Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Japan (Page 7)
Every time I visit my home country and talk about my life in Japan, one thing becomes clear to me: Japan remains incredibly misunderstood overseas. With this in mind, today we’ll be discussing three stereotypes of Japan: the country’s apparent disdain for those who stand out from the crowd, the notion that Japan is a strict society, and that the idea of ‘losing face’ is a quintessentially Asian concept.
We’ve all heard about how safe Japan is. But unless you live here, you may not understand why Japan is considered so safe. The uninitiated may presume that safety is enforced through a rigid society that doesn’t allow freedom of expression, that Japanese people are too worried about losing face to commit a crime, or that the government comes down unnecessarily hard on people who step out of line. In reality, none of these rings true.
But we can’t deny that there’s one thing that Japan does better than anyone else. Join us after the jump for some insights and our own observations.
Japanese airlines All Nippon Airways (ANA) has teamed up with Disney to create an in-air experience that’s perfect for the ultimate “Star Wars” fan.
Covered in an R2-D2-like designs and a “Star Wars” logo on the outside, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft also has some fun galactic details inside, such as customized headrests, cups, and lighting. While in the air, passengers can even stream all six of the currently released “Star Wars” films.
Drones have sort of exploded in our cultural conscious over the last few years, garnering both media and political attention. Like many other countries, the skies of Japan seem to be full of the whirring, buzzing devices, and while the government and society are still trying to figure out exactly how they feel about these all-seeing sky robots, YouTube is quickly filling up with gorgeous videos shot with drones!
Though it may not seem like it, Japan is actually a fairly sizable country, with a lot of ground for sightseers to cover. It’s so big, in fact, we imagine it’d be difficult to a regular tourist to see all of it.
But what if you grew up in Japan and spent all your free time traveling around the country? Well, in that case, we bet you’d get to see a whole lot more of it, and for one Japanese Internet user, that exactly describes their life—but with one very cool addition. It turns out this anonymous traveler loves to take photos of cats at their various destinations.
Check out the awesome and adorable photo album below!
In about a week, Halloween, cosplayers‘ favorite holiday, will be upon us. Millions of people — increasingly including Japanese — will take to the streets in costume, and much of it will be cosplay. But some of this activity may actually be against Japanese law.
One of the most wonderful things about a Japanese winter is the abundance of hot drinks that become available at convenience stores and vending machines on street corners. There’s nothing quite like popping a coin into a machine on a freezing cold night or while making your way to work, only to have a piping hot can delivered into your frozen palms; it’s an experience that’s almost as satisfying as actually drinking the hot beverage and warming yourself from the inside out!
Stumbling across a good hot soup other than corn potage when scouring the drinks display is always a rare bonus and now that’s something we can look forward to, especially after a night of drinking, with the new canned miso soup from Nagatanien. Filled with the power of ornithine, an amino acid abundant in clams, this is a traditional hangover remedy from Japan, now packed in a can!
It’s not every day that an enormous blonde-haired bear of a man comes to your school, agrees to play a quick game of rugby with you and then proceeds to knock you on your 10-year-old arse rather than let you win the ball.
But then, it’s not every day that London mayor Boris Johnson is visiting Japan…
Walking through Japan can be a truly uplifting experience. You see so much more by walking through places, especially sacred places. It’s different from walking to them, seeing, and then leaving. Another bonus is (unless you’re climbing Mount Fuji), there are no crowds since, in our modern world, it just doesn’t occur to most people to see things on foot. As we learned previously, quite a few of Japan’s World Heritage Sites are on hiking trails, and the World Heritage Sites of the Kii Peninsula are also located conveniently along ancient pilgrimage routes of the past.
The Kumano Kodo (actually a network of trails) has been traveled by Japanese worshipers for over 1,000 years. By following the route, you not only get to see ancient Japan, but you’ll encounter nature worship everywhere you turn. You’ll feel more like you’re experiencing ancient Japan, rather than just looking at it from the outside.
Come with us now as we hike our way along the Nakahechi route, the well-groomed, often cobble-stoned path that connects a string of quaint little towns where you can book into comfortable ryokans serving gourmet food and offering hot spring baths to soothe your tired muscles. This is glamping—Japanese style!
Japan is often known by tourists for its most popular attractions, like Mount Fuji, the cities of Tokyo and Kyoto, and its amazing shrines and temples.
But there’s a lot more to the island nation than that.
We took a look at a Quora thread that asked, “what are some of Japan’s best kept secrets,” and rounded up some places that might not be in all the guidebooks, but are definitely worth a visit.
Considering soccer is one sport Japanese athletes both male and female excel at compared to others, it’s easy to see why there’s so many fans of the Japan National and Women’s National Football Teams.
That’s why it may not be so surprising that after the men’s soccer team’s humiliating 0-4 defeat against Brazil last year, fans were feeling a little sour. But just how long do sports grudges last? Apparently quite awhile if you go by this picture of a certain popular Brazilian player that someone stuck in one of the urinals at the most-recent Tokyo Game Show.
Giraffes are some of the most awesome animals on the planet, if you ask us. With their long necks, not-quite-horse-not-quite-cow-like faces and beautiful long eyelashes, they’re the sort of creature you’d expect to find in the pages of a Walt Disney sketchbook after the artist “accidentally” ingested a few magic mushrooms. And yet there they are, as real as any of us, and have existed for thousands upon thousands of years.
But one thing that some might not believe is real is the cry of a giraffe. Think about it: have you ever heard the sounds a giraffe makes? Well, we suppose you may have, but many have not, in Japan or otherwise. And that’s why this video of a baby giraffe calling out has attracted so much attention online.
If you’ve never heard a giraffe’s voice, you’ll want to check this out!
A notice posted at the Kamata bus station in Tokyo revealed that buses will not stop as usual at the station on Sunday morning, due to the filming of a movie titled “Shin Gojira” (New Godzilla).
Comiket 88, the world’s largest dojinshi fair, is now underway at the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition centre. And while thousands of people are already rushing to buy some of the best and rarest anime, manga and video game merch money can buy, others were there for one thing only: cosplay.
Despite the beating sun and intense humidity that comes as standard with Summer Comic Market (you did read our Comiket survival guide, right?), the almost complete lack of shade outdoors did not deter Tokyo’s cosplayers, who stood out for photo after photo, striking their best poses and wowing our reporters with their incredible outfits.
Join us after the jump for a look at some of our favourites!
Were they granted the ability to manipulate time and space, we’re fairly certain that most world leaders would choose to go back in time in order to benefit their own country somehow, replaying disastrous moments in their history and righting wrongs that would later cost them dearly. (One can only imagine a world in which the likes of Katie Hopkins and Donald Trump were never put in front of a camera…)
But today, totalitarian dictatorship North Korea declared that it would be turning the clock back by just 30 minutes, thus establishing “Pyongyang Time”, in order to mark its independence from the “wicked Japanese imperialists” who meddled with their clocks to begin with.
On August 14, 1945, Japan announced its surrender to the Allied Forces it would come to be known as V-J Day before signing the Japanese Instrument of Surrender aboard the U.S.S. Missouri on September 2. This year marks the 70th anniversary of Japan’s surrender but the anniversary is also in the midst of debate over constitutional revisions with criticism honed in on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Sanrio has seemingly voiced its option, albeit through the mouths of its popular mascots, in the latest issue of the company’s Ichigo Shimbun magazine. The magazine includes an article reflecting on the 70th anniversary of Japan’s surrender and is titled “Let’s think about what we can do for peace” with a sub-headline reading “No more war!” It calls for readers to research war through popular media and the memories of those who lived during that time.
We recently regaled you with Truly Terrifying Japanese Train Stories told to us by foreigners, which included everything from runaway trains to perverts and nuns. Today, we’re going to relate to you foreigners’ stories of unbelievable acts of kindness they’ve experienced on Japan’s trains.
You’ve probably already heard a few stories of Japanese people doing good deeds, like lost property being returned or someone helping out the hapless foreigner who doesn’t speak the language. But Japan’s special brand of kindness goes much deeper than this. You know, things that when you see them they make you think, “Wow, that would never happen in my country!”
Join us for some miso soup for the soul: stories of extreme kindness on Japanese trains, after the jump. Read More
There’s been a lot of hoo-haa recently over nip-nips, hasn’t there? On the western internets, ladies are in a huff that their female nubbins are being covered up by the online censors, but in Japan it’s male nurples that are getting on everyone’s nerves.
Turns out that Japanese ladies can’t stand the sight of male chesty-buds, and in this hot weather, lots of businessmen are going out and about without undershirts on. The result? A barrage of constant eye-trauma for the ladies who say that the men who are flaunting their areolas at them are committing sexual harassment! Oh my!
There’s no need to use toxic substances to kill off unwanted insects in Japan, because there’s a much more eco-friendly method they’ve been using for hundreds of years. Although it may not be scientifically proven, many people feel this is still the best way to get rid of everything from garden aphids to mosquitoes. And if the method has endured for centuries, it must be at least somewhat effective right?
This uniquely Japanese insect repellent is far cheaper than commercial insecticides, easier to implement, and you only have to use it once a year in spring or early summer. And the best part? It involves Japanese sake!
What’s the secret? We’ll let you know after the jump.
Japanese government considering tripling departure taxes to combat overtourism
Bear attack shelters going on sale in Japan as country experiences record-high number of incidents
Entry to Tokyo’s Pokémon theme park zone has physical fitness requirement, will cost a lot
Why is Starbucks Japan’s Christmas stollen so good?
Totoro, Catbus sleeping bags are perfect place to stay cozy all winter…if you fit inside【Pics】
Japan’s famous Suica Penguin JR train pass card mascot is “graduating”/being laid off
We zapped up some tasty hot sandwiches in the microwave with 3COINS’ new gadget from Japan
Starbucks Japan unveils the new Soupuccino
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Secret tourist stop in Japan has a lift car that whisks you away to a mystery mountain destination
Brand-new Pokémon park opens in Japan with larger-than-life-size Lapras【Photos】
Naturally brown-haired Osaka student sues government for forcing her to dye her hair blackStarbucks Japan unveils the new Soupuccino
Tokyo Station’s ultra-rare cakes look, and taste, like a cup of coffee
One of the busiest stations in Tokyo is changing the name on its signs, but not necessarily to make it easier for people to find their way around.Japanese government considering tripling departure taxes to combat overtourism
Never forget that Mister Donut’s super-simple ramen is actually very hard to beatEntry to Tokyo’s Pokémon theme park zone has physical fitness requirement, will cost a lot
Japan’s permanent Pokémon theme park zone announces grand opening date, ticket sale start
Studio Ghibli releases new Ursula’s blanket from Kiki’s Delivery Service
Studio Ghibli releases new “komorebi” plush toys to brighten your days
Sanrio and Sonic the Hedgehog characters become fast friends with new plushie collectionBrand-new Pokémon park opens in Japan with larger-than-life-size Lapras【Photos】
Tokyo bento boxed lunch shop charges different prices depending on how heavy your laptop is
Japan has vending machines that put protective film on your phone for you — Here’s how to use them
Studio Ghibli anime stoles are here to keep you warm with a range of famous characters
Totoro fountain figurine recreates the sights and sounds of one of anime’s most memorable scenes
Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas Frappuccino and holiday drinks for 2025
Ghibli Museum clock is now yours to take home with you
Step into Japanese culture with Converse’s new Japan-exclusive shoes featuring gods, sushi style
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Possessing Harry Potter’s Sword of Godric Gryffindor is now illegal in Japan
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
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】
The top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
One of Japan’s most beautiful hot spring towns announces new limits on number of day trippers
Japan’s famous Suica Penguin JR train pass card mascot is “graduating”/being laid off
We zapped up some tasty hot sandwiches in the microwave with 3COINS’ new gadget from Japan
Starbucks Japan unveils the new Soupuccino
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Secret tourist stop in Japan has a lift car that whisks you away to a mystery mountain destination
Shocking discovery: Japan’s expensive Shine Muscat grapes can pair amazingly with cheap Pringles
Tokyo Station’s ultra-rare cakes look, and taste, like a cup of coffee
How to easily make Salmon & Cheese Grilled Rice Balls, a tasty camp food【SoraKitchen】
Ghibli Park abolishes ticket lottery system, creates new multi-zone pass
We try eating nothing but emergency food rations for three progressively tougher days
Studio Ghibli unveils new fluffy purses from films like My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away
Japanese department store rooftop is a secret oasis where you can escape the crowds in Tokyo
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
How to make Japanese melon pan out of any type of bread
