SoraNews24 —Japan News—

Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.

Featured

Weird
Studio Ghibli
Jobs

Joan Coello

Native to the sweltering lands of Singapore, Joan spent a substantial amount of her teenage years gnawing through translated versions of Japanese manga and dubbed anime. Picking up the language sparked off something in her to abandon years of education and experience in design to pursue a career in translation instead. After spending a couple of years localizing Japanese product packaging and mobile games for the English-speaking population, Joan gave in to her longing for the magical land of Japan and leapt into the arms of Tokyo (missing by a bit and landing in Kanagawa prefecture). In her free time, she continues to nibble on Japanese manga and anime, now savoring them in full authentic flavor.

RSS

Posted by Joan Coello (Page 9)

Mysterious Santa puts smiles on childrens’ faces with a generous gift of 3,000 books!

Joan Coello
Dec 13, 2013
Tweet

Christmas is just around the corner, and ’tis the season to be giving! While some of us have yet to even start on our Christmas shopping, an anonymous Santa has already presented three schools in Hokkaido, Japan, with a whopping gift of over 3,000 books in total!

Japan
(children's books • Hokkaido • library • Santa • surprise)

Five awesome hot springs in Taiwan (one of them has been on fire for 300 years!)

Joan Coello
Dec 13, 2013

Japan is famous for being an onsen (hot spring) nation, so much so that a friend of mine preaches that “if you’ve never been to an onsen, then you’ve never been to Japan”. Quite the extremist, but you get the idea. Japanese hot springs come pretty close to “heaven on earth”.

But Japan’s neighboring country, Taiwan, also has some fabulous hot springs to boot! The fact that there are onsen-loving Japanese people who travel to Taiwan for a soak is sufficient to vouch for the quality of these bubbling hot baths. Here’s a list of five onsen hot spots you wouldn’t want to miss on your trip to Taiwan!

Taiwan
(culture • hot springs • nature • onsen • Public bathing • travel)

Men’s butts are shaped like green peppers, according to this butt illustration guide

Joan Coello
Dec 11, 2013

If the Fujoshi’s Guide to Japanese was not enough to convince you that the fujoshi (girls who are fans of homoerotic fiction) community is an undeniable market, this illustration guide book that explains how to draw men’s hips should be convincing enough! Released on 7 December, it took merely three days to climb to the top of Amazon’s sale rankings in the illustration book category.

You might be thinking, “drawing men’s hips doesn’t mean it’s homoerotic”, but just wait till you see the illustrations inside…

Japan
(anime & manga • art • boys love • butts • fujoshi • illustration)

10 Japanese foods you can make at home!

Joan Coello
Dec 10, 2013

If you’ve noticed, many of our writers here at Rocketnews24 have crossed the seas to make Japan their second home. Sure, we love the local flavor, but sometimes we just crave a solid meal that smells of our hometown. The same goes for Japanese nationals living abroad.

Even though Japanese cuisine has more or less infiltrated most of the major cities worldwide, domestic foodstuffs and condiments still remain mostly inaccessible and rare in most countries. Japanese blogger Madame Riri shares a list of 10 Japanese foods that can be made at home, no matter where that may be! We’d like to call it the lifesaver list for Japanese abroad, or the inspiration list for non-Japanese who would love an authentic taste of Japan in their own kitchen!

Japan
(food • home cooking • Japanese food • living abroad • recipes)

If Batman played golf, this would be his ride

Joan Coello
Dec 9, 2013

Even superheroes need a break from saving the world once in a while. This awesome ride may be made by a Batman fan, but if the creators at DC Comics ever drew the Dark Knight partaking in some sort of recreation on his day off, golf does seem like the perfect hobby for Bruce Wayne.

But just look at the quality and detail in this fan-made cart! No wonder it caught the attention of so many Japanese netizens this past weekend.

Internet
(Batman • Batmobile • cool • customization • Golf)

Taiwan’s annual IT show lasts a whole month! Booth babes galore! 【Photos】

Joan Coello
Dec 8, 2013

It’s IT Month in Taiwan right now, and the annual IT trade show just made its stop at the Taipei World Trade Center this week, boasting 350 exhibitors rolling out 1,765 booths showing off the shiniest tech-gadgets in town.

Sure, it’s nice to be in touch with the latest technology trends and stuff, but it’s even better when cute peachy girls are involved in the process, ain’t it! Who’s with me?

Taiwan
(booth babes • cute girls • expo • IT show • technology)

Fast and easy toilet break health check that might save your life

Joan Coello
Dec 8, 2013

This is totally random, but if anyone ever told you that their pee is purple, they’re outright liars. According to the medical experts at the Cleveland Clinic, it’s possible to have reddish, brownish or even green pee (though neither of these are healthy pee colors), but nope, definitely not purple.

Also, did we mention that the hue of your piddle actually gives you a hint on your current health condition? Here’s a super easy health check that will cost you no money, and barely any time. So go ahead and empty your bladder, then check against the color guide after the jump!

Global, USA
(health • Healthcare • pee • science)

We made monjayaki with a Pon de Monja doughnut!

Joan Coello
Dec 6, 2013

Yesterday, we wrote about Mister Donut’s new Pon de Umaimon series, which are basically savory varieties of the doughnut ring leader’s signature product, the Pon de Ring. Speaking of savory doughnuts, some genius in the office thought, why not go all the way with it! So we attempted the ironic stunt of making a monjayaki with a monjayaki flavored doughnut to see if it blends in with the real deal.

Monjayaki is a Kanto dish, so we had our very own Tokyo native, Mr. Hatori, work the monja magic for us!

Japan
(Doughnut • food • Mister Donut • monjayaki • Mr. Hatori • Tokyo)

Keep your tea warm with Thermos ala Japanese style!

Joan Coello
Dec 5, 2013

Winter is closing in on Japan, with recent temperatures dropping as low as three degrees Celsius in central Tokyo. When it comes to keeping food and beverages warm on a day out, the all-familiar Thermos brand comes to mind.

The globally famous makers of possibly the best vacuum flasks in the world have been keeping our soups and coffees warm for more than a century, but this year, their Japanese counterparts are taking a step further to warm the hearts and drinks of the locals in the style of a Japanese teacup!

Japan
(cool • tea • teacup • thermos • winter)

The legendary “pet bird” ice cream now comes sandwiched between pancakes!

Joan Coello
Dec 5, 2013

A couple of months ago, we shared an article on “pet bird” flavored ice creams produced by the bird-loving folks at Torimi Cafe. Now we get to enjoy the bird-inspired frozen treats in the form of Doraemon’s favorite snack!

Japan
(bird • dorayaki • food • ice cream • Torimi Cafe)

Watch China’s fastest dishwasher clean 50 plates in 10 seconds!【Video】

Joan Coello
Nov 24, 2013

How long do you spend doing the dishes? It would probably take a good 10 to 15 minutes to wash up after dinner for a regular-sized family. Or perhaps you have a fancy dishwasher that takes care of the job for you. But can your shiny machine clean 50 plates in 10 seconds? This man can! Witness his crazy skills after the break!

China
(dishes • dishwashing • speed • video • wtf • YouTube)

Tiger in park causes scare in Korea

Joan Coello
Nov 24, 2013

We all know the police face dangerous situations chasing armed criminals and speeding vehicles, but sometimes, the dangerous opponents they face are barely even human.

Recently, the police in Busan, Korea, received a call reporting sightings of a tiger in a park. It’s common knowledge that tigers are ferocious animals, so the police rushed to the scene at once. But a twist of events left them in a very awkward situation.

Korea
(funny • police report • tiger)

Japanese students get people dancing to AKB48 all over Singapore【Video】

Joan Coello
Nov 22, 2013

If you were out and about one day and a foreign student randomly came up to you and asked you to dance to some Japanese pop song you’d never heard in your life, would you do it?

Four exchange students from Japan managed to get hundreds of people in Singapore, locals and tourists included, dancing to the catchy tune of Japanese idol group AKB48’s Koi Suru Fortune Cookie in various public places such as tourist spots and popular food establishments. If you’re planning a trip to Singapore, or have never heard of this tropical getaway, this informative video is a must-watch!

Japan, SE Asia
(AKB48 • dancing • Singapore • tourism • travel • YouTube)

Do you have the guts for sushi?

Joan Coello
Nov 8, 2013

Ask a Westerner what their favorite Japanese food is and there’s a high chance that the answer will be sushi. The widespread popularity of the delicately crafted delicacy has made it almost synonymous with the word “Japan”, even though there now exist dozens of different varieties made by people from all over the world.

Many of you reading this will have had sushi, some of you might even love it more than your mom’s cooking, but even so, that doesn’t guarantee that you have the guts for sushi. We’re not talking about the courage needed to put raw fish in your mouth, but rather, the genes required to properly digest seaweed.

Confused? Here’s the science behind it.

Global
(bacteria • enzymes • science • seaweed • sushi)

Meet The Beetyu, Volkswagen’s one-of-a-kind bathtub Beetle

Joan Coello
Nov 6, 2013

The Volkswagen Beetle (often known as the Bug in the US) has been around since the 1930s, and is adored worldwide for its simplistic and cute rounded design. Though the German automobile has evolved over the years, it still keeps the characteristic bug-like shape that everyone recognizes at a glance.

But will you still be able to recognize a Beetle on the road if it had a Japanese bathtub in its backseat? We’re not kidding, the Beetle makers in Japan really did make such a car!

Japan
(bath • car • cool • dream come true • The Beetle • Volkswagen)

Don’t like to be stared at while you eat? Have a toilet meal!

Joan Coello
Nov 1, 2013

What do you do in the toilet? Of course, we don’t mean the obvious “business”, but things that people usually do out of the restroom. Reading, for example. And with media and entertainment made accessible with smartphones and tablets, many of us surf the internet, watch YouTube videos, or play mobile games while on the toilet. A minority of Japanese practice benjo-meshi, literally translated as “toilet meal”.

As the name suggests, it means to have a meal in the bathroom. We always thought benjo-meshi was something unique to Japan, but apparently not! We found evidence of some westerners having meals on their toilets too!

Global
(bullying • dining • toilet • wtf)

Was iOS 7 created in Microsoft Word? Czech expert makes us believe so【Video】

Joan Coello
Oct 28, 2013

Since its release in 2007, the iPhone has taken the world by storm, garnering a massive following thanks to its simplistic design and sleek interface. Along with the gradual changes of its appearance, its operating system, iOS, has also made subtle changes with each update since the first version.

iOS 7, which was rolled out a couple of months ago, surprised users with a revamped look and feel which seemed to challenge the limits of simplicity with a flat user interface and bold colors. Doing away with excessive ornamentation, the explicitly simple design set some people thinking, was iOS 7 created in Microsoft Word? Václav Krejčí from the Czech Republic worked his magical skills with the word processing software to create an image replica of unbelievable quality, and you should really see it with your own eyes.

Internet
(cool • iOS 7 • Microsoft • technology • video • YouTube)

Nintendo out to squeeze our wallets dry with orange and turqoise 3DS LL Limited Packs

Joan Coello
Oct 24, 2013

Nintendo Japan recently announced the release of two shiny new limited colors for the 3DS LL (XL in the West) – “Orange x Black” and “Turquoise x Black“, set to hit stores in Japan on 28 November.

On top of that, a special tie-up edition with The Legend of Zelda is also in the works, to be launched on 26 December.

Japan
(3DS LL • Legend of Zelda • limited edition • nintendo)

Snoopy & Woodstock join the party at Mister Donut Japan this Christmas

Joan Coello
Oct 24, 2013

The Japanese have a strange love for sinking their teeth into their favorite characters. We’ve seen Rilakkuma cakes and Hello Kitty doughnuts, next in line appears to be good-old Snoopy and his little yellow friend, Woodstock.

Mister Donut (or Misdo for short), the confectionary maker who brought us the jack-o’-lantern Hello Kitty doughnuts for Halloween, is already in the midst of preparing for the Christmas season, and boy does it look tasty!

Japan
(Christmas • doughnuts • food • Mister Donut • Snoopy)

World-famous Japanese cat Maru gets a new pal, learns a cool new tail trick 【Video】

Joan Coello
Oct 18, 2013

You might be thinking we’ve been posting an awful lot of articles about cats recently, from stories about cat islands to black-cat cafés, and even one about wearable cats, but here’s one more to end the week with, because they told us to publish it and we’re too scared to disobey.

It would seem that Maru, possibly the most famous cat on YouTube right now, not only has a new friend to play with, but he’s found a novel use for his fluffy tail…