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How to Make a Horror Bento, Perfect for Fights with Loved Ones

Master Blaster
Aug 4, 2012
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We’ve covered the phenomenon of charabens in the past ranging from the extremely cute to the downright bizarre. However, as with any art form, the horror genre cannot be left out. Inspired by some photos of horror bentos found online a reporter from the website Pouch, Hotaru Yamakawa, has decided to make her own series of 3 horror bentos and help you make your own.

Japan
(bento • charaben • Horror • zombie)

Even Non-Alcoholic Drinks Should be Limited to 20 Years Old and Up According to Survey

Master Blaster
Aug 4, 2012

To all our under-age readers, I feel for you. Understandably, alcoholic drinks are off-limits as they can be harmful to your growth at a young age. But now, it seems the adults want to take away your non-alcoholic drinks as well according to a recent survey.

Japan
(age limit • alcohol • non-alcoholic)

We Take a Slow Ride to the Disputed Russian/Japanese Island of Sakhalin, Taking a Boat Can be Much More Enriching than a Plane

Master Blaster
Aug 4, 2012

While in Hokkaido I decided to go to the Sakhalin Island just North of Japan. This island has had a long history of passing between Russian and Japanese control for centuries. In the closing days of WWII Russian forces took the entire island although no treaty was made to officially declare their ownership.

As a Japanese person it stung a little to need a visa to visit this Sakhalin but the dispute over this island has been quieted recently. A Japanese Consulate was established there and businesses in Japanese frequently make the trip thanks to warming ties between the two countries.

And so I decide to make the most of this journey by taking a ship rather than a plane. Ultimately it was full of surprises – good and bad.

Japan

[Olympics] Chinese Media Attempts to Annex 2 Kazakhstani Gold Medalists, Chinese People Wish Their Media Would Give It a Rest

Master Blaster
Aug 3, 2012

During the London Olympics, two young ladies from the Kazakhstani team Zulfiya Chinshanlo (19) and Maiya Maneza (26) each earned gold medals in their respective weight classes as well as setting a World and Olympic Record respectively.

However, their celebrations were short lived as China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency declared that they are in fact secret Chinese nationals, Zhao Changing (19) and Yao Ling (26) who were sent on a clandestine mission to Kazakhstan to spread the sport.

China
(Kazakhstan • Maiya Maneza • Olympics • Zulfiya Chinshanlo)

America Flexes Its Marketing Muscles by Turning a Bland Japanese Condiment into the Hippest New Diet Food

Master Blaster
Aug 3, 2012

A common addition to many Japanese dishes is a substance called Konjac (Konnyaku in Japanese which may sound confusingly like Cognac). It’s a peculiar, virtually tasteless gelatinous mass that admittedly has an excellent texture to it.

What may come as a shock to millions of Japanese people is that America is beginning to embrace this garnish not as the Japanese have, but as a replacement for conventional pasta.

Thanks to the West’s keen marketing sense, Japan’s often underappreciated purplish-grey slab gelatin has been reborn there as Miracle Noodles!

Japan, USA
(Konjac • Miracle Noodles • pasta • Shirataki)

Mr. Sato Cosplays as Slime and Waits in Line 24 Hours to Purchase Dragon Quest X

Steven
Aug 2, 2012

August 1 was a big day for Japan as it marked the release of Dragon Quest X, the latest installment in the iconic series and the first to force players to play online. While the release of a new Dragon Quest game is usually something akin to a national holiday here, many people were wondering if mandatory online play wasn’t too tall of an order for a series traditionally known for sticking to its tried and true formula.

To get an idea of just how excited the country really is over Dragon Quest X, we sent resident reporter Mr. Sato to a video game shop in Shibuya the day before release to stand in line until the store opened the game went on sale the next day at 7:00 am.

Of course, anyone can wait in line for a day, but it takes a true Dragon Quest fan like Mr. Sato to wait in line for a day dressed as the series’ most beloved monster, slime.

Japan
(cosplay • Dragon Quest • Mr. Sato • video games)

We Head to the Location of OS X Mountain Lion’s Desktop, “Blue Pond” and Soak In the Mysterious Beauty First Hand

Master Blaster
Aug 2, 2012

Installed on the recently released OS X Mountain Lion is a breathtaking image of an aquamarine pond with trees growing out of it. We previously gave you the impressions of the photographer Kent Shiraishi, but now we went straight to the real Blue Pond in Biei, Hokkaido to see if it lives up to the photo.

Japan
(Blue Pond • Hokkaido • mountain lion • OS X)

South Korea Hates Japan More Than North Korea & Loves America, Gallup Poll Reveals

Steven
Aug 1, 2012

Nothing brings a nation together like a common enemy and the Olympics give us an excuse to degrade every other country on the planet world without it seeming xenophobic.

It was in the midst of this festive atmosphere that Gallup Korea published their annual poll showing the country’s opinion of the rest of the world. The results? South Korea hates Japan even more than North Korea and loves America the most.

Japan, Korea
(comfort women • GANGNAM STYLE • poll • South Korea)

Meet Family Mart’s Newest Employee, Hatsune Miku

Master Blaster
Aug 1, 2012

A while back we reported on Hatsune Miku’s hijacking of four Family Mart convenience stores. This time, however, Family Mart has turned the tables by hijacking Hatsune Miku herself and hiring her as a store clerk.

The news comes during a display at Wonder Festival (Wonfes) Summer 2012 by figurine makers Good Smile Company. In the display figures of Miku sporting a Family Mart Uniform (with a few cute alterations) could be seen. These will be part of an upcoming promotional event between the popular Vocaloid and convenience store chain.

Japan
(Family mart • Hatsune Miku • Nendoroid • Wonder Festival)

Kit Kat Ice Cream Cone is Seriously Just a Kit Kat in an Ice Cream Cone

Yoshio
Aug 1, 2012

You’d think that when someone at Nestle proposed making a Kit Kat ice cream cone, they would have taken the conventional route and used ice cream with crushed up bits of Kit Kat in it.

But that was not the case with the frozen treat we came across at a supermarket during a recent trip to Sakhalin. Instead, this “Kit Kat Cone” was nothing more than a regular store-bought ice cream cone with a single Kit Kat wedged in the top.

Japan
(food • ice cream • Kit Kat • Sakhalin)

Somalian Olympic Team Cosplays as Doraemon During the Opening Ceremony

Steven
Aug 1, 2012

So how ’bout that 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony? There was Mr. Bean’s riveting performance of “Chariots of Fire,” Daniel Craig and Queen Elizabeth II parachuted out of a helicopter, Paul McCartney sang “Hey Jude”…

While the star-studded event gave the world plenty to talk about, there was one cameo appearance during the parade that was likely overlooked by everyone except Japan: everyone’s favorite earless robotic cat, Doraemon.

Global
(Doraemon • Somalia)

Mutant Fish with Transparent Scales Discovered at Japanese Fishery…Among 300,000 Regular Opaque Fish

Steven
Jul 31, 2012

The ayu, or sweetfish, is a summer delicacy in Japan. Usually coated in salt and grilled over a charcoal fire, the fish is known for its refreshingly sweet taste and is consumed widely by Japanese people every year.

While a typical specimen is similar to a small trout in appearance, an ayu with translucent scales was discovered at a fishery in Gifu prefecture late last month.

We think the issue here isn’t why this happened, but how on earth were they able to spot the little guy…

Japan
(ayu • fish • Gifu • mutation • summer • weird)

Novel Anti-Cheating Technology Surfaced on Twitter, Look for It at a School Near You

Master Blaster
Jul 31, 2012

Students cheating on tests is as natural and inevitable as the sunrise, and with the aid of technology like smartphones there are even more ingenious ways to get around failing. It’s a global problem with no solution in sight.

However, it looks like one innovative teacher has found a simple, cheap, and seemingly foolproof way to curtail their students from cheating. This is based on a photo that is making the rounds via Twitter recently.

S Asia, SE Asia
(cheating • folder • India)

Now You Can Get a 3D Replica of Your Fetus (Because That’s Not Creepy at All)

Steven
Jul 30, 2012

For expecting couples, visiting the gynecologist for an ultrasound scan can be a memorable experience as it is often their first look at the precious life waiting to be born in the world. Many soon-to-be parents even ask for a black-and-white printout of the scan to commemorate the occasion and then later to embarrass their child in front of his or her friends.

Now, Japanese engineering firm Fasotec has taken prenatal memorabilia to literally the next dimension with “Shape of an Angel,” a miniature 3D replica of the fetus as it lay in the womb.

Japan
(3D • fetus • health • pregnancy • science • technology)

We Test Drive the World’s First Augmented Reality Car Navigation System “Cyber-Navi,” It’s as Good as We Hoped

Master Blaster
Jul 30, 2012

In May 2012, Pioneer announced the newest model of Carrozzeria Cyber-Navi. This breakthrough device, which is set to hit stores soon, has been getting a lot of buzz for moving car navigation from the dashboard to about 3 meters in front of your car.

I (Mr. Sato) was able to get an sneak peak test drive in a car equipped with a Cyber-Navi, and it was a surprisingly comfortable ride with clear visibility.

Japan
(augmented reality • car navigation • Cyber-Navi • Mr. Sato)

Land Yourself an Educated Partner with “The Smell of a Freshly Printed Book”

Master Blaster
Jul 29, 2012

A new perfume has been created inspired by this quote of Karl Lagerfeld, a heavy hitter in the fashion world working with the likes of Chanel and Fendi among others.

“The smell of a freshly printed book is the best smell in the world.”

Well, hmmm, I never really thought about it before, but I can distinctly recall the smell of a fresh book after reading his words – so he could be onto something. But does it really make you smell like a book? And would people actually go for it?

Global
(book • Karl Lagerfeld • perfume)

Snow Cone Inspired Pasta May Deliver Us From the Heat, The Best Part Comes After You Finish!

Master Blaster
Jul 29, 2012

This summer isn’t even half way through, but everyone in Japan can firmly agree that it sucks – hard. For the past two weeks the temperature has hovered around 35℃ in many parts of the country with a hardly a cloud to weaken the scorching sun.

Walking around in the streets, heat exhaustion has me pining for winter like it was a long lost lover whom I’m willing to forgive for cheating on me with 10 dudes as long as she comes back for one precious moment to ease my soul.

Just then some news hit me like a bucket of cold water. There is a restaurant in Ginza called Fresh Pasta Monster that is serving “Shaved Ice Fresh Pasta” for a limited time Now that’s something to make me forget about that tramp, winter.

Japan
(Ginza • ice • pasta)

Newly Developed Projector Lets You Make 3D Animations That Can Interact With Real Objects

Master Blaster
Jul 29, 2012

A couple months ago when Tupac “appeared” at the Coachella Festival, they incorrectly called it a “hologram” when in fact it was a style of 3D projection—the same that is used when Hatsune Miku makes live appearances. Now you can make your favorite murdered rapper or vocaloid come to life with similar 3D projections using your tablet computer and “Hakoani!”