quit
It’s no secret that Facebook is having a little bit of trouble in Japan. A recent survey by Aun Consulting showed a drastic decline of almost 11 percent from September 2012 to January this year. But why are Japanese users quitting the incredibly popular global social networking site? Apparently, between all of the selfies showing off your perfect girlfriend, photo albums of that weekend trip to Tahiti and updates on your amazing job, some users are developing an inferiority complex about their lonely, boring and unsatisfying lives.
With hundreds of game sites and magazines at our disposal, and with more amateur reviewers banging away at keyboards than ever before, making an uninformed purchase is now, thankfully, an extremely rare occurrence for any gamer. Gone are the days when we stood in the store nursing our pocket-money, studying the backs of Commodore 64 cassette cases and basing purchasing decisions entirely on cover art and postage stamp-sized screenshots; we have more information at our disposal than ever, and have only ourselves to blame if we slip up.
Even so, there are times when even the most informed gamer picks up a title that just isn’t their cup of tea. Be it the pacing of the game, an unorthodox control scheme or a steep learning curve, there are some games that we simply give up on and either trade in or shove in a drawer. Of course, Japanese gamers are no exception, with more than 15 percent of those asked in a recent survey admitting that they had unceremoniously dumped a game despite barely starting it. More than just a list of shame, though, the results of the survey turned up some great video game blasts from the past, not to mention a few titles so obscure that we’d almost forgotten they existed…


Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
Häagen-Dazs releases new Green Tea sandwich in Japan for a limited time
Foreign man arrested for walking on Shinkansen tracks, claims he was on the run from yakuza
Schoolkids learn life skills through shopping field trips at street markets in Kochi Prefecture
Family Mart unveils new Japanese bread that elevates convenience store food to mocchiri levels
Japanese manhole lid raises eyebrows with fertility god symbol that looks like… well, you know
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
Japanese expat remembers the words that changed his life when he started working in Australia
Starbucks releases 47 new Frappuccinos in Japan, one for every prefecture
Man breaks into Japanese high school, steals desk to “get taste of the world of Love Live” anime
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
Two food hacks take Japan’s convenience store fried chicken to amazing new sandwich heights
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]
Pokémon lacquerware series expands for Year of the Horse with new handcrafted design[Video]
Tokyo teahouse serves up a sakura matcha dessert you won’t find anywhere else
Totoro Fund line of beautiful artwork and apparel lets you help the real-world Totoro Forest
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
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 birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
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
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
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
Japanese manhole lid raises eyebrows with fertility god symbol that looks like… well, you know
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
Japanese expat remembers the words that changed his life when he started working in Australia
Starbucks releases 47 new Frappuccinos in Japan, one for every prefecture
Man breaks into Japanese high school, steals desk to “get taste of the world of Love Live” anime
Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]
The Almost All Lettuce Burger from Dom Dom Burger really lives up to its name
Getting a driver’s license in Japan the hard way: The first driving test a few more times
Famous koi ponds overwhelmed with tourists throwing thousands of coins in them
Starbucks Japan opens new cafe and art gallery in top Tokyo tourist neighbourhood
Pikachu and Eevee will give YOU hugs with these awesomely adorable new Pokémon pillows
Manga meat can be yours to eat in the real world with Manga Meat Bone kitchenware【Photos】
Goodbye, Kyoto Animation Studio #1 – Arson-struck studio now completely demolished, cleared away