A new line of tea tablets uses the family crests of six famous samurai clans from Japan’s Sengoku era along with uniquely selected flavors for each.
tablet
The tablets are made of 100-percent tea leaves and feature seven varieties of tea grown near the base of Mt. Fuji.
Popular retail chain Yodobashi Camera sets the bar high with their “Tablet Computer Dreams i” New Year’s gift box.
The Edo Past and Present Wanderings app appeals not only to old map buffs, but to anyone with a sense of adventure.
Digital drawing tablets, despite their best efforts, have always felt different from the real thing. For many artists, note-takers, or expert doodlers, nothing beats the feeling of putting actual pen to actual paper.
But now, thanks to iSketchnote, you can write on a real piece of paper using a real pen, while still digitizing it in real-time on a tablet or PC as you draw.
If you’re the kind of person who loves the idea of gaming on the go but just can’t abide touch-screen controls or fiddly portables, Sony may have just unveiled the perfect product for you.
Announced earlier today, the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact is designed to work seamlessly with PlayStation 4 consoles, allowing remote play via wi-fi – a function previously only available to PlayStation Vita users. Better yet, mobile gamers can attach a DualShock 4 controller to the tablet using a special Game Control Mount, meaning that they can play PS4 games pretty much anywhere while still using their regular controller.
Anyone who’s watched more than a smidgen of Japanese TV will tell you that the line between “appropriately heartwarming” and “so cheesy you want to tear your eyeballs out” is drawn in a different place in this country. It can seem like every exchange in a Japanese drama is overly emotionally charged. Why are the actor’s reactions so exaggerated? Does it really have to rain every time someone is sad? And why is there someone running through the streets frantically in every single episode? I have grown to love J-drama’s clichés and warm heart, but still occasionally regard Japanese acting as perplexingly over-done.
It’s heartening to discover, then, that a series of spectacularly cringe-inducing ads for Microsoft’s Surface tablets have been widely panned in Japan, as the nation screams, “Stop! You’re hurting my ears!” in one voice. Let’s take a look at this awkward new advertisement in all its glory.
After receiving rave reviews for last year’s model, the Xperia Tablet Z, Sony has refreshed its flagship with a sleek waterproof design that’s just a hair thinner than the last.
It’s even just slightly thinner and lighter than the iPad Air.
Packed with a high-resolution screen and great battery life, the Z2 Tablet is among the best Android tablets you can buy today, although it doesn’t feel quite as premium as the iPad.
The art of home furnishings is still struggling to keep up with the advent of smartphones and tablets. We’ve seen advances in upside-down racks but they can be large and unwieldy for everyday use. Enter Utsubusene Cushion (Face-down Sleep Cushion).
The idea of such a chest-rest is not new. The makers, Thanko Co. Ltd. say that this kind of chair-thingy has been around since ancient times in Japan. However, Thanko is hoping this ultra old-school technology will be the savior of sleepy portable device users everywhere.
Electronics maker Sharp recently announced the prototype of a new, unlikely product that has set the Japanese Internet community abuzz …
This story actually has its beginning about six months ago, when Sharp Europe ran a competition called “#GetItDownOnPaper”, which invited students and graduates in Europe to submit ideas for solutions to everyday problems by sharing them on Twitter. The winner would be offered a two-week paid internship at Sharp Laboratories of Europe, a wonderful opportunity for any aspiring inventor.
The lucky winner was Siobhán Andrews, a student of Sustainable Product Design at Falmouth University, England, whose idea for an interactive chopping board apparently impressed the judges as well as the folks at Sharp Laboratories so much that they have come up with a prototype which has been named the Chop-Syc. But now that the prototype has been announced, the response, at least from Japanese Internet users, may not exactly be what the people at Sharp are hoping to hear. Read More
Last month we introduced a clever invention that held a heavy laptop over the user’s head, allowing anyone to use their computer while lounging in bed. This month we found a different version of the same concept: an overhead tablet stand. As long as they are sturdy enough to support the weight of their intended device, the laptop and tablet stands seem like useful products. But if the stands did fail and if you had to choose, we’re guessing you’d rather get a tablet to the face than a laptop. Read More
Social and mobile games are enjoying a strong presence at this year’s Tokyo Game Show, with social game giants GREE and gloops occupying some of the largest exhibit spaces in the venue.
But it’s not just Japanese companies throwing their weight around on the mobile floorspace: Korean online game developer WeMade Entertainment, known in Asia for their popular MMO series The Legend of Mir, is showing six new Japanese-language titles for iOS and Android devices to build anticipation for their full-scale entrance into the Japanese mobile game market later this year.
Bored of the repetitive tap-based social card games, I decided to spend some time with WeMade to see if the Korean developer was bringing anything new to the table.
















12-year-old foreign tourist missing in Japan, police asking for help finding her [Video]
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
Teen girl in Japan refuses to be victim, personally escorts train pervert to police for arrest
The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
Google’s first Google Store outside the U.S. is now open in Tokyo
Delta Airlines adds first nonstop flight between Japan’s Narita Airport and U.S. in seven years
Ride a tram that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on a new limited-time history tour
Watch a sumo bout inside Tokyo Tower, at a new restaurant endorsed by two yokozuna
Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meals are coming to McDonald’s, but not in Japan [Video]
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video]
Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
End of a manga era as Weekly Shonen Jump’s circulation drops under one million
Anime fan in Japan arrested for ordering and cancelling over 4.3 billion yen in anime merch
Beautiful Totoro bonsai figure needs no watering, makes soothing rain showers whenever you want
This beautiful rural Japan river is a great alternative to touristy summer retreats [Photos]
Beautiful off-the-beaten-path spot near samurai castle in rural Japan looks like a Monet painting
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Google’s first Google Store outside the U.S. is now open in Tokyo
Delta Airlines adds first nonstop flight between Japan’s Narita Airport and U.S. in seven years
Ride a tram that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on a new limited-time history tour
Watch a sumo bout inside Tokyo Tower, at a new restaurant endorsed by two yokozuna
Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meals are coming to McDonald’s, but not in Japan [Video]
Pokémon donuts are coming to Krispy Kreme in the U.S. [Photos]
7-Eleven Japan has a “Super Spicy! Taiwan Mince Cutlet” that’s fiery red… but how hot is it?
Tokyo sweets store has a “350% Pudding Soft Serve”, and people are going wild for it
Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
Japanese figure skating star Yuzuru Hanyu and Winne-the-Pooh announce crossover merch line [Pics]
Krispy Kreme Japan is baking up two new donuts that you can only get at one spot in the country
Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video]
This beautiful Okinawa beach gives you the best of both worlds when visiting the prefecture [Pics]
Body of missing foreign tourist in Japan found floating off coast of town he was last seen in