This cute pet rodent has a whale of a time with a simple floor chair, and we do too just from watching it!
furniture (Page 3)
Bathe in the warm glow of owning something recycled, and a light bulb, with these magic cardboard lamps.
Recreate Ash’s voyage around the Orange Archipelago without ever leaving your living room.
Watch as a group of vigilantes goes around Ikea in China, using interesting tactics to get people up out of the beds in the store.
It might be incredibly supportive, but it sucks the will to be productive right out of you.
If you’ve ever wanted to fill your house with Star Wars furnishings, now you can, thanks to the Star Wars/Premium Home Collection from Japanese furniture manufacturer IDC Otsuka.
The 150-piece plus collection includes cushions, rugs, tableware, ukiyo-e woodblock prints, coat hangers, and even a variety of bobbly-headed Japanese kokeshi dolls.
Winter is undoubtedly the worst season to be alone in Japan. Soon singles will be starting the annual desperate search for the special someone to spend Christmas with and it’s not hard to see why. Having someone to cuddle up to during the upcoming cold, long months is far preferable to fighting off the chill by yourself.
Of course, not everyone wants to jump into a relationship just for a little extra body heat, and now thanks to one Japanese electronics maker and their kotatsu for one, singles just might be in for the warmest winter yet.
Fans of the famously delicious fish salmon in Japan should grab your bibs because the Salmon Festival is rolling into IKEA stores all over the country. On this joyous occasion we may dine on 16 different kinds of salmon dishes.
Of course it wouldn’t be a festival if it weren’t all-you-can-eat as well, so IKEA is making that happen for the attractive price of only 999 yen (US$8.30) for a limited time.
IKEA is the go-to place for anyone looking to furnish their home on a budget, while keeping it stylish and homogeneous. And they don’t just cater to humans anymore!
One of the beautiful aspects of Japanese culture is the dichotomy between, yet the harmony of, modern technology and steadfast tradition. On one hand they create things like smart toothbrushes and virtual girlfriends, yet their hundreds-of-years-old temples and homes are cherished and preserved, as are many of their age-old customs. Structures such as the Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto and Todai-ji in Nara have stood for hundreds of years thanks to more than just preservation, however; it’s at least partly down to the careful craftsmanship that went into them to begin with.
Traditional Japanese carpentry is not just a trade, it’s also an art and a science. Carpenters are able to build tables, houses, even great temples, without the use of a single nail, screw or other metal hardware− giving it strength and durability. China Uncensored, a web series devoted to bringing serious issues about the Chinese Communist Party to light in a parodical style, took a break from their communist offerings to show a video about Japanese carpentry from an unaired show called Journey to the East. In the 25-minute video we learn about the art and its place in the modern day, specifically modern-day New York, thanks to a traditional craftsman named Hisao Hanafusa.
Calling all fans of Interstellar! Can’t get enough of Christopher Nolan? Get yourself this Zero Gravity Armchair from Japanese gadget and technology fiends Thanko and pretend that you’re in space. This large rocking chair even comes with a smartphone stand so you can watch Interstellar at the same time, too.
Join us after the jump for a closer look at this gravity-defying modern-day throne!
It’s a weird quirk of the global economy that sometimes the exact same item can sell for very different prices depending on what country you’re in. For example, in the U.S. Levi’s jeans cost about half what they do in Japan.
As a result, I always wait until I’m taking a trip back to L.A. before I buy a pair of Levi’s. Unfortunately, that’s probably not an option for travelers who want to take back furniture from IKEA, which in Korea sometimes costs 80 percent more than it does in the U.S.
Even though Japan is a great place to live, not everyone likes every aspect of life in the country. Dishes like grilled eel and organ skewers are pretty polarizing, as is the public transportation system, which is clean and punctual, but crowded and shuts down early.
I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone, though, who doesn’t love Japan’s heated tables, called kotatsu, so more than a few people will be happy about these three ways to get even more out of Japan’s coziest piece of furniture.




















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Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
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Japan reacts to Donald Trump’s “Islamic Republic of Japan” remark
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Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
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Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer
Studio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon
Sanrio Character Poll announces winners, Hello Kitty absent from top 10 in many countries
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
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Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
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Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Is Japan’s tourism boom slowing down? Foreign visitor numbers fall for first time in five years
Mass murder plot stopped by friend of Akihabara mass murderer
Evangelion beautifully reimagined as iconic classical Japanese folding screen art series [Photos]
Cup Noodle unveils first-ever cold-water instant ramen in Japan
Starbucks Japan adds new Frappuccino, Tea, and Chillax Soda to its limited-edition summer menu
Baskin-Robbins Japan’s semi-secret affogato is a perfect mix of fun and fancy [Taste test]
Studio Ghibli releases huge new wooden clip collection featuring 25 anime movies
Defacing the Japanese flag is now a crime, says government, punishable by up to two years in jail
After job-quitting service, leave-of-absence-request proxy service sees rising demand in Japan
Can instant TKG from Don Quijote really recreate Japan’s beloved raw-egg-on-rice dish?
Tokyo and Osaka make it into this year’s EIU ranking of the world’s Top Ten Most Liveable Cities
Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea raising ticket prices, free Fast Pass ending next month
Kyushu yakisoba Sofuren’s new food truck ventures into the Kanto region for the first time
Shinkansen trial of moderately air conditioned cars draws mixed reactions from travellers