Most tourists don’t like to look like tourists. It’s important to hit a town’s cultural hotspots, but you also want to go off the beaten path and see what it’s really like for residents of a place. And if you’re planning a trip to Japan, you won’t find any better (or cuter) tour guides than […]
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster has, of course, been devastating to the surrounding community, but it’s been weirdly advantageous for the surrounding wildlife — more specifically, the boars. The wild pigs in the forests surrounding the plant have become so contaminated that their meat is inedible. Because of this, they are breeding like radioactive rabbits. […]
Okunoshima is a small island located in the Inland Sea of Japan that can only be accessed via a ferry from the mainland. Okunoshima played a key role during World War II as a poison gas factory for much of the chemical warfare that was carried out in China. This is evident today from the […]
When a bunch of turtles were found riding the rails near the Suma Aqualife Park in Kobe, Japan, something had to be done. Because of the park’s proximity to the ocean, these cute critters often end up climbing over one of the train tracks, becoming stuck between the two. With nowhere to go though, they […]
As land dwelling mammals, we humans know that the oceans are deep, dark, and full of terrifying creatures. One of the most frightening creatures around is the Giant Spider Crab, also known as the Japanese Spider. While these bad boys aren’t are huge and scary as some crabs out there, they are still pretty darn creepy. Here […]
We know we’re not supposed to play with our food, but how can we resist when it’s this cute?? The Japanese art of aesthetically pleasing meals, usually packed in an equally charming bento box, has spread across the globe and created pretty much the most delightful food trend ever. Now, you don’t have to travel the world to see […]
http://twitter.com/#!/vqnerdballs/status/520287690873667584 Cosplay is a growing subculture in which people dress as characters from science fiction, fantasy, or comics. Often the costumes can be very elaborate and expensive. The trend originated in Japan and Jim Pethokoukis’ piece at The Week draws some parallels between Japan’s stagnant economy and our own. Using the rise of cosplay as an indicator didn’t go over […]
A Japanese photographer named Fubirai spent 5 years photographing and documenting the lives of semi-feral cats who live off the coast of Fukuoka, Japan. This island has been called Cat Heaven Island by many. One look at the photographs and life there, and you’ll see exactly why. Behold. A cat lover’s paradise. The local fishermen […]
Okay, listen, we would never encourage you to start a smoking habit. Cigarettes are gross and unhealthy, we know. But, we definitely encourage you to check out this cigarette shop in Japan where you’ll be greeted by the cutest cashier ever: a shiba-inu dog. The small shop is called Suzuki and draws in tourists as well […]