calendar
A year of My Neighbour Totoro plus 22 other movies, and you get to choose when to display them.
With different characters on the front and the back, these little stands will steal your heart.
Because just one year is way too short a time to spend with Totoro, No-Face, and Kiki, right?
A sneak peek at the hottest thing to come out of Japan this winter!
Perhaps even stranger still, this particular person has achieved an almost cult-like status among some Japanese women.
As with the beginning of any new year, there comes the chore of getting a new calendar for your wall or fridge. Sure one usually arrives in the mail from your friendly neighborhood real estate agency, or you could always shell out for the motif of your choosing from a local calendar boutique.
But the really lucky years are when the perfect calendar just falls right into your lap, as it did with our Japanese writer Ponkotsu the other day. From an associate in Shanghai, he received something in the mail with the words Chinese Dream printed on its front; a calendar that he knew in an instant would become the one of his own dreams too.
Boy, have we ever got a treat coming up for all of you loyal Rocketeers!
To help ring in the new year, our staff is busy putting the finishing touches on a 2015 calendar featuring the classy men of our sister site, the Japanese language edition of RocketNews24. Not wanting to be outdone by all the other “eye candy calendars” out there, our team of Japanese writers have truly gone all out to show their appreciation for all the love and support they’ve received from our readers over the past year.
Get ready to feast your eyes on a sneak preview of what’s about to become the sexiest 2015 calendar ever to grace the internet!
As the internet implodes with the news that Kim Kardashian’s naked posterior is on the front of Paper magazine, we thought we’d jump right on the nudity bandwagon and bring you this exciting missive from the clothes-free front line.
That’s right, Taiwan’s rugby union players are releasing a naked calendar, and we’ve got the pics to prove it!
Have you ever been in a situation where you could have sworn you left an object in a certain place, yet couldn’t find it when you needed it, but it pops up at some unexpected place some time later? Have you ever thought that, perhaps there are tiny people hiding in your room, mischievously fiddling with your things?
That’s probably what fills the mind of Japanese designer and photographer, Tatsuya Tanaka, as he shows in his imaginative portfolio of miniature people having fun among everyday items around us!
Want to go to the least popular prefecture in all of Japan? Of course you do! Pack your bags, you’re going to Shimane!
Though Shimane is home to Izumo Shrine, one of the most significant shrines in all of Japan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the indescribably beautiful Oki Islands, this particular area of the Chugoku Region gets overlooked by most of Japan. In fact, year after year Shimane is ranked as Japan’s most forgotten and least identifiable prefecture.
But not to worry, that’s where Yoshida-kun, Shimane’s brutally honest mascot, comes in. We’ve seen this fellow before, pointing out Shimane’s shortcomings and proclaiming the area to be the the 47th most famous prefecture in a country that only has 47. Well, he’s back at it again with the Shimane x Takanotsume Super Deluxe Masochism Calendar 2014! Now with 20% more snark.
I recently took a few days off to visit my hometown in California. In keeping with Japanese norms, I spent most of my time there eating and loafing around my parents’ house (in my defense they have a really nice couch, and the soba noodles my wife makes at New Year’s are amazing).
Reenergized from a week of rest and relaxation, I arrived back in Japan and went to sleep, fully intending to jump out of bed at the crack of dawn and get right to work. But when I woke up around 5:30 a.m., I stopped to reconsider my plan. Given the near-freezing temperature, was crawling out from under my warm blankets really the best choice, health-wise? Shouldn’t I take it easy for a day and make sure I was over my jet-lag? I could always get serious about work the next day, right?
It turns out that not only is New Year’s procrastination common, there’s even a calendar for it, with solid excuses for nothing doing anything printed right there on it.
MOST POPULAR
Now
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
A look back on 40 years of Japanese schools banning stuff
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
New Family Mart cinema opens inside Japanese airport
Japan law lets you claim reward for finding lost property, man may have scammed it over 60 times
Man in Japan takes four parakeets hostage in attempt to force woman to meet with him
Man arrested in Japan after leaving car in coin parking lot for six years, racking up three-million-yen bill
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Japan has omurice chocolate, and the weirdest thing isn’t how it tastes
A spotlight on Japanese singles figure skating: Jumping into the 2026 Olympics【Pt. II】
Weekly
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting the lines at a popular Tokyo gyukatsu restaurant?
Three beautiful places to see Japan’s plum blossoms after starting your day in downtown Tokyo
Downloads of 39-year-old Guns N’ Roses song increase 12,166 percent thanks to Gundam
Cherry blossom forecasts map shows Japan’s OTHER sakura season is starting right now
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Huge Evangelion Unit-01 head appearing in lights in Japan to celebrate anime’s 30th anniversary
Family Mart releases huge range of cute sweets for Cat Day in Japan
Japan’s first all-matcha ramen restaurant is now open in Kyoto【Photos】
7-Eleven Japan sells freshly baked pizzas…but are they any good?
New Studio Ghibli stamps leave an impression on your stationery…and your heart
Monthly
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Japan releases first official sakura cherry blossom forecast for 2026
Archfiend Hello Kitty appears as Sanrio launches new team-up with Yu-Gi-Oh【Pics】
China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning looks to be affecting tourist crowds on Miyajima- Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting the lines at a popular Tokyo gyukatsu restaurant?
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Studio Ghibli releases new “komorebi” plush toys from Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away
Yokai are descending upon Tokyo this spring in the latest immersive art experience
Japan’s Naruto theme park now offering real-world version of Minato’s kunai ninja weapon- New Studio Ghibli stamps leave an impression on your stationery…and your heart
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
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
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Man in Japan takes four parakeets hostage in attempt to force woman to meet with him
Man arrested in Japan after leaving car in coin parking lot for six years, racking up three-million-yen bill
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Japan has omurice chocolate, and the weirdest thing isn’t how it tastes
A spotlight on Japanese singles figure skating: Jumping into the 2026 Olympics【Pt. II】
Finally! Icees are coming to Japan!- Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
W.T.F. Japan: Top 5 kanji with ironic meanings【Weird Top Five】
All Tokyo public high schools abolish rules forcing students to dye non-black hair, underwear color regs
Japanese vending machines now sell pearl jewellery
A deep-fried sushi senbero awaits from Super Value【Japan’s Best Home Senbero】
Anime and video game backgrounds now free to download for video conference calls
-
