Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
cute (Page 111)
Japan’s newest concept restaurant held its grand opening on August 1 in Tokyo’s Harajuku district, which is well-known as Japan’s mecca for zany subculture fashions and youth culture.
We haven’t had a chance to go to the Kawaii Monster Cafe yet, but based on the pictures of its lavish decorations positively bursting with color and Alice in Wonderland-esque bizarreness, we’d say it looks well worth the trip!
If you’re a cat owner, you’ve probably bought a few toys for your pet to play with. But actually, your feline housemate might not need that ball of yarn or radio-controlled mouse, since it turns out that sometimes the best cat toy is another cat.
Even 27 years after its release, My Neighbor Totoro continues to resonate in the hearts of fans, so much so that it’s easy to forget that the anime classic is a mere 87 minutes long. Subtract from that all the scenes the star himself doesn’t appear in, and we’re left with far less time than we’d like with Studio Ghibli’s most beloved character.
Granted, Totoro does make a brief appearance in one of the animated shorts shown at the Ghibli Museum. But what if you don’t have a trip to Tokyo lined up anytime soon, or that particular piece of animation isn’t being shown when you do?
Then it’s time to arrange a tabletop visit from the big guy himself, by whipping up a plate of Totoro soba noodles.
Summer has always been my favorite season, and I’m positive the original reason was the generous, three-month summer vacation of the American school system. Yet even as a legal adult, with work responsibilities that continue nonstop for all 12 months, this is still my favorite time of year.
Every now and then, I’ll catch a perfect moment of soothing, oven-warm calm, and in that instant, I don’t have a care in the world. There’s a certain contentedness that can only come from a quiet summer afternoon, and it looks like it affects cats as well as humans, as this adorable kitty in Kagoshima Prefecture shows.
Summers in Japan are pretty warm. In fact, one might got a bit further than that and say that they are down right hot. Of course, there are many places in the world that are hotter and more humid, but knowing that doesn’t help those of us sweating over here now!
One home remedy popular in Japan is grated daikon, or Japanese white radish. Of course, if you’re not a fan of radish, this might not be an easy medicine to swallow, but fortunately Japanese Twitter users know just how to get you to eat it: with some of the cutest food ever! Get ready to beat the heat and go “Awwwww!” at the same time!
Premium Bandai is listing two special yukata for the many discerning Gintama fans. Rather than being outright replicas of Gintoki’s kimono and the Shinsengumi’s uniforms from the series, both yukata take color and print cues for something original.
The Gintoki yukata includes a fan motif featuring the pattern on his own kimono. The rest of the print includes red, black, and blue dots in varying sizes and small diamond shapes. The set includes a black obi.
Attack on Titan is no stranger to the world of spinoffs. Its immersive world and plethora of rich characters easily lend themselves to new series with new viewpoints, such as an anime focused on fan-favorite Levi or the manga that focuses on the female point of view with Mikasa and Annie.
But there’s one spinoff coming out soon that’s a little… different: Attack on Titan: Junior High. And yes, we mean that Junior High. Yes, it is cute and silly and stupid in all the right ways. And yes, you need to watch the preview video right now.
What would you do if you suddenly saw a tiny little fur ball jump across the road in front of your car in the middle of a country road? Could you stop in time? We’re not talking about some normal rodent either, but an adorably cute fuzzy critter only as big as a plastic bottle cap.
Learn all about this adorable creature that narrowly avoided being hit by a car in China with pictures and more, after the jump!
It’s been a rocky debut for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics official logo. First, it elicited mixed reactions as to whether its somewhat obtuse aesthetics really conveyed the noble sentiments it was aiming for. Then came the allegations that the logo was plagiarized from the emblem of a Belgian theater.
But let’s set aside the issue of whether or not the design is a copy or not and ask another artistic question: Is the Tokyo Olympics logo actually an adorably stylized bird?
If you’ve seen Disney’s Big Hero 6, you know that the film’s most memorable character, marshmallowy medical helper/combat robot Baymax, spends about half of his screen time being awesome, and the other being adorable. In one of the best examples of the latter, he becomes a mattress for his exhausted friends, letting them lean into his soft, cushioned body during a brief respite during the bumpy transition to their new lives as superheroes.
If you’re feeling similarly worn out after a hard day, you’ll be happy to know that, just as the trailer for the film promised, Baymax has your back…or your front, or your side, depending on how you sleep, in the form of this amazingly heart-melting semi-posable Baymax bed.
Honestly, I’ve never really seen the point in hanging a clock on the wall in your home. Between the time displays on my PC, phone, TV, DVD player, PlayStation, and microwave, I’ve got plenty of ways to tell the current hour and minute without a dedicated timepiece taking up space where I could hang other things, like the California license plate in my living room that simultaneously makes me miss my home state and driving whenever I look at it.
I’m just not convinced that having a wall clock makes your home that much more convenient. However, it can make it a lot cuter, if it’s one of these adorable Japanese dog or cat-shaped clocks with an amazingly lifelike wagging tail.
For diehard Hello Kitty fans, no trip to Hong Kong is complete without a visit to the Hello Kitty dim sum restaurant. On a recent trip there, I had to go and check it out for myself. So it was that on a Saturday night I dined alone on some ridiculously cute Hello Kitty Chinese cuisine.
We’ve talked about Fukui Station, located in Fukui Prefecture, and its Jurassic Park of animatronic dinosaurs before, but today we have a ton more photos and a video of them in motion as the station draws closer to completion. Check out our photos of the rampaging dinosaurs at Fukui Station and call Chris Pratt, because we might need backup!
Duffy, Disney’s lovable stuffed bear character, has a huge following in Japan. Just step inside Tokyo Disney Resort, and the bear’s popularity is abundantly clear as you see the large number of guests carrying their own Duffy toy in adorable and sometimes exquisitely hand-made costumes.
Well, we’ve already seen the well-loved bear tuned into an amazing furry bus that made a special tour from Tokyo to Shizuoka Prefecture a little over a year ago, and now it seems the mascot will be embarking on a whole new journey — into the big blue sky! Read More
Japanese kimono come in countless designs and colours, but it’s often the elegant obi (sash) that takes centre stage. Whether it’s colourful or subdued, simply tied or intricately folded, the sash is more than just a way to tie the outfit together; it’s the element that lets you show off a bit of your personality in an otherwise restrictive garment.
So what better way for kimono-wearing cat lovers to draw some attention to their wardrobe than with an adorably folded feline? And with such a variety to choose from, there’s bound to be a kitten that’s purr-fect for you!
While there are definitely some upsides to being a child, growing up isn’t all bad, especially when you can find ways to incorporate the things you loved as a kid into your adult life. For example, there’s that new Pokémon lifestyle magazine that’s written for fully grown, productive members of society.
And should you be a Pokémon-loving man or woman who heads to the store to buy the magazine’s latest issues, you don’t even need to pay cash, since now you can just whip out a Pikachu credit card.
Tokyo’s Ikebukuro is an archetypical part of the concrete jungle of Japan’s capital. The neighborhood is even home to Sunshine 60, one of the tallest buildings in a city that’s already packed with massive skyscrapers.
With so much space to work with, Sunshine 60 houses a shopping center, restaurants, planetarium, museum, and even a parlor for playing the Japanese board game go. But what convinced us to visit recently was the complex’s aquarium, which right now is offering a chance to shake hands with its adorable river otters!
It wasn’t long ago that we were wishing a happy birthday to Tama, the adorable feline that was given the title of Ultra Stationmaster by Wakayama Electric Railway. Having just turned 16 in April, Tama, who lived at Kishi Station in Wakayama Prefecture and delighted travelers on a daily basis, was incredibly young for a stationmaster.
16 is a fairly advanced age for a cat, though, and the sad news has just come that Stationmaster Tama has passed away.
I love socks. Not your boring old gym socks and stockings, though. I like ’em bright and patterned, the more obnoxiously the better. If it doesn’t look like something a child should be wearing, I’ll pass.
Two other things I love are Japan and cats, so you’ll understand why my squees of delight filled the aisles of popular bargain chain 3 Coins when I spotted this huge rack of cat socks with designs inspired by each of Japan’s 42 prefectures and regions.
Mochi rice cakes, made from glutinous rice, come in all shapes and sizes. They’re soft and filling, and they can be enjoyed as a dessert or a meal, depending on how they’re prepared. What’s not to like, right?
And now it looks like someone’s created these insanely adorable animal-shaped cakes out of mochi…but wait, is that what they really are? Would you believe us if we told you these are actually soft toy figures that look and feel like mochi? Well, whatever they are, these little critters are sure to elicit delighted squeals of “kawaii!”
Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Tokyo Tsukiji fish market site to be redeveloped with 50,000-seat stadium, hotel, shopping center
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Akihabara pop-up shop sells goods made by Japanese prison inmates
Starbucks Japan adds a Motto Frappuccino to the menu for a limited time
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
Beautiful Red and Blue Star luxury trains set to be Japan’s new Hokkaido travel stars
Mt. Koya planning to instate visitor’s tax to cope with huge tourist numbers
Pokémon Sleep camping suite and guestrooms coming to Tokyo Hyatt along with giant Snorlax burgers
Japan’s first-ever wanko soba conveyor belt restaurant opens in TokyoMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last monthJapanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Studio Ghibli releases new action figures featuring Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind characters
New private rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen change the way we travel from Tokyo to Kyoto
Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
Beautiful Ghibli sealing wax kits let you create accessories and elegant letter decorations【Pics】McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Studio Ghibli releases Kiki’s Delivery Service chocolate cake pouches in Japan
New definition of “Japanese whiskey” goes into effect to prevent fakes from fooling overseas buyers
Our Japanese reporter visits Costco in the U.S., finds super American and very Japanese things
Studio Ghibli unveils Mother’s Day gift set that captures the love in My Neighbour Totoro
New Japanese KitKat flavour stars Sanrio characters, including Hello KittyAll-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky loungeMore foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
New Pokémon cakes let you eat your way through Pikachu and all the Eevee evolutions
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in Tokyo
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitelyMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Sold-out Studio Ghibli desktop humidifiers are back so Totoro can help you through the dry season
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
Beautiful Red and Blue Star luxury trains set to be Japan’s new Hokkaido travel stars
Mt. Koya planning to instate visitor’s tax to cope with huge tourist numbers
Pokémon Sleep camping suite and guestrooms coming to Tokyo Hyatt along with giant Snorlax burgers
Japan’s first-ever wanko soba conveyor belt restaurant opens in Tokyo
We tried Korea’s way-too-big King Tonkatsu Burger at Lotteria 【Taste Test】
McDonald’s Japan releases a pancake pie for new retro kissaten coffeeshop series
Japanese delivery company tests ideal kotatsu temperature for cats, with live cats
Beautiful Ghibli sealing wax kits let you create accessories and elegant letter decorations【Pics】
Kyoto’s 100 Demons yokai monster parade returns!
Japanese company starts project to restore Nakagin Capsules to capsule hotel
Ghibli Park opens final area to first visitors, with stunning new attractions and shops 【Videos】
Studio Ghibli displays The Boy and the Heron Academy Award Oscar in Japan for a limited time
A visit to the best UFO catcher arcade in the universe!