Our fashionable reporter has never worn a wig before, and will she want to again after this?
rental
The service’s founder shares reasons for its decade of success and typical examples of why people, mainly women, might rent an ossan.
If you need a furry friend that also doubles as an eco-friendly lawnmower, this is for you.
Japanese vending machines are a great example of the culture of convenience so prevalent in Japan. Whether you’re after orange juice that looks like soy sauce, or a hot, clam-packed miso soup to cure your hangover, if you want something fast, the nation’s vending machines will be there for you, come rain or shine.
Now one of the country’s largest drinks manufacturers, DyDo, is catering to customers who actually do find themselves caught out in the rain, with a free “rental umbrella” service attached to a number of their machines in Nishi Ward, Osaka.
Close your eyes and throw a stick in pretty much any Tokyo neighbourhood, and there’s a good chance that you’ll hit someone riding a bicycle. With roughly 72 million bikes on the streets of Japan, they’re an essential part of daily life for many, especially in urban areas where space for motor vehicle parking is both limited and expensive.
Last weekend, though, we stumbled upon a fleet of sparkling new bicycles that couldn’t be more different to the typical mamachari shopping bikes that everyone from junior high schoolers to worryingly wobbly grandmothers pedal around town. Sleek, compact, and with”Suicle” stamped on their crossbars, these lime-green lightweights are available for anyone with a prepaid IC bus or rail card and a half-decent sense of balance to rent.
Eager to know if the ride, and the process of renting and returning, was as smooth as a nearby sign purported it to be, we took a couple of the mini bikes out for a spin.
Single women in China are under such intense pressure to find a mate that some are resorting to renting “boyfriends” online to accompany them on dates and trips to see their families.
On Taobao, China’s biggest online marketplace, women can choose from hundreds of temporary companions and reserve them for hours or days at a time by paying a deposit.
Melanie Lee, a news blogger for Alibaba — which owns Taobao — recently decided to give the service a try, and she shared her experience via email with Business Insider.
For young and middle-aged women in China who just want to live freely without being hounded by their parents to marry, renting a boyfriend for a day could be the perfect answer! Japanese news site, Nikkei, recently sat down with 27-year-old financial businessman and volunteer boyfriend, Wang Zhuo, for an interview regarding his 100 plus “girlfriends” over the past two years. Could it be that for whatever reason China’s women are becoming increasingly dependent on rental boyfriends? We’ve seen how it works for lonely ladies in Japan! What sort of insights has Wang gained into these Chinese women’s desires… Read More
We’ve all seen bank vaults in movies and on TV. But when you think about it, there aren’t many people in the world who have actually used or gone into the real thing.
As luck would have it a chance to rent your very own bank vault has popped up as a listing on the Real Tokyo Estate website.

















We zapped up some tasty hot sandwiches in the microwave with 3COINS’ new gadget from Japan
Bear attack shelters going on sale in Japan as country experiences record-high number of incidents
Stay in a Tokyo hotel with a train driver’s seat in the room
Totoro, Catbus sleeping bags are perfect place to stay cozy all winter…if you fit inside【Pics】
Starbucks Japan unveils the new Soupuccino
Bob’s Big Boy is alive and well, and also a cute robot, in Japan【Photos】
Burger King Japan’s Great King Yeti is the latest evolution of One Pounders
Studio Ghibli unveils new fluffy purses from films like My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away
Japan’s Capylympics capybara watermelon eating contest brings new challengers and threepeat quest【Pics】
Mega huge Mega Charizard Pokémon kites fly in the skies of Japan【Video】
Brand-new Pokémon park opens in Japan with larger-than-life-size Lapras【Photos】
Naturally brown-haired Osaka student sues government for forcing her to dye her hair black
Tokyo Station’s ultra-rare cakes look, and taste, like a cup of coffee
One of the busiest stations in Tokyo is changing the name on its signs, but not necessarily to make it easier for people to find their way around.
Japanese government considering tripling departure taxes to combat overtourism
Never forget that Mister Donut’s super-simple ramen is actually very hard to beat
Entry to Tokyo’s Pokémon theme park zone has physical fitness requirement, will cost a lot
Japan’s permanent Pokémon theme park zone announces grand opening date, ticket sale start
Studio Ghibli releases new Ursula’s blanket from Kiki’s Delivery Service
Studio Ghibli releases new “komorebi” plush toys to brighten your days
Sanrio and Sonic the Hedgehog characters become fast friends with new plushie collection
Tokyo bento boxed lunch shop charges different prices depending on how heavy your laptop is
Japan has vending machines that put protective film on your phone for you — Here’s how to use them
Studio Ghibli anime stoles are here to keep you warm with a range of famous characters
Totoro fountain figurine recreates the sights and sounds of one of anime’s most memorable scenes
Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas Frappuccino and holiday drinks for 2025
Ghibli Museum clock is now yours to take home with you
Step into Japanese culture with Converse’s new Japan-exclusive shoes featuring gods, sushi style
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Possessing Harry Potter’s Sword of Godric Gryffindor is now illegal in Japan
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
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
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】
The top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
One of Japan’s most beautiful hot spring towns announces new limits on number of day trippers
Bob’s Big Boy is alive and well, and also a cute robot, in Japan【Photos】
Burger King Japan’s Great King Yeti is the latest evolution of One Pounders
Studio Ghibli unveils new fluffy purses from films like My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away
Japan’s Capylympics capybara watermelon eating contest brings new challengers and threepeat quest【Pics】
Mega huge Mega Charizard Pokémon kites fly in the skies of Japan【Video】
The world’s most expensive tissues? Might as well wipe your boogers on a $100 bill!
Posthumous “Gwegh, I’m deadngo” tweet sparks nationwide cancer awareness movement in Japan
Entry to Tokyo’s Pokémon theme park zone has physical fitness requirement, will cost a lot
Believe it or not, this isn’t a Tokyo vending machine – It’s a secret door to deliciousness
Super-cheap, super-convenient rice-cooking mug is a new kitchen gadget all-star from 3 Coins
Japan’s famous Suica Penguin JR train pass card mascot is “graduating”/being laid off
Studio Ghibli tea blends contain ingredients inspired by My Neighbour Totoro
Giant digital sumo wrestler now stopping trains at Tokyo station【Video】