Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Even Japanese who have never been to Okinawa have probably eaten Okinawan food at one time or another due to the spread and popularity of Okinawan restaurants across the country.
The same unfortunately cannot be said for the food of Japan’s northern indigenous people, the Ainu. Even in cosmopolitan Tokyo, there is only one restaurant serving Ainu cuisine. Thankfully, though, the chefs at this restaurants are true masters of the art. Let us introduce HaruKor! Read More
Usually when people think of curry, the first country that springs to mind is India. But even in the land of sushi, ramen and okonomiyaki, curry and rice (or “kare raisu” as it is known here) often tops people’s lists of food favourites.
On Feb. 25, Japanese curry chain Go! Go! Curry launched its annual speed eating championship, which challenges famished food fans to consume two servings of their regular house curry and rice as quickly as possible. Unlike many eating contests where participants must simply force down as much food as possible, Go! Go! Curry’s challenge focuses entirely on how quickly diners can shovel food into their respective shout holes.
Always ready for a challenge, RocketNews24‘s eternally hungry reporter Mr. Sato grabbed his younger coworker Tashiro-kun and marched over to the branch of Go! Go! Curry nearest to Shinjuku station’s east exit to take part. Suffice to say, Tashiro-kun learned a lot during their visit. They say that every apprentice eventually becomes the master, but it’s clear that this young Jedi still has a long way to go.
The full video of the pair’s frantic face stuffing after the jump.
Commercials: a lot of celebrities in the west won’t touch them with a borrowed pole. After working hard to build up their portfolio and making themselves a household name, for many professional actors the mere thought of putting their face on an advertisement is completely abhorrent.
In Japan, however, it’s a very different story. TV celebrities, singers and sports stars are a common feature on commercials, whether they be on television, magazines or even hanging over our heads as we take the train to work each morning. Watches, skin cream, beer, anti-hair loss, cars, language courses; you name it, someone famous is smiling and pretending they love it in exchange for a few extra yen.
This time it’s the turn of hollywood heart-throb Leonardo DiCaprio to take the cash and smile for the camera. Because, as we all know, DiCaprio never shuts up about how much he loves Jim Beam whiskey usually…
Kutaniyaki, or Kutani ware, is a style of porcelain making that dates back to the 17th Century. It’s known for its bold colors and designs, but one company is taking the traditional form in a decidedly modern direction with its new series of Kutaniyaki Skulls. Read More
Here’s a story that’s bound to ruffle a few feathers down south. According to those in the know, okonomiyaki – a savoury “pancake” dish loved by millions and one of Osaka’s most acclaimed culinary delights – may in fact have been created in none other than Tokyo.
It’s considered common knowledge that cats hate water, but recently YouTube has been awash (get it?) with cats enjoying their bath time. In this latest addition, kitten Hana-chan experiences a bath for the first time, displaying the range of expression with normally associate with Hollywood’s finest. Check out her journey from terror to bliss after the jump! Read More
On 21 February, Japan hanged a trio of convicts for murders including the kidnapping death of a young girl and a stabbing rampage which left nine dead. Those executed were Masahiro Kanagawa, Kaoru Kobayashi and Keiki Kano (nee Muto).
As always, these hangings drew outrage from Amnesty International and the Japanese Federation of Bar Associations who made a statement saying they find “these executions unacceptable.”
However, this opposition is largely ignored by the government of Japan who maintains that the population at large supports their policy of penalty by death.
To confirm this, the following day, the Research Panel website posted the results of a survey conducted of 29,364 people asking them how they felt about the death penalty.
The above pictured tweet was posted at 1:27 p.m. JST yesterday. Despite ending with a smiley emoticon, the harrowing message openly states that “a random attack” will take place at 10 a.m. on the Japan Rail Gifu station, Gifu Prefecture, at around 10 a.m. today.
Anyone with allergies can tell you that they suck pretty hard. Particularly in Japan, the high density of cedar trees has hay fever sufferers throwing on masks for several months of the year starting about now.
To our rescue comes Koji Kawahara, Professor of Cellular Engineering at Kitakyushu National College of Technology who last year found a component in strawberries which eases allergic reactions.
Professor Kawahara presented his findings at an international biology expo and filed for an international patent. He will likely synthesize the active ingredient into pill form, but can simply adding strawberries to our diet do the trick too?
The Cup O’ Noodles that “saved your life” in college may now actually save your life in an emergency situation.
As linguists and scholarly types routinely profess, language is something that is continually evolving. It is a living, breathing entity that twists, turns and grows on an almost daily basis. As our lives change, so too does language. We don’t always like the changes, but, realising that the amount of time we spend on this earth is a mere blink of the eye compared to how long language itself has existed, we come to accept that words are no more ours than the valleys and hills we trek over. (Although I must confess that I still face-palm whenever I hear someone utter the phrase “I could care less” to suggest that they do not care an iota about something.)
Nevertheless, when changes in language begin to occur, people notice them. The first time we heard the word “Facebook” used as a verb or saw our first “LOL”, many of us likely furrowed out brows and thought, “Is that right?” In much the same way, in July and August last year Japanese broadcasting giant NHK launched an online survey asking the people of Japan whether they had noticed the rather peculiar use of the word “arigatou” (thank you) cropping up in conversation in recent times.
The blue robot cat from the future known as Doraemon has long entertained generations of Japanese people for decades.
Despite becoming an entrenched cultural icon in Japan, people in some parts of the world might not be familiar with the franchise. The story is centered on a young boy named Nobita who through various mishaps lands himself in trouble. However, an anthropomorphic robot cat had been sent from his descendant in the future to prevent him from becoming a total screw-up. Doraemon is equipped with a pocket on his stomach from which he can pull a seemingly endless array of tools to help his young friend. Usually the tools are misused by Nobita which comically worsens the situation.
In real life though it seems the formula has reversed for Doraemon as he is tangled in two awkward situations at once, involving the languages of Bangladesh and what (if anything) exists between his legs.
Proving once again that Gloria Estefan was right and that the rhythm is gonna get you, Japanese DJ Kazuhiro Abo’s fantastic video shows a 10-minute session he did during visit to a kindergarten as part of a workshop appropriately titled “Kids and Music”. Although it takes the little ones a while to get moving at first, once they’re all up on their feet they’re bouncing and spinning around as only kids can do.
The full cute, chaotic video after the jump.
The American membership warehouse club Costco Wholesale will open a store in Hiroshima on March 23 to crowds of eager Japanese consumers longing for giant bags of tortilla chips or jars of pickles bigger than a human baby.
As excited as people are to finally have a Costco in the Chugoku region, there is one aspect of the new store that is taking consumers by surprise: a whopping 3,000 yen (US $32) fee to park in the Costco parking garage.
Just a couple of hours ago, Sony Computer Entertainment began streaming its worldwide presentation being held in New York. In it, the console giant invited dozens of acclaimed game developers to give us brief glimpses of their upcoming titles and to discuss the ethos behind the new console.
Curiously, the company did not give attendees and viewers at home a peek at the console itself – something that we’re sure will disappoint many fans – but in many respects, perhaps this is in line with Sony’s new mission statement as the company focuses less on physical hardware and more on the online interactive experience as a whole. With streaming, remote play and even the ability to watch and remotely operate a pal’s game from thousands of miles away, Sony is promising gamers “the fastest, most powerful network in the world,” and aims to bring gaming and social networks together in a big way.
These adorable tail motif Pokemon goods are on sale now and are only available at the seven official Pokemon Centers in Japan.
Just spending a few minutes on the train, it is possible to gain quite an insight into the type of people who use public transport; whether it be the guy crashed out after a heavy night of drinking with his pals, the student listening to his music player on full blast, or the person completely immersed in their favourite book, the types of behavior are varied to say the least.
The inside of the train carriage is a rather peculiar environment in that, on the one hand, it is a public space in which one must abide at least to some degree by the rules of proper public conduct. However, it also provides us with our own private space in which to shut off everything around us and relax while travelling.
By observing the way in which people spend their time on the train, however, we can learn a lot about an individual’s personality, claims Tsugumi Tachibana, a Japanese counselor in love relations. From a romance perspective, Tachibana analyzes in-depth the correlation between public behavior and personality traits. Her findings can be found below and might just help us learn a little more about that one special person on the train or bus that you’ve been admiring from afar.
As regular readers may recall, despite being a big hairy beast of an Englishman, this writer has kind of a soft spot for head spa treatments. Although I used to abhor the very thought of entering a salon and allowing a stranger to wash and massage my scalp while being surrounded by guys with floppy fringes and women having their hair dyed orange, I have become such a fan of Japanese head spas since my wife first dragged me along to try one that I now make a point of getting one every month without fail. It probably helps that it’s usually a pretty girl who’s cradling my lumpy Shrek head and running her fingernails through my hair, but it’s nothing short of bliss.
So when I caught sight of the new Mondaile Head Spa iD3 headset from Breo I was genuinely intrigued. It certainly looked futuristic enough to have the potential, but surely a pile of plastic and wires couldn’t really come close to my living, breathing masseuse’s skilled fingertips? The tech lovers over at Japan’s Web R25 put the unit through its paces and proclaimed it “a must” for gadget lovers, but judging from the reactions of at least one everyday user, the device is not without its quirks.
Our Mr. Sato has struggled with hairstyles in the past, and his troubles are compounded further by his jet-setting international lifestyle. A hairstyle that’s cool in one country can be totally dorky in another. The mullet’s continued success in Japan is testament to that.
So, when visiting Turkey recently, our reporter went to a barber and asked for “a popular hairstyle in Turkey.” Could this be the start of a sexier Mr. Sato?
Studio Ghibli unveils new anime stationery collection, with a Spirited Away River God memo stand
Japanese sweet potato ice cream season! Häagen-Dazs and Muji take different paths to our hearts
Emperor of Japan poses for photo with Studio Ghibli’s No Face [Video]
My night trapped in Nagoya’s flood: what do you do when Japan’s trains shut down?
Japanese convenience store is very focused with its new bento…maybe TOO focused
New Gundam Base superstores coming soon in the U.S., with one opening this month
Car-floating sheets selling well to cope with increasing flood risk in Japan
Three Daiso ideas for a super-cheap but still cool (or cute) Halloween look
Only two Yoshinoya branches in all of Japan are on a train platform, and this is one of them
Tokyo cafe challenges customers to play with their food? Challenge accepted!New Gundam Base superstores coming soon in the U.S., with one opening this month
Bear spotted near most popular hiking trail on Tokyo’s most popular hiking mountain
Making the latest social media snack sensation in Japan, Dot Butter
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Get more room in your luggage with new clothing compression machines at Haneda and Narita airportsJapanese sweet potato ice cream season! Häagen-Dazs and Muji take different paths to our hearts
OC Japan Fair returns to California packed with all kinds of Japanese culture
Can hanging a handy fan on your crotch keep you cool in the Tokyo summer? SN24 investigates
Pokémon Adidas crossover sneaker line releases in Japan, gives your feet Pikachu hugs [Pics]
7-Eleven Japan’s Ramen Machine is a viral hit, but there’s one glaring problem
Japan’s final Penguin Suica train cards have already shipped, and when they’re gone, they’re gone
Studio Ghibli unveils new anime calendars and diary planners for 2027Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Japan approves foreign resident visa renewal fee increases of up to 967 percent, starts soon
Japan tripled its departure tax to fund tourism but is using the money on cherry blossoms and bears
Solo travel in Japan: Hidden beer garden in Tokyo is a haven for single visitors
Kyoto temple bans visitors from wearing kimonoNew Gundam Base superstores coming soon in the U.S., with one opening this month
Hobonichi unveils new 2027 planners, diaries and stationery with One Piece, Suica Penguin, Hello Kitty and a must-buy Mini Techo
Farewell Final Ceremony announced for Tokyo’s life-size Gundam statue, will stream live
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
New Gundam Base superstores coming soon in the U.S., with one opening this month
Car-floating sheets selling well to cope with increasing flood risk in Japan
Three Daiso ideas for a super-cheap but still cool (or cute) Halloween look
Only two Yoshinoya branches in all of Japan are on a train platform, and this is one of them
Tokyo cafe challenges customers to play with their food? Challenge accepted!
Studio Ghibli releases new anime socks that pay tribute to characters from four different movies
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
The number of centenarians living in Japan tops 100,000 for the first time
Tokyo’s Square Burger claims it’s a viral hit with foreign tourists who’ve given it near-perfect Google reviews
JAL first class cakes can be bought for a bargain, but are they as bougie as they seem?
Gang of angry monkeys surrounds and attacks Japanese man in hot spring town
Ghibli/Kyoto crossover artwork decorates goshuin papers for Zen and Ghibli art exhibition [Pics]
Should this Japanese game developer be annoyed with “similar” release by other studio?
Fox spotted in Tokyo’s 23 wards, Japanese Internet wonders if it’s a shapeshifting spirit [Video]