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Enjoy Kyoto (Part 2) — Take a tour of Sumiya, the only remaining ageya building in Japan

In Part One of our series of articles on some original ways to enjoy the ancient city of Kyoto, I described what it was like to stay in a restored traditional machiya house during my recent trip to the city. Now, in the second article of the series, I’d like to introduce a tourist spot I visited which may not be at the top of people’s list of places to visit in Kyoto but nonetheless is both historically and architecturally interesting. The building, known as Sumiya, is literally one of a kind, as it is the only “ageya-style” structure that remains in Japan today. So, let’s take a look at this unique ageya building with a fascinating history over three-and-a-half centuries old.

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Nintendogs coming to a PlayStation Vita near you?

…Wait, that’s not Nintendogs!

No, ladies and gentlemen, the house that made Mario hasn’t finally buckled under the pressure and decided to publish its first-party games on rival platforms. The above screenshot is actually from a completely new title designed specifically for Sony’s portable: PlayStation Vita Pets. Soulless rip-off or an evolution of the pet sim genre? Find out after the break.

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Nice try! Zoo in China puts a “lion” on display, visitor realizes it’s actually a dog

A man visiting a zoo in Luohe City, Henan Province in China was surprised to hear what he described as “barking” coming from the enclosure marked “African lion.” But that’s silly, lions don’t bark, they roar…

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Imuraya brags about the stiffness of their sweet bean bars…“Watch your teeth!”

Imuraya Confectionary is a Japanese sweets company that specializes in the sale of adzuki (sweetened red bean) products. They pride themselves on sticking to traditional Japanese flavors and sticking to their strange marketing strategies just as hard.

Recently, Imuraya made a pair of official Twitter posts cautioning people against the stiffness of their top-selling Adzuki Bar! This frozen slab of bean paste is a summer favorite across Japan, but according to Imuraya’s own assertions, they can crack your teeth!

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Why do Japanese people obey traffic laws? Chinese students give their opinion

On August 11, Record China published an article based on essays written by Chinese students after their first visit to Japan. The piece, titled “How Japanese People Interpret Laws,” mainly focused on the students’ impressions of Japanese roadway rules and regulations and how strictly they are followed.”

Those readers who have had the chance to experience Japanese motorways might not have found the streets very safe at all. Narrow roads often mean narrow escapes from clogged intersections as pedestrians weave in-between eco-delivery bicyclists and taxi cabs. But compared to the hustle and bustle of mainland China, where the rules of the road mean every man for himself, Japan may very well seem an extremely tame, if not complacent, environment.

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This otter isn’t dead (we promise!) 【Video】

We know what you’re thinking! But before you click away from our site in disgust, just know that this otter is NOT dead! He’s very much alive and doing something completely adorable.

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Man triggers explosion in car trying to keep it cool, two injured

On 14 August at approximately 11:55am, an explosion occurred inside a passenger vehicle in Choshi City, Chiba Prefecture. The main ingredient to this minor disaster was some cooling spray like the kind used by athletes.

We might expect this to be the work of some punk teenagers – with their newfangled Hanna Montanas and Donkey Kong video games – fooling around with matches and aerosols. However, the victims/perpetrators where actually a middle-aged man and woman… fooling around with aerosols and lighters.

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North Korea’s “home-grown” smartphone may not be quite what it seems

Always keen to impress an image of strength and prosperity upon his countrymen and the international media in general, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was photographed operating a newly made smartphone at a factory in the notoriously guarded country earlier this week, with the Korean Central News Agency claiming the device to be entirely the country’s own work. But experts elsewhere suggest that this technological achievement may not be quite what it seems.

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We try some Taiwanese dishes to boost our vigor, includes snake venom and turtles

RocketNews24 reporter extraordinaire Kuzo was feeling a little at half-mast recently and was looking for some ways to put some lead in his pencil, and fast.

Luckily he heard about some Taiwanese dishes that promise to boost stamina and went out in search of them. What he found was some snake, softshell turtle, and Asian ginseng soups. Par for the course for our gourmet reporter but these soups were also served with the bodily fluids of the animals such as blood and poison. If that doesn’t get Kuzo up and going we don’t know what will.

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How would America react if Japan suddenly attacked South Korea?

Here at RocketNews24 we have a major soft spot for Japanese culture and its quirks. But there’s no denying that the country has a nasty habit of glossing over controversial moments in its history. This has led to some long-lasting tension between Japan and its neighbors, namely China and South Korea.

This week Japan celebrates the end of World War II. At the same time, Korea takes a different angle on the times and celebrates the end of Japan’s colonization and subjugation of their country. This anti-Japan sentiment remains rooted in many aspects of Koreans’ psyche, and led to the creation of a certain documentary which aired on the Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) last Sunday, August 11. The program was titled The Archipelago’s Perilous Night and posed the questions, “What would America do if Japan suddenly attacked South Korea? Who would they aid?” Korean Internet users were quick to respond with their own speculations.

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Monsters University pork buns are cute, delicious, and selling out fast!

Pixar’s highly anticipated Monsters University finally opened in Japan on July 6, and to celebrate FamilyMart have launched an edible collaboration of delicious pork buns. We rushed out to buy a few and put them to the taste test, all for the benefit of our dear readers, of course!

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Summer brings bad breath – Here’s how to beat it!

The summertime heat can often cause a loss of appetite for a lot of people. I know I have days where I’d rather drink fluids all day long and rely on energy drinks to keep me going. On those days, even the things I do eat are likely found swimming in a bowl of cold broth.

Of course, this is unhealthy in a whole slew of ways, some more social than physical. Did you know, for example, that eating less can cause you to have bad breath? You’re not only doing your body a disservice when you skip a meal, you’re driving away your friends and colleagues by them breathing in their presence. Thankfully, we’ve got the full breakdown on what generally causes beastly breath and what measures you can take to prevent it.

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Members of the public injured at LG’s G2 smartphone giveaway event

Korean electronics giant LG has had to cut its G2 smartphone publicity event short after many members of the public were injured. The company hosted a giveaway of coupons that could be exchanged for free LG G2 smartphones and was expected to be held at other arenas across Korea. However, LG didn’t anticipate just how much of a reaction the free phone campaign would create as a man, intent on getting his own free phone, discharged a firearm into the crowd.

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Previously unseen footage of March 11 tsunami appears online

More than two years after the powerful earthquake and resulting tsunami ravaged Northeast Japan, footage taken by those who were in some of the worst hit areas at the time is still appearing online. Currently receiving a lot of attention here in Japan is a video taken at a seaside location – which some believe to be either Kesennuma or Rikuzentakata, the home of the miracle pine memorial – showing the entire town disappear beneath the black water in a matter of minutes.

Although there are no scenes of abject peril, some readers may nevertheless find the following footage disturbing.

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An ingenious product that could put an end to holes forming in unwanted areas of your socks!

It is a problem that faces most of us at some point or another. Whether it be a get together at a friend’s house or a social gathering where you take off your shoes, having someone point out to you that there’s a gaping hole in one of your socks can be a little embarrassing. While for many in the West it isn’t that often you have to remove your shoes in public, in Japan many restaurants require you to get down to your socks before entering the premises. Therefore, it is much more difficult to disguise the problem if you’re living in the land of the rising sun. Well that was up until now: some clever fellas at a Japanese company named “Naigai” have come up with an ingenious invention for men that could put an end to the problem for good.

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Doratastic! Nintendo of Taiwan just unveiled a genuine collector’s item

It seems like just about every other video game released these days also appears in “collector’s edition” form featuring all manner of inserts, plastic trinkets and overly elaborate packaging, with publishers cashing in simply by dropping the term “limited edition”. Usually this results in a few thousand people having the same cheaply-produced goods piling up in their game grottos that will seldom be worth much more than they paid, but in the case of the Taiwanese release of Doraemon: Nobita’s Number Adventure for Nintendo 3DS, there’s a certain item up for grabs that might just be worth a few extra pennies in years to come.

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Got a spare $286,000 lying around? Get your 24k gold Mt. Fuji replica while supplies last!

With Mt. Fuji having recently been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site on June 22, souvenir makers have rushed to cash in on the mountain’s new found fame offering everything from rice bowls to beer glasses crafted in the shape of the iconic volcano.
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Helpful heatwave technology! New popsicle-shaped heatstroke detector!

It’s no secret that from the beginning of June, heatstroke can be a real danger in Japan. But what better way to stave off the sweltering summer temperatures than taking a bite out of a sweet, frozen popsicle? The most popular Japanese ice cream treat, Gari-Gari Kun, has a new promotional campaign to keep people safe during the height of summer–a special accessory that will warn you about potential heatstrokes. Best part is, it’s shaped just like this well-known ice-cream that everybody loves!

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Scientists in Osaka prove that it really does pay to be kind to others

A research group from Osaka University has confirmed that acts of kindness really are recognized and rewarded by those around you. Assistant lecturer Onishi Kenji, who is a specialist in the field of Developmental Psychology, led the research at the university which monitored the responses of infants to acts of kindness. The same research group announced its results in America’s online scientific journal “PLOS ONE”, dated August 7.

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Japanese train seats are cooler than you think

Everyone knows that in case of an emergency, inflatable slides pop out from the exits of an airplane, enabling passengers to quickly and safely exit from the craft. But what about trains? Sure, walking on and off the platform is easy, but what if the train makes an abrupt stop and you’re staring at a four-foot drop to the ground? If you find yourself in Japan, you’ll be able to use the very seat you’re sitting on to make a swift escape.

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