Casey Baseel

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Casey Baseel spent his formative years staring in frustration at un-subtitled Japanese TV programming shown on Southern California’s international channel. Taking matters into his own hands, he moved to Tokyo to study the language, then found work in Yokohama a decade ago teaching, translating, and marketing hotels he can’t afford to stay in. When not participating in the eternal cycle of exercising to burn the calories form his love of Japanese food, Casey scours used comic and game shops for forgotten classics, drags his wife around the country in a quest to visit all its castles, sings karaoke not nearly as well as he thinks he does, and counts the days until the summertime bars open on Enoshima Beach.

Posted by Casey Baseel (Page 6)

Japan’s hardest rice crackers, snacks of the shinobi, go soft, so do they have a reason to exist?

Taste-testing the “soft cooked hardness” of Iga.

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10 romantic date spots to fall in love with (and maybe at) in Hokkaido【Survey】

Locals sound off for their picks for the best date spots in Japan’s biggest prefecture.

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Sailor Moon manhole covers to be installed in Tokyo at sites linked to the anime/manga series

Artistic covers will lead you on a walk through Sailor Moon history.

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Which Japanese convenience store has the best lucky sushi roll? Unclear results show clear winner

It’s 7-Eleven versus Family Mart versus Lawson in this ehomaki taste test showdown.

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Updated sakura forecast: Cherry blossoms coming to Tokyo first, but later than first expected

Newly updated forecast maps show shy sakura are going to keep us waiting a little longer.

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Can you make a proper ehomaki lucky sushi roll with Daiso equipment?

We hit up Japan’s favorite 100 yen shop to see if we can be lucky on a budget.

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Japan’s favorite gyoza restaurant changes its gyoza recipe – Will gyoza life ever be the same?

Taste-testing the new and old gyoza at Ohsho.

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It’s time to throw beans and banish demons! A look at family Setsubun traditions in Japan

From ogre teachers to desserts in the dark, the SoraNews24 team shares their Setsubun styles.

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Entrance fee and gate closing at sundown may be coming to Mt. Fuji’s most popular hiking route

Local government plan would aim to prevent crowding and “bullet climbing.”

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500-year-old national treasure Matsumoto Castle is also a modern projection-mapped beauty【Video】

Digital art display in Nagano moves into its final form.

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Japan has a set phrase for the crazy busy feeling we all get at the start of the year

If you’re shocked that January is almost over, Japanese has a phrase for that.

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Starbucks’ newest Japanese Frappuccinos start selling out before going on sale

Lack of key ingredient means sweets fans may be left singing the blues as roughly 100 branches will get no Operas.

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Tokyo’s newest hot spring bathhouse and foodie spot opening next to Japan’s biggest fish market

Onsen and Edo appeal added right next to to Toyosu’s biggest travel destination.

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Tokyo’s busiest commuter line slowing things down with special one-lap Yamanote sightseeing train

Conductors share special views from the downtown loop line.

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Number of foreigners working in Japan hits all-time high, 25 percent come from same country

Study shows often overlooked prefecture has second-highest number of working foreign residents in Japan.

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Sanyo Shinkansen ending in-car food cart sales (unless you’ve got the cash for first-class)

Last bastion of regular-car Shinkansen wagon sales between Tokyo and Fukuoka falls.

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Japanese rail company lets teens ride for free on super stressful entrance exam days

Test takers given free pass and good luck charm.

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7-Eleven Japan’s new microwaves know how long your bento should be warmed up, even if you don’t

Video shows clever new system in action.

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Is Japan’s cheapest SIM-free phone plan actually usable? Testing Irumo on all Tokyo Metro lines

We get to the bottom of the low-cost, SIM-free service plan by heading to the deepest points of the public transportation network.

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Appeal filed to block death sentence for Kyoto Animation arsonist

Defense maintains that defendant should not be held responsible for his actions.

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