Date handsome cockroaches in a new dating sim from one of Japan’s leading pest control companies

From the country that gave the world a pigeon dating sim comes a short romance game starring cockroaches. Summer in Japan means many things: the dazzlingly vibrant fireworks displays, the refreshing seasonal treats, and sipping on some cold beer in some of the country’s stunning beer gardens. However, the hot weather also brings forth some […]

Shakey’s Japan creates matcha mochi, Kyoto fish, and Kansai Chili Con Carne pizzas

Japan’s Kansai region inspires some very bold baking in Shakey’s Japan’s ovens. A while back, Shakey’s celebrated its 50th anniversary of arriving in Japan with a special selection of pizzas that it called the “American Pizza Tour.” But having passed the half-century mark in Japan now, the chain has seen some very tasty stuff in […]

This shop combines traditional Japanese sweets with…mayonnaise?!?[Taste test]

Even with a shop name like Mayo x Mayo, we weren’t expecting this much mayo. The word “original” has a bit of a different nuance in Japanese. It’s not so much used to describe something revolutionary or inventive so much as something that’s unique to a specific place. So, for example, a restaurant that makes […]

Gun found in Japanese convenience store restroom, traced to forgetful on-duty cop

A public restroom stall shock that had nothing to do with cleanliness. Whether you’re looking for a Pokémon frappe, chocolate chip sandwich, or surprisingly high-quality T-shirt, Japan’s convenience stores have got you covered. As a matter of fact, it can start to become easy to become desensitized to the very wide variety of things you […]

Cup Noodle hamster wheel is the new adorable pet toy animal lovers in Japan want[Video]

Instant ramen maker shows that even hamsters will fall in love with Cup Noodle, if given the chance. Pretty much everyone loves Cup Noodle, from hungry kids to busy college students to adults who don’t want to go through the hassle of cooking after a long day at the office. As a matter of fact, […]

What’s it like to join Tokyo’s walking-and-talking-with-strangers club for a day?

We strap on our shoes and head into downtown Tokyo for a philosophical conversation prompt and a walk with a whole bunch of people we’ve never met before. Japan is right in a special sweet spot right now weather-wise, where the chill of winter and allergy-triggering pollen of spring are gone, but the sweltering heat […]

And now, a crazy-looking way to stay cool this summer, from Japan’s crazy gadget company

Summer in Japan can be brutally hot, but thankfully, Thanko is here to help. We’ve still got some time until the full force of the summer heat hits, but with the weather in Japan expected to get so hot that the government had to start deciding on new words to officially describe it, it’s already […]

Japan’s cafe that won’t let you go home until you solve a puzzle is opening in Osaka’s canal district

Hatena Coffee continues to make customers smile as they scratch their heads. The line that separates cafes from regular restaurants can be a hazy one, but most people would say that cafes generally have a more relaxed vibe that encourages you to linger over your drink or meal. And it’s definitely true that Hatena Coffee, […]

Gigantic gacha machine appears in Tokyo department store for capsule toy celebration

Monster Capsule is a gacha behemoth. “Monster Capsule” might sound like the name of some cheap Pokémon knockoff, but the capsule being referred to isn’t one meant for carrying creatures around in. No, Monster Capsule is supposed to bring up thoughts of capsule toy/gachapon machines, and the Monster part of the name isn’t because the […]

133-year-old Japanese company’s cookies go beyond matcha with dashi and shichimi flavors

Kayanoya’s Satoyama Cookies give you four flavors for a snack session unlike any other. The other day, we found ourselves thinking “We want to eat some cookies.” In and of itself, that’s not at all an unusual condition for us to be in, but on this day we wanted specifically to eat some Kayanoya cookies. […]

Tokyo’s insane Garlic Ramen is a meal, and an aroma, you’ll never forget[Taste test]

There aren’t enough breath mints in the world to save us, but we’re going in anyway. Japanese folk wisdom holds that garlic is a food that boosts physical stamina, and it’s supposed to be helpful in dealing with the adverse effects of hot weather too. The actual science behind those claims gets a little indistinct, […]

Bizarre Japanese vending machine sells “Peace and Equality” and “Angels and Demons”

We find out just how devilish and angelic these 100-yen surprises are. Our reporter Natsuno Futon was strolling the streets of Oyama City in Tochigi Prefecture the other day when she came across an unusual vending machine. The first thing that caught her eye was the huge “100 yen” (US$0.63) sign on the front, but […]

TWICE Cheer Up becomes the FIRST GG song in history to reach 7M unique listeners! Also the first 3rd gen GG song to reach 300M streams!

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Y'all don't understand how crazy this is. Mind you, Cheer Up wasn't even released in the streaming era. And yet, it has more streams than every 4th gen hit except Hype Boy.

Pizza Hut Japan’s drinkable curry pizza is here – Is it all we dreamed it would be?[Taste test]

Too much of a good thing, or just enough? We weren’t sure if curry pizza is something that should exist. You could make the argument that the combination seems too weird to work. Alternatively, one could contend that, with curry and pizza already being two of the world’s most delicious foods as separate entities, combining […]

Man in Japan calls in bomb threat because he doesn’t want to go to his own work farewell party

Whatever happened to just faking a stomach ache? In March, a restaurant in Saga City received a phone call, and when an employee answered it, the voice on the other end of the call gruffly commanded “Go check your entrance.” When the staff did, they discovered a piece of paper with a chilling message written […]

Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed

Sacred fire saved from non-sacred fire on Miyajima. Hiroshima Prefecture’s Miyajima Island, famed for the torii gate that stands in the water just off its coast, is home to one of Japan’s most beautiful and historically significant concentrations of shrines and temples. Among them, though, Daishoin Temple is especially noteworthy, as it’s the oldest Buddhist […]

Suspected yakuza member arrested for having frequent flyer mile account

Not quite as glamourous as a secret bank account. For most people doing long-haul domestic travel in Japan, the Shinkansen is their default method of getting from Point A to far-away Point B. However, sometimes it’s just as quick, if not quicker, to fly, especially if you’re starting at one end of the country and […]

Shochu maker on remote Japanese island plays music as its spirits age, flavor varies by genre

Rock shochu and reggae shochu really do taste different from each other. The island of Amami Oshima is part of Kagoshima Prefecture, and Kagoshima is usually pictured as making up the southwest tip of the island of Kyushu, one of Japan’s four main islands. Amami Oshima, though, is far, far away from the Kyushu coastline, […]

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