AIBO Robot Dogs Are So loved in Japan That Owners Hold Funeral Services for Them When They Break Down
‘AIBOs’ robotic dogs were the world’s first home-use entertainment robots, sold in Japan by Sony Corp. between 1999 and 2006. Equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI), these dogs were capable of developing their own personality, making them all the more endearing to their owners. So much so, in fact, that when they break down, the owners […]
Japanese Farmers Somehow Create Eggs That Smell Like Citrus Fruit
Only in Japan can you find strange foods like garlic flavored cola, deep-fried maple leaves, and delicious water cake, but citrus-scented eggs are pretty strange, even by its standards. And yet these fruit-smelling eggs do exist thanks to a producer in Kochi Prefecture, in the southwest corner of Shikoku island. The special eggs, called ‘yuzu tama’, supposedly […]
Beware the Shadows, Ninja Day Is Coming!
If you happen to be in Japan this Sunday, chances are you’ll be seeing a lot more ninjas than usual. That’s because February 22nd is National Ninja Day in the Land of the Rising Sun. Although not yet an official holiday, Ninja Day has been getting a lot of media attention in Japan, ever since the […]
Meet Japan’s Revolutionary Alliance of Men That Women Are Not Attracted To
Lots of single people complain about how Valentine’s Day and other holidays are somehow designed to make them feel excluded, but this particular group of Japanese men have taken things even further – every year, they take to the streets to protest against the injustice of it all. They are called ‘Kakumei-teki himote doumei’, which literally translates to […]
Garlic-Flavored Cola Is Actually a Thing in Japan
Garlic is a great ingredient to cook with, but garlic-flavored cola is something I’m not sure I can digest, literally or figuratively. But believe it or not, the drink actually exists in Japan! Locally known as ‘Jats Takkola’, the unusual drink was released last month. It is produced in the city of Aomori, often referred […]
Only in Japan – The LED-Illuminated Upskirt Skirt
Japanese designer Kiyoyuki Amano has combined fashion and technology to create futuristic short skirts that illuminate the wearer’s thighs. Aptly named ‘Hikaru Skirt’, which means ‘Shining Skirt’, the garment comes equipped with LED lights and the miniature gyro sensors on the inside. So the skirt lights up, and the color and pattern of the light […]
Female Face Shaving – A Growing Trend among Japanese Women Looking for Perfectly Smooth Skin
Japanese women are blessed with beautiful skin, which is mainly attributed to their fresh diet and great genes. While those might be legit reasons, it turns out they also have a little known beauty secret – shaving their faces! The trend was pioneered by beauty salons in Japan, and many women now believe that it is the real reason […]
Japanese Company Fills Offices with Cats to Help Employees Unwind and Improve Productivity
In a cramped city like Tokyo, where owning a pet is a luxury and most apartments have strict no-pets policies, it’s hard for cat lovers to spend quality time with their favorite animals. In response, cat cafés have cropped up all over the city, where people get to sip delicious beverages while petting a purring kitty. But […]
Japan’s Unique Cotton-Spinning Bar
Contrary to what its name suggests, ‘Tokyo Cotton Village’ isn’t a rural settlement of cotton farmers, but a bar located in the heart of Japan’s capital city, in Setagaya Ward. The one-of-a-kind establishment allows its patrons to experience spinning cotton, which is supposedly a relaxing activity. The service is available for free to anyone who […]
Man Proposes to Girlfriend with Epic GPS-Recorded Trek across Japan
If you thought Skywriting was a romantic way to propose, wait till you hear about GPS writing. The ingenious idea belongs to Yasushi Takahashi – a.k.a Yassan – who spent six whole months trekking through Japan as a way of proposing to his girlfriend. At the end of his journey, the GPS records of his […]
Japanese ‘Solo Wedding’ Service Gives Single Women the Chance to Be Brides for a Day
As an increasing number of Japanese women put their careers ahead of starting a family, the number of services that cater to single women is on the rise. One such service is the ‘Solo Wedding’ – a full wedding day experience during which a woman gets to be bride without actually getting hitched. The absence […]
Japanese Turtle Taxi Promises to Drive You as Slow as Possible
Unlike most other taxi services, the Japanese Turtle Taxi caters to people who aren’t really in a hurry and prefer a leisurely ride. Surprisingly, there are many who enjoy a service that is deliberately slow – the unique taxi has been steadily growing in popularity ever since it started in December 2013. The taxi service […]
Kokoro Scanner – A Japanese High-Tech Toy That Lets Others Know If You Are Lying or Telling the Truth
The Kokoro Scanner (Heart Scanner) is a high-tech Japanese invention that can spice up classic party games such as ‘Truth or Dare’. It is a lie detecting device that is worn on the forehead and changes color to indicate the truthfulness of a person’s responses. Created by Tokyo-based toy company ‘Takara Tomy’, the scanner works […]
Did You Know Deep-Fried Maple Leaves Are Actually a Popular Snack in Japan?
They say everything tastes better deep fried, but who’d have ever guessed that also applies to maple leaves? Well, the dish is real – it’s called Maple Tempura and it’s a fall delicacy in Japan. Surprisingly, it isn’t just made by picking up random fallen leaves and frying them. There’s actually an elaborate process involved in […]
Eyeglasses Designed for Kissing Can Be Worn by Two People at the Same Time
Eyeglasses are the bane of a good kiss, especially if both parties happen to be spectacled. Thankfully, Tokyo-based eyewear company Blinc Vase has come up with a great (albeit weird) solution – ‘Kiss Eyeglasses’ – specifically designed for those extra-long lip-locking sessions. These two-way glasses consist of a single pair of lenses that can be […]