The Black Boiled Eggs of Owakudani – A Japanese Delicacy
Owakudani, also known as the ‘Great Boiling Valley’, is a large volcanic caldera that formed 3,000 years ago when Mount Hakone erupted. The explosion was so powerful that the area is still active with boiling pools of water and huge vents that expel steam and volcanic fumes of sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide. That hardly sounds […]
Japanese Company Bottles the Scent of a Cat’s Forehead
Japanese online retailer Felissimo specializes in all things feline, but they really seem to be in love with cat odor. So much so that they’re releasing their second cat-scented product this year! First they came out with a cat paw-scented cream earlier this year, and now they’re introducing a special fabric spray that carries the smell […]
Japanese Company Launches World’s First Washable Mobile Phone
It may look all shiny and new, but your smartphone is probably one of the filthiest things you own. The amount of bacteria and germs it carries is disgustingly huge, which is probably why a Japanese company is targeting germaphobes with the world’s first washable phone. The Snapdragon 410 processor, 5-inch android phone, called Digno […]
Lonely Japanese Women Can Now Hire Hot Guys to Sleep Beside Them
Entrepreneurs in Japan seem to be going out of their way to please women with a host of interesting services – rent-a-boyfriend, rent-a-crying-therapist, rent-a-crying-room, rent-a-solo-wedding, and now, they can actually rent a cuddling partner for the night! Thanks to ‘Rose Sheep’, single Japanese women don’t need to worry about lonely nights or empty beds anymore. […]
Man Embarrassed to Use Selfie Stick Creates Ridiculously-Long Selfie Arm Instead
A Japanese man named Mansun has invented a new contraption that’s supposed to be an improvement on selfie sticks. It’s called the ‘selfie arm’, and as the name suggests, it’s a super-long stick fitted with a fake hand. Mansun said that he felt compelled to invent the device because he was too embarrassed to use […]
This Japanese Maid Cafe Is Staffed Exclusively by Chubby Girls
At Shangrila, a newly opened cafe in Akihabara, Tokyo, the waiting staff is made up of well-rounded young women, playfully nicknamed ‘marshmallow girls’. According to the founders of Shangrila, the cafe is trying to promote the ‘bostive’ (body positive) mindset among Japanese youth. They want to contribute towards reducing the stigma associated with being overweight, and show […]
Introducing Mr. Babe – A Japanese Lifestyle Magazine Aimed at Chubby Men
While most lifestyle and fashion magazines are full of photos of slender male and female models photoshopped to perfection that create an unrealistic image of the human body, a fresh Japanese men’s magazine is taking a different approach. Mr. Babe is targeted towards chubby men, a body type that is rarely represented in the mainstream fashion industry. […]
Japanese All-Boys School Crowns Its Prettiest Students in Annual Beauty Pageant
Every year, the prettiest student at Komaba High School, in Tokyo’s Setagaya Ward, is crowned the winner of their annual beauty pageant. That doesn’t sound so odd, but here’s the catch – it’s an all-boys institution so the title of ‘Miss Komaba High School’ actually goes to a boy! The pageant is a part of ‘Culture […]
Japan’s Newest Fashion Craze – Realistic Cat Bags That Cost More Than a Real Cat
Japanese designer Pico has combined her love of cats and handbags to create a line of highly realistic faux feline purses. The bags are shaped like furry, adorable kitties complete with individual markings, whiskers, and tails. Each cat-bag is priced at about $500 to $700, but buyers don’t seem to mind the steep pricing at […]
Noodle Fan Has Tasted Over 5,600 Types of Ramen in the Last 20 Years
In his quest to discover the perfect instant noodle, Japanese ramen lover Toshio Yamamoto has tasted over 5,600 varieties from 40 countries, in the past two decades. He reviews every kind ramen he tries on his website and scores them on a scale of 1 to 5. The best rating he’s given out so far is […]
Japanese Monk Goes Nine Days Without Food, Drink and Sleep in Grueling Religious Ritual
Can you imagine going without food, drink and sleep for nine straight days and nights? It sounds impossible, but a Japanese Buddhist monk proved that it can be done, after recently completing a grueling ritual. Last Wednesday, 41-year-old Kogen Kamahori, one of the “marathon monks” of Mount Hiei, a holy mountain that straddles Japan’s Kyoto and […]
Hamburgirl Z – Japan’s Hamburger-Themed Girl Band
When it comes to idol groups in Japan, good ol’ music just doesn’t cut it anymore. They’ve got to throw in an additional gimmick or two, just to standout among the massive competition. And Hamburgirl Z is doing just that – it’s the world’s only hamburger-themed girl band! In the words of Japanese culture blogger […]
Japan Is All Set to Introduce Robot Taxis Next Year
Robot Taxi Inc., a Tokyo-based company, is gearing up to bring self-driving robot taxis to Japan’s roads early next year. They’ve invited residents to try out the taxi service in Fujisawa, in Kanagawa Prefecture. 50 people are all set to take part in the experiment. According to Robot Taxi, the new cabs will take residents to […]
Stressed Japanese Women Can Now Rent Handsome Men to Wipe Away Their Tears at the Office
A cool new service in Japan is meant to help busy career women cope with the stress of their hectic lifestyles. For about 7,900 yen ($65), they can hire ‘Ikemeso’ – cute men – to wipe away their tears, quite literally! Here’s how it works: You call the company and pick one of seven Ikemeso, […]
“Black Widow of Kyoto” Arrested Again after Death of 8th Male Partner
Although she looks harmless, 68-year-old Chisako Kakehi is probably one of the most dangerous women in the world. Nicknamed ‘The Black Widow of Kyoto’ by the media, she is believed to be responsible for the deaths of eight men who were romantically involved with her at some point in time. Kyoto-based Kakehi is currently in […]