mushrooms
A bargain deal on expensive ingredients makes our reporter think twice about her ideas of cooking.
A UFO catcher that goes beyond plushies and figures.
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A visit to the mushroom kingdom to see if 600,000 fans could possibly be wrong, and also to eat some amazing ramen.
The recipe calls for meticulously sticking dry noodles into numerous mushroom stalks. Uppercutting the entire dish into the atmosphere out of sheer frustration at the difficulty of that step is, we presume, optional.
Japan may love Mario, but they have a couple wrong ideas about the series. For example, did you know that in the Japanese versions of Mario, Goombas are called “kuribo,” which translates to “chestnut guy?” For three decades now, it has been widely believed in Japan that the Goombas are, indeed, chestnuts.
Until now. Thanks to the official Nintendo Line Messenger bot, Japanese netizens have learned the shocking truth about Mario’s oldest enemy: they’re not chestnuts, they’re shiitake mushrooms!
Read on and see for yourself the aftermath that shocked Japanese gamers all over the internet.
We’ve documented plenty of the unusual-but-awesome gachapon figures coming out of Japan over the years, but these “poison mushroom” figures might just be the most unusual yet awesome figures we’ve seen to date! Combining the adorableness of tiny mushroom figures with the stomach-rending agony of eating poisonous mushrooms, these Poison Kinoko Plus figures will be right at home on your desk or hiding in your date’s plate of stir fry.
There aren’t many foods I hate more than mushrooms. I’ve got issues with both their taste and texture, and, to my eyes, they just look kind of gross, no matter which variety we’re talking about.
But while I don’t think I’ll ever completely come around on the idea of eating fungi, it’s nice to at least have a different visual image for them, thanks to a new smartphone game that’s turned a half-dozen types of mushrooms into cute anime girls.
If you’re struggling with the fact that it’s still only Tuesday and the weekend is but a dot on the horizon, Kinoko Girly (‘Mushroom Girly’), a free mobile game currently generating a lot of buzz here in Japan, might be just the thing to keep you going at least until Hump Day is over.
Featuring illustrations by popular fashion designer Hajime Yoshio, Kinoko Girly is one of the simplest smartphone games you’ll ever play. Asking you, the person in charge of feeding a bevy of frighteningly shaped mushrooms to a woman with a penchant for fungi, to choose which of the two ‘shrooms offered up at any one time is delicious and which is poisonous, it’s simply a case of guesswork for the sake of it, but it’s surprisingly addictive. And altogether weird.




















Japan’s permanent Pokémon theme park zone announces grand opening date, ticket sale start
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.
Honda Fit and Weekly Shonen Jump magazine create stunning Japanese itasha manga car【Pics】
Tokyo hotel lets you make your stay a Sanrio one with special My Melody and Kuromi rooms【Pics】
Nintendo’s Kirby zooms into Japanese convenience stores Family Mart’s Super Satisfied Fest
Stay in a Tokyo hotel with a train driver’s seat in the room
Comparing Japanese sweet potato ice creams that unite both summer and fall in one cup【Taste test】
Japan’s Top 10 Scenic Train Trips–according to two “densha otaku” train guides
Eight Ways You Really, Really Shouldn’t Use a Japanese Toilet
Real takoyaki is almost impossible to find in Tokyo, but this place has it, our hardliner says
Brand-new Pokémon park opens in Japan with larger-than-life-size Lapras【Photos】
Unique inclined elevator in Japan leads to a town that inspired Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away
Naturally brown-haired Osaka student sues government for forcing her to dye her hair black
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Studio Ghibli releases new Ursula’s blanket from Kiki’s Delivery Service
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Sanrio and Sonic the Hedgehog characters become fast friends with new plushie collection
Studio Ghibli releases new “komorebi” plush toys to brighten your days
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Studio Ghibli releases new anime tea and mugs in Japan
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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
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
Stay in a Tokyo hotel with a train driver’s seat in the room
Comparing Japanese sweet potato ice creams that unite both summer and fall in one cup【Taste test】
Japan’s Top 10 Scenic Train Trips–according to two “densha otaku” train guides
Eight Ways You Really, Really Shouldn’t Use a Japanese Toilet
Real takoyaki is almost impossible to find in Tokyo, but this place has it, our hardliner says
Cat kotatsu let your feline friends relax through winter the Japanese way【Photos】
Which Studio Ghibli house would you most like to live in?
Studio Ghibli stores start selling super adorable clasp bags with Totoro-patterned fabric
Maker of Japan’s first crane machine is looking for a working model, offering 100,000-yen reward
Japanese conveyor belt restaurant delivers food by boat in Tokyo
Godzilla and King Ghidorah fight it out inside this Tokyo hotel room that you can stay in【Pics】
Starbucks Japan releases exclusive new matcha drinks at select stores this summer
All-you-can-eat lunch buffet for just 850 yen right next to Shinjuku Station