That’s not a spokemodel holding the prize check.
GO
After seeing Google’s artificial intelligence system “AlphaGo” beat one of the best Go players alive last week, I decided to try the popular game myself.
Nose hair is one of the stranger parts of our bodies. While we imagine it plays an important role in our physiological functions, it’s also kind of…really gross. As P.K., a writer for the Japanese side of RocketNews24, points out, no matter how sexy a guy is, if he has a bunch of nose hair poking out of his nostrils, there’s a good chance he’ll have trouble getting a date.
But fear not, bushy-nosed readers! Help is here in the form of GOSSO, the nose hair pullers! But do they actually work? And will you actually want to use them? Well, find out what our brave Japanese writers thought of the product below!
When you get to be really famous, sometimes people will ask you some strange questions. If you’ve got even a passing interest in the Japanese entertainment or music industries, you’ve probably heard of evergreen male idol group SMAP and Takuya Kimura, its most popular member. Kimura hosts a weekly radio program, and in the most recent broadcast, he was asked by a listener for his thoughts on women’s panties that tie up on the sides with strings.
Rather than comment on their fashionableness, the star responded with his idea for the best way to remove said underwear, which got his many fans all in a flutter. Here at RocketNews24, though, we don’t have time for abstract panty theory. We’re all about practical life hacks, so today we’re testing Japan’s most-talked about way to remove lingerie.
Our Japanese-language reporter Go recently returned from a trip to the U.S. While there, he hunted for aliens and sampled the local cuisine, but mostly what he did was drive.
While Japan is filled with winding mountain passes that make for enjoyable drives, the wide-open American road has an appeal all its own. After days of barreling down the highways of the southwest, Go came back to Japan with these 50 experiences he had driving in the U.S.
Depending on the genre, a well-made movie can have you howling with laughter, thrilled by the on-screen action, or feeling cleansed after a cathartic cry. But while those are all enjoyable enough, every now and again you run into a film that affects you on a deeper level by helping to teach you some inevitable facet of life itself.
We recently made a trip to the theater to watch Mad Max: Fury Road, and since then every time we look up at the night sky, we’ve been reminded of the certainty that one day we’ll all be living in a dystopian wasteland. In preparation, we’ve already started stockpiling water and canned goods, and now we’ll be able to tour the wastelands in style with our customized Mad Max-style Yamaha three-wheeled motorcycle.
The writers at our Japanese-language sister site are sometimes like kids after eating way too much candy: Adventurous and ambitious but rarely without any clear plans. And that’s why we love them! There’s nothing quite as fun as seeing something familiar through the eyes of someone whose never experienced it before.
As such, our globetrotting Go has proven to be an excellent guinea pig for testing classic Americana: He’s failed to impress at Area 51 and discovered that Denny’s in the US isn’t quite what it is in Japan. On the quest for “real American meat,” he decided to find a proper restaurant so he could ask for the chef’s choice. But would he enjoy what he found? Or would Nevada ultimately destroy our brave writer’s faith in American cuisine?
The Chinese strategy game called Go or Igo in Japanese has been around for millennia. The rules are among the simplest in existence but the underlying theory to winning is so vastly complex it takes a high degree of experience, patience, and observation to succeed.
Perhaps it’s that same complexity that’s keeping younger generations in Japan from picking a bowl of stones. However, that’s not stopping Igo associations who have developed the ultimate stratagem for hooking new players: a Go-themed free girls’ magazine with topics such as extreme go and finding your dream Go-playing soul-mate.







Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
This Tokyo Station sweets sensation sells out daily, but we finally got our hands on it
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
Self-proclaimed Americans arrested for breaking into Punch the monkey’s Japanese zoo habitat
Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
Hundreds of rose bushes in bloom at Tokyo’s off-the-beaten-path, next-to-the-tracks flower street
Studio Ghibli’s president is leaving the company. Will it change how they make anime?
Studio Ghibli adds mini pillows and massive mats to its anime merchandise store in Japan
Starbucks Japan releases two new “chunky” drinks… and matching gel designs for our nails
The top 12 incomprehensible school rules, as chosen by high school students
161-year-old Kyoto confectionary maker releases new edible Pokémon lineup
7-Eleven Japan now has ramen machines…but only at 41 stores
7-Eleven Japan is releasing Greedy chocolate chip and whipped cream sandwiches
Starbucks Japan adds a new Frappuccino and Milk to the menu, but are they worth the calories?
Don’t miss the Tokyo Tower City Light Fantasia ~Summer Landscape 2026~ event during your travels
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
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
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
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Hundreds of rose bushes in bloom at Tokyo’s off-the-beaten-path, next-to-the-tracks flower street
Studio Ghibli’s president is leaving the company. Will it change how they make anime?
Studio Ghibli adds mini pillows and massive mats to its anime merchandise store in Japan
Starbucks Japan releases two new “chunky” drinks… and matching gel designs for our nails
The top 12 incomprehensible school rules, as chosen by high school students
Shochu maker on remote Japanese island plays music as its spirits age, flavor varies by genre
Starbucks Japan adds a new Frappuccino and Milk to the menu, but are they worth the calories?
Baskin-Robbins Japan’s 2026 popularity poll results are in and the champion flavor is crowned
Choc mint ice cream season hits Japan with a spectacular drinkable ice cream from Tully’s
7-Eleven Japan now sells canned water, but does funky packaging mean funky flavor?[Taste test]
Japanese samurai sword ice cream crafted by master swordsmith from famous katana town of Seki
161-year-old Kyoto confectionary maker releases new edible Pokémon lineup
Let’s hike a Japanese mountain (that isn’t Mt. Fuji) – Mt. Tsukuba[Photos]
Don’t miss the Tokyo Tower City Light Fantasia ~Summer Landscape 2026~ event during your travels