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Talk with your hands — Mr Sato tests your knowledge of common Japanese hand gestures【Video】
- ロケットニュース24
Oct 24, 2015 - Tweet
For English speakers, the Japanese language can be difficult to master. The writing system is completely alien, sentences sound like something Yoda would say thanks to the order the words come in, and while it makes perfect sense once you get the hang of it, the Japanese’s habit of omitting pronouns can make conversations almost impossible to follow.
The good news is that for short visits to Japan you can usually get by with very little Japanese since people are usually extremely patient and accommodating. A bit of miming here and a “please” and a “thank you” there will get you a long way.
But if you’re not familiar with Japanese hand gestures, you may end up in a sticky—or at least rather embarrassing—situation…
Kanji quiz time! Can you identify the characters behind Japan’s creative municipal flags?
- Scott Wilson
Oct 18, 2015
Japan’s national flag may be well-known for its simplicity—after all it’s just a big red circle in the middle of a field of white—but did you know that’s not Japan’s only flag? Every single prefecture, city, town and village has its own special flag to represent its history or what it’s famous for.
Even more commonly, many of the municipalities’ flags have stylized versions of the kanji found in their names. And when we say stylized, we mean highly stylized. We have here a selection of some of Japan’s kanji-flags, so you can see the creativity that went into each of them.
If you think you’re a kanji master, then get ready to test your skills and see how many you can guess correctly!
- Japan
- (flag • Flag of Japan • Japanese flag • kanji • municipal government • quiz)
Can you figure out this Japanese puzzle that’s “harder to solve the smarter you are?”
- Casey Baseel
Oct 15, 2015
Usually, riddles are kind of an all-or-nothing deal. Either you figure it out and get to pat yourself on the back for being smart, or you get to spend a few frustrating minutes trying to find the answer before giving up and feeling like a dummy.
So it’s nice to come across something with a consolation prize, such as this puzzle from Japan that’s said to be harder to solve the smarter the are.
Unique Japanese household items leave foreigners stumped【Video】
- Jamie Koide
Sep 3, 2015
Japan has a plethora of products that are weird even by the standards of many Japanese, like these big booty mouse pads Sir Mix-a-Lot would approve of, cosplay outfits for pets, or photo books dedicated to male nipples. But perhaps some of the country’s most unique products to spend your cash on are just everyday items you can find in most Japanese homes.
Our Japanese site was curious to find out if foreigners could identify some of these “strange” household staples, so they sent a reporter to interview people from different countries on the streets of Tokyo to see what they had to say.
- Japan
- (100 yen store • daily life in Japan • foreigners • interview • quiz • video)
Are you smarter than a (Japanese) 5th grader? Take this mind-bending test and find out!
- KK Miller
Jan 23, 2015
Pretty much everyone enjoys being able to help their younger siblings or kids with their elementary school homework. It’s a little piece of joy to pass on what you’ve learned and prove how cool of a mom/dad or big brother/sister you are. You impart some simple knowledge and see the little light bulb turn on in their head as they begin to understand. Then you can sit back and watch with confidence as they interact with the world around them.
But what do you do when the homework is a question that even you can’t answer? This brainteaser had everyone in one Japanese family stumped for over an hour, so they turned to Twitter for help. And then much of the Internet was stumped too. Take a look at these riddles and see how many you can get playing: What Prefecture is This?
- Japan
- (brainteaser • elementary school • homework • prefectures • quiz)
Do you know what to look for in a guy? Take this quiz and find out!
- Cara Clegg
Nov 2, 2014
For Japanese women on a mission to get married to the perfect guy it’s important to know what to look for in a man, but there’s a lot of women out there who don’t know if they’re picking up on the right things. This quiz from a Japanese TV show is designed to help. There are nine simple questions with two possible answers for each. One answer is the good trait to look for while the other is the one to avoid. Do you know what you should be looking for in a potential husband?
Note: Take this quiz with a huge helping of salt.
- Japan
- (dating • quiz • relationships)
Quiz of the Week: Round 9 (It’s like a comb-over for your soul)
- Philip Kendall
Feb 28, 2014
You’re back! Lovely to see you. Now shut up and face the corner.
Yes, that’s right boys and girls, it’s time for another multiple choice quiz where we throw random bizarre questions at you and see how much you learned this week about news from Japan and Asia. Don’t dilly-dally now; Hitler, Donald Trump’s hair, and a manga about love eggs are all waiting for you after the jump!
Quiz of the Week: Round 8 (More fun than a swift kick in the nuts)
- Philip Kendall
Feb 22, 2014
Happy Friday, everyone! We trust you’ve all had a fun week and, if you happen to be one of the poor souls stuck in the snow in Kanto and Northeastern Japan this past seven days, that you’re gradually thawing yourselves out.
We have 10 more Asian news-based multiple-choice questions for you this week, touching on everything from nipple chafing to popular TV drama. So let’s not waste any time; let’s get right into it!
- Global
- (news • quiz • RocketNews24 • Trivia)
Quiz of the Week: Round 7 (Because what else are you gonna do? Go outside like a weirdo!?)
- Philip Kendall
Feb 14, 2014
Hello there, beautiful. Welcome to round seven of our weekly multiple-choice quiz! It’s been a busy and extra weird kind of week for news stories from Asia (yes, even by our standards), so we hope you’ve been taking notes and brought your thinking caps.
Join us after the jump for some Asia news-based brainteasers, and of course a few insults for underperformers.
- Global
- (multiple choice • news • quiz • RocketNews24)
Quiz of the Week: Round 4 (Now with 100% more otter!)
- Philip Kendall
Jan 25, 2014
It’s nearly the weekend! Yaaaay! But before you all skip off to join your friends and pretend to be a normal human being, make sure you have all the info you need and are up on the week’s weird news from Asia. After all, how else will you win the respect of your peers? With love and kindness!? Madness. Take our weekly multiple-choice quiz, see how much awesome you have flowing through those veins of yours, and maybe even learn an interesting fact or two.
- Global
- (Japan • multiple choice • quiz • RocketNews24)
The weird and wonderful Quiz of the Week: Round 3
- Philip Kendall
Jan 18, 2014
Welcome to round three of our weekly multiple-choice quiz!
It’s been another fun week, with plenty of weird, wow and “WTF?” news stories from Asia, so it’s time to recap and, as well as see who’s been paying attention, give you a chance to discover some of the best stories that have emerged over the past seven days. Plus, if you can get 10 out of 10, Mr. Sato promises to lose the loincloth, or at least cover his nipples.
Mongoose taunting, chocolate massage and nostril flaring all after the jump.
- Global
- (multiple choice • news • quiz • RocketNews24 • weekly)
Think you know your weird news from Japan and Asia? Take our weekly quiz and find out!
- Philip Kendall
Jan 11, 2014
Welcome to the weekend, boys and girls! Feels good to be here, doesn’t it? But before you run off startling donkeys and eating moon pies, we have to check that you’ve been paying attention and swatting up on our weird and wonderful news from Japan and Asia.
Suspicious dogs, kindly couples, adultery and the afterlife all feature in this week’s multiple choice quiz based on our favourite bits from the last seven days’ stories. So click the link and let’s find out just how much you went outside this week.
- Global
- (Kung Fury • Mountain Dew • quiz • weird asia news)
Test your might with our weekly quiz of weird and wonderful news from Japan and Asia
- Philip Kendall
Jan 5, 2014
So, you think you know your quirky Asia news, huh? Visit our site every single day, do ya? (Thank you!) Well let’s see how closely you’ve been paying attention! Starting this week, we’ll be running a multiple choice quiz each weekend, based on 10 of our writers’ favourite articles from the week, asking you one question about each of them.
Do you know your Japanese cultural traditions? Have you been paying close attention to the adventures of our beloved Mr. Sato? How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if he had the required paperwork for the job? Take our quiz and find out!
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Recent Posts
- Pachinko parlor operator arrested for not obscuring the act of gambling well enough
- Continuing cyberattacks hit Japanese arcade hard [Photos]
- Starbucks Japan reveals this year’s lucky bag, but you’ll have to act fast to get one
- Princess Mononoke was going to look totally different, new Studio Ghibli artbook shows
- Liquid croissant coffee is coming to Japanese stores this month
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MOST POPULAR
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Today
Liquid croissant coffee is coming to Japanese stores this month
Continuing cyberattacks hit Japanese arcade hard [Photos]
Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
Pachinko parlor operator arrested for not obscuring the act of gambling well enough
Princess Mononoke was going to look totally different, new Studio Ghibli artbook shows
Starbucks Japan reveals this year’s lucky bag, but you’ll have to act fast to get one
First-ever cafe on Tokyo Imperial Palace Garden grounds is now open
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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Princess Mononoke was going to look totally different, new Studio Ghibli artbook shows
Starbucks Japan reveals this year’s lucky bag, but you’ll have to act fast to get one
First-ever cafe on Tokyo Imperial Palace Garden grounds is now open
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
This is Japan’s best cycling course, but is it fun for bicycling beginners too?
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Mr. Sato searches for the mysterious new wall of fortune in Tokyo
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The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’s remake can be played with an actual ocarina [Video]
This hot spring near Osaka’s Kansai Airport resolves the pick-two-out-of-three bathhouse dilemma
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