Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
cute (Page 148)
It’s a common sight to see hot dog stands in America. In Singapore, ice cream stands are a lifesaver in the sweltering hot weather. In Japan, however, you’re more likely to find a yaki-imo (roasted sweet potato) stand on the streets, especially during winter. If you’re lucky enough, you might even meet the legendary cat that sells stone roasted sweet potatoes in Kurayoshi City, Tottori Prefecture!
Otters are adorable, there’s no doubt about that, but how often do you actually get to see one in person? Sure you could go out and watch one at the zoo, but we wish there were a way for us to get closer. Although owning an otter is out of the question for most people, we can at least live vicariously through these residents of Japan who are able to live in close proximity to those cute river animals. Take a look at these five otter videos and prepare to say, “Awww!”
Generally, customizing cars is a guy thing, and most guys are into power. When it comes to aftermarket wheels, the two biggest camps are those who want performance-boosting lightweight versions, or the largest, most blinged-out set available to advertise the driver’s financial status.
Now, though, there’s a third option beyond looking sporty or wealthy: cute wheels.
The sudden rise to cult fame of two of Japan’s most beloved crossdressing bearded men, Japanese native “Sailor Suit Old Man” and foreign newcomer Ladybeard, should have been something we had anticipated. Ever since The Kids in the Hall and Monty Python made men dressing like girls more or less acceptable as long as it’s being done ironically, we’ve seen a spate of crossdressing performers rocket to stardom all over the world.
But with these two kawaii titans standing on the brink of Japan-wide fame, it begs the question: Which one would win in a knock-down, drag-out wrestling match?
Tuluko is a 2-year-old Little Owl (yes, that’s it’s real name) who lives in an apartment in Tokyo. His owner goes by the name KIMUPIKO on Twitter and regularly posts photos of his tiny owl friend, much to the delight of Japanese netizens. The photo above in particular has been melting hearts across the internet. Just seeing Tuluko hunkered down on the warm heated floor is cute enough, but wait until you see some of her other photos.
Japan loves anime. Japan loves cosplay. It also likes tiny little dogs. So it was probably only a matter of time until someone decided to dedicate an entire blog to photos of, you guessed it, tiny cosplaying dogs. And not just any cosplay either; Sailor Moon cosplay.
Attack on Titan, the story of an ongoing battle between humankind and a race of ferocious, powerful giants, took not just Japan but most of the manga-loving world by storm last year, fast becoming one of the biggest sellers of 2013.
The combination of breathtaking action scenes, plot twists and genuinely fearsome adversaries has fans glued to their manga and TV screens, but there’s one female character that we could never forget about and who kept us coming back for more: Eren’s adopted sister, Mikasa.
We recently asked – nay, begged – a friend of ours, frequent variety show guest and actress Mihiro, to do us the honour of slipping into a Survey Corps uniform to show us her Mikasa cosplay skills. We knew it’d be good, but we had no idea that this 31-year-old Japanese celebrity could possibly resemble Attack on Titan‘s female hero so flawlessly. Come with us now as we stare open-mouthed and wide-eyed at the sheer cuteness that is Mihiro as Mikasa. We think you’ll be very, very impressed.
This cat is just too cool! A user posted a short video to YouTube, showing off this ginger beast’s totally rocking hairstyle. We’re pretty sure the handsome fellow would be getting kicked out of school for daring to wear such a gravity-defying mohawk!
If you’ve ever owned a cat, you’ll know just how much some kittens love to follow their owners around, checking on their every move to make sure their attention is not foolishly lavished on anything else. One owner in Japan has tweeted photos of their possessive cat, who seems irked at the fact that bath-time can bring a person so much pleasure. This kitty peering over the bathtub with its what-about-me? eyes has everybody aww-ing in Japan. But it’s what happens next that has everybody squealing in delight.
The snow in Japan may be starting to melt (unless you live in Hokkaido), but that doesn’t mean the snowmen have to go away. Thanks to Megmilk Snow Brand Company, you’ll be greeted by a chilly friend every morning with their limited edition snow mug campaign.
The live-action Kiki’s Delivery Service is out now, and whether the movie should be judged on its own terms or if it can only be evaluated in comparison to the 1989 animated version is a matter of individual belief. One thing everyone can agree on, though, is that the new film will give you a craving for baked goods, as several scenes feature the breads and pastries made and sold by the bakery young witch Kiki boards at.
In anticipation of these cinema-induced hankerings, Little Mermaid, one of Japan’s largest and most popular bakery chains, has released an assortment of Kiki’s Delivery Service-themed goodies. As journalists (and hungry people), we were so excited that we decided to sample the whole lot.
We already know that Twitter and Vine are kind of places people in Japan go to make bad life decisions. We’ve seen teens crawl into convenience store freezers and would-be comedians posting really quite racist “comedy” videos, and even the occasional teen openly admitting to a crime on the social networking service.
So it’s a breath of fresh air to see someone finally take to Twitter with a good idea, like this amateur artist that posted a concept sketch for “pair icons:” Twitter profile pictures you can use with friends that, when lined up perfectly in your news feed, play off each other in fun and interesting ways. Here’s the original concept:
It’s less than a month until Japan’s consumption tax jumps from five to eight percent–a change few, if any, ordinary citizens are looking forward too. Practically everything is set to become more expensive in April, including some of the most fundamental necessities of life in Japan, such as train tickets, rice, Ebisu Beer, Asashi Beer, and even microbrews such as Doppo Beer.
An extensive search has produced exactly one thing related to the tax hike for us to look forward to: these adorable supplemental postage stamps.
In its never-ending quest for new, cute things, Japan sometimes latches onto things that the rest of the world might not apply the adjective to. It’s understandable when someone sees Hello Kitty or Totoro and squeals “Kawaii!, but by some twisted criteria, The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Jack Skellington and the rabbit Usavich, with his creepy drugged-looking eyes, are als considered “cute”.
So perhaps it’s not too surprising that you can now get a costume that turns you into the latest character from adorable mascot king Sanrio, despite that character being a filet of salmon.
All right, burrito lovers, step right up! Burritos are perhaps the most convenient well-balanced meals in the world (in my opinion). You get your carbohydrates, meat, vegetables, and a great burst of flavors, all in a handy-sized wrap that you can basically eat anywhere, even on the go. Perfect!
However, if there’s just one thing that’s better than a burrito, it’s gotta be an animal burrito! All you have to do is look at it and it’ll fill up your empty hearts and souls with an irresistible gush of cuteness that will leave you feeling like a better person (hypothetically)! Here are twenty of them, all rolled up and ready to go!
Although it hasn’t been that long since its first U.S. retail outlet opened, French gourmet food supplier Fauchon has had a presence in Japan since the early 1970s. The company is best known here for its line of high quality teas, but they also offer pastries to well-heeled shoppers with a sweet tooth in the dessert section of a number of upscale department stores.
After so many years of success in Japan, Fauchon has decided to tip its hat to the country by releasing a line of éclairs with decorations and ingredients inspired by Japanese culture.
Hello Kitty is turning 40, while Playboy is hitting 60, but neither show any signs of slowing down. In fact, the two look better than ever… together.
All this time, we thought cats knew exactly what they were doing; that they were the calm little centres of the world and were not swayed by puerile whims or emotions. But as this video – which sees one cat sitting atop what appears to be an air purifier, batting and grabbing at nothing for over a full minute – shows, they’re just as clueless as the rest of us.
Leave it to Japan to make a bowl of rice absolutely adorable. The Volkswagen Japan official Facebook page has recently been the topic of conversation on the net thanks to the publication of a bowl of chirashi-zushi, or “scattered sushi”, with the image of a VW Beetle. However, that’s not the only edible auto to show up on the site.
It’s a well-known fact that cats think they’re cleverer than us. Even when it comes to playing one of our popular childhood games, hide-and-seek, cats think they’ve got us beat. This collection of hilarious photos shows that cats should really come down off their proverbial high horses and take a lesson or two from the human world because when it comes to hiding, these kitty cats really have no idea. Ten points for trying, especially with their creative and body-defying efforts, but no points for hiding because when it comes to hiding, peek-a-boo we see you!
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Two food hacks take Japan’s convenience store fried chicken to amazing new sandwich heights
Haunted hospital near Mt Fuji re-opens after renovation at Fuji-Q Highland, and it’s terrifying
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
A Kyoto factory vending machine sells gourmet mystery meals at bargain prices
Haku is…Chihiro’s dead brother? Studio Ghibli fans blown away by Spirited Away theory
Mario World: The awesome Nintendo-themed apartment you can rent for your next short stay in Tokyo
Japan now sells…sake made with moth poop?!?
Hayao Miyazaki gifts autographed Ghibli anime cel to president of France[Photo]
Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Tokyo’s best museum for foreign travelers finally reopens after being closed for four years
Pokémon lacquerware series expands for Year of the Horse with new handcrafted design[Video]
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Picturesque Tokyo park plays host to millions of flowers and soap bubbles this spring
Tokyo subway and almost all Tokyo train lines now accepting credit card tap payments
Totoro and Calcifer become little light-up lanterns for Ghibli-style excursions or at-home decorFading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the countryPokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
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
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
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
Haku is…Chihiro’s dead brother? Studio Ghibli fans blown away by Spirited Away theory
Mario World: The awesome Nintendo-themed apartment you can rent for your next short stay in Tokyo
Japan now sells…sake made with moth poop?!?
Hayao Miyazaki gifts autographed Ghibli anime cel to president of France[Photo]
Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]
This upcycled Kyoto train cafe is the ultimate kawaii spring experience
Starbucks Japan unveils epic Frappuccino hunt with five to find in new Star birthday campaign
Pokémon lacquerware series expands for Year of the Horse with new handcrafted design[Video]
J-pop mega star Ado reveals she’s been living in the U.S., may not understand language acquisition
Vending machine with in-flight meals becomes a sell-out hit at Haneda Airport in Japan
This standing sushi bar inside a Tokyo train station blew us away with its speedy deliciousness
The mystery of the phantom “sake pass card” at Japanese alcohol vending machines
Three ways going to see cherry blossoms alone is better than seeing them with other people