Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
virtual reality (Page 5)
Samsung and Facebook’s Oculus VR unit are working together to create a virtual reality device powered by Samsung’s Galaxy S5 line of phones, Engadget reports. You literally plug your phone into the headset and you’re inside a “shockingly good” virtual world, the site reports.
Few people know this about me, but on top of being a huge video game nerd, I’m also both a part-time eco warrior and a big fan of the Tiny House movement, which is all about simple living and not destroying the environment for the sake of building a McMansion. I’ll happily spend a full evening watching video tours of micro homes or looking at floor plans while sketching out my own future home. But no amount of doodles can compare to actually visiting a property in person and snooping around.
Japanese home builder Daiwa House, too, knows the importance of giving potential home builders a chance to experience their residences in person, and is about to launch a special “Try Lab” showroom that invites visitors to slip on a virtual reality headset and wander around inside their new house, whether tiny or huge, and really get a feel for the place before giving the architect the final nod.
Sony Computer Entertainment has just lifted the lid on brand new hardware at GDC 2014 in San Francisco: its own virtual reality headset for PlayStation 4, codenamed Project Morpheus.
Maybe, along with the drive to to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before, we also want to explore our minds and consciousness. And maybe inevitably that sometimes comes out to be inventing new ways to mess with our own heads. And so, the eggheads at Riken Research have developed the “Substitutional Reality System“. Read More
Tokyo government organizes food truck event to clear out delinquent/homeless teen gathering area
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
This Japanese vending machine doesn’t sell drinks, but you can buy drinks through it
Universal Studios’ Sailor Moon theme park attraction is finally coming to America
Pizza Hut Japan’s new ie-kei ramen pizza is here and weird, but is it tasty too? [Taste test]
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Sega’s Like a Dragon yakuza teaches “useless” English, let’s use it to learn some useful Japanese
The old-school awesomeness of the New Akao, a Showa-era hot spring hotel still standing tall
Daiso’s 100-yen ramen egg makers even better in smaller sizes
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime characterJapanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Studio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in JapanStarbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Virtual idol Hatsune Miku redesigned with look that adds new elements and brings back old ones
The next time you’re feeling stressed out, you could relax on a Pokémon Psyduck chair from Japan
Cherry blossoms begin blooming in Japan with record-early starts for sakura season
Komachi Shokudo: Japanese mum’s-style cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Tokyo
The top 10 graduation songs in Japan as chosen by current Japanese high school students
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in TokyoStudio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to localsNine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Japan’s cherry blossom season predicted to start earlier than we’d thought, especially in TokyoJapanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping listStudio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
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
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
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
Pizza Hut Japan’s new ie-kei ramen pizza is here and weird, but is it tasty too? [Taste test]
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Sega’s Like a Dragon yakuza teaches “useless” English, let’s use it to learn some useful Japanese
The old-school awesomeness of the New Akao, a Showa-era hot spring hotel still standing tall
Daiso’s 100-yen ramen egg makers even better in smaller sizes
Peko-chan Milky Time Cafe opens in Chiba and we go to check out all of the pastries and merch
Kyoto’s “ikezu” culture of backhanded compliments explained in hilarious souvenir sticker series
Japanese police make first-ever YouTuber arrest for uploading video game gameplay videos
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
What’s the deal with akebi, the perfectly purple, alien-like fruit that’s in season now in Japan?
Are Japanese convenience store sandwiches scamming us with their fillings?
Living next door to a stalker: Our Japanese reporter recounts the time her neighbour stalked her
Looking for a job in Japan? Now you can work in the world of anime at the Ghibli Museum!
We followed Tokyo’s mystery walking map and ended up creating our own bar-hopping adventure