The gigantic new waterslide combines several thrilling slide elements into one monster experience.
swimming (Page 2)
And there was much rejoicing.
Fans of Free! and its High Speed! feature film adaptation can now visit all the places their favorite swimming boys would have frequented.
Add some major socks appeal to your swim sessions with these waterproof over-the-knee socks available from wacky goods menagerie Village Vanguard!
Hot on the heels of its Project Morpheus virtual reality headset, Sony has announced a series of brand new gaming accessories that are sure to make a splash. Say hello to PlayStation Flow, a set of swimming goggles, arm and leg sensors, and even a full-body dryer.
These things almost seem too bizarre to be true…
From whacking watermelons with sticks to burying your friends in the sand or holding sweltering Japanese style BBQs, Japan has a very specific beach culture. We’ve introduced some of these activities before on our site, but this time, we’ve supersized the experience by adding more activities–and extra cheese!
We’ll introduce 13 beach scenes that you’re bound to experience on any trip to a Japanese beach, and present most of them in a six-second Vine video. We picked one of our favorite places to Vine from: Shiraishi Island in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea where one of our writers happens to live. This tiny island of 560 people in Okayama Prefecture, is one of Japan’s best kept secrets: the beach is never crowded, the sea is tranquil, the sunsets superb, and the beer never stops flowing.
Get ready to take the plunge into the sea of Japanese beach culture with a local to show you la plage–Japanese style!
While there’s nothing quite like a dip in the ocean on a hot summer day, this man’s quick swim-turned missing person’s case will serve as a great reminder why you should always be careful in Mother Nature’s swimming pool.
Earlier this week, a 29-year-old man from the city of Kobe was enjoying some sea-side bathing with his friends when a strong wind came, sweeping him far from the coast. His friends acted quickly, called the local police and a search ensued for 20 hours until the missing man turned up on a beach 40 kilometers to the south thanks to an incredibly lucky discovery.
As comedian and noted lover of cinnamon rolls and burritos Jim Gaffigan famously said, going whale watching is kind of boring. It’s a handful of hours of waiting around, a brief glimpse of “something I wouldn’t even watch on television,” and then your most likely drunk tour captain whisking you back to shore in time for happy hour.
And maybe Jim’s right. Sure, whales are the most majestic of creatures, but is it really all that fun to spend all day on a swaying deck for a half-second glimpse of a tail or something? Scuba diving with whales would be much more exciting, but that’s sort of dangerous and you need a license. If only there were a place where whales would come right up to you on the beach and hang out for a while…
Oh, that’s right! That’s exactly what happens at Wakayama’s easy-to-read-and-pronounce Higashimuroguntaijichou Whale Beach.
September 26 of this year marked the end of the series finale of the popular swimming anime, Free!, though fans of the series remain highly active on the Internet and at doujinshi (fan comic) events.
Recently, there’s been a real flurry of excitement within the Free! fandom on Asian blogs and online gossip columns over one fan’s genius idea to get the series’ token sweetheart to lie between her sheets. Because who wouldn’t want to sleep next to such beautiful 2-D biceps, right?
Summer in Asia is hot. Like, really, really hot. Seeing mirages hot. Cooking whole English breakfasts on the sidewalk hot. But no matter how hellish the summer heat gets, we will never, ever, ever set foot in this Chinese lake.
The above is the Hieronymus Bosch-esque hellscape of what is quite possibly the world’s most crowded summertime attraction: a lake in Suining City, China.
If you’re of the sporty persuasion and wish that you could take your tunes to the pool without having a funny-looking contraption strapped to your goggles or having your earphones fall out every other stroke, Sony’s newest addition to the Walkman series will definitely be of interest.
Scheduled for a February 16 release in Japan, the new NWD-W270 series features a compact, lightweight design and boasts 4GB of onboard storage space. Plenty of delicious images and details after the break.









Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Japan’s popular bead bonsai kit is as beautiful as it is gruelling to make
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japanese bento shop sells croquettes for 13 cents, but are they any good?
First Shiba Inu police dog in Japan’s Gifu Prefecture now on duty[Video]
Japan has new rules for bicycle riders, and these 14 things could get you a fine or a court date
Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
What exactly is the treat known as a “kougnané” that’s sold outside Tokyo’s Yurakucho Station?
Why does a ’90s Japanese drama theme song calm crying babies? An acoustics expert explains
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
Japanese government wants overseas anime market to roughly triple in 10 years, but are they crazy?
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
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
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
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
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
Japan has new rules for bicycle riders, and these 14 things could get you a fine or a court date
Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
What exactly is the treat known as a “kougnané” that’s sold outside Tokyo’s Yurakucho Station?
Why does a ’90s Japanese drama theme song calm crying babies? An acoustics expert explains
One of Japan’s rarest sweets is a sell-out hit that looks and tastes like frost
Famous koi ponds overwhelmed with tourists throwing thousands of coins in them
Best breakfast in Akihabara? Might be the breakfast buffet at this “family restaurant”
Anime and video game backgrounds now free to download for video conference calls
What’s inside Japan’s super-rare, super-popular Nara bread?
Tokyo shrine hosts event for anime fans ready to let go and recycle character keychains, standees
Secret stairs at Tokyo Station dungeon come with a serious warning
Why does Japanese writing need three different sets of characters? (Part 2)