Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Nippon
While browsing the net over the last week, I’ve been bombarded by a barrage of pictures uploaded from block-busting game Minecraft. The next thing I knew, a Japanese fan had generously shared his original world data for the entire country of Nippon.
Just wait till you see his incredibly precise rendering of the Japanese islands in all of their Minecraft glory!
As any student of Japanese will tell you, its use of Chinese characters known as kanji can be a nightmare at times. And although they can be really useful at deducing the meaning of complex words, they give little in the way of clues as to how one should pronounce them.
Take the kanji for Japan (日本) for example. Even a first grader can tell you what it means, but ask a group of adults how to pronounce it and you might get a mixture of “Nihon” or “Nippon” and maybe even an occasional “Yamato” if one of those people happens to be a smart-ass.
56-year-old Pokémon GO trainer arrested for assaulting 55-year-old trainer
Japanese man rides 1,000 kilometres on stolen mamachari bicycle to see Tokyo for first time
Japanese YouTuber fights on the streets of Shibuya in new real-life video game episode【Video】
Japan’s first-ever ramen restaurant, which closed 44 years ago, is reopening this fall!
Bones of over 1,500 people found at Osaka Station area construction site
Online survey sheds light on prefectural personality rankiangs of Japanese people
Japanese wife/artist solves “I don’t know. What do YOU want to eat?” problem in an awesome way
Experience the horror of a haunted house at home with these spooky online events by Obaken
How to turn konbini food into a luxury Japanese meal
Plastic bag usage at Japanese stores down by 50 percent, but plastic bags sales through the roof
Japanese social media reacts to Billie Eilish’s new animated, Ghibli-esque music video
Japan’s new life-size Gundam is complete and standing proud in Yokohama!【Photos/Video】
Japanese YouTuber perfects gameplay moves outside Shibuya Station【Video】
Flight that crashed in 1985 spotted landing in Narita Airport 35 years later
Pro gamer has perfect comeback to Sega exec’s “He looks like he eats cheese beef bowls” insult
Inuyasha sequel anime Yashahime’s preview video is here, with a glimpse at Sango and Miroku’s son
Japanese mom’s husband trash talks her for using frozen dumplings, maker fires back on Twitter
Japanese schoolgirl held prisoner in older man’s condo is free thanks to video game console
Woman in short skirt arrested after inciting upskirt photography in Tokyo
Rick and Morty head to Tokyo in new anime short with bombshell revelations【Video】
Akihabara saying goodbye to landmark as giant Sega arcade announces it’s closing for good
This pet fish in Japan is trying to beat Pokémon Ruby, and it’s already won two gym badges【Video】
The top 10 (plus one) Shonen Jump manga protagonists, as decided by Japanese netizens
Cheap paradise: Daiso’s microwave potato chip maker is healthy, easy, and delicious【Taste test】Japanese social media reacts to Billie Eilish’s new animated, Ghibli-esque music videoJapan’s new life-size Gundam is complete and standing proud in Yokohama!【Photos/Video】
Head of Tokyo board of education gets asked about dumb school hairstyle rule, gives dumb answer
“I didn’t ask the old men for any advice” says director of Studio Ghibli’s first CG animeJapanese YouTuber perfects gameplay moves outside Shibuya Station【Video】
Limited edition Gundam models made of 100% Gundarium on sale
Adult Cream Pie coming to McDonald’s Japan
Jason calls off Friday the 13th activities due to coronavirus
Japan goes beyond rice cookers with new curry rice cooker, the kitchen gadget we need right now
Microsoft Japan’s experiment with 3-day weekend boosts worker productivity by 40 percent
Japanese cosplay model shows off thighs, but fans’ eyes are on her Nintendo 64 controller grip
Customers race to Uniqlo for new summer face masks, but are they really worth the hype?
Parasite movie releases free official wallpapers to download as backgrounds for video calls
Pokémon fan learns the startling truth about the Wooloo plushie
Japanese students hold graduation ceremony in Minecraft amid school cancellation
Free “Language Learning with Netflix” extension makes studying Japanese almost too easy
Online survey sheds light on prefectural personality rankiangs of Japanese people
Japanese wife/artist solves “I don’t know. What do YOU want to eat?” problem in an awesome way
Experience the horror of a haunted house at home with these spooky online events by Obaken
How to turn konbini food into a luxury Japanese meal
Plastic bag usage at Japanese stores down by 50 percent, but plastic bags sales through the roof
Possibly the cutest hotel rooms in the world – Hello Kitty themed rooms to open in Tokyo
The first stag of anime park Nijigen no Mori’s Godzilla attraction is now open for a limited time
For all chip lovers around the world! This is the ultimate ranking of potato chips in Japan
Japanese mom’s husband trash talks her for using frozen dumplings, maker fires back on Twitter
Japanese Brazillian BBQ restaurants offering take-out disposable grills made of cardboard
Starbucks opens special telecommuting branch in Tokyo’s Ginza neighborhood【Photos】
Japanese man travels 100 kilometres (62 miles) from Tokyo to Hakone on stilts
10 Japanese inventions that changed the world (according to Chinese media)