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7-Eleven Japan now sells canned water, but does funky packaging mean funky flavor?[Taste test]

Lotte’s canned water makes its convenience store debut.The first time you take a look at the drink section in a Japanese convenance store, you might be surprised by some of the packaging, specifically the things that you can buy in cans. Canned coffee and cocktails can be found in pretty much every convenience store in the country, and while not as common, canned teas aren’t all that shocking to see here either.But even we were surprised to find out that 7-Eleven Japan now sells canned water.The

The top 12 incomprehensible school rules, as chosen by high school students

Plus some surprising extra requirements, like having to say “thank you” at least 10 times a day. Every school in Japan has its own set of rules, and while many of these guidelines are perfectly understandable, there are some that are baffling, to say the least.This topic of nonsensical school rules was recently explored by Jukusen, one of Japan’s largest online directory and comparison platforms for cram schools, in a survey that targeted 104 high school students nationwide.Mor

Let’s hike a Japanese mountain (that isn’t Mt. Fuji) – Mt. Tsukuba[Photos]

A beautiful, highly customizable hike that’s an easy day-trip from Tokyo.We’re finally in that not-too-cold, not-too-hot sweet spot of spring weather in Japan, providing a prime window for all sorts of outdoor activities. While “climb Mt. Fuji” might be the one that most quickly comes to mind for travelers in Japan, the country’s tallest mountain won’t be open to hikers until midsummer, but today we’re taking a look at a different great mountain to hike that’s doable as a day trip from Tokyo.Mt.

Hundreds of rose bushes in bloom at Tokyo’s off-the-beaten-path, next-to-the-tracks flower street

Local road goes from trash dump to treasure.One of Tokyo’s largest and most beautiful collections of roses is in bloom right now. However, you won’t find them blooming inside a park or private garden, but right on the street in the Otsuka neighborhood in Toshima Ward.These beautiful flowers, which are in bloom right now, are located on what’s now called Otsuka Rose Road (or Otsuka Rose Street – the signage is sort of inconsistent). However, such a pretty name wasn’t always so fitting for the pla

Studio Ghibli’s president is leaving the company. Will it change how they make anime?

Three years after being acquired by Nippon TV, there’s a shakeup at the top levels of Ghibli’s leadership.Between its unparalleled commitment to anime artistry and larger-than-life creative keymen, it can be easy to forget that Studio Ghibli still is a company. So while the animators and designers play crucial roles in producing what we see on screen, they’re not the ones running the place. Studio Ghibli does have a president, and the current one is going to step down next month.Studio Ghibli an

Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer

Goodbye (again), Gundam.Seeing Tokyo’s life-size Gundam statue is an amazing experience, but also surreal one. Sure, Japan is the land of anime and all, but even then, a 19.7-meter (64.6-foot) tall mecha feels like something too awesome to be standing outside of the Diver City entertainment complex in the Odaiba district.And sadly, it’s not going to be standing there much longer.Both the official Gundam franchise website and the site for Tokyo’s life-size Unicorn Gundam statue have posted notice

161-year-old Kyoto confectionary maker releases new edible Pokémon lineup

Transforming iconic characters into delicious works of art.Pokémon is a beloved franchise, and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in Japan who has not heard of it, even if they have never personally interacted with any of its media. Through collaborations with famous brands from all areas of the market, the cute and charming character designs can be seen in many places throughout the country.Despite both being of Japanese origin, the combination of a 161-year-old traditional Japanese confectio

7-Eleven Japan is releasing Greedy chocolate chip and whipped cream sandwiches

We’re not sure if we can say greed is good, but it does look delicious.Japanese convenience stores are not exactly the sort of places that inspire one to a philosophy of stoic minimalism. Each and every shelf and cooler case is packed with tempting treats, and while they may not necessarily be things we need to eat, they’re definitely things we want to, and the ease of access from Japan’s dense network of such shops makes them little open-24-hours palaces to quick gratification.7-Eleven Japan ha

Saltiest ramen in Japan? Ikebukuro White goes viral for crazy salt levels

We challenge you to find a saltier ramen in Japan.Once you start diving into the world of Japanese ramen, you’ll find that the waters are deep, with an incredibly diverse array of varieties, and new dishes being created somewhere every day.A great example of that can be seen at Kuwabara, a ramen restaurant in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro that specialises in “shio soba“, a light, salt-based ramen. The store’s full name is “Shio Soba Specialty Shop Kuwabara” so it pr

Nintendo reveals live-action Legend of Zelda movie is coming sooner than we’d thought

The wait just got a little shorter for Nintendo’s return to live-action movies.With the smash-hit success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie in 2023, and its recently released sequel The Super Mario Galaxy Movie getting a similarly enthusiastic response from audiences, there’s been a lot of talk about how long it took for Nintendo to come around to the idea of theatrical adaptations of its games. However, as CG animated features, both movies have the benefit of being close in nature to video game gr

7-Eleven Japan upsizes popular products like egg sando and pork ramen but how big are they really?

Getting more convenience store food for our yen is always a fun time, but this campaign is bordering on ridiculous.On 12 May, 7-Eleven Japan kicked off its its “Founding Anniversary Sale” by giving us over 50 percent more of some of our favourite products in the first phase of its so-called “Thank You Extra Large” series.▼ We immediately visited our nearby 7-Eleven and managed to get our hands on four of the upsized products.The products we procured were:Corn & Mayonn

Live-action Princess Mononoke stage cast appears in costume for first time[Video]

Kabuki adaptation of Hayao Miyazaki Ghibli anime opens in Tokyo this summer.Princess Mononoke is one of the most celebrated anime films of all times, and with every frame bursting with Studio Ghibli’s distinct animation artistry, it’s hard enough to imagine what it would look like in live action, let alone as a kabuki play. That’s exactly what we’re getting, though, with the stage adaptation set to open in Tokyo this summer, and now we’ve got our first look at the main cast in costume.The produc

Now you can carry the unnerving terror and beauty of Noh masks with you with new pouches from Japan

Practical and horrifying!Usually when we’re talking about Japanese lifestyle brand Felissimo, we’re highlighting one of their animal-themed creations, like the Shiba Inu-shaped hot water bottle cover or red panda nap cushion. But Felissimo also has a “Museum Division” that draws inspiration from the arts, and who’ve come up with something a little less cute and cuddly looking.Felissimo has entered into a creative partnership with the Kyoto Kanze Kaikan, or Kyoto Kanze Noh Theater. Noh is Japan’s

Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura

The new sets of noodles and bowls make excellent souvenirs for lovers of both Naruto and ramen.Lovers of the hit ninja anime series Naruto grew up watching protagonist Naruto slurping down bowl after bowl of ramen at the fictional Ichiraku Ramen restaurant, his absolute favorite place in Konohagakure Village. Now, you too can indulge in an Ichiraku-inspired dish thanks to a collaboration between the anime and Kawakyo, a longstanding maker of Kitakata-style ramen. The Naruto x Kawakyo Ichiraku Ra

Man tells Nintendo HQ “I’m going to blow you all the hell up,” gets arrested by Kyoto cops

Video game developer received threatening letter earlier this spring.It’s hard to overstate how widely respected Nintendo is in its home country. A pioneer in its field that’s recognized around the world, creatively artistic and financially successful, Nintendo is, in the eyes of many people, practically a symbol of the nation itself, an ambassador of Japanese creativity and business acumen.And yet, not everyone in Japan is a fan, as the Kyoto police have arrested a 27-year-old man for threateni

“They’ve got be kidding me.” – Mayor in Japan fed up with off-season Mt. Fuji hikers needing rescue

Fujinomiya mayor wants people hiking unopened trails to think about someone other than just themselves.The climbing season for Mt. Fuji runs from early July to early September, but unfortunately the Mt. Fuji hiker rescue season ends up being longer. Every year, a number of hikers ignore the warnings and take to the trails when they’re still officially closed, then end up needing rescue teams or other emergency services to help them get home from Japan’s tallest mountain. The most recent incident

7-Eleven Japan now has ramen machines…but only at 41 stores

Find out how to use the machines, and more importantly, where to find them.Back in 2013, 7-Eleven Japan revolutionised the convenience store scene by equipping its stores with coffee machines so customers could make their own individual cups of freshly brewed coffee. Then, in 2022, the chain upped its game even further with smoothie machines that became a runaway hit, and now there’s a new machine causing a stir with customers: the self-service ramen machine.Introduced last October, the ne

New bounty system starts in Japan, rewards reports of illegal employment of foreigners

Ibaraki Prefecture now offers rewards to whistleblowers who lead them to companies illegally employing foreign workers.Ibaraki Prefecture doesn’t get a ton of international attention. Sure, it has cool places to visit, like some of Japan’s best spots to see plum blossoms and Nemophila flowers, and it also boasts outstanding natto, according to fermented soybean fans. But in general, Ibaraki isn’t such a huge draw for international tourists, and it’s also usually on the short list of places where

Huge display of drones and fireworks together coming to Osaka this June

You got your drones in my fireworks! You got your fireworks in my drones!Drone displays are becoming quite popular these days. So much so that it makes you wonder if they may one day replace the more traditional firework shows that have dazzled people of all ages around the world.But why does it have to be one or the other? Can’t drones and large amounts of explosives live in harmony? To find out, Osaka Bay Skylumina will be held on 6 June. Taking advantage of the vast flat area on Maishima Spor

War in Iran causing dark development for potato chip packages in Japan

Japanese convenience store snack sections are going to be looking drab later this month.Though your body does need some minimum amount of calories, sodium, and fat in order to function properly, potato chips are one of those foods that are clearly more about fun and pleasure than sustenance and nutrition. That’s reflected in their packaging, too. Strolling through a supermarket or convenience store, you can tell right away when you’ve come to the chip section of the shelves, as the bags are burs