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Rural Japan

Family Mart Japan installs red-eyed “Monster Wolf” to keep bears away from convenience store

The giant wolf emits loud warning sounds and shouts out phrases like, “What are you looking at? Do you really think you can beat me?”

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Japanese hand-dug tunnels on a bamboo forest trail are like a quest in a video game

Complete with advice from a local side character, this off-the-beaten path adventure is wild and frightening at the same time. 

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The oldest tunnel in Japan is believed to be haunted, and strange things happen when we go there

Spirits from the past live on at this abandoned site in the mountains. 

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Doai Station: The deepest station in Japan is also one of the scariest, like a video game dungeon

This underground fortress isn’t dubbed “Japan’s No. 1 Mole Station” for nothing.

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Visit the mythical cave that hid the Sun Goddess in Japanese mythology

An unsual tourist site shrouded in intrigue and mystery.

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The best soba restaurant on Yakushima island, according to locals

It’s a trek to get to this rural location, but it’s worth it. 

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Is it a Lawson or a train station? We investigate the mysterious Sekiguchi Station

Melon bread or train tickets, which can we buy here?

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New program lets you telecommute from the foothills of Mt. Fuji and see the beauty of rural Japan

This program takes the whole remote working thing to a whole new level.

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Train continues to stop at rural station for lone schoolgirl until she graduates in March

The story of the lone schoolgirl and the country train that takes her to school every day is capturing hearts around the world.

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“Miyako” – one of the most beautiful, feels-inducing Japan videos you’ll ever see【Video】

If you’ve ever visited Japan, chances are your first stop in the country has been a big, bustling metropolis like Osaka or Tokyo. While the enormous flat screens, heaving intersections and impressive skyscrapers make for some memorable photo moments, it’s the serene, picturesque country towns that really hold the true essence and beauty of Japan.

For those of us who can’t make a trip out to soak in the serenity of the countryside, there’s a short, three-and-a-half minute film that will transport us there. If you loved Chihiro’s tranquil train ride in the Studio Ghibli movie Spirited Away, you’ll love this touching video, which introduces us to a stationmaster called Miyako, who waves at all her departing passengers—and keeps waving until they disappear into the horizon—showing us just how moving a simple gesture can be.

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Bull Sumo in the Oki Islands 【You, Me, And A Tanuki】

Starting this week, RocketNews24 will feature blogs written by people living in Asia who we hope can offer a unique glimpse at the country they call home. The first of these is You, Me, And a Tanuki by one of our own writers, Michelle. Originally from California, Michille is currently one of only two foreigners living in a tiny fishing village on one of the Oki islands in Japan.  We’re still looking for more unique and interesting stories from Asia to share with the world, so drop us a line if you’d like to have your own blog featured on RocketNews24.

The Oki Islands, nestled in the Sea of Japan, have a tumultuous history.  Once used as a place of exile for fallen emperors, the islands have been shaped by its unique past and transformed into an area rich in traditional culture and events.  One such event is ushi-tsuki, or bull sumo.  Used as a form of entertainment for the exiled Emperor Gotoba and dating back to 1221, the tradition of bull sumo is still proudly preserved by the local people of Oki.       

Unlike the famous “man vs. beast” bull fighting of Spain, Oki’s bull fighting pits bull against bull in a fair battle of brute bovine strength.  The match is over when one bull gives up and runs away and neither bull is injured in the ring.  There are even weight classes and bulls of comparable weight fight against each other.  Humans are present in the ring, but only play a supporting role facilitating the fight. 

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