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Samurai Studio: Tokyo’s new photo studio where you can get your picture taken in samurai armor

Even in the modern era, you’ll find plenty of occasions in Japan to dress up in kimono, such as for festivals, fireworks exhibitions, or other special events (and considering how relatively easy it is to do, it’s something you really should try at least once). But as much as Japan may love its traditions and history, there aren’t too many occasions when you get to strap on a set of samurai armor, so when life gives you the opportunity to do so, like at this new photo studio in Tokyo, you won’t want to let it pass you by.

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“Cute-but-ugly” photos of hamsters trending as Twitter users celebrate their quirky pets【Photos】

We just love hamsters—from their adorable butts to the way they look napping, they never fail to put a smile on our collective faces. But we suppose we’d be lying if we saidthat  hamsters are always cute. After all, not many people look “pretty” when eating! And sometimes hamsters just look so weird in a way that we can’t quite explain. Basically, they’re 90 percent “totes adorbs” and 10 percent “WTF, mate?!”

But even at their ugliest, hamsters still manage to be cute, as the popular Twitter hashtag #AllJapanCuteButUglyHamsterChampionshipSeries so ably demonstrates. Check out some of the best photos below and prepare to go “Awwww!” at all sorts of silly-looking hammies!

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Selfies taken on smartphones are one of the must-dos for the young girls nowadays, and Japan is no exception. As popular Japanese pop icons or teen models post their selfies on social medias, Japanese young girls would fire up their camera apps and pose the similar way. They do this not just to be like the icons they admire, but also to figure out the best poses for looking good on Twitter or Instagram.

With this in mind, today we have listed 10 selfie poses that young Japanese girls are likely to do on Twitter and Instagram! Maybe you’ll learn a new move or two?

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Tokyo Game Show 2015 cosplay photo roundup

After enjoying the relatively slow pace of Tokyo Game Show 2015 on the press days, we headed back at the weekend for the madness that is the public days. We had to fight our way through the crowds before we finally reached the outdoor cosplay area, where the weather was perfect for getting some great shots of the amazing outfits on show. While there were plenty of video game characters striking their poses, there were also familiar faces from anime and movies, so even if you’re not into gaming you might recognize some of them.

The level of detail in some of these home-made costumes is astounding, and there was a great mix of the sexy and the totally kick-ass. Join us after the jump for a selection of pics and video of our favourites.

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Our reporter tries to order a 100-slice beef sandwich at Subway Japan【Photos】

At Japan’s branches of Subway, what you might think of as more conventional sandwich toppings—like cheese or vegetables—wrestle for space on the menu with other optional extras, like a scoop of tuna mayonnaise or five prawns for 100 yen. And when a man like our very own reporter P.K. Sanjun sees that he can have his Subway sandwich topped with an extra five prawns, his first thought is: “I wonder how many prawns I could fit in one sandwich?!”

So when P.K. heard that there were actually secret toppings that you can order at Subway, and that one of those off-menu toppings was roast beef, he prepared his brain, and his stomach, for an extra-large order, and headed to Subway to find out: just how much beef can one Japanese sandwich hold?!

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We take a look at 20 of the best, funniest Attack on Titan cosplay photos

To those not familiar with the scene, cosplay may just seem like older kids and adults playing dress-up, but few realize the time and effort that goes into custom-making the costumes or the attention to detail that really makes the outfits works of art.

For some, just wearing their masterpieces to an anime or comic convention is enough, but others take it a step further, staging beautiful, dramatic, or sometimes even humorous photoshoots, preserving themselves in character and enabling the sharing of their visual pieces online. And today we’ll be taking a look at just that! Here is a collection of the amazing handiwork and photography skills from around the world used to recreate scenes (and create new original scenes!) from the mega-popular anime series Attack on Titan.

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Chiba ports become literal sea of garbage following last week’s severe flooding【Pics】

The ports around the Chiba-area city of Choshi were last year honored for the fourth year in a row for having the largest catch of mackerel pike (a very popular fish known as sanma in Japanese) in Japan.

But that’s of little comfort to local fishermen who have this year found their boats stranded in a literal sea of garbage and debris that has been carried into the ports from the Tonegawa River. The heavy flooding of the Kanto region brought about by last week’s relentless rain is believed to be the cause of the sudden influx of waste.

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We check out the new Samurai Star Wars figurines from Bandai and Tamashii Nations【Pics】

Ever since we heard about the upcoming release of the new Samurai Darth Vader figurine, we’ve been eager to check out the Movie Realisation Series in person. The series includes Boba Fett, Stormtroopers and the Imperial Royal Guard, all dressed as Japanese feudal warriors and brandishing a mix of Japanese, western, and Star Wars-styled weapons.

We’d seen the photos and read the rave reviews but nothing could prepare us for meeting the unique cast of collectibles in person. Come with us as we take you through all the details and close-up photos from our visit!

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Mt. Fuji becomes Studio Ghibli’s Laputa following recent typhoon 【Photos】

Mount Fuji—its almost perfectly symmetrical shape and towering, snow-topped beauty have long been a symbol of Japan, recognised the world round. It has also recently been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its strong ties to the Japanese culture. And now, in the clear skies following this week’s typhoon, it is also being called Laputa, as Twitter users are posting their impressive photos of the cloud-capped peak.

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Twitter user caught in Ibaraki flood tweets photos of his rescuers from inside helicopter

Coverage of the heavy rains and typhoon that have swept through Japan this week have dominated much of the news in the country. Today, TV screens were filled with reports on the devastating flooding in Ibaraki Prefecture, where waters burst through the banks and flooded the city of Joso. Images and videos of rescue operations have been widely broadcast on TV, and the news is nothing less than shocking for many.

But one Twitter user saved from the waters by Japan’s Self-Defense Forces wasn’t too scared to tweet photos of his rescue while still inside the helicopter!

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The cosplay of Comiket 88: Sailor Moon, Splatoon, Love Live! and more【Photos】

Comiket 88, the world’s largest dojinshi fair, is now underway at the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition centre. And while thousands of people are already rushing to buy some of the best and rarest anime, manga and video game merch money can buy, others were there for one thing only: cosplay.

Despite the beating sun and intense humidity that comes as standard with Summer Comic Market (you did read our Comiket survival guide, right?), the almost complete lack of shade outdoors did not deter Tokyo’s cosplayers, who stood out for photo after photo, striking their best poses and wowing our reporters with their incredible outfits.

Join us after the jump for a look at some of our favourites!

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Starbucks in Aomori is the hot topic in Japan right now because of its beautiful…architecture?!

After opening in April, a Starbucks location in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, has received quite a bit of attention online for its surprisingly beautiful architecture and design. Yes, we’re serious, the hot topic in Japan right now is this Starbucks location!

But, wait, before you scoff, you seriously need to see the place. One of our Japanese reporters headed to Aomori recently and his photos of the coffee shop will definitely make you say, “Wow, that is a beautiful Starbucks location!” for the first time in your life!

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70 years ago today: The moment the US deployed the most powerful weapon known to man

Released from B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay on August 6, 1945 at 8:15 a.m. (Japanese time), the world entered the unprecedented atomic age with the deployment of the most powerful weapon known to man.

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Ads for JR’s “Seishun 18” rail pass celebrate the isolated beauty of Japan’s most far-flung stations

It seems so easy to plan an entire Japan vacation around a single tour of the Tokyo metropolitan area. The mega city has just about everything a tourist could possibly want to see, from Akihabara’s blinding neon to the breathtaking skyline of Yokohama, to the quiet, old-world charm (and weird poop sculpture) of Asakusa.

But to not venture away from Tokyo, to Japan’s more far-flung and lesser-known destinations is to rob yourself of the grander Japan experience, and Japan Rail (JR) has long sought to encourage visitors, both domestic and foreign, to wander off the beaten path with the Seishun 18 unlimited rail pass. And, if the idea of unlimited access to JR’s vast and far-reaching network of tracks isn’t enough to inspire your sense of adventure on your next Japan visit, perhaps these ads for the Seishun 18 rail pass, which depict the isolated beauty of some of Japan’s most remote train stations, will be.

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Japanese burger chain Mos Burger replaces its buns with two halves of a giant tomato

Japanese fast food chain Mos Burger has built a reputation over the years for its healthy burger options. For those with an aversion to traditional wheat-based buns, Mos Burger offers versions made with grilled rice patties. And if you’re counting calories, they’ll simply wrap your filling in lettuce.

Now there’s an even more impressive option for health-conscious customers: a burger stuffed between two halves of a giant tomato. Available after 2:00pm from only one outlet in Japan, we stopped by to check out the rare red burger, taking lots of delicious photos for you along the way!

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We visit Tokuyama’s Cockroach Fest to take on the “Cockroach Encounter”【Photos】

Late last week, we told you about an event being held by Tokuyama Zoo this summer: the Cockroach Fest. One of the attractions listed was the horrific sounding “cockroach encounter,” but we didn’t have any details about just what kind of encounter it was. Being a naturally curious bunch with a masochistic streak a mile wide, we decided to dispatch a reporter to find out. 

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The world of fashion and models is one that I have zero understanding of. My wardrobe mostly consists of jeans and black shirts just so I never have to worry about what matches. And as for modeling, well, let’s just say I probably love the camera more than it loves me.

But not our Japanese writers P.K. and Nakano! They are beautiful men with eyes for sexy and looking good doing…sexy? Or, if nothing else, they have the confidence of a pair of male models at a pool party. So, when they heard that fashion brand Diesel had put a call out for selfies, they were more than happy to respond with photos of themselves in nothing but their undies!

But are the pictures more win than cringe? Click below to find out!

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As we’ve talked about before, sometimes there’s some pretty silly stuff that goes into the making of an eminently cool cosplay photo. Often there’s something strange going on just out of frame, such as the heroine slouching like crazy to make the hero look taller or an assistant holding up a handful of a model’s hair to make it appear like it’s blowing in the wind.

The models above, however, are completely legit, looking every bit their parts as lovely young ladies relaxing by the pool. But this time the behind-the-scenes comedy is actually in the back of the scenes. Can you guess the funny truth behind those dramatic sprays of water?

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Meguro Gajoen, a traditional event space in Tokyo and its stairway of 100 steps

Meguro Gajoen is one of the tangible properties of Tokyo, established in 1931 originally as a venue for wedding banquets. Now all that remains of the original architecture is a series of rooms connected by the “stairway of 100 steps“. In 2009 these rooms were classified as one of the cultural assets of Japan.

We recently visited the establishment to get a look at the traditional party rooms for ourselves, since they were open to the public for a very short window of time and we figured this would be our only chance. We were even permitted to take photos, so come and join us for a guided tour!

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