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Preston Phro

Preston Phro (or simply Phro as most know him) is a Coloradoan attempting to fit in in Tokyo. (Surely, he would succeed if not for his unruly hair.) He puts his master's in classical Japanese literature to good use by writing silly stories and articles for the Internet. Having lived in Nara, Osaka, and Yamaguchi before moving to the Kanto area, he's quite happy to finally have a place to call home! When not writing, he enjoys annoying his wife by plucking at his shamisen (a three-stringed Japanese instrument not entirely unlike a banjo) and pestering her with questions about Japanese history. He also occasionally attempts to remember all the stuff he's forgotten since university.

Posted by Preston Phro (Page 29)

Doggy bread, the newest, cutest gachapon to win our hearts!

Preston Phro
Nov 29, 2013
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It’s fairly common knowledge that Japan is overrun with vending machines. If they ever gained sentience and decided to go on the offensive, the country would be pretty much screwed as far as we can tell. Fortunately, maniacal wizards don’t seem to be real, so we can keep them around to serve us drinks and snacks without having to worry about being attacked by vicious Coke machines.

Of course, there are tons of different vending machines in Japan, but the most popular must be the gachapon ones. The toy dispensing machines are fun for everyone with an addiction to collecting, from children to adults. The recent trend for gachapon machines seems to be dogs, but today we found an utterly bizarre–and adorable–take on the theme: “Inupan” or “Doggy Bread!”

Behind the scenes of our adventure in the Philippines

Preston Phro
Nov 26, 2013

Yesterday we posted a report by a writer from the Japanese side of RocketNews24 detailing his experiences in Leyte following the havoc wrecked by Typhoon Haiyan. In his account, Sekai no Shogo briefly mentioned the disappearance of his canned food and water. It was a slightly enigmatic comment with a significant backstory to it. Today, we bring you a translation of that story.

Visiting Leyte and sleeping with the disaster survivors

Preston Phro
Nov 25, 2013

Following the recent devastation that the Philippines suffered during Typhoon Haiyan, one of our brave writers from sister site RocketNews24 Japan decided to go see the damage first hand. We’ve prepared a translation of his report to help you all get a clearer perspective of the situation on Leyte.

Scooter dog is ready to scoot: This will be the cutest GIF you see today

Preston Phro
Nov 23, 2013

Dogs, like anyone else, love to feel the wind on their furry, adorable faces. Honestly, is there anything better than rolling down the window, sticking your head and tongue out, and cruising down the road? Maybe barfing on the bed and chewing up all the shoes. It’s kind of a tie, we suppose.

Anyway! Not everyone can afford a car, as pointed out by Mr. Suzuki, but nearly anyone can buy a scooter. So even pups who don’t come from the richest families can taste the open road!

New magic powder turns your boring instant noodles into peppery treats

Preston Phro
Nov 17, 2013

Are you a poor college student? An incompetent cook? Or maybe just too busy to stop for a real meal? If so, you probably have cup ramen so often that you can prep a serving with your eyes closed and your right hand tied to your left knee.

Let’s be honest here: Cup ramen is fast, convenient, and not entirely horrible tasting. But after a couple of days of the same flavors over and over, you might be wanting to add some variety to your diet. If you still can’t get a real meal, at least now you can get some magic powder to spice up your noodles!

Cat attempts to catch running water, fails hilariously

Preston Phro
Nov 15, 2013

Meet Roger. That’s not this cat’s real name, but we don’t know his real name. Still, you know, he just looks like a Roger, doesn’t he?

Anyway, Roger is thirsty. He’d like some water. And, hey! There’s some delicious, chilled water running right in front of him! Let’s how he does taking a sip…

These 20-year-old Uniqlo commercials may be the best we’ve ever seen!

Preston Phro
Nov 15, 2013

Winter is not just coming, it has arrived. The nights are cold and Japanese homes with their relatively poor insulation are no warmer than a popsicle fresh from the freezer. Fortunately, that also means Uniqlo is delivering their latest line of warm wear.

With everything from fleece sweaters to cashmere knits, you can always count on the Japanese clothing company to keep you warm for a reasonable price. You can also count on their stylish commercials to appear like clockwork each winter to announce their latest and greatest.

But a recent rediscovery of two 20-year-old Uniqlo commercials has left us shocked–and howling with laughter!

How to easily turn your dry pasta into “fresh” noodles

Preston Phro
Nov 11, 2013

Pasta, for many of us, is the miracle food. Boil, strain, add sauce, and just like that you have a delicious dish! It’s cheap, easy, and quick–the perfect food for everyone from starving students to busy professionals. It’s even moderately healthy, as long as you choose the right sauces.

On the other hand, it’s so easy and cheap that some of us tend to eat it often enough for it to get a bit boring. If you’re starting to get tired of your dry pasta dishes, why not try using some “fresh” noodles?

If you’re thinking that making noodles by hand sounds like a lot of work, well, we’re sure you’re probably right–but our colleagues at RocketNews24 Japan have a trick that will basically revert your dry pasta back to its “fresh pasta” state!

“Oh, I remember those!” Getting nostaligic about old toys with Japanese netizens

Preston Phro
Nov 11, 2013

If you’re of a certain age, born anywhere between the early 80s and 90s, there’s a range of toys that just explode in your brain with raw nostalgia. We’re sure this is true for every generation, but those late 80s/early 90s toys just have something special about them. Whether is was their awkward use of new technology or absurd coloring schemes, we can’t deny just how cool they seemed when we were little kids!

What we were surprised to see, though, was just how many of those toys and games were also available in Japan! So come with us on a trip down memory lane and find if your favorite childhood distractions made the list, and discover just how many of these things kids in Japan were also completely enamoured with.

Here’s your heart-breaking short story of the day, written on a 1,000 yen bill

Preston Phro
Nov 7, 2013

Perhaps one of the saddest things ever written is Hemingway’s famous six-word story: “For sale: Baby shoes, never worn.” Though short in the extreme, it’s amazing how much emotion and information can be packed into six small words. Of course, Hemingway isn’t the only writer known for brevity, and the last 1,300 years of Japanese poetry have been full of brief but beautiful and poignant verses. But when it comes to terse (some might say inelegant) narrative, Hemingway was certainly a master.

However, we may have found someone who’s outdone the old drunkard! Too bad this one seems inspired by utterly real events…

We visited the famous monjayaki street and ate until we burst!

Preston Phro
Nov 6, 2013

Japan is, of course, known for its unique cuisine. From sushi to takoyaki, there’s something for everyone! One domestic favorite is the cabbage-pancake okonomiyaki, which can include anything from squid to pork to cheese. The dish is beloved by both children and adults throughout the country and can be found in restaurants, festivals, and even hamburgers! However, if you live in Tokyo, you’d probably want to some monjayaki instead, a similar dish that is closer in consistency to scrambled eggs–but still incredibly delicious!

Last weekend, we headed out to Tsukishima, one of the most famous mojayaki destinations in Japan, to try the dish. Check out our report of the excellent monjayaki shop, Bambi, below!

We got some Japanese radish sparkling wine, but didn’t expect it to taste like this…

Preston Phro
Nov 5, 2013

Daikon is one of the most well-known of the Japanese vegetables. Essentially an enormous radish, daikon are primarily used for pickling and seasoning, though you can find their leaves in some dishes as well. Although the kinds of radish known to Westerners tend to have a strong “bite” to them, Japanese daikon is much milder, and a firm favorite at this time of year found in warming dishes like oden.

Since daikon is used in so much food in Japan, it’s a very familiar taste for most Japanese people, and you can find it in everything from traditional cuisine to otsumami (snacks eaten while drinking), when people sometimes eat large chunks of boiled daikon. Despite what you might think, it’s surprisingly tasty! But what about making wine from daikon?

Shocking new poll reveals that Japanese women love guys with black hair

Preston Phro
Nov 4, 2013

Here at RocketNews24, we strive to bring you the kind of news that really matters. The worst presents women have ever received; the kind of career you need to drive Japanese women crazy; the things Japanese women find weird about their foreign husbands… Now, you might not think this kind of stuff is actually so important–but don’t come complaining to us when you can’t keep a girlfriend because you choose an unsexy career path or sent your secret crush a box of tissues as a gift. (Seriously, tissues?)

So pay attention, fellas, because we’ve got more breaking news for you: Apparently, Japanese women love guys with black hair.

We visited the owl cafe in Tsukishima where the awesome never ends【Photos】

Preston Phro
Nov 4, 2013

Japan, as you may have heard, has a lot of unique themed cafes. Of course, the cat cafes are the most well-known, having become a bit of a social and cultural phenomenon. Now, as we mentioned earlier this week, you can stop by cafes dedicated to everything from bunnies to maids to gyaru (basically young trendy women) and find an experience tailored to your desires.

However, there’s one new cafe that opened last year that really grabbed our attention: the Fukuro no Mise, or the Owl Store, located in Tsukishima, Tokyo. After hearing about all the cute owls to be seen, petted, and held, we simply had to give it a visit! Here’s your official RocketNews24 report and photo album!

Hanging out with the monkeys at cageless Jigokudani Monkey Park 【Photos】

Preston Phro
Nov 3, 2013

Now, you look like the kind of person who loves monkeys. How can I tell from the other side of the Internet? Simple: Everyone love monkeys! They’re cute, they’re human-like, and sometimes they’re just plain fun to watch.

Of course, anyone who’s visited a zoo has seen a monkey, but they’re almost always behind a fence or a window. Don’t you wish you could get just a little bit closer? Turns out you can do just that at Jigokudani Monkey Park in Nagano Prefecture.

We had a chance to check out the park recently and we brought back tons of pictures for you to enjoy!

Singing duo wow us with their a cappella Disney medley

Preston Phro
Nov 3, 2013

Over on the Japanese side of RocketNews24, we run a lot of article about both Japan and the international world. If you’re starting to feel confident with your Japanese ability, it’s not only a great way to practice your Japanese reading skills, but you can learn a lot of weird and cool stuff. And sometimes you can also find articles that are simply amazing.

Today, we have one of those “simply impressive” articles to share with you!

Happy Birthday, Hello Kitty!

Preston Phro
Nov 2, 2013

Have you wondered just how old Hello Kitty is? We know her dimensions (five apples tall, with a weight of three apples), but we never really stop to think about how old this adorable little cat is. Surely she’s still in her early 20s, right? How else could someone have the energy to work so many different jobs??

Well, if you thought so, you’re wrong! Hello Kitty was born on this day 39 years ago.

That’s right, the cutest kitty in the world is almost 40!

Lawson to be first convenience store to save winter snow…for summer air conditioning?!

Preston Phro
Nov 1, 2013

On November 1, Lawson is opening a new store in chilly Akita Prefecture. Nothing particularly surprising about this–it seems like a new conbini opens nearly every day in Japan. However, this store will have some rather unique features.

In addition to solar panels, improved insulation, and LED light bulbs, this branch will also be testing out some new environmentally friendly features: Saving winter snow for summer air conditioning and using sunlight to heat the store!

Life hacks from Japan: Cancelling a stop on an elevator, amazing curry and more

Preston Phro
Oct 28, 2013

Have you ever gotten on an elevator in the lobby, pressed the button for the seventh floor, and then groaned with the realization that you needed the sixth? Or had to throw out a pair of scissors grown dull through years of use?

There are millions of small annoyances and frustrations that seem basically unavoidable. They’re not really serious, but wouldn’t it be nice if someone could go around making our lives easier? While that probably won’t happen until the robot revolution (come on, WALL-E!), there are a few tricks that you can use to fix these tiny frustrations, so join us after the break for some awesome life hacks from Japan!

Is Umaibo housing the architecture of the future?

Preston Phro
Oct 27, 2013

Everyday it seems that one company or another is producing a new type of building material that will revolutionize our lives and our homes. But it looks like they can all stop now. The ultimate in structural integrity and edible wall paneling has been discovered!

Not many would have thought to do this, but it takes a rare mind to spark a revolution of this magnitude. If you’re looking for the newest hot real estate tip, look no further–all you need to do is invest in the almighty umaibo!