vehicles
Although the results are an improvement on previous years, a worrying number of drivers aren’t stopping at pedestrian crossings.
A new 63-page encyclopedic picture book provides a great reference to the whimsical rides of Studio Ghibli films.
A boat-inspired vehicle and a three-wheeler with built-in protection from the elements have been created in conjunction with a respected Japanese architect.
In the US, you don’t see a whole lot of people putting around on tiny scooters very often. The long highway commutes and high speed limits make your standard Vespa types pretty impractical for all but the most dedicated of Williamsburg hipsters.
It’s another story in Japan, though, where road commutes are comparatively shorter and speed limits within the city are only a little faster than a light jog anyway. Scooters are a common sight and come in tons of varieties, with two of Japan’s two-wheeled vehicle heavyweights, Suzuki and Yamaha, neck and neck for market share.
But it turns out that the two companies’ nearly identical scooter designs take a remarkably different tack when it comes to storage space. Tennis enthusiasts, especially, may want to take note:
Starting soon, you’ll be able to make the journey from Fukuoka to Tokyo with about as much style as you can get while riding an excruciatingly long night bus.
The Nisshi Nippon Railroad Co., which confusingly also apparently operates a bus line or two, says it will be installing the new “Premium Seats” on a very small selection of its newest buses. While we’ll admit there’s nothing all that luxurious about a bus seat, no matter how far the seat reclines and how fancy the amenities, this one comes with a pretty extensive list of perks:
Toyota Motor Corporation’s sleek and compact vehicle shows off its moves in a new promotional video after successful public trials in Tokyo. Watch these cute and colorful little vehicles whizz past the city’s landmarks and glide around corners while leaning at an incredible angle.
“It just goes to show that we really do live in a peaceful country.”
A quote from an internet user sums up the mood perfectly after Japan’s Self Defence Forces unveil a unique attack helicopter covered with manga-influenced designs and colours.
Presented as part of an air show in Chiba prefecture last weekend, the quirky new helicopter quickly stole the show, with hundreds of people taking photos and video to share on the internet.
Whether we’d ever see a helicopter like this fly into battle or not, there’s no denying that it has an awful lot of charm.












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Body of missing American college student found in Kyoto mountains
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Colour Hunting: The hot new street photography trend changing how we see Japan
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Uniqlo reveals third round of massive 100-year-anniversary manga T-shirts for Jump’s Shueisha
Kyoto public junior high school becomes first in Japan with a hoodie school uniform
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Starbucks Japan unveils new Frappuccino showcasing “mottainai” culture
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Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
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We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
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Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
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Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
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Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Ghibli’s No Face continues to demonstrate his generous character growth by dispensing soy sauce
Japan’s cheap beef bowl chain Matsuya opens gourmet Premium Matsuya with Kobe beef…inside Matsuya
Fukushima City on edge as resourceful and violent bear still not found
Japanese convenience store shows us how to dress for the rainy season
Lawson opens a new mini supermarket, and the lucky bags can essentially stock your kitchen
Japan Railways partners with Overwatch, heroes hit the Shinkansen for bullet train collaboration
Uniqlo reveals third round of massive 100-year-anniversary manga T-shirts for Jump’s Shueisha
What’s it like to join Tokyo’s walking-and-talking-with-strangers club for a day?
Osaka is hosting a “hentai” event, but it’s probably not what you think
Starbucks Japan unveils new Frappuccino showcasing “mottainai” culture
Studio Ghibli adds new range of neckties to its anime merchandise store in Japan
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Japanese high school closes its cafeteria, replaces it with a 7-Eleven convenience store
Tokyo’s Pokémon Cafe reopens this month with brand-new sweets and Pikachu show