Wakayama (Page 2)
Many people are siding with the Mt Koya priest, who said he was frustrated by tourists who post “arrogant responses like they’re some travel pioneer”.
Let a ride on the “Medetai Train”–“Joyous Train”–lift your spirits as we soar into summer!
Sure, we all know that deceit and sabotage are the fastest ways to a woman’s heart, but this was over the line.
It’s a modern-day sheath made in honour of the samurai known as the “Crimson Demon of War”.
Ice cream taster; sleep research participant; full-time sperm donor. There are few jobs that could ever be described as truly enjoyable, but playing with an adorable panda cub is probably one of them.
A 41-year-old man was found not guilty of assault after claiming electromagnetic waves from a smartphone were stabbing his body.
The architecture in Japan tends to look pretty much the same in most neighborhoods. It’s always a mix of older, traditional homes with sloping roofs and those distinctive, old-timey shingles, which butt up against the blockier modern buildings, plus decaying shanty houses on an alarming number of corners that all look like they could come crashing down at any moment. Sure, there is the occasional bizarre Halloween village out of nowhere, and the skyscrapers and such can be cool and varied, that’s generally the pattern.
So imagine how extra disorienting it would be to stumble upon this largely unheard-of village of beautifully weird polystyrene bubble houses in the Middle of Nowhere, Japan.
There’s a pretty lengthy list of traditional seasonings Japan uses for its indigenous cuisine, including soy sauce, wasabi, and the sweet rice wine called mirin. But one condiment from overseas that the country has warmly embraced is Tabasco sauce, a dash of which is often added to pasta and pizza in casual dining.
But foodies in Japan love taking foreign foodstuffs and mixing them with a domestic element, which is why one company in Japan is now selling a Tabasco-like hot sauce you won’t find anywhere else, since it’s made with tangy plums.
It wasn’t long ago that we were wishing a happy birthday to Tama, the adorable feline that was given the title of Ultra Stationmaster by Wakayama Electric Railway. Having just turned 16 in April, Tama, who lived at Kishi Station in Wakayama Prefecture and delighted travelers on a daily basis, was incredibly young for a stationmaster.
16 is a fairly advanced age for a cat, though, and the sad news has just come that Stationmaster Tama has passed away.
It tends to be the smaller crimes that are the most baffling to understand. Fraud, murder, or theft all tend to come about from a certain human ambition for money or power. However, when a bunch of daikons go missing, how could you possibly deduce it was a middle school girl who enjoys the sounds of the radishes getting run over by cars?
In the same vein we have one arrest in Wakayama Prefecture in which a man stands accused of violating the obscene behavior clause of the prefecture’s nuisance prevention order. So, slap on your detective caps and have fun trying to come up with a motive for the case of “The Guy Who Stuck Women’s Underwear to Unknown Women’s Cars.”
Any owner of a large corporation would be proud to have someone like Tomohiro Kimura on their payroll. This selfless employee really took one for the team by getting himself arrested on 17 February in Wakayama Prefecture on suspicion of destruction of property. In doing so he helped to generate more news for his employer, Japanese media giant, Asahi Shinbun.
Needless to say, Japan has had their fill of Tsunamis. After the devastation of the 11 March Tohoku earth quake, the nation would like to give a huge FU to any future tsunami coming our way.
And so, three huge Japanese contractors are working on a special surprise for the next tsunami that tries to hit the shores of Wakayama prefecture in the form of a gigantic steel column. If successful it would be so poetically beautiful… if the Japanese only knew the beauty of the middle finger.












Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Move aside, convenience store egg sando – there’s a better version of the iconic sandwich in Japan
Almost all Japanese women say they dislike random gacha/blind-box toys in survey
Pikachu to cuddle with kimono-clad beauty on Tokyo street as part of flower art event
Police in Japan warn of scam artists posing as cops to collect fines for breaking new bike rules
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Soaking in glimmering water and the essence of prehistoric plants at a Hokkaido hot spring
Ghibli Museum store shares the task all new employees struggle with, and how to overcome it【Vid】
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
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
Japanese government wants overseas anime market to roughly triple in 10 years, but are they crazy?
Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Japanese bento shop sells croquettes for 13 cents, but are they any good?
Final version of Sanrio: Beginning of Kawaii exhibition opens in Tokyo[Photos]
Japan’s popular bead bonsai kit is as beautiful as it is gruelling to make
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
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
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
Police in Japan warn of scam artists posing as cops to collect fines for breaking new bike rules
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Soaking in glimmering water and the essence of prehistoric plants at a Hokkaido hot spring
Ghibli Museum store shares the task all new employees struggle with, and how to overcome it【Vid】
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
Bent postboxes in Taiwan are a heartwarming reminder to never give up
Draw like a Studio Ghibli anime artist with exclusive watercolour set approved by Hayao Miyazaki
Studio Ghibli unveils new Rollbahn notebook in honour of Howl’s Moving Castle
“World’s most beautiful Starbucks” gets a makeover in Japan, but is it still beautiful?
Which Japanese convenience store sells the best beef stew?【Taste test】
Japan’s popular bead bonsai kit is as beautiful as it is gruelling to make