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June, 2014 (Page 4)

Amazon Japan adds regulations for deliveries to prisons, the internet wonders why

Michelle Lynn Dinh
Jun 25, 2014
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You no longer have to bake a file in a cake to get something to your buddy in prison; it seems Amazon Japan will do the delivering for you. Sharp-eyed netizens noticed a peculiar addition to the Help Page on the popular home shopping site titled “About shipping to prisons” and it has us all wondering what events transpired to warrant the new information.

Internet, Japan
(Amazon Japan • jail • prison • shipping • wtf)

We went to the Ozashiki Cafe to see professional geisha perform — and we had an amazing time!

Kay
Jun 25, 2014

Last month, we ran a story about the Ozashiki Cafe, a one day event that would offer a unique opportunity for the Japanese public to take a look into the usually exclusive world of geisha and the traditional Japanese restaurants known as ryotei, where they perform. Much to our delight, we received comments from readers encouraging us to sign up and attend the event, so that’s exactly what we decided to do! And we were quite excited to do so too, since the average person in Japan usually doesn’t have the chance to interact with professional geisha. So, here’s our report on what we experienced at the Ozashiki Cafe, which took place at the ryotei Miyakodori in the Asakusa district of Tokyo — and we have to say, it was quite a treat to be entertained by professional geisha, even it was for just one fleeting hour!

Japan
(Asakusa • geisha • Miyakodori • Ozashiki Cafe)

Colombia beats Japan, still picks up a few Japanese supporters for its inspiring sportsmanship

Casey Baseel
Jun 25, 2014

The international nature of professional soccer makes for some uniquely compelling individual matchups at the World Cup. Since the event is only held once every four years, during the time between tournaments the members of each country’s national teams go back to playing for their respective, privately owned clubs.

It’s easy to imagine how this could make things awkward for a player who has a club teammate who’s on the roster of a different national team. One day you’re doing everything you can to beat him at the World Cup, but a few weeks later, you’re going to have to go back to working together, no matter how bitterly contested your match in Brazil was.

Sometimes, though, the opposite happens, and these personal connections bring a little extra sportsmanship to the World Cup, like what happened between Japanese defender Yuto Nagatomo and Colombian midfielder Fredy Guarin.

Japan, S America
(Fredy Guarin • moving • soccer • sports • World Cup)

Guess what’s back, back again. Isopod case is back, tell your friends! Comes in gold…!

KK Miller
Jun 25, 2014

What’s popular in Japan? You probably wouldn’t be able to guess. Take Nameko for example. They are mushroom characters that are actually quite cute, but you end up not being able to look at real mushrooms the same again. There are also Mameshiba which are a series of bean characters meant to look like dogs. One of the biggest crazes sweeping the nation right now is Funassyi: a mascot character based on a pear that jumps, wiggles and screams. The Japanese love it!

So it’s really no surprise that a giant isopod cell phone case was made, completely sold out, gained a cult following and people demanded more of them. The prayers of those die-hard fans have been answered and the giant isopod iPhone case has returned and better yet, it now comes in a stunning gold color!

Japan
(giant isopod • gold version • iPhone case • weird)

A Dragon Quest slime glass draws near! What will you drink?

Casey Baseel
Jun 25, 2014

Even though Dragon Quest has been one of Japan’s most popular video game franchises since its start in 1986, it doesn’t really have an iconic hero. Like many long-running role-playing game series, each installment brings in a fresh cast of characters, and despite the name, Dragon Quest doesn’t have an instantly recognizable recurring dragon, either.

Instead, the face of the franchise is the lowly slime, ordinarily the very first enemy the player encounters. The monster shows up in each and every Dragon Quest game, and now, it’s ready to show up in your kitchen, too, with this wobbling slime drinking glass.

Japan
(Dragon Quest • Square Enix • toys • video games)

Retired soldier and his wife finally get their wedding photos taken after 68 years!

Joan Coello
Jun 25, 2014

These days, many engaged couples usually choose their gowns and suits, and take a beautiful set of pre-wedding photos before solemnizing their marriage during their wedding ceremonies. In the past, however, not many couples had the privilege of having lavish weddings.

An elderly couple in Hunan Province, China, have been married since 1946, but it is only now, 68 years later, that they put on their wedding dress and tuxedo for the first time!

China
(family • heartwarming • love • marriage • photography • Wedding)

16 photos that show why Singapore has the world’s best airline

BUSINESS INSIDER
Jun 25, 2014

Singapore Airlines took the top spot on our list of the Best Airlines In The World.

The list ranked the best major international airlines for flying economy class, based on two categories: the quality of the in-flight experience and the on-time delays.

Last year, I flew economy class from New York City to Singapore (with a stop in Frankfurt) on Singapore Airlines, and saw for myself why the airline gets rave reviews.

SE Asia
(airlines • photos • Singapore Airlines • travel)

Life-size Thomas the Tank Engine begins running on Japanese railroad

Casey Baseel
Jun 25, 2014

Japan is a country that loves its trains. For many rail enthusiasts, there’s nothing better than a getaway to one of the rural parts of the country to ride on and snap pictures of unique trains running through beautiful countryside scenery.

Some localities even drum up tourism by keeping old-fashioned steam locomotives in service, which are always a big draw. This summer, though, Shizuoka Prefecture’s Oigawa Line is going a step further by dressing up one of its trains as Thomas the Tank Engine.

Japan
(Thomas the Tank Engine • toys • trains)

We test our iPhone’s new protective sheet against the legendary sword Excalibur

Casey Baseel
Jun 25, 2014

The touchscreen is both the greatest and most annoying part of a smartphone. On the plus side, you’ve got clear images, vibrant colors, and the simplicity that comes from bypassing a bunch of buttons and menus. At the same time, though, you’ve also got to deal with unsightly scratches and cracks.

We recently heard about a new protective sheet that’s supposed to be able to withstand almost any kid of abuse, so we put it to the test against a variety of damaging instruments including what one shopkeeper told us was the legendary sword Excalibur.

Japan
(Apple • iPhone • Mr. Sato • phones • technology)

Japanese girls are not just skinny any more!? Chubby girls are in!

Tokyo Girls' Update
Jun 25, 2014

Naomi Watanabe, a famous female comedian, has started a fashion brand for plus-sized girls named “PUNYUS”. PUNYUS has been in the spotlight since the brand launched this spring, because it is part of a new trend to focus on chubby girls, and also it is remarkable for a comedian to produce a fashion brand compared to the many slender fashion models that have their own brands.

Japan
(chubby • fashion • style • Tokyo • Tokyo Girls' Update)

Need a change of scenery? 3 Japanese cities now rank in list of world’s most livable cities

KK Miller
Jun 24, 2014

Everything has been coming up Tokyo lately. Recently ranked no. 1 on a Trip Advisor survey, Japan’s capital city has now come in at No. 2 on Monocle’s list of most livable cities for 2014. That’s two positions up from their ranking last year!

Cities across the world were ranked based on criteria such as economics, society, functionality, as well as ease of everyday living and happiness of people. But it’s not just Tokyo that’s feeling the love recently – two more Japanese cities made it onto the list of great places to live!

Global, Japan
(Fukuoka • Kyoto • list • Monocle • most livable cities • Tokyo)

“Be a blank slate”: The way to get hired in Japan?

Fran W
Jun 24, 2014

As far as things not to say in an interview go, you’d think it’d be pretty high up on the list. But the young Japanese university student, rejected by all the other companies he’d applied to, was prepared to take the risk. “This company is the only option I have left,” he pleaded with the interviewer. “I’ll do anything!” An unusual strategy, certainly. But he got the job.

Japanese site Niconico News reports that the man is now entering his ninth year of employment with the company, so it seems the gamble paid off. But is the company’s positive reaction so unusual? Some Japanese employability experts are arguing that, for many companies, the ideal graduate recruit is a “hakushi” – a blank page that the company can do what they want with. When companies train new recruits extensively, an across-the-board willingness to learn is valued more than previous experience.

Japan
(employment • graduates • job hunting • shukatsu • university)

Lucky #18! Japan gets another UNESCO World Heritage site

KK Miller
Jun 24, 2014

Japanese people love visiting UNESCO World Heritage sites. Good thing there are plenty of sites in Japan for people to pilgrimage to–17 before this week started. With the addition of Mt. Fuji in 2013, World Heritage site “completionists” finally had a new location to travel to after two years of waiting.

Well, the list just got a little bit longer, as another site has officially been added to bring Japan’s UNESCO sites to a total of 18. Pack your bags, we’re heading to Gunma!

Japan
(Gunma • silk • silk worms • souvenirs • Tomioka Silk Mill • World Heritage site)

Poll reveals fans’ top ranking Gundam series

Anime News Network
Jun 24, 2014

One of the most legendary and enduring anime franchises of all time is the quintessential mecha franchise Mobile Suit Gundam. But which entry to the franchise is really the greatest of all? Fan informational site Akiba Souken recently ran a two week poll from June 6 to June 18, gathering votes from 3,025 participants to decide once and for all which series, OVA, or movie is really the fan-favorite Gundam work, the top of which are as follow:

Internet, Japan
(anime • Anime News Network • Gundam • ranking)

“I’ve fallen for a video game otaku–what should I do?” Woman appeals to internet for advice

Krista Rogers
Jun 24, 2014

One presumably hot day not that long ago, a young Japanese woman sat down at her computer, logged onto a website dedicated to giving advice to women, and sent out a request for help: “I’ve fallen for a video game otaku. How can I get close to him?”

The first-year university student had developed a crush on her classmate, who always seemed to be alone and playing video games. She wanted to know how to best approach him, so she took her inquiry online. It was soon met by a flood of diverging responses, from the straightforward to some shocking advice.

Read on to see what kinds of pointers they gave her, and whether you agree with them or not.

Internet, Japan
(advice • gamer • internet • love • problems)

The Marathon Monks of Mt. Hiei: Better than Olympic athletes?【Part II】

Amy Chavez
Jun 24, 2014

In the previous article The Marathon Monks of Mt. Hiei: Better than Olympic Athletes? Part I, I explain the sennichi kaihogyo, or 1,000 Day Challenge, in which the Tendai Buddhist monks of Mt. Hiei, sometimes referred to as the “marathon monks,” walk the equivalent of one time around the earth–at the end of which they become living Buddhas.

In Part II, I trace the monks’ steps on the 30 km pilgrimage route, or gyoja michi, which passes through the sacred mountains and forests near the temple complex of Enryakuji. It’s a rigorous course that winds through the mountains, down into the town of Sakamoto, taking them past more than 250 spiritual places. This is the route they circumambulate for days on end over a seven-year period. For tips on the meaning behind the route, be sure to read Part I before continuing!

Rather than walking the course, I decided to run it. Running pilgrimages is a hobby of mine and I find it is a great way to combine the physical with the metaphysical. It brings joy to my runs and this fulfillment keeps the challenge. If you’re a skier, you’re always looking for more mountains. Sky divers jump at different locations. Runners look for new paths and new trails give running purpose. Leave it to your RocketNews24 running reporter to tackle the famed gyoja michi and reveal its intricacies.

I figured that running the 30-km course through the mountains would take the better part of a day. There is no map and from what I have read, Mt. Hiei can be fickle weather-wise. It has snow much of the winter and spring and there are bears. In June, when the weather was perfect, I set out with a small backpack fitted with a water bladder, some medical accoutrements and an extra pair of socks inside (for those inevitable foot and toe problems), plus an ultra light sleeping bag, just in case I got lost and had to spend the night in the forest (been there, done that!).

Japan
(Buddhism • marathon monks • Mt. Hiei • pilgrimage • running • sennichi kaihogyo)

Bandai to release super-mega-retro-robot made up of Doraemon and friends

Cara Clegg
Jun 24, 2014

Some of Japan’s most famous characters created by legendary manga-ka Fujiko F Fujio have been turned into robots by Bandai, which can then be combined to create an even more epicly-super-cool robot of retro awesomeness!

Japan
(anime • Bandai • Chogokin • Doraemon • figure • manga • robot • toys)

Visiting Taiwan’s cat village, where the cats are ready for cuddles!【Photos】

Preston Phro
Jun 24, 2014

So, do you like cats? Okay, that’s a silly question–of course you like cats. But how much do you like cats? Are you a one-cat-in-my-lap kind of person or are you a CATS-ON-ALL-THE-THINGS kind of person? Hopefully you’re more the latter than the former, because where we’re going today, there’s just about nothing but cats. And cat butts.

Taking a small jaunt out of Japan, we’ll be heading down to Houtong in Taiwan, a village with over 100 incredibly photogenic cats–and a major tourist destination for locals and travelers alike!

Taiwan
(cat village • cats • Houtong • kitties • nyanko)

The konami code makes Twitter flip the bird!

Fran W
Jun 24, 2014

It’s the ultimate easter egg, the key to secret funny effects on all kinds of websites. The konami code, entered by pressing the sequence up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-B-A, works on Twitter!

The code, which originated in video games from Japanese publisher Konami, and is called the konami komando (“konami command”) in Japanese. Twitter user @konosuke recently posted that, perusing the site’s JavaScript, he had discovered a piece of code in there that read “konami_watcher”. Intrigued, he punched in the magic code on Twitter’s timeline page and … something surprising happened! Join us after the jump for a look at Twitter’s new flippy bird!

Internet
(cheat • easter eggs • konami code • logo • twitter)

The beautiful flowers of Hydrangea Temple: Possibly the best thing about Japan’s rainy season

Casey Baseel
Jun 24, 2014

As much as I look forward to summer every year, I’ll admit it can be a little hard getting excited about the early part of the season in Japan. The humidity rises, mosquitos come out in force (although we’ve got a secret trick for dealing with them), and the weather is rainy enough that going almost a week without seeing the sun isn’t that unusual.

Still, there’s at least one nice part about June in Japan, which is the blooming of the hydrangeas. The bundles of blossoms are blooming right now, and if you’re in the Tokyo area, there’s no better place to see them than at Meigetsuin Temple in Kamakura.