New menu items and more make for the perfect place to grab a kawaii bite after shopping in a major Tokyo department store.
character
Keep them in the kitchen or throw them in a bag–these toys also serve as functionally cute souvenirs to bring home.
Japan’s Coast Guard has been around for 70 years, and mascot Umimaru for 20 – so it’s high time for a Hello Kitty teamup!
Have you ever seen a mascot play drums? I bet you’d never expect one to be this awesome at it.
Keepin’ it neat and tidy…
Chinese website bilibili recently took a reader poll to find the most “moe” characters of 2015. Not only was the competition fierce, but the “cute dudes” top 8 was extremely surprising.
What happens when children contribute new entries to dictionaries? Cat ears happen, that’s what! Err, but maybe not the kind we were hoping for…
Children all over the world idolize at least one TV or comic book character at some point while growing up. For everyone who gets a rush of excitement whenever they fondly recall their favorite childhood character toys, we’d like to introduce you to a must-see event that’s currently going on in Tokyo’s Odaiba district: the “Nostalgic Toy Great Exhibition” (懐かしのおもちゃ大博覧会)!
This event is a massive display of classic Japanese character toys that date from the Showa period (1926-1989) to the present day. Everything from ultra rare vintage tinplate toys from the 1960s to Sailor Moon figurines from the 2010s are on display, for a grand total of approximately 2,000 toys. On top of that, photography is permitted—it’s truly a toy lover’s paradise!
There appears to be a mascot for everything in Japan. Leave it to advertising agencies here to put a face on whatever product they are selling. But some products and promotions are difficult to create adorable characters for. How do you encapsulate all the intricate eccentricities of a city, for example, in one single super-deformed character?
Well Katsushika City in Tokyo is approaching the problem in a different way, but choosing not just one “cute character” to represent them but having an entire cast of beautiful heroines. Say hello to Katsukore!
Eggs are greatly underrated in the bento world. It’s usually rice and all the fun forms it can be molded into or seaweed and its ability to be cut into any shape that takes center stage in lunch boxes across Japan. But the humble egg can be quite fancy in the hands of a highly skilled and creative cook. Let’s take a look at 16 fancy eggs from Japanese kitchens!
A Curry Slime draws near!
Over the years, various goods and edibles have been spawned by Slimes, the ever-popular video game baddies from the Dragon Warrior/Quest series. To get in on the google-eyed action, funky Japanese bookstore chain Village Vanguard has come up with this newest addition to its lineup of creative pre-made curries: the Slime Curry. It’s not quite as cute as the Hatsune Miku curry and it’s not quite the ghastly shade of green of this matcha one, but this gloopy little curry slime can’t wait to sidle up to your next plate of rice!
Command?
➜ Eat
➜ Run
➜ Get details after the jump!
Japan has more than its fair share of ridiculous mascots, ranging from the absurdly muscled pot sticker, Chaozu-kun, to the snarky Yoshida-kun representing the country’s least popular prefecture.
But of all the crazy characters, our most favorite mascot to ever represent Japan has got to be Funnashi, the jiggly yellow pear. Just one look at his rotund head and undulating belly, coupled with his somewhat creepy high-pitched voice, and you’ve got something so hilariously bizarre, even a professional newscaster for CNN couldn’t keep it together on live TV.
We’ve introduced an anthropomorphized food character from Sanrio before on our site, but we now have another one that we’re keen to share with you, just because his personality (although we’re not quite sure if that word applies even when the subject isn’t a person, or even an animal) is so unconventional and unexpected. That’s right, if you thought all Sanrio characters were good and cheery, you may have to think again. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Gudetama, the lazy egg who doesn’t seem to want to do anything at all!
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Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
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Monthly
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country- Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country
Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer
Studio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon- Family Mart opens new “Famima” flagship store in Tokyo that’s like a tourist attraction
Sanrio Character Poll announces winners, Hello Kitty absent from top 10 in many countries
Yearly
- Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo- Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]- Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】- Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
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Starbucks Japan adds new Frappuccino, Tea, and Chillax Soda to its limited-edition summer menu
Studio Ghibli releases huge new wooden clip collection featuring 25 anime movies
Baskin-Robbins Japan’s semi-secret affogato is a perfect mix of fun and fancy [Taste test]
Defacing the Japanese flag is now a crime, says government, punishable by up to two years in jail
After job-quitting service, leave-of-absence-request proxy service sees rising demand in Japan
Can instant TKG from Don Quijote really recreate Japan’s beloved raw-egg-on-rice dish?
Tokyo and Osaka make it into this year’s EIU ranking of the world’s Top Ten Most Liveable Cities
Studio Ghibli releases new Totoro coin purses…but who’s the blue character?
Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea raising ticket prices, free Fast Pass ending next month
7-Eleven Japan releases new sandwich that technically contains fruit but isn’t a fruit sandwich
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