SoraNews24 —Japan News—
Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Featured
- Weird
- Studio Ghibli
- Jobs
Japan (Page 1699)
Beautiful “transparent” biological specimens a work of art – you can actually buy them and they look amazing!
Have you heard of a series of unique creations called “Transparent Specimens” produced by Iori Tomita? It may sound bizarre, but they are specimens of different living creatures including fish, arthropods, reptiles and mammals that have been specially treated to make them transparent. And the end result is far from bizarre – in fact, the specimens are so beautiful that the series of work have a considerable following of fans.
Instant Ramen #1 on Favorite Japanese Factory Tours, Field Trips
- Jessica
Apr 20, 2012
The Japanese version of the popular travel information site Trip Adviser recently published a list of the best factory tours in Japan. Perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the nation’s most popular exports makes it to number one. Read More
- Japan
- (Aichi • business • cup noodles • food • Hokkaido • Hyogo • Nagoya • Okinawa • travel • Yamanashi)
Smartphone Too Smart For You? Analog Smartphone Coming Your Way…
- Danielnishina
Apr 19, 2012
Japanese mobile company AU has unveiled its latest concept phone featuring a wind-up analog clock.
- Internet, Japan
- (KDDI • smartphone • technology)
We Order Whopper With 1050 Bacon Strips, Struggle to Level Comically Huge Burger
- Steven
Apr 19, 2012
Well that didn’t take long.
Just yesterday we shared the story of how our own Mr. Sato capitalized on Burger King Japan’s current 15 bacon strips for 100 yen (US $1.20) promotion by ordering a Whopper with 105 bacon strips.
While Mr. Sato managed to finish the burger, he didn’t seem to be in the best shape afterwards, falling into a meat-induced coma and then suddenly breaking out of it only to run out of the room with his hand covering his mouth.
Surely, we thought, Mr. Sato has finally learned his lesson; that consuming stacks of bacon is a task better left to professionals.
So imagine our surprise when he came in the office holding a plastic bag sagging under the weight of a 1050 bacon strip Whopper.
- Japan
- (Burger King • fast food • food challenge • hamburger • Mr. Sato)
Why is Japan Turning Blue at Night? More and More Streets Being Draped in Peacefully Bizarre Azure Lights
- Master Blaster
Apr 19, 2012
A growing number of people all across Japan have been noticing their neighborhoods getting a little jazzier these days. If you live in Japan and haven’t seen them yet then just wait. But why have cities all over the country been trading in their traditional yellowish lights for the blue light special?
- Japan
- (blue • crime • lamppost • streetlight • technology)
A Sweets Lover’s Paradise – Tokyo Confectionery Land opens in Tokyo Station and their “drinkable” cream puffs are a must try!
- Kay
Apr 18, 2012
We have good news for all of you cream puff lovers out there. Three major confectionery makers have joined efforts to open “Tokyo Confectionery Land” in the “Tokyo Station First Avenue” shopping area on the Tokyo Station premies, and one of the confectionery companies involved, Fujiya Co., Ltd, is selling a seriously delicious confectionery – the “drinkable” cream puff! For anyone who loves cream puffs, or sweets in general for that matter, we think this is a must try! Read More
- Japan
- (cream puffs • food • Fujiya • sweets)
The perfect summer snack – potato chips that are made to be cool, literally
- Kay
Apr 18, 2012
Aren’t potato chips just great? They’re the ultimate comfort food (well, at least they are to me) and they come in a wide variety of flavors to suit your every mood. Well, there’s going to be another novel flavor for potato chip lovers in Japan to try, and the flavor is not the only thing that’s interesting about these new potato chips. Read More
- Japan
- (B gourmet • Calbee • food • potato chips)
Burger King Japan Offering 15 Bacon Strips for $1 So We Order Whopper With 105 Bacon Strips
- Steven
Apr 18, 2012
Burger King Japan recently launched a promotion giving customers the option to add 15 pieces of bacon to their Whopper for a measly 100 yen (US $1.20).
That’s 500% more bacon for your buck (it’s usually 60 yen for 3 strips). It’s almost as if Burger King is operating under some CIA plot to undermine Japanese longevity by poisoning us with copious amount of cheap junk food.
Well we accept your challenge, America! In fact, we even raised the stakes to make things interesting, sending resident reporter/guinea pig Mr. Sato to eat a Whopper loaded with not 15 but 105 strips of bacon.
- Japan
- (B gourmet • Burger King • fast food • Mr. Sato)
Ice Cream Too Hard? No More!
- Danielnishina
Apr 16, 2012
We’ve probably all experienced that struggle, that anguish – you go to eat your ice cream only to discover it’s still frozen solid and your spoon can only make pathetic little dents in it. The folks at Lemnos Co. could not let this injustice go unaddressed, and have invented a special spoon to do the job. Read More
Have the Ultimate Domino’s Pizza – All the toppings and Over $100!
- Kay
Apr 15, 2012
Our adventurous reporters previously tried a plate of Coco Ichiban Curry with everything on it, and this time we decided to follow that up with an order of Domino’s Pizza with all the toppings on it. But we didn’t order just a regular pizza with all the toppings; that would be too simple.
No, we ordered a Triple Mille-Feuille crust pizza with all the toppings! The Triple Mille-Feuille crust consists of three layers of thin ultra crispy crust with plenty of cheese sandwiched in between. So, we placed our order and waited to see what the pizza would be like. Read More
New iPhone Attachment Takes It Back to ’07, By Which We Mean 1907
- Master Blaster
Apr 14, 2012
Apple has had their share of run-ins over patent infringement these days, but it looks like Sanyo Transport’s recently released iPhone attachment may get an angry letter too – from the Edison Speaking Phonograph Company.
The iPhone 4S/4 Exclusive Bugle-Type Speaker certainly doesn’t win points for a catchy name, but it may hook you in with its low price, simplicity and heck even for its retro charm.
- Japan
- (Apple • entertainment • iPhone • shopping)
Melon and mayonnaise, anyone? It actually tastes better than you might expect!
- Kay
Apr 14, 2012
You’ve probably never eaten melon with mayonnaise before. Well, we saw it being done by actress Erika Toda on the T.V. drama “SPEC” and thought we would give it a try. But seriously, melon with mayonnaise? Wouldn’t melon taste better as, well, simple melon?
KDDI Releases First Iridium Satellite Phone with GPS Capability
- Mac Denny
Apr 13, 2012
On April 13, KDDI will begin selling “Extreme,” the newest Iridium satellite phone model and the first equipped with a GPS function.
With the GPS function, Extreme users can periodically update people in their address book on their location via email. In case of emergency, they can push the SOS Button on top of the unit to send an automatic message containing their GPS position.
At 10% thinner and 7% lighter than 9555, the previous model, it is now the thinnest, lightest Iridium satphone, and it also features better resistance to water and dust. Read More
- Japan
- (business • Iridium • KDDI • satellite phone • satphone • technology)
Newspaper Companies Rally Against Inevitable Demise by Giving a Few Free Copies Away with the Purchase of an Egg McMuffin
- Master Blaster
Apr 12, 2012
McDonald’s may not be the best place to get nourishment for your body, but for one week at selected branches you could get some food for thought, in the form of a free newspaper.
That’s right, McDonald’s restaurants and the Japan Newspaper association have collaborated to bring you Spring Newspaper Week (April 6 to 12), which many are lauding as a glorious waste of time.
The purpose of Spring Newspaper Week is to combat the growing trend of young people not using newspapers. Strangely, more and more younger people prefer reading their news on phones that fit in the palm of their hands rather than cumbersome sheets of paper that make their fingers black.
Fukushima Refugees Rather Gamble than Work, Claims Iwaki City Mayor
- Master Blaster
Apr 12, 2012
The city of Iwaki lies 30km south of the Fukushima Daiichi just outside of the evacuation zone created after the nuclear disaster struck. As such it has become home to approximately 25,000 displaced people from Futaba District, where the Daiichi reactor is located.
On 9 April, Iwaki Mayor Takao Watanabe had this to say about the evacuees: “With the compensation money they received from TEPCO, most people are choosing not to work. The pachinko parlors, however, are packed every day.” Pachinko is a highly popular game similar to pinball that is often used for gambling much like slots or video poker in other parts of the world.
Although this may sound like another case of a Japanese politician putting his foot in his mouth, it appears Mayor Watanabe is not alone with his opinion.
“Procrastinate”? “Calm Under Pressure?” Take a Page from the Pros
- Danielnishina
Apr 12, 2012
Time limit, cutoff, due date. AKA “deadline”. Of course the concept applies to any number of jobs. But let it be said that the real experts on the subject are cartoonists / comic book artists.
These professionals truly know the possibilities of pre-deadline behavior. Today, we present to you 99 ways comic book artists find themselves approaching, or avoiding, their day of reckoning. See if you compare… Read More
- Japan
- (anime & manga • art • comic • doing it wrong • manga)
Hello Kitty turns scary and cosplays as Japanese horror character – but still manages to be cute!
- Kay
Apr 11, 2012
What happens when you combine one of the cutest, most beloved mascot characters in the world with one of the most terrifying characters in modern Japanese fiction and cinema? You get “Sadako Kitty”, or Kitty dressed up as Sadako, the character from the hit Japanese horror series “The Ring”. Of course, it’s Hello Kitty, so she’s still cute, but she does look quite different from her usual self. Read More
- Japan
- (cute • entertainment • Hello Kitty • Horror • movie • Ring • Sadako)
Forget Surgical Masks and Fake Glasses, Wear Your Allergy Remedy Around Your Neck With the Virus Blocker!
- Mac Denny
Apr 11, 2012
Spring brings new life, new love, warmer weather and so many other great things. It also brings with it heaps of pollen, and we find ourselves smack dab in the middle of pollen season. While it’s been a pretty easy year in terms of pollen, many of us are still shut indoors and suffering. I may have stumbled upon an easy, cost-effective way to take care of that, though.
Read More
- Japan
- (hay fever • health • pollen • science • surgical mask • technology)
Panasonic Developing 24-Fingered Hair-Washing Robot
- Mac Denny
Apr 10, 2012
If Panasonic has its way, the next human task we entrust to Japanese robots will be hair-washing. The electronics manufacturing giant is developing a hair-washing robot and hopes to put it into actual service in beauty salons before the end of the year.
First, the robot moves its mechanical fingertips around the customer’s head, measuring it with sensors. Once it has an idea of the unique shape of the customer’s head, it applies hot water and shampoo and uses its 24 digits to wash the customer’s hair. Read More
- Japan
- (business • Panasonic • robot • technology)
Tokyo PD Announces Traffic Restrictions to Follow Major Earthquakes in Tokyo Metro Area, PDF Files Available in Several Languages
- Mac Denny
Apr 10, 2012
On April 9, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department released pamphlets describing traffic restrictions that would be put into effect if a massive earthquake (Intensity Lower 6 or greater) were to strike the Tokyo Metropolis. The restrictions were made public in Japanese some time ago, but now the pamphlets are available as PDF files in English, Korean and Chinese. Read More
- Japan
- (earthquake • Tokyo • Tokyo Metropolis)
-
Recent Posts
- One Piece Day returns to Tokyo Big Sight and worldwide on Youtube 22 and 23 August
- Are Japan’s room-temperature curry packets the boxed lunch heroes we’ve been looking for? [Taste test]
- Studio Ghibli releases new Kiki’s Delivery Service Jiji music box for anime fans
- Tokyo is getting a branch of famous Los Angeles hot dog chain Pink’s with Japan-exclusive items
- Japanese convenience store food gets turned into hyper-realistic stationery you can peel open
-
MOST POPULAR
- Today
- Weekly
- Monthly
- Yearly
Today
Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video]
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
This beautiful rural Japan river is a great alternative to touristy summer retreats [Photos]
Japanese convenience store food gets turned into hyper-realistic stationery you can peel open
Kumamoto earthquake may have created Japan’s newest hot spring inside flooded restaurant [Video]
Studio Ghibli releases new Kiki’s Delivery Service Jiji music box for anime fans
Are Japan’s room-temperature curry packets the boxed lunch heroes we’ve been looking for? [Taste test]
Beautiful Totoro bonsai figure needs no watering, makes soothing rain showers whenever you want
End of a manga era as Weekly Shonen Jump’s circulation drops under one million
Tokyo is getting a branch of famous Los Angeles hot dog chain Pink’s with Japan-exclusive items
Weekly
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Anime fan in Japan arrested for ordering and cancelling over 4.3 billion yen in anime merch
Starbucks Japan teams up with Traveler’s Company for new stationery and goods collection
Japanese vending machine sells freshly squeezed lemon juice with a futuristic light show
Beautiful Totoro bonsai figure needs no watering, makes soothing rain showers whenever you want
End of a manga era as Weekly Shonen Jump’s circulation drops under one million
Kochia calling: Right now is a great off-season season to visit this beautiful Japanese park
Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video]
Monthly
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Cup Noodle unveils first-ever cold-water instant ramen in Japan
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Yearly
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
-
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Studio Ghibli releases new Kiki’s Delivery Service Jiji music box for anime fans
Are Japan’s room-temperature curry packets the boxed lunch heroes we’ve been looking for? [Taste test]
Beautiful Totoro bonsai figure needs no watering, makes soothing rain showers whenever you want
End of a manga era as Weekly Shonen Jump’s circulation drops under one million
Tokyo is getting a branch of famous Los Angeles hot dog chain Pink’s with Japan-exclusive items
This Japanese chopping board sanitising bag might be the handy kitchen gadget we never knew we needed
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
Studio Ghibli unveils new finger puppets featuring anime characters from My Neighbour Totoro
Tired of city life? Try out Japanese rural life for a few days on an active volcano in Kagoshima
Anime fan in Japan arrested for ordering and cancelling over 4.3 billion yen in anime merch
Starbucks Japan teams up with Traveler’s Company for new stationery and goods collection
Japan’s new difficult-to-drink-from beer glass protects your liver, but it’s a brutal experience
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese convenience store Lawson now has stir-fried noodle-cooking robot chefs
-
-
Categories
Categories Select Category Africa (33) Anime & Manga (193) Art (64) Australia (42) C America (9) C Asia (16) Canada (59) Cats (72) China (845) Culture (180) Cute (187) Entertainment (248) Europe (343) FN24 (1) Food & Drink (314) Games & Tech (167) Global (1,069) India (11) Internet (2,197) Italy (13) Japan (34,115) Korea (375) Lifestyle (76) Mexico (6) Music (12) N Asia (4) New Zealand (11) News (61) North Korea (72) Oceania (10) Russia (56) S America (33) S Asia (66) SE Asia (377) Space (2) Taiwan (203) UK (14) Uncategorized (19) USA (961) W Asia (25)
-
Archives
Archives Select Month August 2026 (56) July 2026 (197) June 2026 (174) May 2026 (138) April 2026 (142) March 2026 (150) February 2026 (124) January 2026 (138) December 2025 (136) November 2025 (136) October 2025 (151) September 2025 (154) August 2025 (143) July 2025 (158) June 2025 (165) May 2025 (162) April 2025 (181) March 2025 (157) February 2025 (127) January 2025 (139) December 2024 (148) November 2024 (149) October 2024 (153) September 2024 (154) August 2024 (158) July 2024 (156) June 2024 (150) May 2024 (166) April 2024 (150) March 2024 (157) February 2024 (169) January 2024 (159) December 2023 (165) November 2023 (166) October 2023 (166) September 2023 (173) August 2023 (183) July 2023 (171) June 2023 (180) May 2023 (158) April 2023 (152) March 2023 (167) February 2023 (160) January 2023 (171) December 2022 (175) November 2022 (176) October 2022 (179) September 2022 (191) August 2022 (202) July 2022 (193) June 2022 (178) May 2022 (178) April 2022 (181) March 2022 (212) February 2022 (199) January 2022 (224) December 2021 (230) November 2021 (214) October 2021 (215) September 2021 (238) August 2021 (225) July 2021 (207) June 2021 (218) May 2021 (209) April 2021 (206) March 2021 (225) February 2021 (209) January 2021 (224) December 2020 (225) November 2020 (224) October 2020 (231) September 2020 (238) August 2020 (227) July 2020 (220) June 2020 (209) May 2020 (215) April 2020 (238) March 2020 (235) February 2020 (222) January 2020 (233) December 2019 (187) November 2019 (214) October 2019 (237) September 2019 (195) August 2019 (205) July 2019 (183) June 2019 (201) May 2019 (231) April 2019 (192) March 2019 (242) February 2019 (211) January 2019 (238) December 2018 (212) November 2018 (217) October 2018 (214) September 2018 (203) August 2018 (217) July 2018 (218) June 2018 (208) May 2018 (204) April 2018 (193) March 2018 (216) February 2018 (192) January 2018 (223) December 2017 (204) November 2017 (209) October 2017 (218) September 2017 (209) August 2017 (228) July 2017 (222) June 2017 (245) May 2017 (229) April 2017 (197) March 2017 (165) February 2017 (151) January 2017 (180) December 2016 (260) November 2016 (267) October 2016 (302) September 2016 (387) August 2016 (351) July 2016 (379) June 2016 (379) May 2016 (312) April 2016 (347) March 2016 (414) February 2016 (379) January 2016 (359) December 2015 (359) November 2015 (378) October 2015 (435) September 2015 (419) August 2015 (152) July 2015 (218) June 2015 (179) May 2015 (237) April 2015 (223) March 2015 (119) February 2015 (121) January 2015 (395) December 2014 (376) November 2014 (376) October 2014 (414) September 2014 (349) August 2014 (379) July 2014 (316) June 2014 (375) May 2014 (384) April 2014 (354) March 2014 (318) February 2014 (284) January 2014 (270) December 2013 (224) November 2013 (242) October 2013 (244) September 2013 (226) August 2013 (241) July 2013 (214) June 2013 (222) May 2013 (191) April 2013 (173) March 2013 (149) February 2013 (85) January 2013 (106) December 2012 (111) November 2012 (149) October 2012 (151) September 2012 (118) August 2012 (99) July 2012 (56) June 2012 (57) May 2012 (54) April 2012 (62) March 2012 (40) February 2012 (27) January 2012 (24) December 2011 (18) November 2011 (12) October 2011 (1) September 2011 (9) August 2011 (11) March 2011 (1)
-
-
Follow SoraNews24
About Us | Jobs | Contact | Contribution | Partner with Us
© SoraNews24 —Japan News— / SOCIO CORPORATION
- Advertise |
- About Us |
- Work with us |
- Contact |
- Contribution |

