Most people go to Shinto shrines several times a year, like for New Years or to make a special wish or prayer, like before a job interview. But with Buddhist temples, it’s usually just for tourism and funerals – not that frequently, basically. But wait! Temples are transforming these days, more and more using their halls for activities such as yoga classes, group date venues (‘gou-kon‘ in Japanese – group dinners with single men and women, seeking potential mates), and even as concert venues!
Popular travel website TripAdvisor is giving away 100 free T-Shirts to lucky visitors to their Japanese website. What’s the catch you might ask? They are covered with hand gestures deemed obscene by other countries’ peoples.
Most of us at one time or another have probably looked up at the night sky and marveled at the beauty of the moon glowing a beautiful pale silver, or sometimes a golden or orangish yellow. Well, looking at the night sky is sure to be even more exciting when you can see a “super moon” in the sky! What exactly is a super moon? To put it simply, it’s when the earth and moon comes closer together in distance, and you see the moon appearing larger and brighter than usual. We actually had a “super moon” earlier this month, and we’ve found an amazing video that was taken at the time! Read More
Everyone has the embarrassing experience at least once in their life of forgetting to zip up their pants and going out into the world with their fly down. Well, a creative fellow on the video sharing website Nico Nico Douga has made a handy little device to make sure your privates stay private, and he’s shared his bargain-basement methodology and funky dance moves with the world. Read More
At a Tokyo press event, Honda showed off its single-rider, hands-free personal mobility device, the Uni-cub. The Uni-Cub can move in every direction just by shifting your weight, including rotating in place, and is about the height of a chair, so you can put your feet on the ground at any time. One of the biggest advantages is that your hands are free, so you can hold a sign that says, “I believe I’m more awesome than you”. Read More
Well, the combination of the first two was working out well, apparently. (For those of you who don’t know, there are many regional dialects / accents in Japan. The most easily found is likely the Kansai dialect, due to the huge number of comedians and entertainers you can see on TV.) In any case, following the logic of [cute girls] + [dialects] = [cute], they created a late-night TV program featuring these girls doing various things in their respective dialects (PG-rated, presumably). Due to the skyrocketing popularity of the TV show, the next natural step was to … promote men’s electric shavers. Read More
Actually, there are many possible motives to get these chopsticks, which will defy your sense of what is right in the world, presented by ES Corp. of Hiroshima. On the lighter end: they come in black and white boxes, which lined up side-by-side, form a picture of a torii (the gateway to Shinto shrines), and thereby make for a nice his-and-hers wedding gift. On (off?) the deeper end: they bring into question the reason for existence of chopsticks. Read More
On May 23rd, the world awoke to a new Google doodle daring us not waste our time pushing keys and turning knobs to make funky new sounds. This doodle was of course a recreation of a Moog Synthesizer developed by Dr. Robert Moog who would have turned 78 had he been alive.
Thanks to one highly talented keyboardist, we were also treated to two blasts from the past, a flawless rendition of the Dragon Quest intro music as played on a Moog on Google’s top page.
We probably all feel comfortable with the way we brush our teeth; after meals just like we were always told. But how long do you brush for? Do you brush with the right amount of pressure? Are you sure you’re giving each part of your mouth its fair share of brushing time?
A recent development in electric toothbrushes the Oral B Denta-Pride 5000 allows us to answer these impossible questions, but then hits us with another puzzle – why 5000?
A movement toward storing rainwater for emergency use seems to be afoot throughout Japan. Sanei Build System has reported threefold demand for its user-friendly “Mini-Dam” rain barrels in the wake of the March 11 disasters.
The manufacturer has suggested retail prices of 50,000 yen for the 200-liter model and 120,000 yen for the 1,000-liter model, but it adds that certain municipalities will subsidize as much as half the retail price. Read More
In a world where all that existed to hold cardboard boxes together was normal brown packaging tape and cloth tapes, Korean designer Jeong-Min Lee saw a need and taped it up.
Lee’s snazzy “X Tape” spruces up spring cleaning and storage with eccentric designs printed on rolls of clear tape. Designs featuring metal hinges or leather straps can turn a plain cardboard box into a steamer trunk, and metal bolt and spiral notebook designs can add some fun to a gift or package. Read More
Part of the fun of visiting Don Quijote discount superstores is the vastly diverse clientele swarming the narrow aisles. People from all walks of life sort through the unique, chintzy merchandise and add a distinct flavor to the atmosphere inside the gaudy stores.
An atmosphere that Don Quijote apparently does not want to see behind the counter. The retail giant has put out an urgent call for “plain, normal people” on its online job postings after struggling to find even these very average folks in their latest round of recruiting in the Tokyo Metropolis.
In a frustrated cry for help, Don Quijote posted reasons why previous applicants had failed to measure up to its expectations on FromAnavi (the post has since been removed). Read More
Want to let off some steam by throwing dangerous sporting equipment at expensive entertainment devices? Want to indulge your destructive, decadent side while testing your fine motor skills and depth perception? “Play Darts!” is the perfect iPhone app for you.
Play Darts! (“Daatsu Ni Shiyagare!”) is a new kind of game application that links iPhones to Smart TVs or computers. The user “throws” a dart shown on his iPhone to a target displayed on a distant Smart TV or PC by moving the iPhone through the air the same way he would throw an actual dart. The game is available for free on iTunes for users with iOS 4.3 or newer.
What ever happened to the days of cars that weighed several tons, burned obscene amounts of fuel and had some style and personality to them. Most cars these days look like blandly colored Tylenol gelcaps devoid of any of the raw machismo of their forefathers.
That’s why Mitsubishi’s third annual My i-MiEV Design Wrapping line of i-MiEV electric cars deserves applause for bringing some personality and more importantly testosterone automobiles once again.
Everyone seems to agree that the best burger joint in Tokyo is A&G Diner in fancy-schmancy Jingumae. It tops the lists on Gourmet and B Gourmet blogs and gossip sites and is the first name out of the mouths of my restaurant critic friends.
I decided to check it out for myself to see if the taste lived up to the hype and glam of Jingumae. I went in to attack an A&G Diner burger with abandon, but, as it turns out, the burger attacked me . . .
A life-sized figure of manga and anime character Fujiko
Mine has been drawing criticism from fans on the Web. Comments have ranged from “Why did they make her like that?” to the more succinct, “Who the hell is that?” Apparently, she’s looking a bit off-color. Read More
A lot of older people complain that the younger generation spends far too much time on their Z-Boxes and Nintendo Wee-Wees. It’s not hard to imagine why when younger people are presented with fantasy worlds full of castles and dungeons they aren’t too keen to go to the farmer’s market.
Finally, Sagami Lake Resort is doing something about it by adding two colossal real world attractions to tempt kids to give their thumbs a rest and take their legs out for a spin instead.
Okay, so the economy may be down, it may be a drag go to work each morning on the murderously crowded trains (or the impossibly jammed highways), and you may be feeling tired of everyday life in general, but you can’t let things like that kill the rock ‘n’ roll spirit inside you, can you? Well, now there’s a new line of alcoholic beverages from Suntory Holdings Limited that will help you get back into the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll – in Rolling Stones fashion! Read More
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Don’t miss the Tokyo Tower City Light Fantasia ~Summer Landscape 2026~ event during your travels
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Weekly
- Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows- Starbucks Japan releases two new “chunky” drinks… and matching gel designs for our nails
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home- Mt. Fuji hot spring inn gets even more beautiful after dark with Firefly Festival
Does one of Japan’s favorite chocolate brands work with the Pringles chocolate hack?
Japanese criminals are now using crabs to hunt for burglary targets
Japanese hair salons going bankrupt in record numbers- Japan releases new ramen sandwiches… that don’t taste like ramen
Japanese Pokémon card shop grabs scissors as part of its plan to keep scalpers away
Monthly
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden- The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
- Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
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Yearly
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
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We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
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Japan’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 says
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa- Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
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Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
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Japan releases new ramen sandwiches… that don’t taste like ramen
Japan’s largest online resale site banning scalper sales of McDonald’s new anime Happy Meal toys
Starbucks Japan adds a new Frappuccino and Milk to the menu, but are they worth the calories?
This train station bento boxed lunch shop has been in business for nearly 100 years
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Woman in Japan breaks into home of complete stranger just to slap him in the face
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Naked woman runs through one of Tokyo’s busiest train stations, police say she’s not a criminal
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