Britain
Japanese tourists wearing everyday casual flu masks apparently caused upset amongst supermarket shoppers in British seaside town
One of the first things that foreign visitors to Japan learn about Japanese cuisine is that white rice served by itself is meant to be enjoyed as it is, not soaked in soy or doused in dipping sauce. But many people who aren’t all that well-acquainted with Japanese food find the taste of plain boiled rice bland, and love to drizzle sweet and salty sauces all over in order to jazz it up a bit, even if it does make eating it with chopsticks ten times harder.
The UK is one place that probably isn’t known for having a high level of familiarity with Japanese food. Chains like Wagamama and Shoryu Ramen do exist, but they tend to play fast and loose with the definition of Japanese food, and as a result many British diners wind up getting their tastebuds in a bit of a tangle. But now, Japanese company Kikkoman is actually encouraging this desecrating behaviour by bringing out a new product in the UK market: Kikkoman Sweet Sauce for Rice! As you might expect, it’s raising eyebrows in Japan.
A retired pilot ship sits in a Liverpool dock, painted in vivid red, yellow and green stripes. This is a “Dazzle Ship”, decorated with a unique and eccentric British camouflage method originally developed during World War One.
The British navy had tried different methods of disguising ships, but none had proved effective. Realising that it must be impossible to successfully conceal a boat, marine artist Norman Wilkinson suggested a radical, opposite approach: a design that would instead confuse and disorientate the enemy, making it difficult for a U-boat commander to estimate the boat’s speed or direction. The Dazzle Ship was born.




Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
Mr. Sato discovers his inner beaver with a 16-inch chocolate “twig” at Tokyo Station
New Travelling Bento pouches turn your luggage into a Japanese lunch box
McDonald’s Japan adds new Hello Kitty and Pompompurin drinks to the menu for a limited time
Yakuzen ramen restaurant in Tokyo is very different to a yakuza ramen restaurant
Japan’s Mos Burger discontinues old teriyaki burger and rolls out new recipe, but is it as good?
Family Mart unveils new Japanese bread that elevates convenience store food to mocchiri levels
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
7-Eleven Japan’s new baked-in-store sweet treat is only available in three parts of the country
Peanuts and Coke becomes a viral hit in Japan, but is it a trend worth joining?
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
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
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
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
New Travelling Bento pouches turn your luggage into a Japanese lunch box
McDonald’s Japan adds new Hello Kitty and Pompompurin drinks to the menu for a limited time
Yakuzen ramen restaurant in Tokyo is very different to a yakuza ramen restaurant
Japan’s Mos Burger discontinues old teriyaki burger and rolls out new recipe, but is it as good?
Family Mart unveils new Japanese bread that elevates convenience store food to mocchiri levels
We make meat-stuffed matsutake mushrooms and learn something important about luxury food
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Making igisu, a traditional Japanese food even most Japanese people don’t know about【SoraKitchen】
Anime and video game backgrounds now free to download for video conference calls
We try making imoni, the beloved taro and beef stew of northern Japan【SoraKitchen】
Why does Japanese writing need three different sets of characters? (Part 2)