Steven – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today. Sun, 21 Apr 2024 02:33:14 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/05/en_rocket_1024.png?w=32 Steven – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com 32 32 176746664 Can ‘Make Me Asian’ App Make Japanese People Look Asian Too? We Investigate https://soranews24.com/2012/12/28/can-make-me-asian-app-make-japanese-people-look-asian-too-we-investigate/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/28/can-make-me-asian-app-make-japanese-people-look-asian-too-we-investigate/#comments Fri, 28 Dec 2012 03:46:27 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=33524 
Recently a lot of Asian Americans are getting their pantsu in a bunch about an Android app called “Make Me Asian” that allows users to slant their eyes, yellow their skin and add other stereotypical Asian features to their photos.
Critics say the app uses dated and racist stereotypes that marginalize and humiliate Asian Americans. There is even an online petition asking Google to remove the app, which has nearly 3,000 signatures as of December 28.
Alright, so the Asian American community is clearly offended, but what do Asian Asians think of this app?
Well, they think it’s pretty fun, actually.
CNN Japan ran a story about the about the app yesterday, which then got picked up and discussed on Japanese internet message board 2channel.
“I tried this myself and it was hilarious. I don’t see why people are upset,” comments one Japanese netizen. Another writes, “Why isn’t there an app that makes you black? That seems like it would be the most fun”.
Others suggest making similar apps for all races so everyone can be equally offended. Many just don’t seem to understand what the big deal is in the first place.
Our own Japanese staff in Tokyo had a great time with the app, running their own photos through to see if they could be made Asian as well:
When asked what they thought about their new Asian faces, our staff replied, “It makes us feel more touch with our roots.”
Of course, this is coming from a country where a single ethnic group makes up an overwhelmingly large percent of the population and general attitudes towards race are far different than they are in more diverse countries.
What is considered an “offensive generalization” in America is just a “generalization” in Japan. Stereotypes are usually all you have to go off of when everyone around you growing up is of the same ethnic background. I’ve had Japanese people comment in wonder about my pale skin, round eyes, and large nose countless times, but it’s always more of an observation than an intentionally humiliating remark. Racist? Yes. Offensive? Nah.
And as one Japanese netizen comments , “We put on Groucho Glasses and pretend to be white people, so we have no right to be mad.”
See! Everyone’s a little bit racist.
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/28/can-make-me-asian-app-make-japanese-people-look-asian-too-we-investigate/feed/ 4 33524 screenshot_2012-12-27-19-38-09-e1356614327165_copy Screenshot_2012-12-27-19-37-28 Screenshot_2012-12-27-19-37-33 Screenshot_2012-12-27-19-39-05 Screenshot_2012-12-27-19-39-09 Screenshot_2012-12-27-19-38-29 Screenshot_2012-12-27-19-38-37 Screenshot_2012-12-27-19-38-05 Screenshot_2012-12-27-19-38-09 Santa Biker Gang Spotted in Tokyo https://soranews24.com/2012/12/26/santa-biker-gang-spotted-in-tokyo/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/26/santa-biker-gang-spotted-in-tokyo/#comments Wed, 26 Dec 2012 01:58:19 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=33368 
Our reporter was walking through downtown Tokyo on Christmas Eve (alone, of course) when suddenly from behind a large posse of Santas on motorcycles came riding up from behind, filling the streets with the sound of roaring engines and holiday cheer.
After returning home (and still alone), our reporter checked the net and found that Twitter was abuzz with similar sightings.
St. Nick’s biker gang seemed to keep their activity limited to central Tokyo, riding through the Shibuya and Roppongi districts before disappearing into the mysterious northern wilderness (Saitama).
The ride is thought to have organized over Japanese internet message board 2channel. All the Santas obeyed traffic laws and waved to onlookers as they drove by.
Source: Twitter
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/26/santa-biker-gang-spotted-in-tokyo/feed/ 1 33368 A-4eVZ8CAAAcFp- A-4eVZ8CAAAcFp- f0025351_2235541 af0eefc1 802a8fa4 779bb581 8a4f4f23 Armed Forces of Ukraine Holds Beauty Pageant for Soldiers https://soranews24.com/2012/12/24/armed-forces-of-ukraine-holds-third-annual-beauty-pageant/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/24/armed-forces-of-ukraine-holds-third-annual-beauty-pageant/#comments Sun, 23 Dec 2012 20:00:35 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=33193
Ukraine is known for being home to some of the most beautiful women in the world, and also these two.
It seems the gene pool is so refined in Ukraine that even their soldiers and gorgeous, and the military must know it because every year they hold the “Miss Trooper” contest, a beauty pageant to determine the most stunning soldier female soldier in the Ukraine army.
^Footage from Miss Trooper 2011
Now in its third year, the contest is open to any of the 18,000+ women currently enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. And it isn’t just about looks: contestants are also judged on their pistol and rifle marksmanship, RPG proficiency, and handling of armored vehicles. There is also a swimsuit competition.
The crown (a blue beret in this case) goes to the soldier with the highest marks across the board. That means even an uggo can win if she’ proves she could top the other girls in a firefight—which, if you think about it, is a pretty fair deal.
Have a look at the photos from this year’s competition, as well as the winners from 2010 and 2011, below. The final stage (swimsuits) will be held next week and the winner announced in early January.
Source: Hachima Kiko, FACTS ICTV
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/24/armed-forces-of-ukraine-holds-third-annual-beauty-pageant/feed/ 2 33193 McDonald’s Guarantees Your Order in 60 Seconds or You Get a Free Burger, Employs Actual Hourglass https://soranews24.com/2012/12/23/mcdonalds-japan-guarantees-your-order-in-60-seconds-or-you-get-a-free-burger-employs-actual-hourglass/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/23/mcdonalds-japan-guarantees-your-order-in-60-seconds-or-you-get-a-free-burger-employs-actual-hourglass/#comments Sun, 23 Dec 2012 05:32:37 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=33252 
From January 4 to January 31, McDonald’s Japan will run a marketing campaign they’re calling “Enjoy! 60 Second Service”, where customers who are made to wait any more than a minute for their order during the hours of 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM will receive a coupon for a free McDonald’s burger of their choice.
Even if staff are able to prepare the order within a minute, all customers who visit during the 4-hour time frame will receive a coupon for a free small-size ‘Premium Roast Coffee’.
To prove that the campaign isn’t all talk and no substance, staff at each of the 3,300 participating McDonald’s restaurants will be required to flip over an hourglass measuring one minute each time an order is placed.
Two McDonald’s restaurants, the Roppongi Hills store in Tokyo and the Midosuji-Suoumachi store in Osaka, have introduced the hourglass system early to help promote the campaign.
Japanese website Gigazine visited the Osaka location on December 21, the opening day of the trial campaign, to see what the service looked like in action.
Like many other chain restaurants in the country, McDonald’s has a reputation for great service in Japan and it seems like the staff will be on the top of their game for the duration of this campaign.
Gigazine’s reporter writes that the Osaka McDonald’s staff claim that not one free hamburger coupon had been given out since the promotion started—granted it was still the first day.
Naturally, because the internet is such a nasty place, Japanese netizens are already putting their heads together to think of ways they can best the system.
On popular Japanese message board 2channel, one user claiming to work for McDonald’s writes that at smaller restaurants with less staff, you’re almost guaranteed to wait for more than a minute if you order a ‘Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese’.
According to his logic, if you use this method to score a free hamburger coupon and then use that to order another Double Quarter Pounder, you can, in theory, create a never-ending cycle of free McDonald’s hamburgers (until the promotion ends in February).
We doubt there are any Japanese people who are actually going to try such underhanded tactics, and even if they do, they’ll probably end up paying more overall than they would have had the promotion never existed in the first place—which is exactly what McDonald’s wants.
The real losers here are undoubtedly the McDonald’s staff, who will have to spend four hours a day watching sand trickle down an hour glass as merciless customers gaze upon them, silently praying that they screw something up so they can get a free lunch.
Minimum wage workers of Japan, meet your new enemy:
Da da da da da~♪
Source: Gigazine, McDonald’s Japan, Hima Soku
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/23/mcdonalds-japan-guarantees-your-order-in-60-seconds-or-you-get-a-free-burger-employs-actual-hourglass/feed/ 2 33252 image_kv_01 image_kv_01 bf52ec1b Japanese YouTubers Giving Away Cute Sandwich Cutters Worldwide in Creative Collaboration https://soranews24.com/2012/12/22/japanese-youtubers-giving-away-cute-sandwich-cutters-worldwide-in-creative-collaboration/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/22/japanese-youtubers-giving-away-cute-sandwich-cutters-worldwide-in-creative-collaboration/#comments Sat, 22 Dec 2012 03:05:27 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=33181 
One of the the things people find most charming about food in Japan is how creative the presentation can be. From adorable panda rice balls to over the top bento lunchboxes, the Japanese have perfected the art of making food something that you can enjoy with both your eyes and your mouth.
If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at food presentation à la Japan, six Japanese YouTube channels are holding a giveaway for a set of cute sandwich cutters, as well as introducing six creative ways to use them.
The giveaway is for a Sando de Panda sandwich cutter, a handy little tool used to make pocket sandwiches by cutting out and sealing off the edges of bread. The cutter is available in square, circle, heart, and clover shapes, and can be purchased from Rakuten for those who live in Japan.
To enter the giveaway, you must leave a comment on one of the six recipe videos (see below). You may enter only once per video, but you can increase your chances of winning by leaving a comment on each of the participating channels. To qualify for entry, your comment must answer a specific question given by each video.
The six videos follow below. Be sure to check the description or watch the entire video for instructions on what to comment.
▼ Apple Jam Sandwich by Mosogourmet
▼ Wasabi Tuna Melt Sandwiches by Ochikeron
▼ Fruit Sandwiches by Cookingwithdog
▼ Dessert Sandwiches by MarimoMarshmallow
▼ Sandwich Russian Roulette by Megwin
▼ Sandwich Christmas Ornaments by Sasakiaasahi
▼ Sanwich…Anything by Kazuchu0924
※For those who can’t read Japanese: The comment question for Kazuho924’s video is “What do you want me to review next?”
With all these great sandwich ideas how could you NOT want to enter the giveaway? We’re thinking of trying out Megwin’s Sandwich Russian Roulette at this year’s RocketNews24 Christmas Party ourselves…
The giveaway is open worldwide and runs until 11:59 Japan time on January 4, 2013. Winners will be selected randomly.
Source: YouTube
▼ How to use the cutters
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/22/japanese-youtubers-giving-away-cute-sandwich-cutters-worldwide-in-creative-collaboration/feed/ 1 33181 re-930_01 re-930_01 re-930_02 Man Burns Hole in Stomach After Consuming Chinese Death Soup https://soranews24.com/2012/12/20/man-burns-hole-in-stomach-after-consuming-chinese-death-soup/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/20/man-burns-hole-in-stomach-after-consuming-chinese-death-soup/#comments Wed, 19 Dec 2012 23:00:35 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=32675 Some foods are so spicy that consuming them can leave the more intolerant of us with an upset stomach. It was once believed that eating lots of spicy food could even cause gastric ulcers—a break in the tissue lining of the stomach—but this has since been proven false, the credit stolen by a bacterium known as Helicobacter pylori. If you find yourself retching with pain after lunch at an Indian food buffet, you’ve likely aggravated an existing condition and should probably have it checked out.
So as colorful as the expression is, eating spicy food can’t actually “burn a hole in your stomach”. At least, it shouldn’t be able to, which is why doctors at a hospital in Wuhan, China, were scratching their heads when a 26-year-old man with no history of gastrointestinal disorders was brought in after eating soup so spicy that it opened a hole in the wall of his stomach.
The soup in question was the broth of mala hot pot, one of the most popular variations of Chinese hot pot. The term málà literally means “numbing hot” and refers to the way your mouth feels after sipping the broth, which is made using a combination of chili pepper and a special spice, “Sichuan pepper”, known to cause a numbing sensation in the mouth.
Many hot pot restaurants in China give their customers the option to have their broth prepared with varying degrees of spiciness. The unlucky victim of this story had ordered the spiciest batch of mala hot pot on the menu, and it wasn’t long after he finished his meal that he began to feel an acute pain in his stomach.
After vomiting a large amount of blood (which may have been supplemented by the crimson red broth he had earlier consumed), the man was rushed to the emergency room of a local hospital, where the doctors found a hole in the wall of his stomach. The man had no medical history of ulcers or other gastrointestinal disorders, so the doctors concluded that the spicy mala soup must have burned right through his stomach tissue.
This may seem like a hasty diagnosis. However, at this particular hospital, roughly 15% of gastrointestinal cases are said to result from hot pot-related incidents. Doctors now even refer to these cases as “hot pot patients”.
Spicy food shouldn’t be able to destroy so many stomachs just because it’s spicy. There’s obviously something special going into the soup at the restaurants in Wuhan.
According to Sankei Biz, many hot pot restaurants now use cheap synthetic seasonings and additives instead of Sichuan pepper and other traditional, more expensive ingredients.
If you’ve ever tried real mala hot pot, you’d probably agree that any chemical additive capable of creating the same mouth-numbing sensation as Sichuan pepper is the last thing anyone should put in their body. And we thought MSG was bad…
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/20/man-burns-hole-in-stomach-after-consuming-chinese-death-soup/feed/ 15 32675 Japanese Winter Luxury at its Finest: The Kotatsu Train https://soranews24.com/2012/12/17/japanese-winter-luxery-at-its-finest-the-kotatsu-train/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/17/japanese-winter-luxery-at-its-finest-the-kotatsu-train/#comments Sun, 16 Dec 2012 22:00:23 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=32372
Nothing says winter in Japan like the kotatsu, a low wooden table frame covered by a heavy blanket, upon which a table top sits. Built in underneath is a heat source, either electric or charcoal.
Similar to the image of a Western family sitting in front of the fireplace on Christmas Eve, the scene of a family huddled around the kotatsu, usually placed in front of the living room TV, eating mandarin oranges and watching New Year’s programming is what comes to most people’s minds when mentioning the winter holidays in Japan.
With this in mind, Sanriku Railway Co., which operates two lines along the beautiful Sanriku coast of Iwate Prefecture, Japan, is offering passengers the ultimate Japanese winter relaxation experience with their “Kotatsu Train” (Kotatsu Ressha), a special two-car train equipped with 12 kotatsu so you can enjoy the scenery pass by from the comfort of your own (simulated) living room.
Sanriku Railway has run the Kotatsu Train from mid-December until the end of March every year since 2005, but was forced to shut down operation after both lines suffered heavy damage in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
While there are still parts of the railway that have yet to be fully restored, the Kotatsu Trail will operate this year as normal, running weekends and holidays from December 15 to March 31, and everyday from January 1 to January 6.
The train runs once per day, departing Kuji Station at 12:30 PM and arriving at Tanohata Station at 1:30 PM. After a 15 minute rest a Tanohata Station, the train makes the trip back to Kuji Station, arriving at 2:30 PM for a 2-hour ride total.
As with most promotional train rides in Japan, passengers on the Kotatsu Train can order one of two special bento lunches, each featuring mouthwatering local cuisine. The options are abalone (1,500 yen) or scallop (1,050 yen), so you’ll want to bring your own lunch if you’re not fond of shellfish.
For a snack, your kotatsu will also come with a bowl of fresh mandarin oranges if you ride in December or January, and senbei rice crackers for February and March.
Passengers will also get to experience a bit of local folklore: while en route, two *namahage—*fierce demons who visit village homes on New Year’s Eve looking for lazy and misbehaving children—burst in to conduct their ritual investigation.
Reservations can be made a month in advance and tickets cost 960 yen one way, plus an additional 300 yen for a reserved seat, for a total of 1,260 yen ($15). For round trip, there is a special discount ticket that can be purchased for 1,500 yen, which puts the total at 2,100 yen ($25) including the reserved seat fee.
Check the Sanriku Railway website for more information, and remember: no slacking off!
Source: Hatena Bookmark, Enjoy Trip, Sanriku Tetsudo
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/17/japanese-winter-luxery-at-its-finest-the-kotatsu-train/feed/ 2 32372 Anime vs. Real Life: A Picture Dump https://soranews24.com/2012/12/16/anime-vs-real-life-a-picture-dump/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/16/anime-vs-real-life-a-picture-dump/#comments Sun, 16 Dec 2012 08:10:35 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=32280 
For many people, anime is an escape from reality. Even anime that take place in our world allow viewers to picture what the people and places around them might look like in a beautiful, stylized parallel dimension. Many people have probably wondered what they themselves might look like as an anime character.
We’ve put together a collection of images from around the internet that show what it looks like when real people, just like you and men (but more beautiful), are given the pen and brush treatment.
Check the gallery below!
▼ And on the more comical side…
]
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/16/anime-vs-real-life-a-picture-dump/feed/ 2 32280 3cc660b9 3cc660b9 1124f371 erciyuan8 007901b2 81150014 091711090921evx406s7kwxh2w0d45 c7f6cb5f deadd2174277de758609612d358f435d erciyuan-1 erciyuan-2 erciyuan-3 erciyuan6 erciyuan-6 erciyuan-5 erciyuan7 l-863 qJuXn5_Zj5_Z qJuXn6Kaj5_d qJuXoaObj6KX qJuXoJ_Yj6Cb qJuXoaKWj6KV qJuXnqCdj56X 19566888-s qJuXoZ_Vj6Gb qJuXoZ2Xj6GZ erciyuan9 qJuXn6Sbj6CV 78e8ec43 d704e4c7 f2be3d22 The Masked Philanthropist is Back! Japanese Orphanage Receives Mystery Donation from Tiger Mask https://soranews24.com/2012/12/16/the-masked-philanthropist-is-back-japanese-orphanage-receives-mystery-donation-from-tiger-mask/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/16/the-masked-philanthropist-is-back-japanese-orphanage-receives-mystery-donation-from-tiger-mask/#comments Sun, 16 Dec 2012 04:00:28 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=32267
On Christma Day, 2010, an anonymous donor left ten 30,000 yen ($360) randoseru backpacks outside a Japanese orphanage in Gunma Prefecture. Attached to the bags was a card signed by Naoto Date, the secret identity of fictional Japanese wrestler Tiger Mask, who, in the popular 1960s manga by the same name, fought for orphans after being raised in an orphanage himself.
The story was picked up by the press and a week later, on January 1, 2011, a similar donation of backpacks was left at an orphanage in Kangawa Prefecture, again with a note signed by Naoto Date. By January 11, over 100 “Tiger Mask” donations, ranging from backpacks to toys, food, and monetary gifts, had been reported at various children’s facilities across the country.
After that, little was heard from Tiger Mask, aside a second donation to the original orphanage in Gunma on Christmas Day, 2011, which failed to inspire a wave of charity as it had the previous year.
Has Tiger Mask forgotten about the children of Japan?
There are certainly people who desire his return: on November 6, 2012, a city in Shizuoka prefecture received an anonymous donation of 100,000 yen ($1,120) to be used toward books for children, along with a note signed by “friends of Naoto Date” that read: “we pray for the return of the Tiger Mask movement.”
In the past month, similar acts of generosity have also been observed by other anonymous donors, including a gift of backpacks from an evil villain and a surprise feast of winter fish by a mysterious “man of the ocean”, but still no signs of the original masked philanthropist—until now.
On December 11, reception staff at the city hall in Iwamizawa City, Hokkaido Prefecture, were visited by a man wearing a tiger mask—the Tiger Mask—who handed them a large envelope and said, “My name is Naoto Date. I want you to give this to the children at the city orphanage as a New Year’s gift.”
Inside the envelope were one hundred 1,000 yen ($12) bills and forty decorated enveloped traditionally used for otoshidama, gifts of money given to children on New Year’s Day.
The money will be given to the children at the Hikarigaoka orphanage in Iwamizawa.
Will this be enough to spark the resurgence of the Tiger Mask movement? We still have a few weeks left before the end of the year, so we’ll have to wait and see…
If you’d like to become a child’s hero yourself this holiday season, you can even purchase a Tiger Mask from Amazon and make a trip to your local city office, or better yet, set up a heroic visit to your local orphanage or children’s hospital and deliver a little inspiration as well.
Source: Yomiuri Online
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/16/the-masked-philanthropist-is-back-japanese-orphanage-receives-mystery-donation-from-tiger-mask/feed/ 0 32267 Japan Inadvertently Summons Tentacle Monster Into This Realm with Holiday Potato Salad Recipe https://soranews24.com/2012/12/15/japan-inadvertently-summons-tentacle-monster-into-this-realm-with-potato-salad-recipe/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/15/japan-inadvertently-summons-tentacle-monster-into-this-realm-with-potato-salad-recipe/#comments Fri, 14 Dec 2012 23:00:55 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=31916 
This Christmas, Japanese retail conglomerate Aeon is conjuring an ancient evil from a centuries-long slumber— and bringing it to the dinner table for your family to enjoy!
At the beginning of the month, Aeron launched their “Many Christmas” campaign, where each week they share a new unique holiday recipe for shoppers to try out.
This week’s recipe, pictured above, is a potato salad adorned with boiled shrimp and slices of hard-boiled egg topped with black olives. It sounds great on paper, and probably tastes fantastic as well. The problem is, they arranged it to look like something out of a Lovecraftian horror.
Aeon claims the potato salad was arranged to look like a “holiday decoration cake”, but we can’t recall the last time we were served a Christmas desert covered in serpentine eyes and a mass of tentacles.
The asparagus heads are a nice touch, though.
Source: Rakuten
▼ The recipe in full
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/15/japan-inadvertently-summons-tentacle-monster-into-this-realm-with-potato-salad-recipe/feed/ 0 31916 23322312321 5432213 Two New Ghibli Films Out in Summer 2013, Posters Revealed! https://soranews24.com/2012/12/13/two-new-ghibli-films-out-in-summer-2013-posters-revealed/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/13/two-new-ghibli-films-out-in-summer-2013-posters-revealed/#comments Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:56:34 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=31955 
In case you needed another reason to hope the world doesn’t end on December 21, Studio Ghibli has officially announced it will release two new films on the same day in summer 2013.
The first film is Kaze Tachinu (“The Wind Rises”) and tells the story of of Jiro Horikoshi, the cheif engineer of the Zero fighter plane used by Japan in World War II. It is being directed by acclaimed animator Hayao Miyazaki, his first theatrical release since Ponyo in 2008.
The first official poster for Kaze Tachinu (above) carries the tagline: “We must endeavor to live”. It is also written that the film is in honor of Jiro Horikoshi and Tatsuo Hori, an early 20th century Japanese writer and poet who authored a novel that shares the same name as the film.
The second film is Kaguya-Hime no Monogatari (“The Tale of Princess Kaguya”), based on the popular Japanese folk story ‘The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter‘. It is being directed by Isao Takahata, who is best known for writing and directing Grave of the Fireflies.
The film will be in the style of classical Japanese picture scrolls and is about Kaguya-hime, a thumb-sized baby girl found sleeping in a mysterious, glowing stalk of bamboo. While it sounds all very lighthearted and magical, the poster tagline, “The Princess’ Crime and Punishment”, suggests a darker tone.
Both films will be released nationwide on the same day in summer 2013.
Source: IT News, Kaze Tachinu, Kaguya-Hime no Monogatari
Top image:（C）2013 二馬力・GNDHDDTK Inset images:（C）2013 畑事務所・GNDHDDTK
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/13/two-new-ghibli-films-out-in-summer-2013-posters-revealed/feed/ 2 31955 mmi_jiburi_01 kazetachinu_poster kaguyahime_poster Beautiful HDR Time-lapse of Tokyo Will Make You Want to Travel to Japan. Now. https://soranews24.com/2012/12/13/beautiful-hdr-time-lapse-of-tokyo-will-make-you-want-to-travel-to-japan-now/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/13/beautiful-hdr-time-lapse-of-tokyo-will-make-you-want-to-travel-to-japan-now/#comments Wed, 12 Dec 2012 20:30:08 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=31725 
One of the many wonderful things about modern technology is that it not only allows us to visit new places from the comfort of our homes, but also to experience familiar places in completely new ways.
For example, I have visited Tokyo numerous times over the three years I have called Japan my home and I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what the city is all about: skyscrapers, bright lights, crowds of busy people, corn man. But run all that through high-dynamic-range (HDR) imaging, record it in time-lapse, and watch it on YouTube in 1080p and the city sights I know so well take on a completely different, almost otherworldly, appearance.
Check out the video below!
The video was filmed by nyahonyaho46 using a Canon EOS 5D Mk11 DSLR camera. The seven minute video is comprised over over 53,000 individual images.
Time-lapse photography was already amazing enough in itself, but flipping on the HDR switch makes the very real scenery look as if it was digitally rendered. It’s almost enough to inspire me to actually learn how to use that DSLR I bought a year ago and still haven’t used on any setting other than Auto or Macro. Almost.
We’ve shared a few more HDR time-lapse videos of Japan for you photography buffs out there. Enjoy!
Source: YouTube
▼Tokyo HDR Time-Lapse
▼ Odaiba Gundam HDR Time-Lapse
▼ Not Japan, but just as cool: Melbourne HDR Time-Lapse
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/13/beautiful-hdr-time-lapse-of-tokyo-will-make-you-want-to-travel-to-japan-now/feed/ 3 31725 tyhdr tyhdr Anime Princess Marriage Certificates Big Hit with Japanese City https://soranews24.com/2012/12/10/anime-princess-marriage-certificates-big-hit-with-japanese-city/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/10/anime-princess-marriage-certificates-big-hit-with-japanese-city/#comments Sun, 09 Dec 2012 18:00:58 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=31137
It seems like nearly every city, town, and village in Japan has a cute mascot character to represent it. Usually these are yuru-kyara, anthropomorphic characters often designed with qualities representing whatever that municipality is known for.
The city of Suwa, Nagano, however, knows that the worth of a mascot character should be judged not by how well it represents the region, but by how well it sells. And in Japan, nothing sells better than cute anime girls.
That’s why they came up with Suwa-hime, or Princess Suwa, a young anime princess from medieval Japan with her own manga, voice actress, and line of original figures and goods.
Since her creation in 2011, Suwa-hime has been such a success that the city has even started printing her on their official marriage certificates, and the nerdy public official who came up with her is likely basking in splendid vindication of his hobby for the first time in his life.
Around August, Suwa-hime became known around Japan after getting her own app for iPhone and Android, Suwa Nabi: an interactive map where Suwa-hime acts as your guide, introducing you to the history and hot spots of Suwa city.
There was no stopping her after that, as the Suwa-hime merchandise expanded to include things like soba and CDs (which you can sample here), to beer and sake.
▼ Suwa-hime Soba
▼ Suwa-hime Sake (bonus plastic figure included)
▼ Suwa-hime Beer
▼ Suwa-hime CD
On October 1, the city of Suwa announced that it would begin offering special marriage certificates for residents featuring one of two Suwa-hime designs.
The certificates are available to couples who were married or are planning to marry in the city of Suwa. Additionally, either the husband or wife must be a current resident of Suwa.
Standard, non-moé certificates are still available, but who wants those now, right?
In fact, PLUM, the company originally commissioned to design Suwa-hime, recently wrote on their blog that the certificates have been so popular that the company president is considering a Suwa-Hime marriage consultation service.
Suwa isn’t the first Japanese municipality to have a female anime mascot—for the past three years Tochigi prefecture has held an annual festival celebrating regional moe characters and how they can help spur local tourism and economic development—but with all the effort its putting into raising young Suwa-hime, it may be the most enthusiastic.
Source: Suwa City HP, Hachima Kiko, PLUM
▼ The Suwa-hime theme song, performed by cosplayers during a summer festival in October
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/10/anime-princess-marriage-certificates-big-hit-with-japanese-city/feed/ 0 31137 120814suwa05 ah_suwa3 07241626_500e4e175992a goods05_a goods10_a goods11_a 5b0c7c2b-s 34e3a9b4-s Amazing AU Commercial Turns Tokyo Into Night Club— With Daft Punk! https://soranews24.com/2012/12/09/amazing-au-commercial-turns-tokyo-into-night-club-with-daft-punk/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/09/amazing-au-commercial-turns-tokyo-into-night-club-with-daft-punk/#comments Sun, 09 Dec 2012 12:30:52 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=31132 
Some Japanese companies are known for making really clever commercials, others are known for making some really dumb commercials (looking at you Sony).
Mobile carrier au (pronounced “A-U”) has proven itself a part of the former camp with its fantastic new commercial, “FULL CONTROL/Xmas”, which shows what Tokyo might look like if it were turned into one giant night club.
The commercial advertises au’s new 4G LTE high-speed wireless communication service. 4G LTE is designed to provide up to 10x the speeds of 3G mobile networks and AU plans to have the service available to 98% of Japan by March 2013.
The advertising campaign for the service is called “Making surprise the standard”, and the commercial takes a look at what might happen if we could control the sights and sounds of our cities with our smartphones. Somehow we doubt that reality would be as inspiring a picture as the one this commercial paints— I know the first thing I would do with this technology is Rickroll Shibuya Crossing— but it’s still a sweet 60 second clip.
And in case you were wondering, no, they didn’t actually fly a giant disco hot air balloon over Tokyo— though it’s not exactly CG, either. According to the video description, an actual hot air balloon and search lights were used and it took nearly 20 hours in the studio to get the angels of the lights just right.
AU is also uploading a series of three videos showing how they made the commercial, the first of which you can check below (the other two haven’t been released at the time of this writing):
And here, we’ll embed the video below again in case you want to, you know, watch it one more time.
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/09/amazing-au-commercial-turns-tokyo-into-night-club-with-daft-punk/feed/ 1 31132 img_main01_10 img_main01_10 High-Speed Chocolate: A Look at the New Shinkansen Kit Kat and Other Cool Japanese Kit Kat Packages https://soranews24.com/2012/12/09/high-speed-chocolate-a-look-at-the-new-shinkansen-kit-kat-and-other-cool-japanese-kit-kat-packages/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/09/high-speed-chocolate-a-look-at-the-new-shinkansen-kit-kat-and-other-cool-japanese-kit-kat-packages/#comments Sat, 08 Dec 2012 17:00:27 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=31069 
Japan gets all the cool Kit Kats. Since 2000, Nestlé has introduced over 200 flavors and varieties of the chocolate bar to Japan, from chestnut and espresso to baked corn and soy sauce.
Some flavors come and go with the seasons and others are exclusive to certain regions; at the souvenir shops of my home prefecture Nagano you can find the tasty Shinshu Apple flavor and the questionable Ichimi Ground Red Pepper flavor.
One of our Japanese reporters recently came across a new variety of Kit Kat at Nagoya Station that we thought was pretty cool. While the Kit Kat bars themselves are the regular milk chocolate flavor—which, mind you, differs from country to country—the box art is inspired by the Tokaido Shinkansen line and should be familiar to anyone who has ridden the bullet train in Japan.
The JR Tokaido Shinkansen line is the high-speed rail line that connects Tokyo with Shin-Osaka, stopping at several major stations, such as Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, Nagoya and Kyoto, along the way.
This isn’t the first time Nestlé Japan has sold clever Shinkansen-themed Kit Kats. In 2010 and 2011, they offered boxes of Kit Kats modeled after the Nozomi train and Doctor Yellow train, respectively. The flavor for previous years was also plain milk chocolate.
▼Nozomi Kit Kat (2010)
▼Doctor Yellow Kit Kat (2011)
This year’s Shinkan Kit Kat pack contains four normal-sized boxes of Kit Kats, each one designed after the platform sign of the four major stops on the Tokaido Shinkansen line: Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Shin-Osaka. The opposite side of each box features a photo of the Shinkansen in that particular city.
▼ Tokyo
▼ Nagoya
▼ Kyoto
▼ Shin-Osaka
▼ Main Package: Backside
The backside of the larger package features information about the Tokaido Shinkansen line, as well as the SCMaglev and Railway Park, a railway museum owned by Central Japan Railway Company which opened in Nagoya last March. If you’ve got a thing for trains, make to sure to stop by the next time you’re in Japan.
Even the individual Kit Kat wrappers are printed with one of four Shinkansen trains on them. Now that’s quality!
Train’s aren’t your thing? Head to your local Japanese post office and you can purchase an awesome “Kit Mail” Kit Kat pack with a beautiful sakura (cherry blossom) design.
▼ It even folds open to reveal a sakura tree in full bloom!
Japan Post has been selling Kit Mail since 2009 for the Japanese university entrance examination season (Dec – Feb) as Kit Kats are often bought as good-luck gifts, thanks to the word “Kit Kat” sounding similar to the Japanese phrase “Kitto Katsu”, which roughly translates to mean “you’ll surely win!”
The idea is to write a message of encouragement to students directly on the “post card” portion of the box and mail it to them. When they go to open the box for a tasty late-night snack to help them stay focused while studying, the sakura tree pops open and the Kit Kat jingle plays. As you can imagine, these things sell like mad every year.
If cherry blossoms don’t do it for you, you can try your luck at souvenir shops in the Kanto region for one of the other well-known special Kit Kat boxes in Japan, the Blue Berry Cheesecake Kit Kat Mt. Fuji box.
See? We told you Japan gets all the cool Kit Kats!
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/09/high-speed-chocolate-a-look-at-the-new-shinkansen-kit-kat-and-other-cool-japanese-kit-kat-packages/feed/ 1 31069 img_5655 111108skk2 1111012 img_5659 img_5660 img_5663 img_5664 img_5661 img_5662 img_5665 img_5666 img_5656 img_5670 ah_kit1 ah_kit2 20111121 【Erection 2012】 Japanese PC Shop Offers Savings on Erotic Games to Customers who Vote https://soranews24.com/2012/12/07/%e3%80%90erection-2012%e3%80%91-japanese-pc-shop-offers-erotic-game-savings-to-customers-who-vote/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/07/%e3%80%90erection-2012%e3%80%91-japanese-pc-shop-offers-erotic-game-savings-to-customers-who-vote/#comments Fri, 07 Dec 2012 13:00:42 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=30853 
Japan’s 46th general election is a little over a week away, and if there’s one demographic that could care less, it’s the otaku. For the obsessive Japanese nerd, it doesn’t matter what political party wins the election, so long as they can buy the latest shiny toys and spend quality time with their 2-D lovers.
Still, while otaku may feel like the major political issues of this election, like energy policy and social security, are of no concern to them, their lifestyle isn’t completely unaffected by the decisions of the higher ups. For example, some worry that joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) would bring changes to copyright laws that could threaten the thriving doujin, or fan-made works featuring licensed characters, market. You hear that, otaku!? No more Final Fantasy porn!
That’s right; you can always count on porn to get otaku moving. That’s why PC Shop MK, a software shop in Sapporo, Hokkaido that specializes in new and used erotic games, is offering huge discounts for customers who vote in the December 16 election.
From December 16 to December 20, any customer who brings in proof of having voted in the election can receive up to 3,000 yen ($36) off new and used erotic games of their choice.
PC Shop MK has already confirmed with the voting center in Sapporo that voters can receive a slip of paper as proof of their visit, but asks customers outside of Sapporo to call their local voting centers in advance as not all districts may offer these. You can also call PC Shop MK before December 12 to have them check in for you.
We’re not sure how successful this strategy will be in changing the attitudes of politically apathetic otaku, especially given how far PC Shop MK is located from Tokyo and the otaku holy land of Akihabara. Hopefully we’ll see other erotic game shops mimic the promotion in future elections; maybe they could even create a nonprofit organization to incite otaku to become more political active. They could call, I don’t know…Cock the Vote.
Source: Twitter @PCShop_MK
Header Image: Dote Up a Cat
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/07/%e3%80%90erection-2012%e3%80%91-japanese-pc-shop-offers-erotic-game-savings-to-customers-who-vote/feed/ 1 30853 doteupacat2 2012-12-06_135238 Fan-Made “Dragon Ball Z: Saiyan Saga” Trailer is Finally Out! Take Notes, Hollywood https://soranews24.com/2012/12/06/fan-made-dragon-ball-z-saiyan-saga-trailer-is-finally-out-take-notes-hollywood/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/06/fan-made-dragon-ball-z-saiyan-saga-trailer-is-finally-out-take-notes-hollywood/#comments Thu, 06 Dec 2012 01:57:12 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=30673 Big-budget live-action remakes of anime and manga are tricky business. One one hand, you’ve got to please the fans, who you know will be sitting in the theater with pen and paper scrutinizing every scene. But you also have to make money, which often means watering down the source material to make it digestible for regular movie-goers. As a result, live-action remakes are usually denounced by fans (and critics), but still manage to turn a profit in the box office.
This is why we love DragonBall Z: Saiyan Saga, a live-action non-profit Dragon Ball Z trailer made by fans not because they want to make a buck, but because they love the series so damn much.
The 5 minute 44 second trailer was finally released on YouTube yesterday after months of production, and looks absolutely amazing. Check it out below!
Wait, no, first watch the teaser trailer to get yourself powered up for the real trailer (which is, remember, a fake trailer).
And now watch the full trailer, which is, incidentally, completely separate from the teaser trailer.
If this is your first time hearing of this fan trailer, it was started in May 2012 by UK-based video production studio, K and K Productions. The guys at K and K are huge DragonBall Z fans and were understandably horrified by Hollywood’s attempt at a live-action movie.
The trailer is completely non-profit and was made with a budget of nearly $20,000, three-quarters of which was raised by followers on Indiegogo.
The trailer covers the Vegeta Saga arc, in which Goku first learns about his Saiyan heritage and battles Raditz, Nappa, and Vegeta. The final production is incredibly faithful to the anime, however K and K refused to give in to fan demands to put in the infamous “over 9000” scene in order to maintain the “serious tone” of the trailer.
An honorable decision, to be sure, but after raising all that money from fans you’d think they could at least give us some bloopers… Ah well, here’s to hoping for a Freeza Saga in the future!
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/06/fan-made-dragon-ball-z-saiyan-saga-trailer-is-finally-out-take-notes-hollywood/feed/ 3 30673 ‘Tis the Season to Get Lucky: Condoms One of Japan’s Best-Selling Christmas Items https://soranews24.com/2012/12/02/tis-the-season-to-get-lucky-condoms-one-of-japans-best-selling-christmas-items/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/02/tis-the-season-to-get-lucky-condoms-one-of-japans-best-selling-christmas-items/#comments Sun, 02 Dec 2012 14:30:01 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=30119
Yes, you read the title correctly: while Americans are stocking their shopping carts with presents for their friends and family, Japanese shoppers are fighting over the last box of Mega Big Boys.
Okay, that may be slightly exaggerated, but according to JEX Condoms, sales of condoms in Japan increase by roughly 8% around the winter holidays, the bulk of which is thought to occur before or during Christmas Eve.
But why? Do Japanese people have nothing better to stuff their stockings with? Not quite, and to understand why condoms sell so well on the holiest of nights, we need to take a look at how the holiday is celebrated by many people in the country.
As you can imagine, in Japan, a country where less than one percent of the population is Christian, Christmas represents a different kind of tradition.
In the early 1980s, when prolonged economic prosperity was beginning to lead to more conspicuous consumer spending, women’s fashion magazine Anan decided to run a Christmas special where they sold readers on the idea that Christmas was a time to “grab your boyfriends heart” by spending a romantic night out on the city together.
It was the perfect holiday for Japan’s new consumer culture. At the time, it was common for Japanese company workers to receive winter bonuses worth two to three times their monthly salary in mid-December.
People had the money and Christmas gave them an excuse to use it; and since Japan already had a traditional holiday for spending time together with family— oshogatsu, or the first few days of the New Year— a holiday dedicated to quality time with your romantic interest seemed like the natural choice.
Christmas Eve was soon reinvented as the premier date night of the year. For many men, taking a women out for a nice meal at an expensive restaurant and then spending the night together at a fancy hotel became not only an annual ritual, but a symbol of status. If you had date plans on Christmas Eve, it meant you had money and a girl to spend it on.
Conversely, if you were a woman, having a sugar daddy to spend Christmas Eve with was the fashionable thing to do. Some women would go so far as to make date plans with men they weren’t even romantically interested in just so they wouldn’t look like loners. And hey, who can complain about a free dinner and hotel room? All you had to do uphold your end of the deal at the end of the night…
These days, however, more and more young Japanese people are opting to stay in for Christmas Eve. This is due much in part to a lackluster economy; it’s much cheaper to make dinner at home than eat out at a five star restaurant.
Many people last year also decided to spend the holiday with their family after the tragic events of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. They may very well do the same this year.
Still, the idea of Christmas as a “couple’s holiday” is still strong in the minds of starry-eyed Japanese women. According Takanori Sakaguchi, an analyst at business community website Insight Now!, even though overall condom sales in Japan are about half of what they were 15 years ago, they’re still one of the most popular items sold at convenience stores on Christmas Eve.
So take a lesson from the Japanese and remember to stay safe this Christmas— we don’t want to celebrate any more births than the one.
Source: Insight NOW!, JEX Condoms Blog
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/02/tis-the-season-to-get-lucky-condoms-one-of-japans-best-selling-christmas-items/feed/ 0 30119 Japan’s “Rent-a-Boyfriend”Dispatch Service: Because Japanese Women Get Lonely Too https://soranews24.com/2012/12/02/japans-rent-a-boyfrienddispatch-service-because-japanese-women-get-lonely-too/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/02/japans-rent-a-boyfrienddispatch-service-because-japanese-women-get-lonely-too/#comments Sat, 01 Dec 2012 18:00:43 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=30033 
Japan provides its lonely men with plenty of way to find sweet respite from the emptiness and isolation of everyday life—provided you have the cash. And we’re not just talking about prostitution: you can rent a girlfriend at Moé Date for day of “simulate romance” or find a cuddle partner at Soine-ya to help you rest easy at night.
But what about the ladies? Women get lonely too, so it seems unfair that such services would only be available to men.
Believe it or not, even before either of the above establishments were in business, there was Soine-ya Prime, a dispatch service where women can hire a handsome young man to lay with her in bed for a night.
While unrelated to the male-oriented Soine-ya in Akihabara—which, by the way, has been doing so well that they’ve recently opened up a second shop in Shinjuku— Soine-ya Prime also believes that there are just some nights when we crave the warmth of another human beside us to the point that we’d be willing to pay a complete stranger to do it.
Soine-ya Prime opened shop in 2011 and seems to be inspired by Shimshima, a television drama that aired the same year about a woman who has trouble sleeping after coming out of a divorce. The woman finds that just laying alongside a man at night enables her to sleep peacefully and she starts a soine-ya (lit: “sleep together shop”) business that dispatches young men to sleep with lonely women.
^The drama’s catchphrase, “Sleeping with men makes women stronger”, sent an empowering message to women across the country.
Soine-ya Prime acknowledges its roots with a link to the Shimshima website at the bottom of their homepage and asserts that, like the business in the drama, it does not offer any sexual services to clients.
So what can you do with the “cast”, as they call their male employees. According to the site, you can:
・Sleep in his arms
・Go out for a date (all costs must be borne by the client)
・Have him clean for you (Simple cleaning tasks like vacuuming, etc., so long as it’s nothing discomforting)
・Eat together at a restaurant (all costs must be borne by the client)
・Have him cook for you (ingredients must be prepared by the client)
And here’s what clients are forbidden from doing:
・Touching his genitals or reaching under his clothes
・Taking a shower or bath together
・Kissing or other intimate contact not specified in the service outline
・Anything that would sexually arouse him
・Contacting him in private without the permission of Soine-ya Prime
・Hidden photography, wiretapping, etc.
They also add that they do not accept clients who use narcotics, have a dirty house, or are scouting for other establishments.
Pricing for the “Standard Plan”, which covers all of the above services, starts at 30,000 yen (US $364) for 7 hours. For a full 8 hours of rest you’re looking at 33,000 yen ($400), and keeping your man for the maximum of 12 hours will put out 48,000 yen ($580). All sleeping must be done either at the client’s house or a hotel.
There is also a “Date Plan”, which includes a trip to Tokyo Disney Resort for 70,000 yen ($850, 2 tickets included). There is also the “Premium Date Course”, where the client can specify an activity she would like to do, such as going to the beach or watching the sun set, and Soine-ya Prime will plan and prepare a dream date itinerary for a fee starting at 50,000 yen ($600).
In either case, your rent-a-boyfriend will come and pick you up by car at either your home or a prearranged meeting place. For all plans, it costs an extra 2000 yen ($24) to pick out which “cast member” you want to spend the night with.
Speaking of which, take a look at the hot young stud muffins on the menu:
So ladies, whose arms would you like to fall asleep in tonight?
Source: Soineya Prime
]]> https://soranews24.com/2012/12/02/japans-rent-a-boyfrienddispatch-service-because-japanese-women-get-lonely-too/feed/ 5 30033 soineyaprime soineyaprime shimashima soineyaprime2 soineyaprime3 From Spitting to Sh*ting: China’s Ten Worst Subway Manners https://soranews24.com/2012/12/01/from-spitting-to-shting-chinas-ten-worst-subway-manners/ https://soranews24.com/2012/12/01/from-spitting-to-shting-chinas-ten-worst-subway-manners/#comments Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:00:47 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=29885
In any country there are both written and unwritten rules of etiquette that people are expected to follow while riding the subway. In many cases, these rules reflect some of the more unflattering quirks of that country’s people. In Japan, there are women-only commuter cars because some guys just can’t help themselves from recording up a girl’s skirt with their smartphone.
As China has been working to expand its subway network over the past few years, including a nearly 50% increase to the Beijing Subway that as made it the fourth longest metro system in the world, the country has developed its own brand of metro manners— or the complete lack thereof .
So just what kind of offenses do Chinese subway commuters have to endure on their train rides to and from work? A local newspaper in Tianjin, China’s fourth largest city, surveyed 894 people to find out what they think are the “most unforgivable subway manners.”
Take a look at the survey results below!
1. Spitting (681 votes)
2. Defecating in the train or in the station (661 votes)
3. Smoking on the train or in the station (581 votes)
4. Crowding onto the train without waiting in line (553 votes)
5. Bringing something stinky the train (519 votes)
6. Lying down across several seats (514 votes)
7. Bringing pets onto the train (451 votes)
7. Spitting out gum in the train (451 votes)
9. Throwing trash around the train (434 votes)
10. Throwing trash onto the tracks (415 votes)
So apparently this is actually a problem in China. Fantastic.
While we’re not too surprised that spitting made it to the top of the list, some of these are quite shocking. What exactly are people bringing onto trains that stinks so bad? Do people deliberately throw their trash onto the tracks like it’s some convenient municipal landfill?
It would be unfair to label also Chinese subway riders as unruly train defecators, however, so let’s take a look at some of the ” most decent manners” given by the survey respondents.
1. Yielding seats to the elderly, sick, handicapped or pregnant (670 votes)
2. Allowing people to get of the train before boarding (662 votes)
3. Picking up trash left on the train and throwing it away (442 votes)
4. Not letting children defecate in the train (384 votes)
5. Not taking highly-flammable objects, radioactive materials or explosives onto the train (347 votes)
Defecating on the train appears to be so much of a problem in China that people actually applaud it as “good manners” when someone stops their child from doing so. You told your boy to pull his pants up before dropping a deuce in public like a stray dog— have a sticker!
As for number 5, well, if that strange, offensive odor you smell on the train resembles almonds, you might want to get off at the next station.
If any of our readers have experienced any of these while riding on the subway in China (or any other country, for that matter), we’d love to hear your story in the comment below!
Source: Yahoo! Japan
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