Featured

Ocean

Picking seaweed up off the beach and taking it home is illegal in most of Japan, and here’s why

What’s the harm in pinching a tiny bit of seaweed? Quite a lot, as our Japanese-language reporter learned.
Read More

Recon, Rescue, Research! Japan’s Coast Guard’s videos of kick-ass action in glorious HD【Video】

Japan’s Coast Guard celebrates its 70th year anniversary by showcasing its bad-assery: blocking terrorists, saving swimmers and cleaning the ocean.

Read More

Japanese beach turned into beautiful fantasy world as nighttime ocean glows blue【Video, photos】

Bioluminescent plankton turn Kanagawa seashore into something that looks more like a Final Fantasy game.

Read More

Researchers closing in on “Submersible Computers” that can be cooled in the ocean

Under the sea. Under the Seaaaaa!♪ You can overclock your processor, under the seaaaaa!♫

Read More

Simply gorgeous: Japanese artist uses sea salt to bring these sea creatures to life

Artist Mai Hirashima uses an unusual technique to create these inspired pictures.

Read More

You can’t miss this amazing footage of a diver swimming in harmony with a giant whale shark

Have your breath taken away by this spectacular footage of a woman swimming with a whale shark in the Philippines.

Read More

Three bridges in Okinawa Prefecture offer the most spectacular panoramic vistas of the sea【Pics】

Who wants to play hooky with us down in the islands next weekend?

Read More

Japanese retailer Felissimo brings cute from the oceans with adorable deep sea creature pouches

You don’t have to be a marine biologist to fall in love with these unusual specimens.

Read More

Strawberry jam sea slugs: Our newest saltwater crush 【Video】

Look, sea slugs (who I assume all have Internet connections and are avid RocketNews24 readers), we need a new name for you. Yeah, yeah, I know you’re tube-shaped invertebrates that live in the ocean, but seriously, the whole “slug” thing is giving everyone the wrong impression.

When we humans hear “slug,” we tend to think of disgusting homeless snails, but it turns out that a lot of your marine versions are downright adorable, like the ones that look like surprised sheep, fluffy bunnies, or Pikachu. And if all that wasn’t enough to call for a major rebranding, now we’ve found out there’s a sea slug that looks like delicious strawberry jam.

Read More

Want a souvenir from the ocean? Take part of it home with a realistic resin replica!

We’ve seen some amazing things Japanese artists have created out of resin before, but the one problem with them is just that: they’re too amazing. They’re all miniature masterpieces that you’d be too scared to touch, much less carry around with you.

But now artist and Twitter user @tokibo has come up with a solution: creating beautiful, realistic resin replicas of the ocean that you can put in your pocket to feel like you’re at the beach anytime you want. Skeptical? Take a look at some of the pictures; if they don’t make you feel like you’re in an underwater paradise, then your (unspent) money back!

Read More

The adorable cuteness of sea squirts is too much for us to handle!

As we all know, the internet is basically powered by pictures of cute and adorable animals. Whether it’s yawning otters, play-fighting pandas, or big, fuzzy kitties, none of us can resist the allure of a good dose of cute.

But did you ever stop to think about all of that cuteness that’s just lurking beneath the surface of the ocean? This week, we learned that sea squirts are pretty adorable, and they even have tiny faces that look like they’re smiling or in the middle of a sing-song!

Read More

Japanese man goes missing at sea for 20 hours, then gets rescued by a lucky lifebelt

While there’s nothing quite like a dip in the ocean on a hot summer day, this man’s quick swim-turned missing person’s case will serve as a great reminder why you should always be careful in Mother Nature’s swimming pool.

Earlier this week, a 29-year-old man from the city of Kobe was enjoying some sea-side bathing with his friends when a strong wind came, sweeping him far from the coast. His friends acted quickly, called the local police and a search ensued for 20 hours until the missing man turned up on a beach 40 kilometers to the south thanks to an incredibly lucky discovery.

Read More

12 beautiful Japanese train stations by the sea

Being an island nation, there is no shortages of beaches in Japan–though if you live in Tokyo, there are times when the only thing resembling the ocean to be seen is a sea of people. After a weekday morning commute spent sloshing around in a packed train car, it’s easy to find yourself wishing for a more relaxed environment like the beach. And with summer in full swing, there are plenty of beaches we’d rather be lounging on than just about anything.

But it’s a busy world and who has time to sit on the beach and just relax? Well, we sure don’t! But for those of us always on the go, there are a few train stations that at least will give you a view of the ocean on your way to whatever business you may have. Think of it like a vacation that lasts as long as the train stops!

Read More

The beautiful, underwater hunting of the Bajau ocean nomads

While Aquaman may well be the most boring superhero ever, there’s no denying that he’s actually got some pretty nifty powers. After all, who wouldn’t want to be able to hang out underwater and see all the incredibly bizarre and insanely cool creatures down there? We bet it’s even better than a 3-D IMAX movie!

On the other hand, anyone with a bit of training and some scuba gear can achieve that, but that’s just not quite the same, is it? If only we could just slip into the ocean and run around on the seafloor like we belonged there.

Turns out that, while you and I may not be able to, there are entire cultures of folks who live on the sea–and some of them can even “walk” on the ocean floor!

Read More

Escape the chill of winter with these dazzling seascape photos

When the following pictures popped up on a Japanese news site, we found ourselves enraptured by the breathtaking and surreal scenery depicted within. In the photo above, the water is so transparent that the children seem to float over an endless cloud of seaweed. But it’s not an optical illusion. That is indeed water, and it is in fact actually part of the ocean. Can you figure out which country this gorgeous photo was taken in? Here’s a hint: it’s somewhere in southeast Asia. The answer is after the jump.

Read More

Godzilla is finally discovered in the ocean’s depths!

Well, sort of. OK, so that title is a bit misleading. But an article on Yomiuri Online the other day confirmed that researchers have discovered a new underwater geological formation, the largest of its kind in the world, south of the Japanese mainland. Furthermore, they have named it after everyone’s favorite King of the Monsters! This “new Godzilla” could even shed light on some secrets about the inside of the earth. Keep reading to find out more about this amazing scientific discovery.

Read More