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.












Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
Japanese criminals are now using crabs to hunt for burglary targets
Does one of Japan’s favorite chocolate brands work with the Pringles chocolate hack?
A letter from our reporter’s deceased mother arrives at just the right time
Final Fantasy VII’s Tifa’s bar pops up in real-world Tokyo, and we stop by for drinks[Photos]
Nintendo’s Super Mario throws out first pitch at professional baseball game in Japan[Video]
Is Mister Donut’s all-you-can-eat Donut Buffet still worth it?
Woman in Japan breaks into home of complete stranger just to slap him in the face
Looney Tunes is now an adorable anime series with Looney Tunes Gokko[Videos]
Squeezy Tanuki Testicle toys once again appear in Japanese gacha machines
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Studio Ghibli releases crystal glass paperweights featuring Totoro and the Catbus
Japanese hair salons going bankrupt in record numbers
Samurai Coffee: Try Edo period coffee once enjoyed by Japanese warriors
Studio Ghibli releases new anime keychains that are like miniature figurines
Sega opening 65th anniversary store in downtotn Tokyo with deep-cut game merch
Retro-style Evangelion T-shirts coming to Uniqlo sister brand GU[Photos]
Viral tweet suggests Japanese convenience store ripping off customers with donuts, so we investigate
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
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
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
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
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
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
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
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Nintendo’s Super Mario throws out first pitch at professional baseball game in Japan[Video]
Is Mister Donut’s all-you-can-eat Donut Buffet still worth it?
Woman in Japan breaks into home of complete stranger just to slap him in the face
Looney Tunes is now an adorable anime series with Looney Tunes Gokko[Videos]
Squeezy Tanuki Testicle toys once again appear in Japanese gacha machines
This historical Kyoto zen garden is hosting a guitar and beatbox concert
Japan’s rice warehouse stockpile rate hits record high as consumers, restaurants reject high prices
Retro-style Evangelion T-shirts coming to Uniqlo sister brand GU[Photos]
Studio Ghibli releases new anime keychains that are like miniature figurines
Japanese Pokémon card shop grabs scissors as part of its plan to keep scalpers away
Holy Fungus Mud Volleyball is Japan’s most filthily beautifying bacteria event of the summer!
We turn to a shady Amazon Japan gadget to try to stop Tokyo crows from stealing our hangers
Japanese hair salons going bankrupt in record numbers
Samurai Coffee: Try Edo period coffee once enjoyed by Japanese warriors