The Mystery of Cup Noodle’s Mystery Meat is Finally Cleared
When Cup Noodle released its Mystery Meat Festival noodles last year to celebrate its 45th anniversary, fans of the ubiquitous instant noodles were surprised by…
Fullmetal Alchemist Anime Director Criticizes Live Action Film’s All Japanese Cast
Takes on the all-Japanese cast of the upcoming live action Fullmetal Alchemist film seem to cover the spectrum of reservation, optimism, and apathy, but original…
Japanese Slit Drum Inspired By Traditional Garden Ornament Makes Beautiful Otherworldly Sounds
When you think of Japanese instruments, you may be familiar mostly with the koto, shakuhachi, and shamisen, as well as how they can be used…
It’s a Fukui Sharknado! Or is it?
Sometimes, certain less populated prefectures of Japan which are less commonly frequented by tourists and less commonly known by average city-dwellers are characterized in popular…
Absolutely Stunning Photos Of Hokkaido’s Fire Walking Festival Bring Japanese Folklore To Life
Japanese festivals seem to put a priority on spectacle, whether they be magical lantern festivals that seem like they came right out of Spirited Away,…
“Blackface Potato Chips” Leave Questionable Aftertaste
One of the features characterizing the Japanese commercial food and beverage industry is that new variations of products, whether in flavor, packaging, or size, continually…
Cowboy Bebop Director Shinichiro Watanabe Is Directing A Blade Runner Anime Short
Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo director Shinichiro Watanabe will have his hands full in collaborating on the U.S. live-action TV series of Cowboy Bebop, but…
Japan’s Scariest Haunted House Experience Has Guests Wander Through An Abandoned Hospital
Japan’s fascinating lore of vengeful spirits and abundance of spooky abandoned spots has resulted in some particularly interesting horror-themed services (as well as Instagram accounts),…
Beautiful Mirror Landscape Rivaling Bolivia’s Salt Flats Found in Niigata Prefecture
One of the most beautiful and otherworldly landscapes on our planet, the Salar de Uyuni in the Bolivian Altiplano is on the list of places…
Universal Studios Japan Is Opening Up Final Fantasy And Sailor Moon Attractions
As part of their Universal Cool Japan initiative (an effort to promote popular Japanese entertainment around the world), Osaka’s Universal Studios Japan has often tapped…
When You Have a Hair-Trigger Switch For Your Public Facade
Most of us probably know people like this. They’re Mr. or Ms. Congeniality in public, whether with classmates or with coworkers, never a wrinkled brow…
Japan’s First Cat Cafe On A Train Purrs To An Adorable Success
Japan’s love for cat cafes has yet to burn out. The feline trend has evolved beyond a simple opportunity to sip coffee and play with…
Ninja-like Ice-Maker is Speedy, Ultra-Compact and Quiet, Delivers Ice in Six Minutes.
There’s nothing more frustrating than opening up the freezer and discovering that you’re out of ice, especially when you know it will take hours to…
New Japanese Kit Kat Teams Up With Famous Brewery For Premium Sake Flavor
Nestlé Japan is known for grabbing headlines with their exciting Kit Kat flavors such as chocolate-caked filling and even a sushi variation, but one of…
“Re:Zero” x Lawson Collaboration Will Make September a Month to Rem-ember
Fans of the ever-popular blue-haired part-coiffed younger sister maid demoness, Rem, from the anime “Re:Zero: Starting Life in Another World” have been treated to some…