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Champagne, macarons and Pikachu? Paris plays host to Europe’s first Pokémon Center
- Scott R Dixon
Jun 9, 2014 - Tweet
The Pokémon video games may have been created in Japan, but there is no lack of Pokémon fandom in the rest of the world from redesigning sports logos to pokéball engagement rings. And to showcase France’s Pokémon love, a pop-up Pokémon Center has opened up in Paris this month featuring original art, limited edition goods and even a special pokémon sent directly to your Nintendo 3DS.
Unlike Japan’s eight Pokémon Centers, which usually focus on the series’ merchandise, the highlight of this pop-up show is the Pokémon gallery where you can sip champagne, munch on Pikachu macarons and appreciate the amazing artwork, including some amateur fan art. Click below to take a peek inside the “Pokégallery” and find out which Pokémon is France’s favorite!
- Europe
- (business • Europe • france • macaron • paris • Pikachu • Pokemon • Pokemon Center • pop-up shop • video games)
His name is Balse and he looks like Colonel Muska: Japanese netizens go wild for new French PM
- Fran W
Apr 5, 2014
Japanese netizens are bursting with excitement about Manuel Valls, who was appointed as France’s new Prime Minister this week. But what are these Twitter users so astounded about? Well, the newly appointed Prime Minister supposedly bears a striking resemblance to evil genius Colonel Muska, from Hayao Miyazaki’s 1986 movie Castle in the Sky.
And what’s more, in Japanese his name sounds just like barusu or “balse”, the incantation from Castle in the Sky. So this new guy not only looks like a character from the classic animated movie, his name also happens to be the movie’s most important word – which, incidentally, is a record-breaking Twitter meme in its own right.
- Internet, Japan
- (barusu • Castle in the Sky • france • Ghibli • Hayao Miyazaki • meme)
6 strange laws to take note of before embarking on your worldly travels
- Joan Coello
Feb 18, 2014
Who doesn’t love a good vacation? Particularly for working adults, it’s the only time we can take a step back from our hectic work lives, unleash the wild-child within us, and perhaps do something silly without worrying about (too many) repercussions since we’ll be jetting off in a couple of days.
But wait, hold your horses! The last thing you would want to do on an overseas vacation is to unknowingly breach the law, right? Some of the things that we normally do in our homeland might be illegal in other parts of the world. Things as normal as ladies wearing pants. Strange, huh? There’s more coming up!
French Commentator’s “Radiation” Joke Angers Japanese Government
- Philip Kendall
Oct 19, 2012
Following Japan’s 1-0 victory over France in the friendly football (soccer to our North American readers) match last week, a French variety show host made a joke that has touched a nerve here in Japan.
Alluding to Japanese goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima’s impressive skills on the field, the show presented an edited image of the player, showing him with four arms.
The show’s presenter then suggested that Kawashima’s additional limbs might be the result of “the Fukushima effect” and that they had grown after exposure to radiation leaked from the nuclear plant damaged by the earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. While the joke went down well during the show, many Japanese are understandably very upset…
How to Organize Zen? Japanese Buddhists’ Adapt to Western Views of Their Religion
- Master Blaster
Oct 17, 2012
What do you think of when you hear the word Zen? For most people, “organized religion” probably isn’t a phrase that pops up immediately. This can be a bit of a predicament for Zen Buddhist missionaries working in places like Europe and North America.
The word, which comes from a Japanese translation of the Chinese word chán, literally means meditation, and has developed a romantic sense of being purely in the moment and devoid of all thought. This concept has been focused on by various artists in Western culture like Jack Kerouac, with a diminished emphasis on the less sexy doctrines and worshiping of Buddha that are very much a part of the whole religion.
This image dichotomy is something that the Headquarters of Missionary Work for the Soto School of Buddhism in Europe has to deal with all the time.
Excite News Japan recently went to interview them on the state of modern Soto Zen Buddhism abroad. Check our rundown of their findings below!
Olympics-Schmolympics, Who Makes the Better McDonald’s Burger; France or Japan?
- Master Blaster
Jul 23, 2012
Fresh off the most recent stint of Big America burgers released in McDonald’s restaurants across Japan like the Texas Burger, Idaho Burger, and Broadway Burger, the taste of the month now has turned its eye toward France.
This time though McDonald’s Japan has completely copied one of French McDonald’s sandwiches, the Le Grand. To see if it lives up to the original I tried one in France and Japan for a tête-à-tête taste test.
- Europe, Japan
- (france • Le Grand • McDonald's)
One Man’s Junk Food is Another Monsieur’s Gourmet
- Danielnishina
Jul 1, 2012
There’s this new potsticker (aka gyza, aka dumpling) restaurant that opened in Paris, that people are actually lining up to get into. We wondered what all the fuss was about, so we went there to check it out ourselves. Read More
- Europe
- (B gourmet • dumplings • fast food • food • france • gyoza • gyozabar • paris • potstickers • travel)
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Recent Posts
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- Starbucks Japan reveals this year’s lucky bag, but you’ll have to act fast to get one
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MOST POPULAR
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Today
Liquid croissant coffee is coming to Japanese stores this month
Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
Continuing cyberattacks hit Japanese arcade hard [Photos]
Pachinko parlor operator arrested for not obscuring the act of gambling well enough
Starbucks Japan reveals this year’s lucky bag, but you’ll have to act fast to get one
Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
First-ever cafe on Tokyo Imperial Palace Garden grounds is now open
Princess Mononoke was going to look totally different, new Studio Ghibli artbook shows
Godzilla becomes a Japanese randoseru backpack, as do two of his greatest rivals [Photos]
Japan’s free stock image site of muscular men doing whimsical and mundane things reveals rankings
Weekly
Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
Japan’s TeamLab digital art group is opening a permanent museum in America
Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
Life-size Monster Hunter dragon statues to be built at Japanese shopping mall
Modern exosuits are opening up ancient Japanese castle climbs to everyone
Evangelion announces collaboration with Hard Rock Cafe
Studio Ghibli homeware brand’s faux oil lamp brings light, smiles, and Kiki’s Jiji to your home
Cold Stone is closing its final branch in all of east Japan, but it’s going down singing
Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas goods for 2026, with exclusive holiday surprises
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Monthly
Pokémon Company announces first-ever permanent Pokémon store to open outside Asia
Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Japan’s TeamLab digital art group is opening a permanent museum in America
What’s it like to stay in a Japanese container hotel?
Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
Chainsaw robots helping keep trains running safely in east Japan [Video]
New Studio Ghibli anime gets extended run at the only cinema in Japan where it’s being shown
Tokyo train station will play Godzilla theme song as new departure melody
Osaka’s famous Glico Running Man will be removed and replaced with a new-look sign
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
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
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RECOMMENDED STORIES
Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
First-ever cafe on Tokyo Imperial Palace Garden grounds is now open
Princess Mononoke was going to look totally different, new Studio Ghibli artbook shows
Godzilla becomes a Japanese randoseru backpack, as do two of his greatest rivals [Photos]
Japan’s free stock image site of muscular men doing whimsical and mundane things reveals rankings
Tokyo to build new crematoriums to meet surging demand
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Japanese government announces criteria for creating backup capital of Japan
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’s remake can be played with an actual ocarina [Video]
Discount retailers known for massive bargains releases massive Japanese egg sandwich
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