Exploring the tastes and textures of Forbidden Yukimi Toast【SoraKitchen】
Combination of two popular Japanese brands promise a “forbidden” level of tenderness. Among the competitive array of frozen snacks in Japan, Yukimi Daifuku is a solid perennial favorite by combining...
View ArticleHead of kindergarten arrested for spitting on elementary students who were in...
What was he supposed to do? Talk to them?! Education is certainly a hard field to work in and especially when dealing with little kids. It’s a line of work that can’t be phoned in and really requires a...
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Can a Tokyo hair salon change Mr. Sato into Joe Biden?
Our favorite hair stylist’s skills are certainly no malarkey. As the years drift by, Mr. Sato has been aging rather gracefully and adopted a distinguished salt and pepper hair. However, unlike many...
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Spike in empty houses calling the fire department in Akita City baffles...
The call is coming from inside the phone! From time to time emergency hotline operators will receive a call during where no one responds on the other end. This presents a difficult problem as it could...
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Nissin develops revolution in chewiness with 8-minute instant udon made with...
“Instant” is relative. Nissin is best known as the makers of Japan’s iconic Cup Noodle brand of instant ramen. In addition to that, they also boast a bevy of big-selling items like UFO yakisoba and...
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NPB player sparks controversy by not letting a retiring pitcher strike him out
A touching tribute to a player’s career or insult to the sport? In Major League Baseball, pitchers often go out on a bittersweet note. As a testament to having given it all they had, greats like CC...
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Best Masknist Award 2020 held to honor pioneers in Japanese mask fashion
It just dawned on me that “new normal” is an oxymoron. We’ve said time and time again that Japan by and large really likes face masks, but some may still wonder just how deep this affinity for veiling...
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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…is flying away in a hot-air balloon
Osaka’s winter illumination goes to new heights. November 11 is a special day in Japan for many reasons. For some it’s Pocky Day and for others it’s Good Sales Day or even National Cheese Day. But for...
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Fukuoka woman drives through front of convenience store because she really...
Sometimes, peeing your pants is better. It’s happened to all of us at one time or another. When nature calls, a pleasant trip in a car quickly transforms into a race against time, with your pride and...
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Face mask distributer imprisoned in sex shop by yakuza for 11 hours
All in a day’s work for a medical supply dealer. Although they come in a vast variety of shapes and colors now, it was only a few months ago that the lion’s share of face masks in Japan were the plain...
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How I learned to stop worrying and love the Egg’wich in Osaka
Adventures in gluten-free burgers. A few days ago we reported on the opening of Don’t Worry Egg’Wich, touted as the world’s first egg’wich specialty restaurant. These alt-burgers use two pucks of egg...
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Ikeda City mayor pledges to pay about six bucks in restitution for installing...
It’s not about the principle. It’s the money. Ikeda is a pleasant city on the outskirts of Osaka prefecture and home to one of Japan’s two Cup Noodles Museums, honoring its inventor Momofuku Ando. But...
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Kyoto man arrested for opening packs of Demon Slayer key chains until finding...
But who’s the real demon here? As the Demon Slayer juggernaut continues full steam like the infinity train its smash hit film is named after, fans are having a hard time keeping up with the flood of...
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Surprisingly strong Hokkaido woman arrested for poking holes in 13 expensive...
“You’re already unsellable.” This week in inexplicable crimes: police in Kushiro City, Hokkaido Prefecture announced the arrest of a woman suspected of puncturing 13 melons with her finger. However,...
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Let’s celebrate Good Spouse Day by dressing up as our partners!
What? Only us? So be it then. During a recent weekly meeting, someone brought up that Good Spouse Day was fast approaching on 22 November. Although this is one of those unofficial holidays like...
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Medical university in Tokushima honors student for his gaming
And I have yet to hear from my alma mater… While I enjoy a good round of Q*Bert as much as the next young person today, I could never get into eSports. The reason is that to do so would require a...
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Instant ramen with 40 billion lactic acid bacteria on sale now
I demand a recount! With so many varieties of instant noodles on the market, it can be very hard to stand out. Even its leader Cup Noodle strives to be increasingly outlandish, making it that much...
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City official, angered when asked to wear a mask, throws own feces
Very likely the first political scandal of an official throwing their own poo. While they certainly do exist, you don’t come across too many virulently anti-mask people in Japan. When you do, however,...
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Nara University study finds some common teas can neutralize COVID-19
Let’s hope this doesn’t turn into another buying frenzy. Who doesn’t love tea? What with its bland taste and… okay, I for one don’t love tea. But I may just change my ways thanks to a new study from...
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The Mister Donut Ice Bar: “When donuts become ice cream”
This unassuming bar is a big moment in ice-creamology. As the biggest donut chain in Japan, we often report on Mister Donut adapting their wide range of donuts that are based on other franchises like...
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