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In search of Hokkaido’s unknown popular dish “gesodon”
The gesodon is out there… Our reporter Seiji Nakazawa recently ventured out to Japan’s northern frontier of Hokkaido in search of the many mysteries that dwell there. After uncovering the secret of...
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Our reporter’s in relationship trouble after fake girlfriend loses $10,000 on...
Can this romance fraud survive the stress of a lost bet? We weren’t really sure when to share this with our readers, but our writer and head editor Go has been in a serious relationship for the past...
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Aichi man arrested for pouring coffee milk into station ticket gate
Silly, automatic ticket gates don’t need coffee breaks. Because of the dense traffic that goes through train stations in Japan’s major urban areas, railways have turned to technology to help...
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Yakuza may be blocked from using all expressways in Japan within the decade
One of many modern conveniences evaporating on organized crime. In 2011, the Japanese prefectural governments passed Organized Crime Exclusion Ordinances which prohibit companies from doing business...
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Jump Festa 2023 to be livestreamed around the world for first time ever
Live English subtitles and interpretations will be part of this year’s major manga celebration. Since 1999, the Jump Festa has been a major event in manga and anime in Japan. This convention held in...
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Tokyo couple caught making stickers with police mascot flipping bird
That salute is not in the police manual. It’s widely known that just about everything in Japan has a mascot character associated with it, from train stations to hemp. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police...
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Japan’s Lawson convenience store to add flavorless candy to permanent lineup
A tastelessness of things to come… Earlier this year major convenience store chain Lawson decided to temporarily release a handful of trial products from food and beverage makers like Calbee and...
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Japan’s snack of almonds and whole fish might not be for everyone【Taste test】
The snack of champions. One of the defining features of a culture is its cuisine, whether it’s a preference for spicy foods or knack for fermentation. But while a shared sense of taste can help unite...
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Japan’s Pigeon Calculator now available in English!
As much English as you need for a calculator at least. Last year Pigeon Calculator (Hato Dentaku) was released and changed the way people in Japan do arithmetic. We often talk about “disruptive”...
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Lawson selling a pastry based on a pastry based on a uniquely Osakan pastry
Good bakers copy, great bakers steal. As a resident of Osaka, I’ll occasionally gripe that all the good stuff seems to happen in Tokyo. For example, where I live we don’t have any giant robots, 3D...
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5 million yen in cash found in Otsu City dump
One person’s trash is another’s five million yen. The old arcade game Final Fight has taught me two things: I can solve any problem if I punch enough people and wonderful things can be found by...
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Can our writers pick out the pricier strawberry shortcake against one over...
It’s the reason for the season. It’s become pretty widely known that Japan celebrates Christmas with some fried or grilled chicken, often from KFC. But in addition to that another beloved custom is to...
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Macho Chess pieces sold in capsule machines across Japan
Queen, pawn, rook… They’re all here and totally yoked. They say the brain is the most important muscle in your body, but everyone knows that’s a lie because the brain isn’t even a muscle. No, clearly...
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New unlimited cat subscription service in Japan blasted online
380 yen per month gets your choice of cat, but what is the real cost? 15 December was the launch day for Neko Hodai, which some observers are calling a cat subscription service. In other words, for a...
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Putting on a magic show with Amazon Japan’s lowest rated magic props
At least they’ll make your money disappear. The end of the year is upon us, and for some that means a fun year-end party with friends, family, or co-workers. This year, our Japanese-language reporter...
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Thanko’s lucky bag for 2023 brings the heat in more ways than one
It even brings the cold at times. Thanko is a Japanese company that blurs the line between novelty items and home appliances. Or, to put it another way, they are the closest thing to a real-life Acme...
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First episode trailer for Trigun reboot released, series starts January 17
Thankfully, they didn’t try to make it live-action. The year was 1998: A small startup by the name of Google was founded and Weird Al Yankovic shocked the world by shaving his mustache. It was also...
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Air from 2022 for sale on Japanese flea market app Mercari
Start the new year off with some great deals on vintage air! In Japan, the New Year holidays are often a time for shopping. Gifts of cash are customarily exchanged by family members and stores try to...
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Mr. Sato goes back to the junk shops of Akihabara, where the real lucky bag...
It just wouldn’t be New Year’s without a bag of junk. For nearly a decade now, Mr. Sato has made a yearly pilgrimage to the junk shops of Akihabara for a lucky bag, known as a “fukubukuro” in...
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Japanese food court cream puff chain has 1-hour lineups for lucky bags
Everyone wants a piece of Beard Papa this New Year’s. Whenever fukubukuro season rolls around, shops of all kinds offer lucky bags full of various items at a discount but only a few have acquired a...
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