names
Many are assuming this is a backlash against trendy kirakira names, but is that really the case?
This Okinawan singer has a last name so rare, only 1 every 90,000 people in Japan have it!
For the third year in a row, this particular name takes the top spot for all felines, male or female.
If you’re looking for inspiration for your little bundle of joy, maybe this will give you some ideas.
The most popular cat breed in Japan has clinched the title for the twelfth consecutive year.
Meanings show hope for bold boys, beautiful girls in list of the most popular names of the Heisei era.
Baby name suggestion website compiles list of its users favorite names for they’re considering for their daughters.
Having trouble thinking of a name for your new kitty? Here are Japanese feline fans’ favorite choices.
Some ask what’s in a name, but women with these monikers proved to be more popular than any others on one well-known dating app.
If, like me, you grew up playing Super Mario Bros. on the NES, then you’re no doubt super excited for the launch of Super Mario Maker this coming September. Exclusive to Wii U, the game allows players to build their own worlds, using every block, enemy and power-up (plus a few new ones) from a whole host of Super Mario games, then share them with players all around the world.
For those of us who never quite gave up on our childhood dream of making games for Nintendo especially, Super Mario Maker is shaping up to be the ultimate celebration of 30 years of Mario, and the thought of throwing all your favourite bad guys into bizarre platforming situations has us positively giddy with excitement.
With that in mind, today we’ve decided to take a quick look at some of the characters we know and love from the Mario franchise. To spice things up, though, we’re going to be introducing you to their original Japanese names and explaining a little about the meanings behind them. Think you know Mario? Let’s find out!
Earlier this week, we looked at popular baby names making the rounds this year in Japan and now we’ve discovered some data on what Japanese named their pets in 2014. The little guy above may be right to look concerned because almost every name on the list is food-related…
You may think choosing a name for your kid is hard, but in the West, we have it easy. All we have to choose is the name. Here in Japan, parents-to-be also have to choose what characters they want to write it with, a decision that has to take into account the relative auspiciousness of the number of strokes it takes to write, how well-known a particular reading is, and even if the government will accept the name they finally settle on!
Like trends for particular names, there are trends in the use of particular kanji or Chinese characters, too. Insurer Meiji Yasuda has just published the most common names this year and the kanji used for them, so read on to see what the hippest babies are sporting.
The award-winning “Share a Coke” campaign launched in Japan last year with bottles that invited consumers to share a memorable song, connected with a particular year, with a friend. Now, name-printed bottles – a part of the campaign that’s already launched in different countries around the world – have made their way to Japan. In grocery stores around the country, you can happily root to the back of the chiller cabinet looking for a Coke with you or your friend’s name on it (if you have a Japanese name, that is!).
And it seems some bright sparks have hit on a brilliant money-spinning idea off the back of this: collect the names of all the members of a pop group, and sell them on online auctions. A set of Coke bottles with the names of all five girls from idol group Momoiro Clover Z, printed complete with -Z suffixes, has sold on Yahoo Auctions for 15,000 yen (US $150).
Turning 100 years old is indeed a great achievement. Not only can we appreciate and look up to those who seem to follow the correct path to a ripe old age, but it’s always a shining example of how far we have come as a people to extend our lives so much over the years.
And so, it’s with great honor and reverence that we here at RocketNews24 would like to wish a happy belated birthday to Ms… erm… Mxy…zptlk Sugahara!
Apparently we weren’t alone in not being able to read this woman’s name. Netizens came out in droves shrugging their shoulders and figuring a cockroach got into the printing press. A chosen few however, scolded their peers for not being cultured enough to decipher it.
What’s in a name? In Japan, those with a strong understanding of kanji, those pesky Chinese characters that are always tripping up language learners, can immediately understand the significance of anyone’s appellation.
Although the most common surname in Japan is “Sato,” it turns out that there’s a far more popular name combination that doesn’t include our quirkiest reporter‘s last name. Let’s take a look at the most common given and family names in Japan and the meanings behind them.
MOST POPULAR
Now
Dragon Quest Burgers and Slime drinks are coming to McDonald’s Japan【Video】
Is it rude to sing along at concerts in Japan? We ask a pro musician for his take
Can a dirty butthole make you filthy rich in Japan? We’re starting a New Year’s lottery experiment
New book teaches Japanese people English to help out foreign travelers
Does Japan’s “body fat-burning” bottled tea really work? Our 30-day investigation 【RocketScience】
Jamiroquai doll from Japan lets you control your own Virtual Insanity 【Video】
Tokyo Station staff share their top 10 favorite ekiben
Lacquerware supplier to emperor of Japan and Pokémon team up for new tableware
Is the all-you-can-eat KFC buffet in Tokyo really as good as they say it is?
Japanese Cabinet to officially announce new romanization spelling recommendation next week
Weekly
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Starbucks Japan releases new zodiac chilled cup drink for 2026
Street Fighter Hadouken Churros to be launched and eaten in Tokyo, Okami pudding on offer too
Is this the most relaxing Starbucks in Japan?
Starbucks on a Shinkansen bullet train platform: 6 tips for using the automated store in Japan
Large amount of supposed human organs left in Osaka marketplace
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Monthly
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Japanese train company is letting fans buy its actual ticket gates for their homes- 7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
- Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
- Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Tokyo considering law requiring more trash cans following litter increase in heavily touristed area- Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting tourist crowds in Tokyo’s Asakusa neighborhood?
Nintendo’s Kirby now delivering orders at Kura Sushi restaurants, but not in Japan
Tokyo event lets you travel back in time, for free, to celebrate 100 years since Showa era start
Yearly
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
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
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Jamiroquai doll from Japan lets you control your own Virtual Insanity 【Video】
Tokyo Station staff share their top 10 favorite ekiben
Lacquerware supplier to emperor of Japan and Pokémon team up for new tableware
Is the all-you-can-eat KFC buffet in Tokyo really as good as they say it is?
Japanese Cabinet to officially announce new romanization spelling recommendation next week
Sanrio theme park in Japan announces plans to expand into a Sanrio resort
Pokémon Mister Donut lucky bags essentially pay you with Pokémon merch for eating dessert
Family Mart makes new anti-food-waste stickers, free for other stores and restaurants to use too
More Than a Capsule Stay: Why Solo Travelers Choose “global cabin Yokohama Chinatown”
Dudes get killed in the newest Hello Kitty anime【Video】
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
This one delicious Japanese dessert has at least six different names
Studio Ghibli humidifiers fight dry air with anime magic
-
