Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
If you’ve visited Singapore, you may be familiar with the tasty local noodle dish, hokkien mee. Well, now that the Singapore Restaurant and hokkien mee specialty shop “Yac Man” has opened in Omote-Sando, those of you based near Tokyo won’t have to travel all the way to Singapore to get your fix! And since we’re always on the lookout for new and interesting foods, we sent one of our reporters to “Yac Man” to see what hokkien mee is all about.
Collecting is one of the predominate themes of the Pokémon franchise and Nintendo never seems to run out of new things for fans to spend their Pokédollars on.
For example, on August 3, The Pokémon Company reveled, “Pokemomo,” their newest lineup of adorable Pokémon merchandise featuring the artwork of Japanese illustrator Momo Okada.
A lone salaryman walks in to a room with bento in hand and sits down at a table to enjoy his lunch in privacy. He unties the knot holding together the bandana bundle to reveal a small brown bento box and chopsticks case. Finally, the man removes the lid from the bento to unveil a mouth-watering assortment of…colored yarn?
What follows is some hardcore lunchtime needlework.
For the past few years, Japan has been in a fuss about soushoku danshi, literally translated as “herbivore boys.” These are young men who represent the antithesis of the rowdy, skirt-chasing, big-spending corporate man associated with the 1980s bubble economy: they’re passive, conservative with money, prefer to stay in instead of going out drinking with coworkers and are generally uninterested in sex.
Such personal lifestyle choices wouldn’t be considered problematic if Japanese society wasn’t struggling with a declining birthrate and low consumer spending. But when an ever-increasing portion of your male population is enjoying their evening with a cup of tea at the local manga cafe when you need them to be out buying cars and procreating, you’ve got a situation on your hands.
To make matters worse, a survey conducted by The Japanese Association for Sex Education (JASE) reveals that the number of young Japanese women who have had sex has decreased dramatically over the past 6 years.
Perhaps the ladies of Japan have finally given up on trying to get their male counterparts into bed and joined convent themselves.
We’ve covered the phenomenon of charabens in the past ranging from the extremely cute to the downright bizarre. However, as with any art form, the horror genre cannot be left out. Inspired by some photos of horror bentos found online a reporter from the website Pouch, Hotaru Yamakawa, has decided to make her own series of 3 horror bentos and help you make your own.
To all our under-age readers, I feel for you. Understandably, alcoholic drinks are off-limits as they can be harmful to your growth at a young age. But now, it seems the adults want to take away your non-alcoholic drinks as well according to a recent survey.
While in Hokkaido I decided to go to the Sakhalin Island just North of Japan. This island has had a long history of passing between Russian and Japanese control for centuries. In the closing days of WWII Russian forces took the entire island although no treaty was made to officially declare their ownership.
As a Japanese person it stung a little to need a visa to visit this Sakhalin but the dispute over this island has been quieted recently. A Japanese Consulate was established there and businesses in Japanese frequently make the trip thanks to warming ties between the two countries.
And so I decide to make the most of this journey by taking a ship rather than a plane. Ultimately it was full of surprises – good and bad.
During the London Olympics, two young ladies from the Kazakhstani team Zulfiya Chinshanlo (19) and Maiya Maneza (26) each earned gold medals in their respective weight classes as well as setting a World and Olympic Record respectively.
However, their celebrations were short lived as China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency declared that they are in fact secret Chinese nationals, Zhao Changing (19) and Yao Ling (26) who were sent on a clandestine mission to Kazakhstan to spread the sport.
A common addition to many Japanese dishes is a substance called Konjac (Konnyaku in Japanese which may sound confusingly like Cognac). It’s a peculiar, virtually tasteless gelatinous mass that admittedly has an excellent texture to it.
What may come as a shock to millions of Japanese people is that America is beginning to embrace this garnish not as the Japanese have, but as a replacement for conventional pasta.
Thanks to the West’s keen marketing sense, Japan’s often underappreciated purplish-grey slab gelatin has been reborn there as Miracle Noodles!
August 1 was a big day for Japan as it marked the release of Dragon Quest X, the latest installment in the iconic series and the first to force players to play online. While the release of a new Dragon Quest game is usually something akin to a national holiday here, many people were wondering if mandatory online play wasn’t too tall of an order for a series traditionally known for sticking to its tried and true formula.
To get an idea of just how excited the country really is over Dragon Quest X, we sent resident reporter Mr. Sato to a video game shop in Shibuya the day before release to stand in line until the store opened the game went on sale the next day at 7:00 am.
Of course, anyone can wait in line for a day, but it takes a true Dragon Quest fan like Mr. Sato to wait in line for a day dressed as the series’ most beloved monster, slime.
Installed on the recently released OS X Mountain Lion is a breathtaking image of an aquamarine pond with trees growing out of it. We previously gave you the impressions of the photographer Kent Shiraishi, but now we went straight to the real Blue Pond in Biei, Hokkaido to see if it lives up to the photo.
Nothing brings a nation together like a common enemy and the Olympics give us an excuse to degrade every other country on the planet world without it seeming xenophobic.
It was in the midst of this festive atmosphere that Gallup Korea published their annual poll showing the country’s opinion of the rest of the world. The results? South Korea hates Japan even more than North Korea and loves America the most.
A while back we reported on Hatsune Miku’s hijacking of four Family Mart convenience stores. This time, however, Family Mart has turned the tables by hijacking Hatsune Miku herself and hiring her as a store clerk.
The news comes during a display at Wonder Festival (Wonfes) Summer 2012 by figurine makers Good Smile Company. In the display figures of Miku sporting a Family Mart Uniform (with a few cute alterations) could be seen. These will be part of an upcoming promotional event between the popular Vocaloid and convenience store chain.
You’d think that when someone at Nestle proposed making a Kit Kat ice cream cone, they would have taken the conventional route and used ice cream with crushed up bits of Kit Kat in it.
But that was not the case with the frozen treat we came across at a supermarket during a recent trip to Sakhalin. Instead, this “Kit Kat Cone” was nothing more than a regular store-bought ice cream cone with a single Kit Kat wedged in the top.
So how ’bout that 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony? There was Mr. Bean’s riveting performance of “Chariots of Fire,” Daniel Craig and Queen Elizabeth II parachuted out of a helicopter, Paul McCartney sang “Hey Jude”…
While the star-studded event gave the world plenty to talk about, there was one cameo appearance during the parade that was likely overlooked by everyone except Japan: everyone’s favorite earless robotic cat, Doraemon.
Pizza Hut Japan’s hot lucky bags are perfect for a New Year’s pizza party
7 great places to see Mt. Fuji from without having to climb it
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
New giant Pokémon plushie is so big it looks like it could eat you【Photos】
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
The old-school awesomeness of the New Akao, a Showa-era hot spring hotel still standing tall
We found possibly the quietest Japanese-style hotel in Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district
Japan’s oldest largetooth sawfish in captivity back on display in Mie Prefecture
Dragon Quest Burgers and Slime drinks are coming to McDonald’s Japan【Video】
Harajuku’s new permanent Tamagotchi shop is filled with cuteness and a surprising lack of poopStarbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
7-Eleven Japan’s ramen-cooking robot whipped us up a bowl of noodles【Taste test】
Cyberpunk anime meets traditional culture in Ghost in the Shell gold leaf Japanese changing screens7 great places to see Mt. Fuji from without having to climb it
Hello Kitty Choco Egg figures are an adorable trip through three periods of Japanese pop culture【Pics】
Japan’s otoshidama tradition of giving kids money at New Year’s gets a social welfare upgradeWe found possibly the quietest Japanese-style hotel in Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district
Lacquerware supplier to emperor of Japan and Pokémon team up for new tableware
Sumo Sanrio! Hello Kitty and pals team up with Japan Sumo Association for new merch【Pics】
Can a dirty butthole make you filthy rich in Japan? We’re starting a New Year’s lottery experiment7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branchesStarbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo considering law requiring more trash cans following litter increase in heavily touristed area
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Nintendo’s Kirby now delivering orders at Kura Sushi restaurants, but not in Japan
Tokyo event lets you travel back in time, for free, to celebrate 100 years since Showa era start
Sanrio theme park in Japan announces plans to expand into a Sanrio resort
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
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
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
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 home
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 reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
The old-school awesomeness of the New Akao, a Showa-era hot spring hotel still standing tall
We found possibly the quietest Japanese-style hotel in Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district
Japan’s oldest largetooth sawfish in captivity back on display in Mie Prefecture
Dragon Quest Burgers and Slime drinks are coming to McDonald’s Japan【Video】
Harajuku’s new permanent Tamagotchi shop is filled with cuteness and a surprising lack of poop
New “Sleep Water” from Coca Cola Japan promises to help you drift off, wake up refreshed
Beautiful new line of Cardcaptor Sakura shoes are here to capture your fashion-loving heart【Pics】
Yogurt-flavored water?!? We try Suntory’s new beverage straight, mix it with booze 【Taste test】
Hello Kitty Choco Egg figures are an adorable trip through three periods of Japanese pop culture【Pics】
The best Starbucks Japan Frappuccinos we want to drink again in 2026
10 stories of Japanese high school girls and their puzzling, laughable behaviors
Hungry and on the go? Top 10 ranking of ekiben at Tokyo’s Shinagawa Station
Testing Japan’s sold-online love potion: Mr. Sato makes his coworkers drink the romantic mixture