Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
itavans
Itasha, literally “painful cars,” are vehicles tricked out with all kinds of crazy body work and paint jobs so that they look like something out of an anime and are supposed to “hurt” just to look at. There’s a vibrant subculture of itasha owners and fans in Japan and they meet up every now and then to show off their wheels and talk shop. Take a look at our photo gallery and see if you don’t get a little depressed over your own car’s lack of fins.
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Japanese city loses residents’ personal data, which was on paper being transported on a windy day
Ghibli Park now selling “Grilled Frogs” from food cart in Valley of Witches
Akihabara pop-up shop sells goods made by Japanese prison inmates
Here’s what Japanese netizens think of the U.S.’s top 20 most-picked karaoke songs
Resol Poshtel: Cheap capsule hotel in Tokyo is a hit with overseas visitors, and we find out why
Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Sandwiches fit for a sumo served up in Osaka【Taste Test】
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Historical figures get manga makeovers from artists of Spy x Family, My Hero Academia and moreMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goodsForeigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Studio Ghibli releases new action figures featuring Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind characters
New private rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen change the way we travel from Tokyo to KyotoRed light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Tokyo Tsukiji fish market site to be redeveloped with 50,000-seat stadium, hotel, shopping center
All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
Beautiful Ghibli sealing wax kits let you create accessories and elegant letter decorations【Pics】McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goodsForeigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Studio Ghibli releases Kiki’s Delivery Service chocolate cake pouches in Japan
New definition of “Japanese whiskey” goes into effect to prevent fakes from fooling overseas buyers
Our Japanese reporter visits Costco in the U.S., finds super American and very Japanese things
Studio Ghibli unveils Mother’s Day gift set that captures the love in My Neighbour TotoroJapanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotesAll-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
New Pokémon cakes let you eat your way through Pikachu and all the Eevee evolutionsMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely
Sold-out Studio Ghibli desktop humidifiers are back so Totoro can help you through the dry season
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Resol Poshtel: Cheap capsule hotel in Tokyo is a hit with overseas visitors, and we find out why
Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Sandwiches fit for a sumo served up in Osaka【Taste Test】
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Historical figures get manga makeovers from artists of Spy x Family, My Hero Academia and more
Suntory x Super Mario collaboration creates a clever way to transform into Mario【Videos】
Amazing exhibition of Japan’s legendary “cursed katana” is going on right now【Photos】
Alice in Moeland! Japanese netizens react to art style of new US book cover
Believe it! Naruto live-action stage play returns, shows off huge new cast and costumes【Photos】
Artist says anime should be more like Marvel/Disney, can’t because of sexualized, moe content
Osaka’s creepy cute mascot speaks for first time, adds more fuel the creepy OR cute debate【Video】
The most preposterous “adult” gacha capsule toys at Akihabara Station
Spring comes to McDonald’s Japan in the form of a sakura-flavored dessert!