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Get ready to rock ‘n’ roll with the new line of alcoholic drinks from Suntory!
Okay, so the economy may be down, it may be a drag go to work each morning on the murderously crowded trains (or the impossibly jammed highways), and you may be feeling tired of everyday life in general, but you can’t let things like that kill the rock ‘n’ roll spirit inside you, can you? Well, now there’s a new line of alcoholic beverages from Suntory Holdings Limited that will help you get back into the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll – in Rolling Stones fashion! Read More
- Japan
- (alcoholic beverages • entertainment • food • music • Rolling Stones • Suntory)
Your Face on a 10000 yen bill! Bolster Your Delusions of Grandeur, Anyway
- Danielnishina
May 20, 2012
Whether you’re needing to boost your self-esteem, or you’re just awesome thank you and want some more proof of the fact, you can now get your lovely mug on some snazzy-looking cash. At Otona Ginko (“grown-ups’ bank”), you can order 10,000 yen bills with your portrait printed on them. You send in your picture and it gets converted to the kind of line-based monochrome graphic you see on real currency. (For those living outside of Japan, 10,000 yen is about 85 US dollars, though realistically speaking you use them like $20 bills here.)
- Japan
- (counterfeit money • entertainment • fake money • gag • weird)
Extreme Sashimi: Frog Edition
- Danielnishina
May 20, 2012
When we hear “sashimi”, usually what comes to mind is fish. But there are actually a wide variety of sashimi, such as horse sashimi and chicken sashimi. And, since ancient times in Japan, there is frog sashimi. (Here is where we try it out so you don’t have to.) We went to a Tokyo restaurant that we heard serves frog sashimi, “Asadachi” (which means morning wood, you know), about 3 minutes walk from Shinjuku station in ‘Piss Alley’.
A gadget that turns your iPhone into a martial arts weapon? Well, not quite, but you’ll be able to swing your phone around like a nunchaku!
- Kay
May 19, 2012
Have you ever had the urge to flip and swing around your iPhone and make it look cool like you’re a martial arts expert using a nunchaku? Well, this little gadget called the “iPhone Trick Cover” let’s you do just that, and judging from the manufacturer’s demonstration video, it looks like it may be a lot of fun! Read More
- Japan
- (Apple • gadgets • iPhone cover • technology)
Bevy of New Social Media Creators Hoping the Betterment of Humanity Goes Viral
- Master Blaster
May 19, 2012
We’ve all gotten very familiar with the concept of social media to the point that even my grandmother has a vague awareness of it. However, its detractors are quick to point that social networks, microblogs, podcasts, and what have you all amount to an ocean of pointless drivel.
It response to this harsh attack of new media comes a growing trend of web users and developers who are looking to harness the power of the internet for what they call “social good.”
Afraid You’d Look Ridiculous Singing Around Other People? Here, Put This Big Plastic Cup Over Your Mouth
- Master Blaster
May 19, 2012
Everyone likes to sing, at least a little bit. What most of us don’t realize though is that about 0.01% of the population can actually do it well. The rest of us end up bugging the hell out of anyone within earshot.
So for all the neighbors and roommates of people who live life like a cast member of Glee we present Noiseless KaraOK!
- Internet, Japan
- (karaoke • noiseless • technology)
Sneak Peek Into Japanese All-Boys High Schools: 50 Surprising and Unsurprising Things You’d See
- Mac Denny
May 18, 2012
It’s hard to imagine what goes on inside Japanese high schools without setting foot inside of one, and even if you’re able to do that, sometimes it’s hard to decipher what’s happening in front of your eyes.
Nonetheless, high school is high school, right? Playing with abandon on the field or court with your sports team, teen romances that run hot and cold, and a host of other universal events unfold at your typical co-ed secondary school.
Within the gates of the Japanese all-boys high school, however, lies a world beyond comprehension. It can be both humorous and painful, proper and vulgar. Let’s take a look at 50 things you would find in the typical Japanese all-boys high school. Read More
- Japan
- (bad boys • education • female deprivation • nerds • sausage party • sword fights)
Bus Button Lovers Get Off at Tokyu Hands During Golden Week
- Mac Denny
May 18, 2012
“Next stop, Shibuya Tokyu Hands!”
That’s what one might have expected to hear at the department store that hosted the quirky Tsugi Tomarimasu Bus Button Exhibit on May 3 and 4. A private collector put his collection of over 100 bus signal buttons on display for the Golden Week shopping crowds.
Anyone who has ever ridden a bus is familiar with the buttons you push to signal that you want to disembark, and we all have a relationship with these buttons. Aggressive people want to initiate action and get where they’re going. Passive people want someone to push the button and take care of their needs. Kids just want to be big enough to reach the buttons! Read More
- Japan
- (bus • bus buttons • collections • otaku • psychology • shopping • Tokyo)
Japan and America Disagree on Possibility of Solar Apocalypse
- Jessica
May 17, 2012
If a superflare, which is an explosion up to millions or even a billion times more powerful than a typical solar flare, were to happen on our sun, it would release incredible amounts of electromagnetic energy that would likely fry the world’s all-important electrical grids and send society spiraling into chaos. A large enough one could even burn up our protective ozone layer and turn all life on Earth extra-crispy.
So, what are the chances of that happening? Are we all doomed!? Well, depends on who you ask, apparently. Read More
- Japan, USA
- (hot Jupiter • NASA • science • superflare)
On Heels of Obama, Mickey Mouse Comes Out in Support of Gay Marriage
- Jessica
May 17, 2012
Tokyo Disneyland (TDL) has recently announced that they will offer weddings for same-sex couples, including the option to hold the ceremony at the iconic Cinderella’s castle. It seems that Disney really does make dreams come true, at least for one gay couple. Read More
- Japan
- (business • Disney • editorial • gay marriage • LGBT • Tokyo Disneyland)
Another new cola to hit Japanese market – “brown sugar cola” from Okinawa!
- Kay
May 17, 2012
Yes, people all over the world love cola, and once again, we can look forward to a new cola beverage coming onto the market in Japan. We’ve already told you about the fat-busting cola which came out in April. This time, the new cola has an exotic twist with ingredients from the tropical islands of Okinawa Prefecture. Read More
- Japan
- (brown sugar • Cola • food • Okinawa)
New Canine Cloud-Based Health and Activity Monitoring System Refuses to Let Your Sleeping Dog Lie
- Master Blaster
May 17, 2012
Have you ever seen an overweight dog? Many of us probably aren’t sure as, unlike with people, we don’t quite know what the ideal dog should look like. It’s especially difficult to see if our furrier pals are packing on some extra pounds, and with diabetes in dogs on the rise it’s becoming more important to.
It’s not hard to see why, however, as city dogs don’t have nearly enough space to run and play like their country cousins do. The urbanized lifestyle that has led to millions of overweight people is also plumping pooches worldwide. Luckily the modern life that is causing the problem is also offering a useful solution thanks to Fujitsu Ltd.
All the Joy and Splendor of Finding a Cockroach in Your Home Can Now Be Felt Anytime with Roachbot
- Master Blaster
May 16, 2012
You know that warm feeling you get when you spot a cockroach in the corner of your kitchen. How about when you pick up the garbage only to find one of those magical little critters scurry away in that adorable way they do?
The problem is that these precious moments are rare and even more fleeting as roaches quickly run into some crack in the wall. Although you may feel comforted knowing that there are thousands more living inside that wall, it still doesn’t match the pure elation of meeting one of these black bundles of joy face to face.
From trash to usable work of art – used wine bottles transformed into beautiful glassware!
- Kay
May 16, 2012
Okay, we have good news for wine lovers who feel guilty about creating lots of trash by opening all of those wine bottles. See the picture above? Yes, you guessed it – used wine bottles are now being made into beautiful glassware! Isn’t this a great, eco-friendly way to recycle wine bottles? I, for one, definitely wouldn’t mind having such nice looking plates at home. Read More
Remember When Your Mom Said “You Could Lose An Eye”? She Forgot the Part Where You Could Also Get US$150,000
- Master Blaster
May 11, 2012
Back in 2008, at an Osaka elementary school there was an incident involving a 3rd grade student who smashed two bottles of milk together during lunch time. As a result, the bottles shattered sending a shard of glass into the child’s eye and leaving him disabled. It’s certainly a terrible accident but what followed had turned the public’s sympathy into outrage.
- Japan
- (education • milk bottle • Osaka • school)
Does Drinking Pee Make You Healthier?
- Jessica
May 11, 2012
Across all times and cultures, there have been a variety of hygienic practices, some of which we would regard with horror today. One of those, which has been much discussed recently, is the practice of drinking one’s own urine to promote good health. Yes, you read that correctly, drinking a steaming glass of your own pee as a health supplement. Read More
- Japan
- (drinking pee • education • folk medicine • food • health • weird)
Clear and shiny fun – Grow your own crystals!
- Kay
May 10, 2012
I’m sure many people out there have been fascinated by the beauty of crystals. Crystals come in various shapes and colors and can be used in many ways, including ornaments and jewelry. Well, if you love crystals, there is reason for you to rejoice, because now you can grow your own crystals with “Magic Crystal“, the new product from Otogino Co., Ltd. Read More
- Japan
- (crystals • cute • do it yourself • entertainment)
Check out these luxury restrooms – you’ll want to visit Shibuya Hikarie just to use the ladies’ room!
- Kay
May 9, 2012
So, everyone has been talking about the Shibuya Hikarie, the new shopping and entertainment complex that opened in Shibuya on April 26. The large building includes not only shopping facilities but offices, 2 floors of restaurants, event halls and even a theater as well. But did you know that the shopping facility in the building, called “ShinQs“, may be worth visiting for something other than the shops – their restrooms, to be exact? Read More
How about some fish flavored gum – to boost your intelligence?
- Kay
May 8, 2012
It’s widely known that Japanese people love to eat fish (although in recent years, hamburgers and pizza have become increasingly a part of our diet). But even in a country where fish is treasured – so much so that a single tuna can fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars at the fish market – you normally wouldn’t expect to see a product this “fishy” – fish flavored chewing gum! Read More
Japanese Foam Jockey Gives Drinkers Beer Heads That Cause Westerners to Froth at the Mouth
- Master Blaster
May 8, 2012
Recently we ran a report on how Japanese netizens expressed their outrage over the way a Korean pop star chooses to eat her instant noodles. Now it seems that the international outrage shoe is on the other foot as Japan has drawn the western stink eye over how they like to enjoy their beer.
At the center of this controversy is an innocent advert for Jokki Hour (a punny mistranslation of “Foam Jockey”). Jokki Hour is actually a cleverly designed beer mug that has a lever attatched. When you push the lever the cup creates a head on the beer. Not a bad idea in itself, but I think it’s the advertisement that turns westerners off. Let’s take a look.
- Japan
- (beer • foam • food • Jokki Hour)
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Today
New Pokémon anniversary song is 22 minutes long, features all 1,025 Pokémon species [Video]
Lego PlayStation recreates Sony’s original console, makes unusual choice for games to salute
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12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
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Yearly
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