Company conducts an experiment to see whether it can harness the power of the feline to save on monthly electricity costs and be more eco-friendly.
hamster
These furry brooches look amazing … and the best part? You don’t have to worry about creating holes in your clothes or bags!
Watch this clever hamster smash her way through the game, complete with an adorable detour down the pipe.
Having a rough day? Then sit back, relax, and watch this quiet video of someone expertly crafting tiny cup ramen noodles.
It really is the year of the hamster in Japan, as pet owners vie for top spot in a Hamster Championship Series on Twitter.
Regardless of the country you do it in, teaching can be a tough profession. Tasked with handling and helping to raise humanity’s most valuable resource, our educators must also put up with tight restrictions and even tighter budgets.
It’s a heavy burden and as a result not surprising when a teacher cracks under the stress every once in a while. I’m not saying that is what happened on the morning of 11 May in a classroom in South Korea, but it certainly seems like a plausible explanation of the case of the teacher who swallowed a live hamster in front of their class.
Cleaning is not a fun task, but it’s not so bad if someone else does it for you, right? One little fluff-ball of a hamster does not agree. When Mochitaro’s owner opened his cage to give it a little scrubbing, Mochitaro was in despair.
It seems that hamster trends come and go on the ‘Net: earlier this year hamster butts were totally in, and before that flat hamsters were all the rage. Now the hot new thing is hamster bellies! And not just their fluffy bellies, but specifically their underside seen from below.
I didn’t watch a lot of TV during college, and before you think I’m saying that to try and come off as some high-minded intellectual, I’ll quickly admit that I filled that spare time playing video games and watching anime DVDs. One program I do remember catching, though, was a Fox special in which humans went against animals in a series of contests.
In one event, Takeru Kobayashi, Japan’s champion competitive eater, was pitted against a bear to see who could eat more hot dogs. The bear won with ease, because, well, it’s a bear for God’s sake.
Now, though, Kobayashi’s back for a rematch with the animal kingdom, but this time with a smaller opponent: an adorable hamster.
This futon, although technically meant for an iPhone (because Japan), is now home to a little hamster who seems to have found his new favorite spot. This has got to be the cutest case of theft we’ve ever seen!
We posted a silly video of baby ducks on our site last Monday, hoping to cheer up any of our readers who were going through a tough first day back at work. Two days later, we received the following comment on the video (thank you J.R.!): “No matter how bad your day was, remember that this video is waiting for you….”
This got us thinking…why not try to cure our readers’ Monday blues every Monday!? So may we humbly present to you the first video in our weekly series, “Monday Kickstart.” You won’t find explanations about Japanese culture or deep, enlightening thoughts, just something to make you smile as you begin your long haul into the week.
Summer has come early in Japan this year and everyone’s doing their best to stave off the heat in temperatures that have reached up to 40°C in some parts of the country.
In the midst of all the sweat and suncream it looks like this little guy’s found a novel way to keep cool. The added bonus is that he looks absolutely adorable, but the downside is that, at least to Japanese people, he seems positively edible!



















Majority of Japanese women in survey regret marrying their husband, but that’s only half the story
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Mister Donut and Godiva continue their sweet sweets relationship with new treats on sale now in Japan
Massive manga collaboration bringing 100 years of Shueisha manga to Uniqlo T-shirts【Photos】
Japan’s foreign tourist numbers projected to fall for first time in years in 2026
Our two-day struggle to buy the cutest onigiri rice balls in Tokyo
Female convenience store clerk accidentally fends off robber in Tokyo with two simple words
The Yellow Lucky Bag from Village Vanguard is so bad it may damage Japan-US relations
Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki says the anime industry’s problem is that it’s full of anime fans
Hokkaido has an Ice Festival that’s less famous than the Snow one, but beautiful in its own way
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Princess Mononoke magnets return just in time to treat yourself to awesome anime decorations
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
Umamusume anime girl plushie recalled for having parts she absolutely should not have【Pics】
What’s inside Starbucks Japan’s fukubukuro lucky bag for 2026?
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
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
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
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
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Our two-day struggle to buy the cutest onigiri rice balls in Tokyo
Female convenience store clerk accidentally fends off robber in Tokyo with two simple words
The Yellow Lucky Bag from Village Vanguard is so bad it may damage Japan-US relations
Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki says the anime industry’s problem is that it’s full of anime fans
Hokkaido has an Ice Festival that’s less famous than the Snow one, but beautiful in its own way
Pokémon Lego kits are finally on their way!【Photos】
Japan’s kid-friendly ski program is now selling Pikachu snowboards for a limited time only
You can now visit a recreation of Evangelion’s Tokyo-3 and live there in miniature form in【Pics】
Rumors say Tokyo’s Sensoji Temple sticks you with bad fortunes, so we bought 100 to find out
New KitKat pizzas are coming to Pizza Hut Japan
Japanese elementary school backpacks made from ballistic nylon now being offered in Japan【Photos】
Arrest proves a common Japanese saying about apologies and police