certainly memorable.
Now, for our viewing and reading pleasure, he’s taking his bizarre style to the publishing world, with a instructional yoga book released this week titled Ega Yoga.
And here we were feeling smug about our regular fibre optic Internet connection…
Sony Corporation announced yesterday that its own Internet service provider So-net Entertainment has launched what is thought to be the world’s fastest Internet connection for home use, with download speeds clocking in at a massive 2 Gbps, on average twice as fast as competing high-speed fibre connections in Japan.
Have you ever opened a pre-packaged snack and then, before realising it, found you devoured the whole thing?
This was the question put to 906 readers of an online news site in Japan. Out of the 906 people in the survey, 618 said they had unwittingly scoffed the lot. But what are Japan’s most irresistible snacks? And what makes them so impossible to resist? Take a look at some of the comments from respondents as we bring you an inside look at the top five…
This week in Beijing, the trial began for a 45-year-old man accused of killing a man with a samurai sword after he picked a fight with the man’s 23-year-old son. The incident occurred on October 19 last year and started over an argument on the bus. Read More
One Piece, Dragon Ball, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure; whatever your paper-based poison, Tachikawa City’s Manga Park has you covered. With an incredible 30,000 comics to relax with for just 400 yen (US$4) per day, the only way this could possibly be better for manga fans would be if the staff also dressed as your favourite characters and gave free foot massages.
Yoshinoya has been serving “tasty, low-priced and quick” gyudon (beef bowls) in Japan for over a century. In recent years, the chain’s bright orange signs can also be found at around 600 locations throughout Southeast Asia and the United States. It seems the world has fallen in love with the original Japanese fast food.
Now anyone can enjoy the beefy goodness of gyudon from the comfort of their own home thanks to this easy recipe. It’s the closest you’ll get to an authentic Yoshinoya beef bowl without having to put on pants.
Now is the time to visit one of Tokyo’s best off-the-beaten-path plum blossom gardens
What’s up with the secret basement at this Japanese train station?
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Can you eat lunch in Tokyo for less than 500 yen?
New zombie ship sets sail in Japan, includes Shinkansen tickets and all-you-can-eat sushi
Which Japanese convenience store has the best steamed curry buns?【Taste test】
Man in Japan takes four parakeets hostage in attempt to force woman to meet with him
Shohei Ohtani amazes Major League Baseball with his impeccable Japanese manners
Yakuza may be blocked from using all expressways in Japan within the decade
Nara deer shikadamari phenomenon continues to baffle visitors at Nara park
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 Hokkaido
Super-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 Earth
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourismCan you eat lunch in Tokyo for less than 500 yen?
A look back on 40 years of Japanese schools banning stuff
New Family Mart cinema opens inside Japanese airportJapan’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
Japan releases first official sakura cherry blossom forecast for 2026Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
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 MiyajimaStarbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
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 saysStarbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Which Japanese convenience store has the best steamed curry buns?【Taste test】
Man in Japan takes four parakeets hostage in attempt to force woman to meet with him
Shohei Ohtani amazes Major League Baseball with his impeccable Japanese manners
Yakuza may be blocked from using all expressways in Japan within the decade
Nara deer shikadamari phenomenon continues to baffle visitors at Nara park
It’s illegal for yakuza to go to professional baseball games in Japan, Tokyo arrests remind us
Here comes Japan’s newest fruit dessert sandwich: 7-Eleven’s purple Blueberry Sandwich!
Japan’s original oyakodon restaurant reopens after three years in a newly renovated building
Uniqlo creates Oshi no Ko T-shirt line so you can show support for anime idols【Photos】
Sushi cars are the newest crazy cool dream from Japan’s Tomica line
Our reporter is willing to die on the pseudo-Italian restaurant Olive Hill
The top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
Shangrila, a maid cafe staffed exclusively by cute “plump” girls, opens in Akihabara【Pics】
