bugs (Page 3)
Home-made “bombs” aren’t lethal, let you swap insect invaders for a pleasant smell.
A shrine in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan shows consideration for all of its patrons, from the humans to the bees!
An online retailer offers stylish new coil stands to keep insects out of your barbecue and impress friends at the same time.
A bug enthusiast’s dream and your average person’s worst nightmare, this rare titan beetle discovery has set Japanese Twitter abuzz.
Tired of sushi standbys like tuna and salmon? An annual event in Tokyo recently served up mealworm nigiri and black wasp gunkan, plus a host of other bug-based foods and drinks.
Sono & Sons is a building maintenance company that also specializes in pest control. Their SEARCH (We Safeguard our Environment with Alpha Roach Control Helper) system promises to leave any roach intruding on the sanctity of your home dead as Dillinger.
Despite their cold efficiency as slaughtering cockroaches, Sono & Sons also owe them a debt of gratitude. After all, roaches played a large role in building the company. So out of respect, they commissioned a memorial statue for all the cockroaches who have succumbed to their poisons and filled the company’s bank account as a result. They spared no expense either because everyone online is agreeing that it’s one cool statue.
Some things are inseparable from a Japanese summer: fireworks festivals, face-melting heat and humidity, young men and women awkwardly courting in yukata, and of course the deafening roar of cicadas. Here, the vociferous critters just provide the soundtrack to summer, but did you know that in some places, they are on the summer menu too?
Our intrepid Japanese reporter Ponkotsu did and he sent off to the cicada-producing center of Lishui in China’s Zhejiang Province for a bag of bugs to taste test.
There’s no need to use toxic substances to kill off unwanted insects in Japan, because there’s a much more eco-friendly method they’ve been using for hundreds of years. Although it may not be scientifically proven, many people feel this is still the best way to get rid of everything from garden aphids to mosquitoes. And if the method has endured for centuries, it must be at least somewhat effective right?
This uniquely Japanese insect repellent is far cheaper than commercial insecticides, easier to implement, and you only have to use it once a year in spring or early summer. And the best part? It involves Japanese sake!
What’s the secret? We’ll let you know after the jump.
Humidity-loving bugs are just as much a part of a Japanese summer as fireworks festivals and barley tea. Dealing with the creepy crawly intruders in your home isn’t always easy, though, especially if you’ve got an aversion to touching them. Sure, you can use bug spray instead of doing the dirty work of squashing them yourself, but you’ll still have to use your hands to pick up the carcass and dispose of it after the poison takes effect.
Luckily, though, your options aren’t entirely limited to sharing your living space with bugs or touching them, in the form of this bug-sucking vacuum gun.
The best advances in technology aren’t always digital. I know summers have become much more tolerable since countries like the U.S. and Japan started upping their mosquito repellant game. And since mosquitos are something we can all agree are annoying no matter where you go, it’s not particularly surprising to hear other countries like China have started arming themselves with imported repellants to fight off these pesky blood-suckers.
But what is surprising is that, according to recent headlines, buyers of imported mosquito repellants on China’s Taobao Marketplace say that these repellants are no match for Chinese mosquitoes! So we have to wonder, what exactly makes these Chinese mosquitoes so tough?!
MOST POPULAR
Now
Silicone testicle covers banned from Japanese sauna following cups being left behind and on shelves
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
One Piece creator has hidden secret of anime treasure’s identity in chest at bottom of real-world ocean
Mister Donut unveils new sakura doughnuts for cherry blossom season 2026
Visiting Japan’s one-and-only, and only-for-a-limited-time, Dragon Ball noodle restaurant[Photos]
Draw like a Studio Ghibli anime artist with exclusive watercolour set approved by Hayao Miyazaki
Tokyo company’s HQ has indoor rice paddies, grows more than 200 types of vegetables【Video】
Studio Ghibli now sells Ursula’s backpack from Kiki’s Delivery Service at its anime shop in Japan
Japan’s cherry blossom season predicted to start earlier than we’d thought, especially in Tokyo
Eight Ways You Really, Really Shouldn’t Use a Japanese Toilet
Weekly
- Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
- Japan’s cherry blossom season predicted to start earlier than we’d thought, especially in Tokyo
Is Tokyo Station’s startlingly expensive wagyu bento boxed lunch worth its high price?[Taste test]- One Piece creator has hidden secret of anime treasure’s identity in chest at bottom of real-world ocean
Japanese government planning higher ticket prices for foreign tourists at Tokyo National Museum
Live-action One Piece’s Luffy teaches Sesame Street’s Elmo a Japanese word for friendship[Video]- Studio Ghibli now sells Ursula’s backpack from Kiki’s Delivery Service at its anime shop in Japan
Sakura Festival in Chiyoda mixes illuminations, boats, music, and Rilakkuma in the heart of Tokyo- Silicone testicle covers banned from Japanese sauna following cups being left behind and on shelves
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Monthly
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026- Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Yearly
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
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home- Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
- Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
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
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Draw like a Studio Ghibli anime artist with exclusive watercolour set approved by Hayao Miyazaki
Tokyo company’s HQ has indoor rice paddies, grows more than 200 types of vegetables【Video】
Studio Ghibli now sells Ursula’s backpack from Kiki’s Delivery Service at its anime shop in Japan
Japan’s cherry blossom season predicted to start earlier than we’d thought, especially in Tokyo
Eight Ways You Really, Really Shouldn’t Use a Japanese Toilet
Japanese government planning higher ticket prices for foreign tourists at Tokyo National Museum
Which of Japan’s main coffee shop chains is best for a caffeine-free life?
Japanese stationery vending machine at Haneda Airport is a great option for last-minute souvenirs
Starbucks Japan releases a new Cream Puff Frappuccino for a limited time
The true identity of Cup Noodle’s “mystery meat”
Studio Ghibli releases Kiki’s Delivery Service bag modelled on the one from the film
New vending machines at Shinjuku Station emit scent, play projection mapping with your purchase
The 30 most ‘romantic’ lines that women want to hear (well, according to the Japanese internet)
-
