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Japanese ad promoting Miyazaki Prefecture shows how foreign its own dialects can be 【Video】

Meg Murphy
Sep 3, 2015
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In an attempt to draw more visitors, Kobayashi City in Japan’s Miyazaki Prefecture has released a video to promote the natural beauty and appeal of the town. The ad features a French man, talking about the quirky yet charming nature of the locals and the beautiful environment the city has to offer. As he speaks, Japanese subtitles appear at the bottom of the screen, allowing those who don’t understand French to know what the man is saying.

But the last line of the ad is throwing many Japanese viewers for a loop, as it dawns on them that the man is not actually speaking French at all, but a local Miyazaki dialect.

Chinese mom thinks airline’s toilet is too small, makes her son poop in the rear cabin

Joan Coello
Sep 2, 2015

Anyone who has ever been on board a commercial flight would have probably noticed that aircraft lavatories tend to be smaller than regular public restrooms. Compact as they may be, though, the toilets on most commercial airlines provide enough room for an adult to get their business done. In fact, we’ve even heard of all those “mile high club” stories, so it’s probably all right to assume that those minimalistic restrooms are spacious enough for even two adults to slip in.

However, one Chinese mom on board a Shenzhen Airlines domestic flight felt that the toilet was too small, and made her son defecate on the floor of the rear cabin.

Taiwanese Netizen makes good on promise, rides motorcycle wearing nothing but plastic bag 【Video】

Mike
Sep 2, 2015

For reasons we will never fully appreciate or ever be able to fathom, wearing plastic convenience store bags as clothing is inexplicably trending in Taiwan right now. It appears the trend is being spurred partially by the convenience and life-hacky money-saving of cutting two leg holes in a 7-Eleven bag and wearing it around like pajamas, and partially by the fact that a lot of objectively good-looking women are posting their plastic bag-clothing photos on social media.

But until now, it seems no one really thought to actually take the style for a spin outside, until one crazed Taiwanese Netizen dared himself to ride around on a motorcycle wearing nothing but a plastic bag outfit if 10,000 people “liked” his initial comment.

Spoiler: They did.

Japan’s newest hot spring springs forth…from the center of Kobe!

Casey Baseel
Aug 27, 2015

In movies, there’s never anything good hidden in the earth under a structure. It’s all Native American burial grounds, Egyptian mummies, and other assorted other corpses of non-specific ethnicities.

In real life, though, there are all sorts of desirable things waiting beneath the surface, such as oil and gold. An excavation crew in Kobe was looking for something just as good as those two valuable commodities, though: a hot spring, and they found one right in the heart of the city.

Vampire Cafe: Over a decade of Tokyo’s best undead dining in Ginza

Preston Phro
Aug 25, 2015

As one of Tokyo’s swankiest neighborhoods, Ginza is home to numerous up-scale restaurants and cafes that will as much do damage to your wallet as fill your stomach with delicious food. From French cuisine to delicious brunch, you can find just about anything in Ginza—including a Vampire Cafe!

Though you might not expect to see many theme restaurants like this in Ginza, it turns out these bloodsuckers have been going strong for over a decade. If you’re hoping for a night of spine-tingles and blood-red everything, this is the place for you!

Cosplayers find a way to enjoy Japan’s love hotels while staying fully clothed: Photo sessions

Casey Baseel
Aug 24, 2015

Japan’s love hotels, as the name implies, are all about the loving. Not only do these short-stay accommodations provide a welcome oasis of privacy for couples that want to express their physical affection for one another, they often have elaborately decorated themed rooms to help them get in the mood.

But while most visitors to a love hotel aim to spend as little time as possible with their clothes on, one group has found a way to enjoy them while staying completely dressed: cosplay fans who’ve discovered one love hotel that makes a great photo shoot location.

A hoodie that transforms into a travel neck pillow just made our Christmas wish-list

Audrey Akcasu
Aug 24, 2015

Traveling can be brutal, whether it’s by plane, train or car. It’s so hard to find a comfy way to snooze when you’re surrounded by strangers and your neck is left unsupported, wobbling to and fro. I for one, always thought those neck pillows were silly, until I tried one, at which point I swore never to leave home without one, that is, until I realized how cumbersome they are to carry around and how ineffective the space-saving, inflatable ones are.

But never fear, fellow travelers! A Japanese clothing start-up, Monogatari Project, has come up with the perfect solution: A hoodie that can be rolled up into the perfect neck pillow.

Beaver logs, Christmas dinner, and other crazy stuff foreigners bring to Japan in their suitcases

Amy Chavez
Aug 11, 2015

These days in Japan, you can get almost anything. Nonetheless, there are still some things that remain either hard to find or unavailable at all. We asked our RocketNews24 English writers, as well as a bevy of tourists and expats, what things they’ve made a point to bring into Japan in their suitcases.

If you’re headed to Japan either for a vacation or for a longer stay, you’ll want to take a peek at what items you may want to bring with you. It’s helpful to know, for example, that if you plan on sleeping on a queen size bed in Japan, you should be prepared to bring your own linen because Japan only sells bedding sets up to a double. If it’s Skittles candy you’re addicted to, bring a stash of that too. But some people have more extravagant tastes than others, so you’ll surely find yourself saying, “You brought WHAT in your suitcase??” a few times.

Join us for some head-scratching after the jump!

The Maasai people teach us how to kill a lion, demonstrate on our writer

Mike
Aug 10, 2015

Sure, you may have killed, like, 230 lions in Skyrim and traded in their pelts for a sweet dagger and maybe a cool tricorn hat, but it’s safe to say that, in real life, you probably wouldn’t fare so well against one of nature’s most efficient predators. First, where are you going to get a sweet set of gold armor and a giant warhammer? Secondly, humankind’s fight or flight response being what it is, you’re probably far more likely to projectile urinate onto your attacker while fleeing at top speed like the damn Roadrunner or something.

No, outside of Skyrim, there is only really one group of people (that don’t routinely use high-powered, modern weapons like they’re hunting the Predator) that can actually boast of taking on lions and walking away not only alive but victorious. Lucky for us, we’re tight with these folks – the Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania – and they graciously taught us their technique, using one of our most unfortunate Japanese writing staff to demonstrate.

Ads for JR’s “Seishun 18” rail pass celebrate the isolated beauty of Japan’s most far-flung stations

Mike
Jul 30, 2015

It seems so easy to plan an entire Japan vacation around a single tour of the Tokyo metropolitan area. The mega city has just about everything a tourist could possibly want to see, from Akihabara’s blinding neon to the breathtaking skyline of Yokohama, to the quiet, old-world charm (and weird poop sculpture) of Asakusa.

But to not venture away from Tokyo, to Japan’s more far-flung and lesser-known destinations is to rob yourself of the grander Japan experience, and Japan Rail (JR) has long sought to encourage visitors, both domestic and foreign, to wander off the beaten path with the Seishun 18 unlimited rail pass. And, if the idea of unlimited access to JR’s vast and far-reaching network of tracks isn’t enough to inspire your sense of adventure on your next Japan visit, perhaps these ads for the Seishun 18 rail pass, which depict the isolated beauty of some of Japan’s most remote train stations, will be.

Collection of retro travel posters proves Japan has always been a cool place to visit 【Photos】

Casey Baseel
Jul 25, 2015

Last year, over 13 million foreign visitors took a trip to Japan. Many of the country’s best attractions, though, are actually hundreds of years old. That means that while they’ve been drawing more international travelers than ever in the 21st century, they were hardly being ignored in the 20th, as shown by this collection of retro-cool travel posters from the early and mid-1900s.

The Evangelion Shinkansen will let you ride the rails like a cool angel this fall

Casey Baseel
Jul 24, 2015

Over the past few years, we’ve seen Japan Railways, Japan’s largest rail operator, embark on a spurt of posh train building, with coaches that feature gold leaf accents, split-level suites, and relaxing foot baths. This fall, though, JR West will be launching a train that dials back the luxury while pumping up the awesomeness in the eyes of anime fans with the Evangelion Shinkansen.

The surprising name for Universal Studios Japan theme park in Okinawa leaves netizens confused

Aleisha Riboldi
Jul 23, 2015

We reported earlier this year that Universal Studios Japan (USJ) is floating the idea of opening a new theme park in Okinawa. We now know the proposed name for the new amusement park, and it has left many Japanese surprised and confused.

You see, the company plans to drop the “Universal” brand from its name, and instead the new theme park will, apparently, be called Nangoku Resort.

Does arriving in Japan meet Ashley’s expectations? Our lucky winner gets emotional

Cara Clegg
Jul 20, 2015

Ever imagined yourself stepping off the plane onto the Land of the Rising Sun for the first time? If you’ve not had the chance to experience it for yourself yet then you can do so vicariously with our competition winner Ashley in the video below. Warning: things get a little bit emotional!

Things you won’t believe Chinese tourists are buying in Japan: drugstore edition

KK Miller
Jul 15, 2015

Often when you visit another country, one thing on everyone’s to-do list is a little shopping. It’s always interesting to see what products a foreign country offers that you can’t find back home. It’s also weird and fun to see the products you are familiar with presented in a different way.

One of the main reasons Chinese tourists visit Japan is to shop. It’s not uncommon to see a Chinese visitor enter a store and drop the equivalent of hundreds of U.S. dollars – usually in cash – on seemingly everyday products like clothes or electronics, but in some cases store shelves are picked completely clean.

But what’s on these tourists’ shopping lists? Here are 11 “godly” pharmacy products that Chinese visitors simply have to buy when they visit Japan.

Test your bravery: Japanese taxi company to offer “taxi tours” of ghost spots this summer

Preston Phro
Jul 9, 2015

Japan, as we’ve noted before, is allegedly full of ghosts. Now you may or may not believe in such things, but plenty of people in Japan are sure they exist, from the ghosts of murder victims to the spirits of seafood. In fact, there are numerous shinrei (ghost/spirit) spots, where unearthly apparitions are believed to appear regularly throughout the country.

Many of these spots have been identified and information about their locations can be found online. One might assume that this is to help people avoid accidentally going to a place filled with spooks — but that’s not entirely the case! In fact, some want to go to the shinrei spots — and a new taxi tour in Yokohama will gladly to take you on the night ride of your life!

Shibuya Station 2019: one step closer to the Neo-Tokyo of our dreams

Oona McGee
Jul 6, 2015

If you’ve been to Shibuya Station recently, you’ll have seen one area in particular that’s filled with crowds, noise and trucks; and it’s not the meeting place around the famous statue of Hachiko.

It’s the massive redevelopment project currently underway to revitalise the district and deliver a completely new-looking Shibuya by 2027. Latest pictures of the next high-rise in the pipeline reveal just how amazing life in Neo-Tokyo will be.

A wild sushi chase: Our Japanese reporter tries Cuban sushi in a five-star Havana hotel

Fran W
Jul 3, 2015

“I mean, we have sushi here in Cuba, but it’s terrible. You’re better off eating it in Japan!” That was the advice our reporter Yuichiro got when, craving a taste of home, he asked a Cuban friend where he could find some tasty sushi in his home country.

But for some reason, his friend’s protestations made our intrepid reporter even more intrigued. “Looking back on it now though,” says Yuichiro, “I wish I’d quit while I was ahead…”