Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
cute (Page 138)
Earlier this week, we brought you news that voting was open for the “natural” round of this year’s Miss-Con, or rather the Kanto region’s Miss Cutest High School Girl.
Comments came in ranging from the generous (“They’re all beautiful!”) to the cautionary (“Jailbait!”) here and on our dedicated Facebook page, and for a while it looked like we might never agree on who was the cutest of the nine finalists, but we can finally reveal that the winner is none other than…
With dozens of websites dedicated to videos of their cute antics, there’s no denying that the Japanese love their pets. But when a pet owner also happens to be a rather talented craftsman, you can be sure that when their skills and love for their pet come together, the results will be terrific.
Check out this miniature ninja house that YouTuber heibonkinoko made for his pet hamster, which comes complete with hidden doors, fake walls and escape tunnels. It’s positively epic in tiny proportions.
After two weeks of voting, Funasshi, the official yuru-kyara (mascot) representing Funabashi City in Chiba Prefecture, has come out as the number one local mascot in all of Japan. Known for his amazing jumping power and jiggly, almost convulsive movements, Funasshi bounced his way into the hearts of the Japanese people. He was joined by six other bizarre mascots, including the snarling half melon, half bear character from Hokkaido and a chubby dolphin from Kagawa Prefecture, for the announcement of the election results on August 6.
What’s on the catwalk this season? A very innovative feline creation!
In Japan, where space can be limited for cats and humans alike, a lot of pet parents keep their pets indoors. Still, cats love the outdoors. The fresh breeze running through their whiskers and so much more to see and smell! This new catwalk lets cats roam the outside perimeter of the house, free from potential dangers. It really is so wonderfully simple that we can’t help thinking “Why didn’t we think of that?”
About a week ago we announced the opening of an otter touching experience at Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park, and the response was huge. From Japan and all around the country people’s hearts melted at the sight of those gentle round eyes and long whiskers.
Managing to get a spot in the quickly filling reservations, one of our reported headed down to the Miura Peninsula to get all touchy-feely with a quartet of Asian small-clawed otters. She came back with this report and a slew of adorable pictures.
Cats may rule the Internet, but who rules the cats?
Baby white lions, of course! And if you happen to be in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, here’s your chance to see them in the fur.
Fukuoka Aquarium’s black finless porpoises proved themselves to be the true wizards of the sea earlier this month when they began blowing incredible bubble rings like Gandalf the Grey high on pipe-leaf, even passing them back and forth relay-style.
We recently reported on Japan’s recent trouble with traffic backups in otter pipes, but it seems the country is facing another animal menace: feathered anarchists interfering in the political process!
To achieve your dreams, you have to really want it. You need drive, determination and, if this video is anything to go by, a good pair of legs.
Taken in Hanoi by a member of English Premier League football club Arsenal, the following video sees one young Vietnamese fan chasing after the team’s tour bus for some five miles, waving and pounding the badge emblazoned on his chest with such vigour that the team eventually decides to welcome him on board for a once-in-a-lifetime private autograph and photo session.
Can you guess whose cute little bottoms these are? If you’re a Disney fan, chances are you already have a good idea. Well, I chanced upon these bottles recently in a convenience store, and they were so cute I just had to buy them all! And if these adorably packaged bottles just happened to contain a nice cool drink, so much the better, especially since the drink was a unique type of tea I had never tasted before.
But first of all, let’s take a look at the face of the characters who are showing their lovable derrieres for all the world to see:
It’s generally agreed that few members of the animal kingdom can quite match the level of cuteness offered by the humble otter. Watching those little guys floating on their backs and eating off their tummies makes you just want to snatch them up from the water and take them home.
Well, now Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park is still not letting you do that, but they are giving you the next best thing without violating poaching laws. From now until 13 September, you can get a little touchy feeling with their otters by letting them grab your finger.
Summer has come early in Japan this year and everyone’s doing their best to stave off the heat in temperatures that have reached up to 40°C in some parts of the country.
In the midst of all the sweat and suncream it looks like this little guy’s found a novel way to keep cool. The added bonus is that he looks absolutely adorable, but the downside is that, at least to Japanese people, he seems positively edible!
It can take a while to wrap your head around the concept of “character goods” in Japan. It’s a term used to refer to licensed merchandise such as notebooks, stickers and figures featuring the likenesses of fictional characters. What sets character good apart from plain old cartoon or movie merchandising, however, is that its characters generally don’t appear anywhere else, and are created solely for the purpose of having an excuse to produce their associated knick knacks.
It’s a tradition that was firmly established by Hello Kitty, and carried on by newer characters such as Rilakkuma. A blending of the words “relax” and “kuma” (Japanese for “bear”), Rilakkuma is exactly what you’d expect, a bear who loafs around, usually depicted in the prone position.
But what if the world had greater things in store for Rilakkuma than just yawning and eating stack after stack of pancakes? If humanity needed a savior and destiny called, could he be bothered to pick up the phone?
When leaving the house for days on end, whether it be for work or for pleasure, those who have pets face an additional problem in planning. Someone has to feed the critters and make certain that they don’t leave any stinky surprises. Japan offers a number of different services for traveling pet owners, but one man, Mr. Haruna from Okazaki City in Aichi Prefecture, hated to see how upset his pet became after being left in a pet hotel.
In order to limit the stress of lonely pets, Haruna quit his job as a salary man and started the Pet-Sitter Gentry. “It’s the pet version of a babysitter,” he explains, and although the business has seen some hardships, the recruitment of additional staff has now allowed him to expand his pet-sitting service area into eastern Nagoya City.
From colourful anime designs to awesome 3-D creations, exciting things are going on in the drinkable art world of Japan. Now, there’s a new trend that’s melting our hearts: latte art in adorable take-home designs. Created by a marshmallow company in Nagano Prefecture, the range includes cute cats and fluffy cat paws that gradually dissolve into 2-D latte artworks. The only skill you’ll need for these is an ability to stand the cuteness!
Regional dialects can be a powerful thing. Call out “partner” or “boyo” and I might not even realize you’re talking to me, but just say the word “dude” and you’ve got my complete attention.
Despite its small land mass, Japan’s language is filled with dialects, largely the result of mountains, not to mention centuries of civil war and travel restrictions, making it hard for people different from different areas to mix for much of the country’s history. Occasionally these unique speech patterns pop up in unexpected places, like when a coworker from Osaka stubs his toe in the office, or a drinking buddy from Akita’s accent starts showing after the fifth round of beers.
And now, you can hear Japanese dialects in your refrigerator.
The popular manga character and customizable toy Danbo has finally decided to move out of his parent’s house and get a real job, after spending his angsty teen years traveling Japan in search of enlightenment.
This collaborative figure from toy maker Kaiyodo and clothier BEAMS outfits little Danbo with chic, modern-casual business attire, preparing the box boy for his new career – we’re guessing somewhere in the logistics field.
While the Internet may run on cats, they’re certainly not the only cute creatures on the planet. (We’ll leave it up to you to decide if they’re the cutest or not…)
One of the underdog challengers to the Internet Cuteness Throne is the otter.
And this otter, named Piisu-kun, is bringing more than cuteness—he’s helpful, too!!
Since the average domestic cat’s experience of water is limited to being shut out in the rain or being pinned down and bathed by their owner because, after one too many garden adventures, their fur is a filthy, matted mess (and that was not a fun afternoon, let me assure you), it’s little wonder that there’s a commonly held belief that all cats hate H2O. As the following video proves, however, there are some cats out there that love nothing more than a nice, long dip in the hot water.
Kyoto may be well-known for its traditional buildings and breathtaking temples, but there’s also a different side to the city; one that’s totally modern and cute! Kyoto Aquarium is giving us a peek into the cute innovations going on in the city with an adorable range of sweet breads, available exclusively from their on-site cafes. This month, they’re paying homage to the frogs of Kyoto and the world with a new exhibit and some very unique additions to the menu.
Tokyo’s beckoning cat temple asks foreign tourists to stop writing on the beckoning cats they buy
Starbucks releases special matcha Frappuccino made with Japan’s first matcha leaves of the year
Japanese public toilet tours become popular with foreign tourists in Tokyo
2nd line of Casio watch rings hits Japanese capsule machines and we got the secret one!
New vending machines at Shinjuku Station emit scent, play projection mapping with your purchase
Starbucks Japan’s new Matcha Frappuccino: Brilliant beverage or drink disaster?
Japan’s video rental giant now rents wigs, so we tried them out【Photos】
What makes this new Japanese convenience store chain better than 7-Eleven?
We stress-test Uniqlo’s “Impressive Jacket and Pants” to see if they live up to their names
New Tokyo restaurant charges higher prices to foreign tourists than Japanese locals
Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
Yes, our new smartphone looks like at least two Studio Ghibli anime characters, Sharp says2nd line of Casio watch rings hits Japanese capsule machines and we got the secret one!
Japanese man tells friend to wear suit to wedding party, so he comes as Mobile Suit GundamStarbucks releases special matcha Frappuccino made with Japan’s first matcha leaves of the year
Mt. Fuji-blocking screen installed as response to bad tourist manners to be in place by next week
Japanese public toilet becomes a tourist attraction in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli releases new mug and tumbler collection featuring Jiji and TotoroNew Tokyo restaurant charges higher prices to foreign tourists than Japanese locals
Studio Ghibli releases art crystal puzzles and folding umbrellas for rainy season in Japan
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of societyLife-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】Yes, our new smartphone looks like at least two Studio Ghibli anime characters, Sharp saysNew Tokyo restaurant charges higher prices to foreign tourists than Japanese locals
“Mt. Fuji convenience store” issues apology for bad tourist manners, adds multilingual signs2nd line of Casio watch rings hits Japanese capsule machines and we got the secret one!
Tokyo’s famous Lost in Translation hotel is closed
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
Bad tourist manners at Mt Fuji Lawson photo spot prompts Japanese town to block view with screensMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely
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 1950sForeigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
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
Starbucks Japan’s new Matcha Frappuccino: Brilliant beverage or drink disaster?
Japan’s video rental giant now rents wigs, so we tried them out【Photos】
What makes this new Japanese convenience store chain better than 7-Eleven?
We stress-test Uniqlo’s “Impressive Jacket and Pants” to see if they live up to their names
New Tokyo restaurant charges higher prices to foreign tourists than Japanese locals
Gorgeous matcha ajisai parfait ice cream bars appear just in time for hydrangea season
Mt. Fuji-blocking screen installed as response to bad tourist manners to be in place by next week
Bad tourist manners at Mt Fuji Lawson photo spot prompts Japanese town to block view with screens
Pokémon color-coded cosmetic sunscreen set to protect skin this summer in Japan
We eat at three Japanese family restaurants to find the one with the best-value breakfast
A visit to the best UFO catcher arcade in the universe!
We visit a train station in historical ninja town, see ninja trick art, and become ninjas ourselves
Tatami etiquette: Why you should never step on the threshold of a washitsu Japanese room
