No free grapes here. Taking a single grape from the grocery store’s produce aisle without paying is one of those things many people do even though they know they’re not supposed to. It’s also one of those things that people rarely, if ever, get punished for. However, earlier this week a man in Fukuoka did just that and is now …

Time to eat some meat. The cat-eared idol group Wasuta (a.k.a. The World Standard) is back with an appetizing new music video for a love song that will make you want to stuff yourself full of yakiniku (Japan’s take on Korean barbecue). Set to release on October  31 as part of the group’s upcoming new mini-album, GIRLS,BE AMBITIOUS!, the new …

Is there anything more appetizing than a sheet of blue fish cake? The folks at the Toyama prefecture based company Ikuji Kamaboko have been hard at work producing kamaboko since 1927. Often referred to as “fish cakes” in English, kamaboko is a staple of Japanese cuisine and instantly recognizable with its semi-cylindrical shape. However, Ikuji Kamaboko has completely changed up …

Quack quack yo! The Japanese hip hop group Sushiboys has come out with a music video featuring a song tailor-made for the next time you find yourself cruising around with your posse on one of those swan-shaped paddle boats often seen at parks. Released on August 13, the group’s latest video is for a track called “Ahiru Bōto” (literally “duck …

It’s meat morphin’ time! It seems like you can find teams of tights-wearing superheroes based on just about anything and everything in the world of Super Sentai (the franchise Power Rangers is based on). Feel like watching a team of heroes based on ninjas? Then, check out Ninja Sentai Kakurenjā. How about space pirates? Then Kaizoku Sentai Gōkaijā is what …

Tasty or awful? Only one way to find out. Japan’s instant ramen industry is known for coming up with some pretty interesting twists on this classic late night snack. And now, the Osaka-based instant noodle maker Acecoik has concocted what may just be one of the “sweetest” takes on instant ramen yet. Created in honor of the 30th anniversary of …

Move over AKB48, here comes the next “big” thing. In Japan, there’s an idol group for every taste. Whether you’re into drones or heavy metal and head banging, Japan has got you covered. And now, there’s a new group tailor-made for those who have a thing for “obese angels.” Coming in at a combined weight of 418 kg (922 lbs) …

Perfect for messy eaters. It doesn’t matter how careful you are, eventually it happens. If you wear white pants, sooner or later you spill a bit of coffee or soy sauce on them, forever ruining your pristine trousers. However, the Japanese apparel maker Factelier has developed a new line of white pants that promise to fix this pesky little problem. …

It’s that time of the year again. Despite April Fools’ not being from Japan, Japanese companies have fully embraced it. Every April 1 brings with it a whole new batch of silly jokes. Some are hilarious, some are genuinely interesting, and some are a little lackluster. This year was no different and so here’s a quick roundup (in no particular …

Japan just can’t get enough Snoopy. The Hokkaido city of Otaru will soon be home to the latest location of Snoopy Chaya (Snoopy 茶屋,  Snoopy Tea House), a popular chain of Japanese style cafes featuring food and decor based on Charles M. Schulz’s beloved comic strip: Peanuts. When the Otaru Snoopy Chaya opens its doors on April 19, it will …

It’s that time of the year again. Although it may seem a bit strange given that people in Japan don’t celebrate the American holiday of Thanksgiving, Black Friday is indeed a thing in Japan. Never one to ignore an opportunity to get people to spend money, over the past several years an increasing number of Japanese retailers have started participating …

Bet no one was expecting a not sexy okonomiyaki making robot. On Monday (Oct 23) the Tokyo-based animation production company DLE released the fifth and potentially final installment in their bizarre anime web series Henkei Shoujo (Transformation Girls) and like the previous four videos this one stars a Japanese high school girl with the ability to transform into a machine. …