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Krista Rogers

Starting with a love of J-Pop and J-dramas when she was 13, Krista Rogers has left her quiet New England hometown in the States both to study abroad in Tokyo and to work on the JET Program in beautiful Yamagata prefecture. She misses chatting in the local dialect and staging Kamehameha battles in the hallway with her students. Although she's currently working on her master's degree in Boston, she will without a doubt be back in Japan before long and buying way too much at Book-Off and Tower Records again. When she needs a break from schoolwork, Krista enjoys eating yakiniku, figure skating, finding cute cafes, watching Big Bang MVs, and continuing on her quest to catch 'em all.

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Posted by Krista Rogers (Page 15)

How do other flavors of ice cream rice compare to Meiji’s matcha ice cream rice recipe?

Krista Rogers
Dec 20, 2023
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Sometimes we just don’t know when to quit in the name of strange cooking experiments.

Japan
(caramel • cooking • experiment • ice cream • Meiji • rice • rice cooker • takikomigohan • taste test • vanilla)

We get our paws on all 50 Hello Kitty Happy Meal toys at McDonald’s Japan!

Krista Rogers
Dec 18, 2023

Our reporter also spotlights some of her favorites from across the kawaii eras of Hello Kitty, whose 50th anniversary celebration is next year.

Japan
(50th • collaboration • Happy Meal • Hello Kitty • Kitty-chan • McDonald's • Ninoude Punico • plushie • toy)

Wear your love for Nissin Donbei noodle bowls on your bag with these cute mini charms

Krista Rogers
Dec 13, 2023

Udon or soba, kitsune or tempura…you can’t go wrong with any of these noodles.

Japan
(Bandai Namco • capsule toy • cup noodles • Donbei • food • gachapon • gashapon • Nissin • Noodles • soba • udon)

Shoe brand Clarks Torhill teams up with Pokémon for the nostalgic starter shoes of your choice

Krista Rogers
Dec 12, 2023

We humbly suggest that the catchphrase of the line be “I choose you, Pokémon shoe!”

Japan
(90s • Clarks Torhill • collaboration • fashion • Pokemon • shoes • sneakers)

We visited the southernmost and westernmost convenience stores in all of Japan…or so we thought

Krista Rogers
Dec 5, 2023

We tried so hard and got so far, but in the end…it turned out to be a disaster.

Japan
(COK • convenience store • fail • Family mart • food • Ishigaki Island • konbini • Okinawa • SNJO • southwestern • travel • Yaeyama Islands)

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba VR roller coaster ride and more return to USJ early next year

Krista Rogers
Dec 5, 2023

Missed the AR attraction the first time around? Now you’ll have another chance to “Set your heart ablaze”!

Japan
(attraction • Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba • Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train • limited time • Osaka • return • revival • ride • roller coaster • USJ • VR)

The time P.K. flatly refused a request from his deceased best friend’s mom at their first meeting

Krista Rogers
Nov 28, 2023

A long-buried memory recently resurfaced during our Japanese-language reporter’s annual memorial trip–and he still doesn’t know how to feel about it.

Japan
(COK • funny • karaoke • moving • P.K. Sanjun • SNJO • touching)

Kyoto hotel OMO5 Kyoto Gion offers Yojiya cosmetics Pretty Girl Room Stay for New Year’s season

Krista Rogers
Nov 27, 2023

OMO5 Kyoto Gion by Hoshino Resorts partners with Kyoto cosmetics brand Yojiya for Fresh Beginnings in Kyoto Pretty Girl themed rooms.

Japan
(accomodation • COK • cosmetics • culture • Hoshino Resort • hotels • Kyoto • OMO5 Kyoto Gion • travel • winter • Yojiya)

Mr. Sato nets himself a uniquely fishy souvenir inside of Tokyo’s major travel hub

Krista Rogers
Nov 21, 2023

You, too, may be able to get your hands on this “Tuna King” when you pass through Tokyo Station.

Japan
(fish • maguro • Mr. Sato • store • Tokyo Station • Tsukiji Kiyomura • tuna • Tuna King)

Survey reveals surprising age trend among paid subscribers of electronic comics in Japan

Krista Rogers
Nov 20, 2023

The age group that reads the most e-comics is perhaps not the one that you’d think, for a few reasons.

Japan
(age • e-comics • electronic • internet • manga • Oricon ME • readers • survey • trend)

New indie game The Exit 8 may make us never want to enter another Japanese subway station again

Krista Rogers
Nov 15, 2023

Anyone who’s ever gotten lost in the maze of a Tokyo station is bound to feel something akin to adventure, horror, or both when playing this game.

Japan
(Horror • immersive • indie games • Kotake Create • liminal spaces • Steam • Subway • The Exit 8 • walking simulator)

Relax with Pokémon in the new GU x Pokémon Peaceful Place clothing collection

Krista Rogers
Nov 14, 2023

Popular clothing brand offers loungewear and accessories to keep the whole family warm and snuggly heading into winter.

Japan
(adults • collaboration • collection • fashion • GU • kids • loungewear • new • Pokemon)

Eat at a kotatsu while enjoying the view from Osaka’s Harukas 300 Observatory this winter

Krista Rogers
Nov 7, 2023

Enjoy your choice of two of Japan’s favorite hotpot dishes from the toastiest seats ever on top of the second-tallest building in Japan.

Japan
(Abeno Harukas • dining • Harukas 300 • hotpot • Kakomu de Kotatsu • kotatsu • observatory • oden • Osaka • shabushabu • view • viewing platform)

J-pop royalty Ayumi Hamasaki teams up with Club Harie for collaborative baum cakes

Krista Rogers
Nov 7, 2023

The best-selling Japanese solo musical artist in history celebrates her 25th anniversary with a special sweet treat.

Japan
(25th anniversary • avex • Ayumi Hamasaki • baumkuchen • Club Harie • dessert • music • new product • sweets • tour)

The butter pudding from Kaldi doesn’t taste like butter or pudding, so what does it taste like?

Krista Rogers
Nov 2, 2023

We investigate an intriguing sweets product at the popular international foods chain and discover the secret of its hidden flavor.

Japan
(butter pudding • food • KALDI • Mariko Ohanabatake • purin • shopping • taste test)

Restaurant specializing in tamago kake men (TKM), raw egg over noodles, opens in central Tokyo

Krista Rogers
Oct 31, 2023

Does this lesser-known noodle variant of the quick-and-easy tamago kake gohan (TKG) have what it takes to become the next big thing?

Japan
(COK • egg • food • Jimbocho • Jinbocho • Noodles • raw egg • restaurants • SNJO • TKG • TKM • Tokyo)

Extreme budget travel! Can you do a quick trip to Angkor Wat with 50,000 yen (US$334)? – Part 2

Krista Rogers
Oct 25, 2023

Go continues testing the limits of his dwindling budget while sightseeing at Angkor Wat.

SE Asia
(Angkor Wat • Bangkok • budget travel • Cambodia • COK • cool • food • low-budget • Siem Reap • SNJO • Thailand • travel)

Extreme budget travel! Can you do a quick trip to Angkor Wat with 50,000 yen (US$334)? – Part 1

Krista Rogers
Oct 24, 2023

Go Hatori tests the limits of his wallet by visiting Cambodia’s Angkor Wat via Thailand over three nights and four days.

SE Asia
(Angkor Wat • Bangkok • budget travel • Cambodia • COK • cool • food • Go Hatori • low-budget • Siem Reap • SNJO • Thailand • travel)

Step inside a mystical, dazzling display of illuminations at the Flower Garden of Lights

Krista Rogers
Oct 18, 2023

Ashikaga’s Flower Park transforms into a fantastical fairytale world that you can step inside for the next few months.

Japan
(Ashikaga Flower Park • date • Flower Garden of Lights • flowers • illumination • LED • lights • mystical • romantic • seasons • sightseeing • Tochigi)

This hotel near Tokyo’s Haneda airport has an all-you-can-read manga library of over 8,000 volumes

Krista Rogers
Oct 18, 2023

Flying via Tokyo’s Haneda Airport? The Quintessa Hotel Tokyo Haneda Comic & Books is perfect for manga lovers with its 24-hour library and warm food.