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!



















Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
Sushi Push Pops aiming to be Japan’s newest sakura season snack sensation
Virtual idol Hatsune Miku redesigned with look that adds new elements and brings back old ones
Starbucks Japan opens new Kyoto store in Place of Scenic Beauty
The top 5 ice creams you should try at Family Mart convenience stores in Japan this summer
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
We visit the 24-hour male-only sauna just outside of Hakata Station and ponder a strange sight
Sleep in a bookshelf at the new bookstore-themed hostel in Kyoto
Cowboy Bebop creator’s Samurai Champloo anime to become live-action series from Hollywood studio
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Starbucks Japan opens new cafe and art gallery in top Tokyo tourist neighbourhood
Is Japan’s Crab-shaped Cup Ramen Timer worth the hype?
Pizza Hut Japan teams up with creator of one of the country’s best kinds of ramen for ramen pizza
Komachi Shokudo: Japanese mum’s-style cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases a new Cream Puff Frappuccino for a limited time
The top 10 graduation songs in Japan as chosen by current Japanese high school students
Pikachu and Eevee become handmade Lladró porcelain sculptures to celebrate Pokémon’s 30th birthday
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
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
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
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
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
The top 5 ice creams you should try at Family Mart convenience stores in Japan this summer
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
We visit the 24-hour male-only sauna just outside of Hakata Station and ponder a strange sight
Sleep in a bookshelf at the new bookstore-themed hostel in Kyoto
Cowboy Bebop creator’s Samurai Champloo anime to become live-action series from Hollywood studio
“Bumping men” are a uniquely Japanese class of criminals that are hard to deal with
Starbucks Japan’s Cream Puff Frappuccino is here! Did it make Friday the 13th lucky? [Taste test]
11 different ways to say “father” in Japanese
Awesome live-action One Piece video shows Luffy and gang could still look cool in real life
Man in Japan falls into hole with a bear in it
The top 10 graduation songs in Japan as chosen by current Japanese high school students
World’s second-oldest hotel offers new self-service stays to cope during pandemic