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Mike

With nothing better to do in his native Ohio, Mike took a leave of absence from all responsibilities in life and came to Japan for the first time in 2006. After several years of what amounted to an extended vacation with occasional Japanese lessons, circumstances led Mike to finally settle down in Tokyo and get serious about life in 2009. He’s worked at magazines, a Japanese ad agency, and currently works in the entertainment industry. He also co-founded and writes for the humorous Japan news website Tokyodesu.com.

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Posted by Mike (Page 5)

We visit the Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, the newly-renovated, boozy paradise

Mike
Feb 2, 2016
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The whisky distiller, famous for upstaging Scottish standbys to be crowned “Best Whisky in the World” in 2014, recently renovated their open-to-the-public facilities. We figured it was as good an excuse as any for a tour and tasting!

Japan
(Japan tourism • Osaka • Suntory • Whiskey • whisky • Yamazaki)

Danbo goes to war with these cute/intimidating “Zero” fighter plane-inspired designs

Mike
Feb 1, 2016

Toy maker Kaiyodo, famous for their ultra-detailed figures, recently released two new designs of their popular Danbo character which recall the WWII-era “Zero” Japanese fighter plane.

Japan
(Amazon • Danboard • figures • toys)

Japan’s trendy eringi mushroom pasta recipe: As eye-catching as it is labor-intensive 【Photos】

Mike
Jan 29, 2016

The recipe calls for meticulously sticking dry noodles into numerous mushroom stalks. Uppercutting the entire dish into the atmosphere out of sheer frustration at the difficulty of that step is, we presume, optional.

Global, Japan
(cooking • food • mushrooms • pasta • recipe)

“Flappy Bird” creator teams with Japanese publisher for coming release of a “ninja game”

Mike
Jan 25, 2016

The creator of Flappy Bird is apparently working with Japanese studio Obakaidem to produce several titles, including a “ninja game.”

Global, Japan
(Dong Nguyen • Flappy Bird • games • mobile games • video games)

Fire Emblem Fates’ controversial “gay conversion therapy” scene to be cut for western release

Mike
Jan 22, 2016

Nintendo says a scene contained in the Japanese release of Fire Emblem Fates, which could be construed as advocating “gay conversion therapy,” will not appear in the English release.

Global
(controversies • Fire Emblem • Fire Emblem Fates • gender • nintendo)

We try new yakisoba noodles with chocolate sauce (Spoiler: it’s awful)

Mike
Jan 21, 2016

Food manufacturer Myojo recently released a special version of their popular Ippei-chan instant yakisoba noodles that includes a chocolate sauce topping. We tried it… so you don’t have to.

Japan
(food • Noodles • ramen • taste test • weird • weird food • yakisoba)

Make your own Castle in the Sky, have an excuse to play with your food with this simple trick

Mike
Jan 20, 2016

A magically floating Castle in the Sky – of Studio Ghibli fame – made from yakisoba and a whole head of broccoli is making the Japanese Twitter rounds. And you can make one, too!

Japan
(anime • Castle in the Sky • cooking • food • Miyazaki • Studio Ghibli)

Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke goes Art Nouveau in amazing fan art treatment

Mike
Jan 20, 2016

Studio Ghibli fan and Part-time artist Hannah Alexander created this dazzling Art Nouveau version of Princess Mononoke from Hayao Miyazaki’s classic animated film.

Global, Internet
(Alphonse Mucha • anime • art • Art Nouveau • deviantART • Etsy • fan art • Princess Mononoke • Studio Ghibli)

New wearable device reads your pet’s mind (to remind you they’re probably annoyed at you)

Mike
Jan 17, 2016

The pet wearables venture company, Anicall, promises a new device and accompanying smartphone app that can read your pet’s emotions.

Global, Japan
(animals • cats • dogs • pets • technology • wearables)

Japanese household’s hilarious “family meeting notes” seem straight out of a sitcom

Mike
Jan 15, 2016

A Japanese couple and their kids have a “family meeting” every month and take detailed notes with monthly goals and results. In true sitcom fashion, they end up surreal and hilarious.

Japan
(cute • family • funny • kids • twitter)

Five Japanese misconceptions about foreign male/Japanese female couples

Mike
Jan 13, 2016

Japanese blogger and internationalist Madame Riri explores five prejudices and misconceptions foreign male-Japanese female couples experience in Japan.

Japan
(culture • dating • internationalism • Madam Riri • romance • society)

New series gives Tomica toy cars a Feudal makeover with samurai-inspired designs

Mike
Jan 12, 2016

Takara Tomy will introduce several neat new models in their spectacularly popular Tomica toy car line later this month, each based on Feudal-Era warriors and generals.

Japan
(cars • models • samurai • Takara Tomy • tomica • toys)

We bought one million yen worth of scratch lottery tickets to test the chances of winning big

Mike
Jan 2, 2016

We dropped 1 million yen (approximately US$8,300) on 5,000 Japan National Lottery scratch-off tickets to see if buying in bulk translates to bigger wins.

Japan
(experiments • gambling • lottery • money)

Clever ad publicly shames commuters in real-time for “smartphone walking” in train station【Video】

Mike
Dec 31, 2015

A metro operator set up a monitoring device and announcement system to single out individual commuters caught using their smartphones while walking near escalators or passing trains.

Japan
(ads • commercials • public safety • smartphone • smartphone walking • station • trains • video)

Decorative animal toys with massive chins now a thing in Japan for some reason

Mike
Dec 30, 2015

Toy manufacturer Takara Tomy A.R.T.S continues its line of bizarre “gacha” capsule toys with cute (?) animals that have developed enormous underbites.

Japan
(animals • shakure • Takara Tomy • Takara Tomy Arts • toys)

Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight gets a “lame” Japanese promo poster treatment

Mike
Dec 28, 2015

While posters for the film in the west appear to be going for more mysterious, arty designs, the official poster for the film’s Japanese release opts for more of a “cosplay Christmas card” look…

Japan
(marketing • movies • Tarantino • The Hateful Eight)

“Best Body Japan” winners are in just in time to make us ashamed of our holiday gorgefest

Mike
Dec 26, 2015

Model Saya Kagawa takes the women’s crown, distracts everyone from a bunch of ripped dudes flexing in the background.

Japan
(beauty • bodybuilding • contests • fitness • modeling • Saya Kagawa)

Shonen Jump + now taking manga submissions from Japan and abroad in new contest

Mike
Dec 19, 2015

The publisher of Shonen Jump + is teaming with digital distributor MediBang to hold an amateur manga submission contest. Those who make the cut will see their manga on the virtual pages of the magazine!

Global, Japan
(contests • manga • MediBang • publishing • Shueisha)

Planned Shinjuku attraction to offer “real life” spy experience—complete with laser tripwires!!

Mike
Dec 17, 2015

The attraction will task guests with navigating a compound using their wits and spy skills and will even feature a laser tripwire obstacle course. A LASER TRIPWIRE OBSTACLE COURSE!

Japan
(attractions • escape games • games • Kabukicho • shinjuku • spies • spy)

Neat footage surfaces of life in small Hiroshima town circa the 1930s【Video】

Mike
Dec 14, 2015

The family of a Baptist missionary stationed in Japan in the 1930s sent DVDs of the Reverend’s home movies of the era to the Hiroshima town of Onomichi.