England
After riding on the Tube in London, our Japanese reporter is thankful for crowded Tokyo trains.
In preparation for his music festival debut, our reporter once again summons the spirit of a Swedish guitar hero.
Why do we love Japan so much? What drives us to obsess over its culture, language, food, and everything else? Why do we keep coming back day after day to read articles about a country that, for many of us, is on the other side of the planet? For some the answer is easy, but for others, not so much.
One group for whom foreigners’ love of Japan is especially difficult to comprehend is the Japanese people themselves. Many of them have no idea why so many of us would bother to take an interest in Japan, much less learn its intimidating language. In an effort to try to figure this out, one of our RocketNews24 Japanese writers who lives in England did some investigate journalism and interviewed three students studying Japanese at the University of Cambridge.
Do their reasons for loving Japan match yours? Read on to find out!
Miso soup: the quintessential Japanese food. The soup takes on a different form from region to region and in different households throughout Japan, but it wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that miso soup is the soul of Japanese cooking.
However, one of England’s top chefs recently published his own take on the soup. What kind of “neo-Japanese soup” could this possibly be!? Of course, our reporter just had to find out by making it herself–keep reading to see the results of her cooking after the jump.
Japanese band World Order robot-dances their way around London in their latest music video while locals look on amused and confused. Check out the full video plus screenshots after the jump!










New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Beautiful exclusive Totoro tenugui towel is a gift from Disney to Ghibli physical media buyers
Brand new Shinkansen bullet train unveiled in Japan… but it won’t carry passengers
Foreign hiker on Mt. Fuji loses consciousness and dies, becoming climbing season’s second fatality
Yakuza members arrested for building a road on mountain they don’t own
Cup Noodle releases cold-water instant ramen in Japan, but can it really be made with just cold water?
Sanrio eco-friendly plushies are here for the earth-conscious lovers of all things kawaii
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Japanese government sets up new group to deal with trading card boom
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Japanese convenience store releases Japanese convenience store-flavor fried chicken
Family Mart’s new Tokyo flagship convenience store doesn’t feel convenient, but is that a problem?
Starbucks Japan releases new Discovery Series collection celebrating local regions and traditions
Teen girl in Japan refuses to be victim, personally escorts train pervert to police for arrest
Cup Noodle unveils first-ever cold-water instant ramen in Japan
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Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
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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
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
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Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
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Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
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Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Cup Noodle releases cold-water instant ramen in Japan, but can it really be made with just cold water?
Sanrio eco-friendly plushies are here for the earth-conscious lovers of all things kawaii
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Japanese government sets up new group to deal with trading card boom
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If you love Pokémon and cats, you’ll love Japan’s cat Pokémon cat toys and feeding dishes[Photos]
Hatsune Miku, VTuber Suisei Hoshimachi perform opening pitch at pro baseball game in Japan [Video]
Giant Snorlax, other snoozing Pokémon appear in Yokohama for Pokémon Sleeping Faces Research [Pics]
Japanese convenience store releases Japanese convenience store-flavor fried chicken
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Studio Ghibli’s new moving keychains are the angry, adorable bugs from Nausicaa [Photos]
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