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Oona McGee

Half-Japanese Oona McGee hails from Sydney, Australia, where she worked as a journalist and copywriter before making the move to Japan over a decade ago. Now she spends her days exploring the streets of Tokyo with her laptop and camera, always in search of new cafes, restaurants, events and stories to share with our readers. As an experienced food and travel reporter, Oona has travelled extensively through all 47 prefectures of Japan, and is constantly researching new destinations and drawing up itineraries for her next adventure.

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Posted by Oona McGee (Page 253)

Muscly Italian men perform Sailor Moon music video, complete with senshi transformations【Video】

Oona McGee
Nov 17, 2015
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A muscular, all-male Sailor Moon senshi group has just released a live-action music video in honour of the hit anime from Japan.

Italy, Japan
(muscles • music • music video • Sailor Moon • video)

Pikachu joins cast of Sesame Street and Disney characters in satirical look at fame and celebrity

Oona McGee
Nov 16, 2015

We’ve seen Pikachu’s skeleton and Disney princesses as flirty pin-up girls but now it’s time to see all our favourite childhood characters take a walk on the wild side with this nightmarish trip down memory lane.

Internet
(art • Comics • Disney • illustrations • Kickstarter • Pokemon • Sesame Street)

Barbapapa opens its first cafe in Japan with exclusive menu of cute characters

Oona McGee
Nov 16, 2015

Joining the amazing anime café openings this month is Café Barbapapa in Saitama Prefecture, with a gorgeous lineup of sweets, sandwiches and drinks all featuring cute character details from the series.

Japan
(Barbapapa • cafes • characters • cute • restaurants • Saitama)

Asakusa photo studio transforms visitors into courtesans, geisha and samurai

Oona McGee
Nov 14, 2015

If you’ve ever wanted to turn back time and step into the clothes of a well-dressed geisha, a pipe-smoking courtesan or a sword-wielding samurai warrior, we’ve found the perfect place for you!

Japan
(Edo • geisha • Mr. Sato • photo studio • photography • samurai)

Sailor Moon Miniaturely Tablet locket set dispenses mints, features the Eternal Moon Article

Oona McGee
Nov 13, 2015

From food to chopsticks and even marriage registration certificates, we’ve been absolutely spoilt for choice when it comes to all the limited-edition Sailor Moon items that have been released this year.

One thing that’s been missing from all the new releases though, is the Eternal Moon Article from Sailor Stars, the fifth season of the hit anime series. Now the rare and powerful item is finally making an appearance, as it comes to us in the form of an adorable miniature locket filled with tiny peach mints to keep us fighting fresh throughout the day!

Japan
(anime • cute • merchandise • Premium Bandai • Sailor Moon)

New Star Wars home collection from Japanese manufacturer brings the Force to interior decorating

Oona McGee
Nov 13, 2015

If you’ve ever wanted to fill your house with Star Wars furnishings, now you can, thanks to the Star Wars/Premium Home Collection from Japanese furniture manufacturer IDC Otsuka.

The 150-piece plus collection includes cushions, rugs, tableware, ukiyo-e woodblock prints, coat hangers, and even a variety of bobbly-headed Japanese kokeshi dolls.

Japan
(furnishings • furniture • home decor • merchandise • movies • Star Wars)

Rice cats feel the cold, need omelette blankets this winter【Pics & Video】

Oona McGee
Nov 13, 2015

We’ve seen gorgeous character bentos and grated radish animals swimming in hotpot stews, but this winter it’s all about shivering rice cats begging to be covered in bright yellow omelette blankets.

Japan
(cats • cute • kyaraben • obento • omuraisu • omurice • recipes)

Japanese photographer brings out the beauty of airports and factories in gorgeous night images

Oona McGee
Nov 12, 2015

After the sun sets in Japan, new landscapes emerge, with twinkling lights on land and at sea creating night scenes so stunning a “night view summit” is held every year to rank the best sights around the country.

While cityscapes continually take the top spots year after year, there’s one talented photographer who’s drawing our attention away from the twinkling lights of the city and towards two surprising new locations: factories and airports. While the places might seem ordinary, the images are the most stunning we’ve ever seen.

Japan
(airplanes • airports • factories • night views • photography • planes • travel)

Japanese band’s music video is like a psychedelic sushi nightmare【Video】

Oona McGee
Nov 12, 2015

If you like your sushi with a side of crazy psychedelic, this new music video from long-serving Japanese band Orange Range will definitely whet your appetite.

Called “Sushi Tabetai – featuring Soy Sauce”, the catchy tune and mesmerising images are the perfect blend of cute and bizarre that we’ve come to love from the Japanese music scene.

Japan
(Japanese bands • music • music video • Orange Range • sushi • video)

Play an edible Tsum Tsum mobile game with individually wrapped Pino ice creams!

Oona McGee
Nov 11, 2015

If you love Japan’s bite-sized Pino ice creams as much as you love Disney’s range of adorable Tsum Tsum characters, then this special collaboration is sure to bring you joy this holiday season.

Japan
(characters • Disney • ice cream • line • mobile game • Pino • sweets • tsum tsum)

Travel around Japan with stunning videos from the 4K ultra HD video library

Oona McGee
Nov 11, 2015

There are many beautiful videos of Japan floating around on YouTube, but there’s one special channel that’s aiming to stand head and shoulders above the rest. Called TokyoStreetView – Japan The Beautiful, this is an ongoing project that’s working towards compiling a library of high definition 4K videos, showcasing unique aspects of Japanese culture and featuring beautiful locations all around the country.

We take a look at four of their stunning videos, filmed within the nation’s capital, at Akihabara and the famous Senso-ji temple in Asakusa, and in its more picturesque regional areas, at Nikko and Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture. The superb, high quality of the images is so remarkable, you’ll feel as if you’re seeing the country not through a lens but through your very own eyes!

Japan
(4K • Akihabara • Asakusa • Ise Jingu • Nikko • Senso-ji • shrines • travel • videos)

Japanese comedian shares hilarious “magical poses” that make you look like you’re naked【Video】

Oona McGee
Nov 11, 2015

If you sit down to watch Japanese TV during the evening, you’ll be inundated with talk shows filled with celebrity antics, riotous laughter and an array of stand-up comedians.

While the majority of comedians like to poke fun at each other with puns and verbal gags commonly seen in traditional straight-man/funny-man manzai routines, others like to get a laugh by simply taking their gear off. That’s the route chosen by Tonikaku Akarui Yasumura, whose known around Japan for appearing onstage in nothing but a skimpy thong and a number of hilarious “magical poses” that make him look like he’s completely naked.

Now Yasumura is set to conquer the world, by enthusiastically sharing his ‘naked’ poses in several new videos with explanations in various languages, including English. With tricks you can try at home or in an inebriated state at a party, “Don’t worry, I’m wearing” is the next new thing from Japan everyone will be talking about!

Japan
(comedians • comedy • funny • Tonikaku Akarui Yasumura • video • wtf)

Capcom opens its first directly operated character cafe with exclusive Monster Hunter X menu

Oona McGee
Nov 9, 2015

Have you ever wanted to refuel like a character from your favourite video game? Well soon you’ll be able to, thanks to the new Capcom Cafe that’s set to open in Saitama Prefecture later this month.

Capcom, the Japanese video game developer and publisher who brought us hugely successful hits like Resident Evil, Street Fighter and Devil May Cry, will be offering exclusive merchandise and tie-in menus to promote various games at their new cafe, and for their opening they’ll be celebrating with meals, sweets and drinks in honour of their next big video game release, Monster Hunter X.

Japan
(biohazard • cafes • Capcom • gaming • Monster Hunter • Resident Evil • Street Fighter • video games)

500 Type Eva Cafe releases exclusive lineup of Evangelion-themed meals, sweets and drinks

Oona McGee
Nov 7, 2015

November 7 means two things to Evangelion fans in Japan: the awesome Eva-themed bullet train makes its highly-anticipated inaugural run from Osaka to Fukuoka on the Sanyō Shinkansen line; and the eagerly awaited 500 Type Eva Café opens its doors to customers at JR Hakata Station for the very first time.

To add to all the excitement, Japan Rail West has just released the very first images of the café’s exclusive original menu. From specially marked toast to Eva sweets and an Angel curry, this themed collection of edible goods is the perfect way to celebrate the official launch of the Shinkansen Evangelion Project!

Japan
(anime • bullet train • cafe • cool • Neon Genesis Evangelion • Sanyo Shinkansen 500 Type EVA • shinkansen)

We bunk up in “bookstore hotel” Book and Bed Tokyo on opening night

Oona McGee
Nov 6, 2015

Ever since we heard about the opening of a bookstore-themed hotel with sleeping quarters built into its wooden bookshelves, we’ve been keeping a close eye out for updates, and were actually lucky enough to snap up a reservation to stay at the hotel on opening night!

After emerging from the beautiful space this morning, we can happily say it’s one of the most atmospheric places to stay in Tokyo. Actually, we wouldn’t mind shacking up here permanently! Come with us as we take you through all the gorgeous features and unusual details after the break.

Japan
(accommodation • books • cool • hostel • hotel • Tokyo • travel)

Sync! Illumination lets you watch Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade from home on multiple phones

Oona McGee
Nov 6, 2015

Tokyo Disneyland is a popular destination at any time of the year, but when the holiday season approaches, the theme park swells with visitors keen to get in on the festive spirit.

One of the highlights of the season is the “Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dream Lights”, where a number of well-known Disney characters appear on large floats dressed up in spectacular light displays. Accompanied by music, the scene is also accompanied by huge crowds, eager to receive a wave from the likes of Mickey, Snow White or even Woody from Toy Story.

Now there’s a fun way to avoid the crowds and enjoy the illuminated parade from the comfort of your own home. It’s called the “Sync! Illumination” and it lets you link up with your friends’ cellphone screens to create an awesome interactive show.

Japan
(cellphones • Christmas • Disney • Sync! Illumination • technology • Tokyo Disneyland)

Old-school vending machine on Japan’s Sado Island sells bags of rare and local fruit

Oona McGee
Nov 6, 2015

One of the many things we love about Japan is its impressive variety of vending machines. We’ve seen everything from orange juice that looks like soy sauce to cans of hot, clam-packed miso soup make its way to the hands of customers through the wonders of mechanised distribution.

Recently, we stumbled on a machine we’d never seen before, and one that’s unique even by Japanese standards. Meet the persimmon vending box that delights customers on Sado Island with a rare variety of fruit that’s only grown locally, away from mainland Japan.

Japan
(fruit • Niigata • persimmons • Sado Island • travel • vending machines)

We track down the stunning Ghibli-like waterfall made famous online — just outside Tokyo!【Pics】

Oona McGee
Nov 5, 2015

There are many well-known areas of beauty all around Japan, but sometimes you stumble upon something off the beaten path that simply takes your breath away.

That’s what happened to one person in Japan, who came across a waterfall in a tunnel of sunlight, filled with the same muted hues as a scene from a fantastical animated movie. Upon sharing the atmospheric photograph above on Instagram it received thousands of likes, with people all over the country eager to learn where the secret waterfall was hidden.

It might look like something from the foggy mists of a far-flung island many miles from Tokyo, but the beautiful scene is actually located just a short one-hour drive from the bustling metropolis. We decided to make our way there, and we’ve marked out the route so you can visit it too!

Japan
(anime • Chiba • Hayao Miyazaki • Instagram • nature • Studio Ghibli • travel)

From Totoro to Sailor Moon: Macarons get delicious anime makeovers

Oona McGee
Nov 4, 2015

When you’re looking for cute inspiration, you don’t have to look much further than Japan. As the birthplace of the world’s beloved wide-eyed, chubby-faced anime characters, the nation is full to overflowing with commercials, posters, sweets and goods that are so adorable even self-respecting adults can’t help but squeal like delighted children when they catch sight of them.

Now Japan’s cast of cute characters have found a home for themselves across the seas in a gorgeous little Airstream trailer in California, where they continue to pop up in limited numbers in the best way ever: as deliciously sweet macarons. Come with us as we take a look at some of the cute critters and adorable edibles in the collection after the break.

Japan, USA
(anime • cute • macarons • manga • Naruto • Sailor Moon • Studio Ghibli • sweets)

Carry a cute kitten in your handbag with the adorably soft kitten pouch!

Oona McGee
Oct 30, 2015

While tiny dogs don’t mind being ferried about in designer handbags, cats would rather scratch our arms off than let us take them outside the front door. Cat owners have suffered for too long, going about their lives outside without the company of their feline companions, but now there’s a clever way for us to carry a cute kitten around in our bags and keep our arms at the same time, with the adorably realistic cat pouch from Felissimo.