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Worried about radiation in your seafood? Some of the best minds in Japan conduct study on reducing radiation – with unimpressive results
Since the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant following the terrible East Japan Earthquake in March last year, radiation has unfortunately been a topic of concern for everyone in Japan. It is therefore not surprising that a team of scientists at Tokyo University, where some of the top minds of Japan can be found, conducted a study on how radiation in seafood can be reduced. However, the results which have been reported in the media recently are not what you may expect from Japan’s premier academic institution.
According to reports, the team at Tokyo University, headed by Professor Shugo Watabe, concluded from their experiments that up to 95% of the radioactive cesium contained in fish can be removed by reducing the fish into very small pieces, close to paste form, and washing it repeatedly with water. Read More
Put the Tokyo Subway in Your Mouth!
- Jessica
Mar 29, 2012
Among both train nerds and the general public, the bright red 300-series cars that originally ran on the Marunouchi subway line in Tokyo are much beloved. This year, that line celebrates the 50th anniversary of the completion of its full length, and someone has fittingly made it a cake. Literally.
The cakes, called Marunouchi Line 300-Series 3D Cake, are being sold for a limited time at the price of 7980 yen (about $97).
Read More
- Japan
- (300-series • business • cake • food • Marunouchi Line • otaku • shopping • Tokyo • Tokyo Metro)
Recharge In Style! Cool Futuristic Cable Unveiled
- Danielnishina
Mar 29, 2012
Xenon has just started selling a futuristic USB recharging cable for iPad, iPhone, and iPod, which not only lights up, but you can see how fast your device is recharging by how fast the light pulses along the cable. And when your charge is full, the light turns off. Read More
Take Your Relationship With Your iPhone To Strange New Levels With Bandai’s Smartpet App and Robot Dog Body
- Master Blaster
Mar 29, 2012
They say that dog is man’s best friend. However, as the number of smartphone users continues to grow that title may soon be challenged, especially if you consider Bandai’s newest iPhone development, Smartpet.
Kirin Releasing Fat-Busting Cola
- Jessica
Mar 28, 2012
This month, beverage maker Kirin announced that it will be releasing the first ever health food cola on April 24th. The drink will be called Kirin Mets Cola. No connection to the MLB team, although fans will find the font suspiciously familiar.
According to the company, the drink contains an indigestible form dextrin sometimes used as a fiber supplement, which restricts the body’s ability to absorb fat while eating. It contains no sweeteners and has strong carbonation for a refreshing feel. They also claim that blood tests performed in house after consuming the beverage prove the drink keeps levels of neutral fats low after eating.
Read More
Goose That Laid the Golden Egg Hiding Somewhere in Japan
- Jessica
Mar 26, 2012
Have you ever seen such a lustrous gold egg before? I’m willing to bet most people would answer “no” to that. And yet, this shiny egg is the real thing! Well, at least it’s a real egg, anyway.
Read More
- Japan
- (B gourmet • food • golden egg • weird)
New Major Faults Found Near Japan Coast
- Danielnishina
Mar 26, 2012
Two active and sizable faults were discovered east of Tokyo, a bit more than 100 km off the coast of Chiba Prefecture, measuring 160 km(99miles) and 300 km(186miles) long respectively.
- Japan
- (earthquake • science)
Fun Do-It-Yourself Mini Cherry Blossom Kit
- Danielnishina
Mar 26, 2012
Who doesn’t love cherry blossoms (sakura) and cherry blossom season? That exquisite pink everywhere. Refreshing, energizing, even. It’s fun just to wander around checking out the different parks with cherry blossoms. Sadly, time flies and the petals blow away… Read More
- Japan
- (cherry blossoms • cute • entertainment • hanami • sakura • Tokyo • weird)
Lil’ Miss Environmentally Friendly Can Wash Away All Your Unwanted Toilet Sounds
- Master Blaster
Mar 26, 2012
Let’s face it; using public toilets is never a pleasant experience. Putting aside all the legendary messes you have encountered, even if the restroom is immaculate you still have to worry about yourself. As stealthily ninja-like you try to be on the can it is virtually impossible to do it without making any embarrassing sounds.
This is especially true of the fairer sex who often do a courtesy flush but in these ecologically sensitive times it’s hardly a sensible use of a gallon of water.
- Japan
- (Eco Otome • entertainment • shopping • toiret)
Marriage in Wonderland! Now you can have a real life fairytale wedding in the land of Magic and Fantasy
- Kay
Mar 24, 2012
Dreaming of a truly one-of-a-kind wedding in a magical setting? Well, there’s exciting news for people who want just that. Now you can get married at the ultimate fantasy lover’s venue — none other than the land of magic itself, Tokyo Disneyland. Read More
- Japan
- (cute • Disneyland • entertainment • weddings)
Free Umbrellas With A Purpose
- Danielnishina
Mar 24, 2012
Since March 8, you may have been seeing umbrellas around Tokyo printed with graphics for a new Xbox 360 and PS3 mahjong game.
- Japan
- (ads • advertisements • anime & manga • art • entertainment • shopping • Tokyo • umbrella)
It’s Disney Magic! Turn yourself into a Disney Princess
- Kay
Mar 24, 2012
What small girl hasn’t dreamt of being a Disney Princess? Now you can actually make it happen, at least in the digital world. Read More
- Japan
- (app • art • cute • Disney • entertainment • KDDI • NTT • NTT DOCOMO • Princess • Softbank • technology)
Daiwa House To Sell “Vegetable Factory” Capable of Growing 10,000 Heads of Lettuce Per Year
- Master Blaster
Mar 23, 2012
Produce prices are almost impossible to predict, mostly because of crops ruined by El Nino, global warming, or whatever cause de jour we hear about in the news. The rest of the time we’re hit with stories about E. coli in our spinach or other edible plants being the subjects of genetic manipulation. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to avoid all of these problems?
Japan’s largest homebuilder, Daiwa House has come up with a solution to all of these produce related problems wrapped up in a 30 cubic-meter wonder box. Dubbed the “agri-cube”, this little veggie factory lets you grow 23 different varieties of edible plants from lettuce to basil.
- Japan
- (Daiwa House • entertainment • food • Lettuce • technology)
Japanese City on the Verge of Bankruptcy Puts Name Up For Sale
- Master Blaster
Mar 23, 2012
They say the only thing you have after losing everything is your name. Not so, says the Izumisano City officials who in the dying moments of their failing economy are considering a plan to sell their naming rights off amongst other ideas.
Residents of the Osaka Prefecture city will be pleased to know that they wouldn’t be selling it to just anyone with money, so the threat of the name becoming Poopiehead City is minimal. From June till the end of November they will be accepting proposals from both foreign and domestic businesses interested in unique ways to advertise using their city’s government and resources.
- Japan
- (entertainment • Izumisano • Osaka • politics)
Hello Katie the Triumphant Fruit Stem Cat! Hello Kitty’s Life on the World Stage Sometimes Gets Confused in Translation
- Master Blaster
Mar 22, 2012
Most of the world is familiar with Hello Kitty as she puts her stamp of cuteness on backpacks, shirts, posters, and the occasional jumbo jet or hotel room. But how much do people outside of Japan know about her personal life.
As the Japanese lovingly refer to her as Kitty-chan she is also occasionally known by the name she uses on her British passport, Kitty White. This info is provided by her owners at the Japanese company Sanrio.
However, when we look at Hello Kitty’s bio on Sanrio’s Taiwan website, we discover that Japan may have been wrong all this time. Their translation of the infamous cat’s real British name is not Kitty but in fact Katie.
Get a Complete Psych Profile in a Few Minutes Using Only a Pen and Paper
- Master Blaster
Mar 21, 2012
The internet is home to thousands of thousands of tests and quizzes each promising everything from your IQ to the Glee character that most resembles you. Now we bring you a new test that really kinda probably doesn’t work, but it’s fun to try.
Using just a pen and paper you can get a snapshot of your current mental state. But to get a super-duper accurate reading you CANNOT scroll down to until you complete each step, OK?
- Internet
- (education • entertainment • Test)
Much A-Blue About Strawberries, Hypothetical Question Gets Everyone in a Tizzy
- Master Blaster
Mar 20, 2012
About 30 years ago, the late great George Carlin asked the famous question; “Where’s the blue food?” In this routine he’s quick to point out that many foods with “blue” in the name aren’t really blue. Blueberries are so dark they barely register as blue. Blue cheese is just white cheese with blue mold in it. And if anyone on the internet refers you to a “blue waffle” please forget you read it and move on with your life.
This culinary curiosity appears to have everyone mystified as proved by the recent landslide of attention that has befallen a website called strawberryblu.com. A cute little article attempting to answer the question “Do blue strawberries exist?” which was written about a year ago has just recently been a magnet of attention in the middle of a fierce debate over genetically modified food.
- Global
- (food • science • strawberry • technology)
The End of Barcodes? Toshiba Unveils Register Scanners that Can See Rather than Scan
- Master Blaster
Mar 20, 2012
I remember on my first day of computer programming class the first thing the teacher said was, “Computers are stupid.” It was a valuable fact that has served me well in my relationships with these ubiquitous machines.
For instance, if I show a four year old a can of Coke, they can quickly tell me what it is. Whereas for a computer, we have to print a series of lines and numbers on it just so the dumbass box can get up to speed.
It makes you wonder why we have to go through all the trouble of making up barcodes just so a machine can understand what you and I plainly see. It’s enough to make you think the barcode industry is some sort of insidious freemason plot. Recently, though, Toshiba has announced a scanner for supermarkets and other shops that will bring this evil syndicate of barcode charlatans to their knees.
- Japan
- (Barcode • science • technology)
Six Tokyo Starbucks Try All-You-Can-Read Offer
- Jessica
Mar 19, 2012
Starbucks is quite nice, isn’t it? Their shops provide a comfortable, non-smoking place to enjoy a delicious coffee, they have a hip food menu, and you can even get a hundrend yen refill on the day’s coffee. The service isn’t half bad either. Of course, there’s the fact that it’s not exactly cheap, but we’ll forgive them that little foible.
There are six Starbucks locations in Tokyo that have just gotten even cooler, though. What’s so special about those six shops, you ask? Well, let me tell you! In short, the six stores listed below will allow you to take books from their attached bookstores to read while you enjoy your coffee.
Read More
Just for Laughs—Funny but Definitely Flimsy Souvenir From Famous World Heritage Site
- Kay
Mar 18, 2012
Machu Picchu is an Incan site from the 15th century located in Peru at an altitude of over 2,000 meters and is a well-known World Heritage Site. Each year, a huge number of tourists from around the world visit the site, and some say that the they are moved to tears by the magnificent view. It is probably on many people’s list of must visit places. Read More
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Recent Posts
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Today
How to watch Studio Ghibli’s new anime in Japan, with a special after-dark outdoor screening for Halloween
New Shinkansen platform vending machine sells local-flavor treats from 127-year-old snack maker
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Megadeth guitarist becomes voice of reason regarding tourists dancing at shrine in Japan
Japan’s Suica Penguin character is “graduating”, and you can choose its successor
We tried Japan’s Wobbly Beer Glass that forces you to drink water, and it humbled us
Japanese restaurant chain offering free food for a year if you beat massive meat bowl challenge
Tokyo’s Rikugien Garden announces nighttime foliage illumination event ahead of autumn
Legendary Pokémon statues installed in downtown Tokyo, will be there through the fall
Eel sauce is our new favorite cooking hack for making any dish sweet and savory with zero hassle
Weekly
Kyoto temple bans visitors from wearing kimono
Lego PlayStation recreates Sony’s original console, makes unusual choice for games to salute
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Japan’s Suica Penguin character is “graduating”, and you can choose its successor
Tokyo ward looking to change lodging laws, ban more than half of its Airbnb-style rentals
Megadeth guitarist becomes voice of reason regarding tourists dancing at shrine in Japan
How to watch Studio Ghibli’s new anime in Japan, with a special after-dark outdoor screening for Halloween
Mister Donut releases new sweet potato doughnuts in Japan, and we’ve ranked them from best to worst
New Pokémon anniversary song is 22 minutes long, features all 1,025 Pokémon species [Video]
New Transforming Business Card case brings anime mecha to Japanese work meetings
Monthly
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
Japan’s final Penguin Suica train cards have already shipped, and when they’re gone, they’re gone
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
Studio Ghibli unveils new anime calendars and diary planners for 2027
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
Japan approves foreign resident visa renewal fee increases of up to 967 percent, starts soon
Japan tripled its departure tax to fund tourism but is using the money on cherry blossoms and bears
Solo travel in Japan: Hidden beer garden in Tokyo is a haven for single visitors
Kyoto temple bans visitors from wearing kimono
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】
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We tried Japan’s Wobbly Beer Glass that forces you to drink water, and it humbled us
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Legendary Pokémon statues installed in downtown Tokyo, will be there through the fall
Eel sauce is our new favorite cooking hack for making any dish sweet and savory with zero hassle
Anime magical girls grow to gigantic size with new Madoka Magica plushies [Photos]
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