Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
dekopin
Well, this is probably the weirdest snippet of news from Japan that you’ll read about all week.
On Friday, a new Japanese website was unveiled which has the sole purpose of allowing net users to forcefully flick their fingers into the forehead of a cute girl (an admonishing action known as a dekopin in Japanese) and watch her exasperated reaction, all done virtually through the screen, of course. After all, hasn’t that always been on your bucket list?
Kyoto Whopper divides customers at Burger King Japan
Taking the Kyoto overnight bus for the first time
Yakuza vending machines coming to real-world Tokyo neighborhood that inspired Like a Dragon games
Starbucks Japan unveils second Holiday Frappuccino for 2024
Forbidden area at Japanese mountaintop shrine opens to the public for first time in 400 years
Japan’s caramel gacha machines offer sweet thrills, but do they deliver?
Children’s slippers stolen in night at Japanese preschool, police identify weasel who did it【Vid】
Japanese burger chain no longer serves onion rings, but offers intriguing replacement【Taste test】
History’s highest sumo wrestling and geisha dance to take place at Tokyo Skytree observation deck
Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke teams up with Foxfire for outdoor apparel collaboration【Photos】
One of Japan’s most beautiful hot spring towns announces new limits on number of day trippersGhibli’s Princess Mononoke teams up with Foxfire for outdoor apparel collaboration【Photos】
Berserk T-shirts coming to Uniqlo for launch of new Manga Curation line【Photos】
Mario Kart Happy Meal toys arrive at McDonald’s Japan, and SoraNews24 has the whole set!【Photos】
After cancelling Halloween, Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood cancels New Year’s Eve too
Tokyo park’s sea of clouds, nighttime illumination, and cosplay days make now perfect time to visit
Samurai ritual suicide contest cancelled by organizer in west Japan
Japanese job-quitting service contacted by other job-quitting service because employee wants to quit
Flying dango: Unique tourist site where Japanese sweets are flown to you over a gorge
American jackass tourist arrested after carving name into gate at Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine【Video】
Nintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】One of Japan’s most beautiful hot spring towns announces new limits on number of day trippers
Tokyo Disneyland loses top-attendance crown for Japanese theme parks for second year in a rowGhibli’s Princess Mononoke teams up with Foxfire for outdoor apparel collaboration【Photos】
Ghibli Park debuts first winter illumination display with Howl’s Moving Castle theme
Pringles releases a limited-edition sweet flavour in Japan
Sanrio and magical girl anime PreCure join forces for new merch line【Photos】Japanese job-quitting service contacted by other job-quitting service because employee wants to quitAfter cancelling Halloween, Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood cancels New Year’s Eve too
What’s the deal with akebi, the perfectly purple, alien-like fruit that’s in season now in Japan?
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Foreign tourists on Shinkansen bullet train break suitcase etiquette, angering local passengers
[Deleted] Article written for April Fool’s Day 2018
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Foreigner’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
Japanese convenience store Family Mart announces abolishment of eat-in spaces
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
Studio Ghibli releases free-download board game — Here’s how to play it without reading Japanese
Japan’s caramel gacha machines offer sweet thrills, but do they deliver?
Children’s slippers stolen in night at Japanese preschool, police identify weasel who did it【Vid】
Japanese burger chain no longer serves onion rings, but offers intriguing replacement【Taste test】
History’s highest sumo wrestling and geisha dance to take place at Tokyo Skytree observation deck
Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke teams up with Foxfire for outdoor apparel collaboration【Photos】
Snuggle up to a Japanese Shiba Inu that looks real but is actually a cute hot water bottle cover
Krispy Kreme releases new zodiac doughnuts for the Year of the Snake in Japan
Domino’s erupts with a 1kg Cheese Volcano in Japan
Japan’s ultra-classy overnight bus gives you your own sleeping pod【Photos】
Smell-o-Vision for the Digital Age: Japan Develops USB “Micro Aroma Shooter”
Flying dango: Unique tourist site where Japanese sweets are flown to you over a gorge
Adorable cat-shaped cakes come out to play/get eaten in Tokyo
Japan’s new difficult-to-drink-from beer glass protects your liver, but it’s a brutal experience