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hunting

Japan’s Ninja Bear shot and killed in Hokkaido, eaten as yakiniku in Tokyo, to become stew next

After four year of attacking dairy cows in Japan’s northernmost prefecture, the Ninja Bear ends up on the grill.

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Japanese monkey-hunting team shoots woman with tranquilizer dart

City’s attempt to protect residents from wild animals ends up sending one of them to the hospital.

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Bear sightings skyrocket in Japanese town feuding with local hunting association

Alternate methods being employed as hunters hold out for higher pay.

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Why deer are drawn to train tracks, and how Japan is solving the problem with this simple block

Recently Nippon Steel & Sumikin Metal Products unveiled a new type of deer bait that is not only highly effective, but also works exclusively on deer. It’s called a Yukuru and as you can see in the picture above, it’s pretty much just a regular salt lick but it contains one very important ingredient: iron.

That’s right, deer apparently go crazy for the great taste of the metal. It’s a fact that went widely overlooked until now.

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We bought 21 packs of roasted shellfish to try to find a pearl – but did we get lucky?

Did you know that FamilyMart sells 108 yen (US$0.90) packets of “roasted shellfish strings?” They’re made from Hokkaido-raised scallops, and just like clams and oysters, scallops can produce pearls underwater. Even the packages come with this warning: “please be careful not to swallow any pearls that the shellfish may have produced while you eat them.”

Well that’s a challenge if we ever heard one! We bought 21 packets of roasted shellfish strings and went on a pearl diving adventure. Did we end up finding one? Read on to find out!

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Miyazaki Prefecture woman shot by hunter after being mistaken for a wild boar

An 84-year-old woman in the town of Takachiho, Miyazaki Prefecture was accidentally shot yesterday morning by a man who was hunting in the area, Yomiuri Online reports.

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An Interview with One of Japan’s Few Gun Owners

In Japan it is a crime to own a gun; simple as that! …Okay, not quite. It’s not an easy task, but with proper training and a hard-earned permit, it is possible to become a legal gun owner in Japan. Down in Kumamoto Prefecture, we managed to share a word with one such gun owner. This 68-year-old man has had his own hunting rifle for quite a long time, but didn’t have many chances to go out shooting when busy with his full-time job and the daily grind. Now that he’s old and retired, he’s putting his gun permit to good use and making the most out of his remaining years. You won’t want to miss our full interview with this rare breed of gun-toting Japanese huntsman. Read More