SoraNews24 —Japan News—

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

Featured

Weird
Studio Ghibli
Jobs

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.

Twitter Instagram Facebook RSS

Posted by Oona McGee (Page 254)

New Attack on Titan collaboration takes the fight to unwanted body hair

Oona McGee
Jul 30, 2015
Tweet

Fans of the hit anime Attack on Titan may also know it by its original Japanese title, Shingeki no Kyojin, which literally translates to “Advancing Giants.”

Giants aren’t the only thing advancing upon us, though, because now there’s an unusual advertising campaign announcing the arrival of Shingeki no Bijin, or Advancing Beauties, and the war we’re fighting is the war on body hair.

Japan
(anime • armpit hair • Attack on Titan • beards • beauty • hair removal • manga)

Japanese burger chain Mos Burger replaces its buns with two halves of a giant tomato

Oona McGee
Jul 29, 2015

Japanese fast food chain Mos Burger has built a reputation over the years for its healthy burger options. For those with an aversion to traditional wheat-based buns, Mos Burger offers versions made with grilled rice patties. And if you’re counting calories, they’ll simply wrap your filling in lettuce.

Now there’s an even more impressive option for health-conscious customers: a burger stuffed between two halves of a giant tomato. Available after 2:00pm from only one outlet in Japan, we stopped by to check out the rare red burger, taking lots of delicious photos for you along the way!

Japan
(burgers • fast food • Mos Burger • photos • tomato)

In the name of the monthly moon! New series of Sailor Moon sanitary pads hits shelves in Japan

Oona McGee
Jul 28, 2015

The earth has always enjoyed a special relationship with the moon. The month-long cycle of push-and-pull between the planet and its natural satellite means we calculate days in terms of lunar months and in Japan they even use the same kanji character (月) to mean both month and moon itself. Oh, and instead of seeing a man on the moon’s surface, they see a rabbit pounding rice.

So when it comes to ‘that time of the month’, the connection with lunar forces in Japan has given birth to an unusual collaboration between Sailor Moon warriors, with a girl called Usagi-chan, or rabbit, at the helm, and Elis sanitary pads. Fans are gushing over the adorable packaging and the chance to win free related merchandise!

Japan
(anime • Elis • manga • napkins • Sailor Moon • sanitary pads)

Cute miniature collection reveals the everyday items used by Sailor Moon cast

Oona McGee
Jul 27, 2015

Would you like to know what Sailor Moon and her pals eat for lunch? Or perhaps you’re curious to find out how they study or what they’d take along to the local shrine. Well now you can find out all that and more, with this gorgeous miniature collection!

Japan
(anime • figures • manga • Sailor Moon • toys)

McDonald’s attempts to lure back customers with open kitchen concept in Japan

Oona McGee
Jul 27, 2015

It’s no secret that McDonald’s Japan has been on a slippery slope following several food safety scandals in recent years. In 2014, the fast food giant reported its first annual loss in 11 years, which amounted to 21.84 billion yen (around US$176 million).

In an effort to restore trust and reaffirm their commitment to quality assurance, the fast food chain recently fitted out two stores in Japan with an “open kitchen” design, allowing customers to get an inside view of operations to see just how orders are made, from start to finish.

But will this be enough to bring customers back to the golden arches?

Japan
(fast food • food • hamburgers • McDonald's • open kitchen)

Lotteria wins us over with two amazing new potato chip burgers

Oona McGee
Jul 26, 2015

Lotteria Japan has done it again. Just when we thought nothing could beat their ramen noodle burgers, they bring out these little beauties. No more dreaming of salty, crunchy potato chips smothered in sauce and stuffed inside your favourite burger because Lotteria has finally made our dreams a reality!

Japan
(burgers • Calbee • chips • fast food • french fries • Lotteria • potato chips)

When East meets West: Rice omelet sushi available for a limited time at Sushiro

Oona McGee
Jul 21, 2015

If you’re looking to try a popular type of washoku, or traditional Japanese food, while in Japan, sushi would be at the top of the list for many. If you wanted to try some authentic yoshoku, or Western-style Japanese cuisine, omurice, a parcel of rice wrapped in an omelette skin and topped with tomato sauce, would be one of the firm recommendations.

Now both of these star players have finally come together as part of a brand new menu from popular revolving sushi chain Sushiro. This unique Omurice Sushi is dainty, delicious and it retails for only 108 yen!

Japan
(kaiten sushi • omurice • sushi • Sushi Train • Sushiro)

McDonald’s opens fancy pop-up restaurant in Tokyo for one night only

Oona McGee
Jul 20, 2015

Around the world, fast food chain McDonald’s prides itself on its trademark menu, designed to feed the needs of busy customers on the go.

For one night only, though, the giant company will slow down the pace by taking a step into luxury dining, with a special multi-course meal that includes a platter of patties, a vichyssoise made from French fries and a gelée made with McDonald’s vegetables.

Japan
(fast food • Fresh Mac • hamburgers • McDonald's • Restaurant M • Roppongi Hills)

New Attack on Titan Real Escape Game coming to Tokyo and Osaka this summer

Oona McGee
Jul 14, 2015

Escape games, where people work in teams to solve puzzles to free themselves from confined spaces, have become hugely popular in Japan and around the world. When combined with a role-play theme, these events become even more exciting, as participants get to dress up and live out their fantasies in cleverly constructed worlds filled with props, sound and oodles of atmosphere.

As luck would have it, the escape concept is an idea that fits in perfectly with the narrative of the hugely popular Attack on Titan franchise, where members of the human race live in the confines of a walled city and spend a large chunk of time running away from flesh-eating giants. If you ever wanted to experience the thrill of being chased by a hungry Titan while also dealing with the stress of solving a puzzle within a time limit to save your life, it’s time to dress like a member of the Survey Corps and head out to Tokyo or Osaka this summer.

Japan
(anime • Attack on Titan • escape game • manga • theme park)

Create personalised stamps in a minute with new ink stamp vending machine!

Oona McGee
Jul 11, 2015

If you want to relive the childhood excitement of seeing your name on an ink stamp, now’s the time to start planning your trip to Japan! From 2016, you’ll be able to create a personalised stamp with more than just your name – think cute borders, shapes, colours and any type of photo you choose. Plus, you won’t have to send away and wait weeks to see your purchase because it will be dispensed in a minute or less from a high-tech vending machine!

Japan
(design • gifts • ink • stamp • vending machine)

New Attack on Titan Tsutaya point card looks awesome, offers special members-only merchandise

Oona McGee
Jul 10, 2015

If there’s anyone who should be celebrating the upcoming Attack on Titan live-action movie release, it would have to be Japan’s largest DVD, CD and bookstore rental chain, Tsutaya.

Specialising in multimedia, and with a huge selection of anime and manga titles to choose from, the company is anticipating increased interest in all things Titan-related and is marking the occasion with a special point card we can’t wait to get our hands on.

Not only does the card feature a stunning image of our beloved Survey Corps, it can also be used to accrue points at various stores around the country. And with accrued points comes the chance to receive a variety of special, limited-edition merchandise!

Japan
(anime • Attack on Titan • Eren • Levi • manga • Tsutaya)

New Sailor Moon Prism necklaces to include chocolate, retail for 98 cents!

Oona McGee
Jul 7, 2015

Team spirit is everything in Japan. Whether it’s your workmates agreeing to a nomikai with the boss for the umpteenth time or a troupe of Sailor Moon schoolgirls fighting undercover to save the planet, group mentality is always at work, with everyone striving for success under pressure and looking for ways to please everybody else whenever they can.

Now that the Sailor Moon crew are turning 20, they’re reaching out to a number of teams to help share in the celebrations. The latest group to join them is a company known for combining two of our favourite things: pendants and sweet, sweet chocolate. Add Sailor Moon to the mix and you’ve got the release of the millennium: 10 senshi-inspired designs in five different colours that will retail for 120 yen each (US$0.98)!

Japan
(anime • chocolates • jewellery • manga • Sailor Moon • Sebon Star)

Shibuya Station 2019: one step closer to the Neo-Tokyo of our dreams

Oona McGee
Jul 6, 2015

If you’ve been to Shibuya Station recently, you’ll have seen one area in particular that’s filled with crowds, noise and trucks; and it’s not the meeting place around the famous statue of Hachiko.

It’s the massive redevelopment project currently underway to revitalise the district and deliver a completely new-looking Shibuya by 2027. Latest pictures of the next high-rise in the pipeline reveal just how amazing life in Neo-Tokyo will be.

Japan
(architecture • buildings • design • Shibuya • Tokyo • travel)

Celebrate the arrival of the Mt Fuji climbing season with a mini mountain for cats

Oona McGee
Jul 3, 2015

July in Japan means Mt Fuji is open for business. For the next two months, shops at the 5th station become bustling hives of activity, hikers line the various trails up to the summit and tour buses start jamming the roads.

But what about the dreams of our feline friends who yearn for the thrill of scaling Mt Fuji? Well now they don’t even have to leave their air-conditioned homes because compliant owners can finally bring the mountain to their cats. Kitty’s goal of dominating Japan’s highest mountain can be achieved at last!

Japan
(cardboard • cats • Mt. Fuji • toys)

Attack on Titan hot dogs! Because the best way to celebrate is with an extra-large sausage

Oona McGee
Jul 2, 2015

The only thing better than the upcoming live-action Attack on Titan movie is all the related merchandise that’s slowly being pumped out ahead of its release.

The latest offering from the giants is coming to us from Aeon cinemas, who’ll be bringing us two gigantic hot dogs as part of the celebrations. Netizens, however, are pondering why they’ve chosen to use extra-long sausages to promote the film when a similar-looking appendage is so obviously missing from between the Titans’ legs.

Japan
(anime • Attack on Titan • food • hot dogs • manga • Shingeki no Kyojin)

The best way to tie up your kimono? With a cat obi, of course!

Oona McGee
Jun 27, 2015

Japanese kimono come in countless designs and colours, but it’s often the elegant obi (sash) that takes centre stage. Whether it’s colourful or subdued, simply tied or intricately folded, the sash is more than just a way to tie the outfit together; it’s the element that lets you show off a bit of your personality in an otherwise restrictive garment.

So what better way for kimono-wearing cat lovers to draw some attention to their wardrobe than with an adorably folded feline? And with such a variety to choose from, there’s bound to be a kitten that’s purr-fect for you!

Japan
(cats • culture • cute • fashion • kimono)

Celebrate Usagi-chan’s birthday at the Sailor Moon Crystal café that’s open for four days only!

Oona McGee
Jun 24, 2015

Every year on June 30 there’s one particular girl who receives birthday messages from thousands of people around the world. Rather than respond to them all personally on Facebook like most of us would, this young lady gives back the love by protecting the planet in the form of Sailor Moon.

This year, a special cafe will be opened in her honour for a four-day long birthday party featuring themed drinks, desserts and even a special birthday cake for visitors to enjoy. We take a look at what’s in store for Usagi-chan’s birthday party after the break.

Japan
(anime • cafes • manga • restaurants • Sailor Moon • Tokyo)

Attack on illicit substances! Colossal Titan stars in Tokyo Government anti-drug campaign 【Video】

Oona McGee
Jun 22, 2015

Anti-drug posters and commercials usually have a way of getting us down. Dark images of despair, death and homelessness rely on realism to get the message across, leaving us with tiny mental scars as a warning to stay away from the dark side and walk on the right side of life.

Here in Japan, though, anti-drug tactics are very different. Instead of scaring citizens, animated images are used to inform and empower people. And when the Tokyo Metropolitan Government enlists the help of the Survey Corps and Colossal Titan to fight the war on drugs, you’ve got a campaign that catches everyone’s interest.

Japan
(anime • Attack on Titan • Eren • manga • Survey Corps • Tokyo)

We check out world-first Pikachu cup clingers ahead of their release date

Oona McGee
Jun 5, 2015

Have you ever wished you could stick to your long-lost New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, kick those bad habits and take better care of your mental and physical health? Well, June might be the time to turn things around because Pikachu is here to help kick you into shape!

Whether it’s getting your eight glasses of water a day or downing that bright green shot of spirulina, this special series of Pikachus will cling to the side of your cup and keep you company while you stay healthy and hydrated this summer.

With six different poses available, we’ve been lucky enough to catch ’em before their official release in Japan. Come with us as we take a very special sneak peek at the coveted little critters after the break.

Japan
(anime • cute • drink • Fuchiko • manga • Pikachu • Pokemon)

We mix banana and peach potato chips with toast, yoghurt and granola for a new Japanese breakfast

Oona McGee
May 26, 2015

If you thought traditional Japanese breakfasts were unusual, with their servings of fish, pickles, rice and soup, you’ll be in for a surprise when you see the new offering that’s coming to the table to greet you in the morning.

It’s time to say hello to the morning potato chip. Especially designed for breakfast consumption, these bags of fruity – yes, fruity – goodness are said to combine the energy-giving health benefits of the humble potato with two popular fruit flavours: peach and banana.

So how could these chips possibly fare as breakfast meals? Come with us as we head out into unchartered territory, pairing potato crisps with yoghurt, toast, and a bowl of granola and milk. Will the results be delicious? Read on to find out!