Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
pets (Page 32)
All this time, we thought cats knew exactly what they were doing; that they were the calm little centres of the world and were not swayed by puerile whims or emotions. But as this video – which sees one cat sitting atop what appears to be an air purifier, batting and grabbing at nothing for over a full minute – shows, they’re just as clueless as the rest of us.
Japan loves its cats. When feline fans here aren’t going online to swap trivia about their favorite members of the animal kingdom, they’re playing with cute kitties between sips of coffee at one of the nation’s many cat cafes.
At times, it even seems like “love” doesn’t properly convey the depths of their emption, and that it would be more appropriate to say some people worship the creatures, which is exactly what you can do at these nine shrines and temples dedicated to cats.
Every dog owner has experienced it: you want your dog to sit, speak, roll over and maybe shake, but your pooch has other ambitions. Bigger dreams. He wants to join the fire brigade (you know this because you taught him to speak), but you’re worried about your little buddy’s safety.
Finally, though, you can let your doggy chase both his tail and his dreams with this adorable doggy flame-retardant suit. Join us after the jump for more adorable photos!
Would you believe that at the center of this massive hairball is a little life form?
I promise you it’s not a tribble or some other alien creature, so put away the laser guns and take a closer look! There’s a tiny nose and mouth peeking through that impressive amount of fluff, and it belongs to one of an adorable breed of ultra-soft bunnies.
Cats have been working on us humans for years now, using the internet to their advantage and doing whatever it takes to look adorable. And now it seems they’ve taken a significant step towards their ultimate goal of world domination: a Japanese company has manufactured wine especially for felines.
There’s no discrediting the fact that dogs can achieve a wide range of expressions when you draw on some eyebrows, but the fact of the matter is that cats still maintain a higher level of sophistication than dogs could ever even dream of. Don’t believe me? Check out this fancy feline wearing some really sleek spectacles! No dog could ever achieve an expression that harnesses such critical disdain and yet sends you head-over-heels in love.
…Wait, that’s not Nintendogs!
No, ladies and gentlemen, the house that made Mario hasn’t finally buckled under the pressure and decided to publish its first-party games on rival platforms. The above screenshot is actually from a completely new title designed specifically for Sony’s portable: PlayStation Vita Pets. Soulless rip-off or an evolution of the pet sim genre? Find out after the break.
Summer has come early in Japan this year and everyone’s doing their best to stave off the heat in temperatures that have reached up to 40°C in some parts of the country.
In the midst of all the sweat and suncream it looks like this little guy’s found a novel way to keep cool. The added bonus is that he looks absolutely adorable, but the downside is that, at least to Japanese people, he seems positively edible!
When leaving the house for days on end, whether it be for work or for pleasure, those who have pets face an additional problem in planning. Someone has to feed the critters and make certain that they don’t leave any stinky surprises. Japan offers a number of different services for traveling pet owners, but one man, Mr. Haruna from Okazaki City in Aichi Prefecture, hated to see how upset his pet became after being left in a pet hotel.
In order to limit the stress of lonely pets, Haruna quit his job as a salary man and started the Pet-Sitter Gentry. “It’s the pet version of a babysitter,” he explains, and although the business has seen some hardships, the recruitment of additional staff has now allowed him to expand his pet-sitting service area into eastern Nagoya City.
Chubby cats? Check. Photographer cats? Check. Cat nuts? Sure, if you’re into that kind of thing. But cool cats propping themselves up on a makeshift bar? Okay, I think that’s a first even for us!
Recently posted to YouTube by Japanese user Chikatama, the following video sees white Scottish Fold Tama and his ginger pal Fufu hanging out on a typical weekday evening, too cool to start a conversation but for some reason never wanting to go home. Suffice it to say it cheered us right up!
If you’re getting a bit sick of seemingly endless cat videos and GIFs (although we can’t imagine why!), then maybe it’s time for something different. Perhaps this could be the Year of the… Rabbit?! (Yes, we know that was technically two years back, but it’s catchy).
This cute kitty doesn’t care if he looks a bit silly, because he’s having the time of his life! Read More
If it’s taking up residence on beds of sushi, winning hearts with adorable poses or curling up on your face while you sleep, the cats of the world seem to be inching closer to world domination with each passing day. They’ve certainly got a hold of the netisphere, and now they’re writing their names all over it, turning their noses up at the alphabet of boring humans and replacing it with a much cuter one of their own. It’s a free font generator called neko font (cat font), and you can play with it too. It makes even the most boring of words absolutely adorable!
It’s the eternal struggle of pet preferences. There’s no question that the top two choices for pets are cats and dogs and the human race is ultimately divided between so-called “cat-people” and “dog-people.” Since there can only be one animal to take the number one spot as “favorite pet,” large scale surveying website Research Planet asked nearly 30,000 Japanese people straight up, “Which do you like better, dogs or cats?”
Meet Mari, the cute Shiba Inu who likes to play hard-to-get. If Mari looks familiar, it may be because she’s a bit of a movie star on the Internet. She’s appeared in dozens of short films with her owner, playing the roles of train passenger, religious sect founder and even tambourine player in her master’s two-piece band. She’s also spent time as a strict homework supervisor. Now Mari seems to be showing her true colours, refusing her owner’s requests to pucker up for a smooch, with all the scorn and indignation of a displeased cat. This clip is one of their cutest and most hilarious pet-owner collaborations to date! Check out their video after the jump.
It’s a well-known fact that cats have been dominating the world lately. Memes, Facebook profiles, Monopoly game pieces – there seems to be no end to kitty domination. So what about the cats in Japan? Well it turns out that cat memes are pretty prolific here too. Only here they’re not playing keyboards or watching you from the ceiling. Instead, they’re showing off two of Japan’s most special talents: sleeping and apologizing. AT THE SAME TIME.
If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for a pet-owning gadget-loving friend, this may be just the thing!
Thanks to its clever design and built-in wireless wizardry, this new pet monitor allows pet owners to keep an eye on their fluffy friends from work, on the train or while sipping overpriced coffee at any number of trendy coffee houses.
Those without pets but convinced that their home is haunted or that their toys come to life while they’re out, meanwhile, may be interested to know that the camera can be controlled via smartphone and features full rotation and zoom capabilities!
It’s too late for this Christmas, but if you want to pamper your pet next December, this might make the perfect gift!
Made from soft inewara rice-straw, these neko chigura (lit. cat cradle) are made by a 30-strong team of weavers in the town of Sekikawa, Niigata prefecture on the northwest coast of Honshu, Japan. The weavers are known simply as the neko chigura kai (cat cradle committee) with each cradle taking around a week to put together.
Demand for the cat beds have exceeded even the creators’ wildest dreams, however, when thousands of orders flew in during recent weeks, creating a 12-month backlog.
While all those spines may make the hedgehog look like one of the last animals you’d want to let run around in your house, certain species of the animal are actually fairly popular pets in certain parts of the world.
The African pygmy hedgehog, for example, is one of the most popular domesticated species and have been known to cozy up to their owners quite nicely.
Koutaro Maeno, a Japanese entomology researcher living in the West African country of Mauritania and proud owner of two African pygmy hedgehogs, has uploaded some rather bizarre video showing just how…tolerant the beasts can be of humans.
Japanese designer pet supplies maker OPPO aims to create products that “offer a lifestyle where humans and pets can coexist naturally as animals.”
While they don’t offer any explanation of what that actually means, a product lineup featuring items like “quack,” a duckbill-shaped muzzle, and “CatShell,” a shell…for cats, suggests what they’re really saying is: “here’s more ways for you to spend money on things your pet doesn’t need.
Studio Ghibli launches huge new anime movie T-shirt collection with special design details
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Japan is so hungry for workers it used up its five-year visa quota in record time
The dream of riding Final Fantasy Chocobos is coming to Tokyo VR centers
Häagen-Dazs Japan releases new ASMR ice cream called “Rocky Crunchy!”
Japan now sells…sake made with moth poop?!?
Paired Sailor Moon bracelets are femininely eye-catching and represent all 10 Sailor Senshi
Two new Pokémon parks coming to Oshawott’s prefecture, plus new Pokémon manhole covers【Video】
Ramen restaurant in top Tokyo tourist neighborhood skips price gouging, but how does it taste?Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Move aside, convenience store egg sando – there’s a better version of the iconic sandwich in JapanNew Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Pokémon hot spring footbath opening in Japan this spring
Studio Ghibli croquettes not to eat, but to keep your stuff in, going on sale in Japan[Photos]
Japan’s popular bead bonsai kit is as beautiful as it is gruelling to make
Secret staff cafeteria in Tokyo is a hidden gem you won’t find in travel guides
Tinder just opened a convenience store in Japan, aimed at adults only
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to TokyoBrand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthdayJapan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
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
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
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】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Häagen-Dazs Japan releases new ASMR ice cream called “Rocky Crunchy!”
Japan now sells…sake made with moth poop?!?
Paired Sailor Moon bracelets are femininely eye-catching and represent all 10 Sailor Senshi
Two new Pokémon parks coming to Oshawott’s prefecture, plus new Pokémon manhole covers【Video】
Ramen restaurant in top Tokyo tourist neighborhood skips price gouging, but how does it taste?
On the short side? Lucky you! Japanese women describe what they love about shorter men
The mystery of the phantom “sake pass card” at Japanese alcohol vending machines
Hello Kitty gets a new job — this time appearing on Converse sneakers!
These beautiful cakes not only taste like strawberries, they look like strawberries too!
Burger King Japan’s All Heavy customisation hack may not be all it’s cracked up to be
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Interview with a “happening bar” customer: “I was getting repulsed by the whole atmosphere”