Kay

Writer / Translator

Kay is a native Japanese who has lived in Honolulu, Hawaii and Los Angeles, California. She currently resides in Tokyo and enjoys writing about a wide range of topics, including all things cute and glamorous. She also loves stories about any type of food, from gourmet cuisine to junk food. Her favorite pastimes include reading, going to the movies, watching American T.V. dramas and shopping. (Yes, she is painfully aware that she owns too many bags and shoes.) She also loves to travel and has visited over 25 different countries. Her favorite place to go on vacation is New York, an amazing city where you can enjoy the best of shopping, dining, art and theater.

All Stories by Kay

Oh Dear! Has Peter Rabbit Discovered a New, Darker Side to Himself?

3 days ago by Kay
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I’m sure many of you have memories of reading tales from Beatrix Potter‘s famous Peter Rabbit series as a child and being fascinated with the exquisitely drawn anthropomorphic animals in the books. Although Peter and his friends wore brightly colored human clothes, they looked so real that they seemed like they might walk out of the pages of the book at any time, didn’t they? You probably even had a favorite character too. (Mine was Tom Kitten, by the way.) Some of you may also recall the 2006 Hollywood movie Ms. Potter, which told the extraordinary story of how the Peter Rabbit series came into being, with Renée Zellweger starring in the title role.

But now, as an adult, do you ever feel the urge to see such pure, wholesome characters from your childhood acting just the slightest bit naughty? Well, Japanese comic artist Keiichi Tanaka apparently had just such an urge and actually produced a drawing depicting exactly that — our beloved Peter Rabbit indulging in kinky behavior! Read More

Another Amazing Vending Machine From Japan! But This One’s No High-Tech Gadget

6 days ago by Kay
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Readers of our site may be aware that Japan is home to vending machines that sell a wide range of bizarre and unexpected products, from pornographic magazines to fresh eggs and even fermented soybeans (natto). Now, we’ve found yet another interesting vending machine that’s been featured in a story on Asahi Newspaper’s digital site which we thought would be interesting to share with you.

This machine in particular caught our attention because it combines the Japanese people’s fondness of vending machines with their love of a dish that is extremely popular in Japan. And what might that dish be? We’ll give you a hint — it’s golden brown in color and has a delightfully rich and spicy aroma that’s sure to make your mouth water… Read More

What The… Unbelievable (and Sweet) Sushi Creation Found at Chain Restaurant in Southern Japan!

May 2, 2013 by Kay
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Do you have a favorite sushi topping? Well, raw fish may not be for everyone, but like most people in Japan, I absolutely love sushi, from simple tuna to more lavish creations using unusual ingredients. In fact, some of the best tasting “sushi” I’ve ever had has been of the unorthodox variety, like “grilled foie gras sushi” and “minced tuna and green onion sushi roll tempura” (yes, they actually deep-fried a sushi roll whole)! But now, a story on the Byokan Sunday site has brought to our attention an even more unbelievable sushi dish, and it’s pictured right on the menu above — can you guess what kind of sushi it is? Read More

Love Cats? Then These Adorable “Cat Tights” May Be For You!

Apr 29, 2013 by Kay
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With cherry blossom season over in Tokyo, the weather here is definitely turning warm and pleasant (at least for a little while, until the rainy season starts and then the hot and humid summer). Women across Japan are eagerly shedding their coats to enjoy colorful, spring fashion, and to our delight, one of our reporters at Pouch has found the purr-fect item to combine fashion and fun — “cat tights”! Read More

A Tragic (But Kinda Funny) Case of Tattoos Gone Wrong, But Why, Oh Why, Did This Happen?

Apr 25, 2013 by Kay
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We Japanese are no strangers to Chinese characters (or kanji, in Japanese). The ancient letters from China make up a crucial part of our own written language, and we have to say the complex yet elegant form of kanji can seem strikingly cool (except when we had to practice and learn all those letters in grade school), even for those of us who use the letters everyday. So we can certainly understand how these characters could hold a mysterious fascination for people from countries where kanji isn’t used at all. T-shirts featuring kanji are a common enough sight in many parts of the world after all, and for people who prefer to wear their favorite Chinese characters in a more, shall I say, permanent way, I guess tattoos are always an option, right?

Well, at least, that’s the option the person in the picture above apparently went for. But she most likely didn’t know what the letters she was getting tattooed on her back actually meant, the poor girl … Read More

The Portable Watermelon Fridge — Could It Be The Perfect Gift For The Person Who Has It All?

Apr 21, 2013 by Kay
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We all love coolers, don’t we? They keep our drinks nice and cold, wherever we go. Well, here’s a gadget that does the job even better! This little guy on wheels, believe it or not, is a portable mini-refrigerator/heater and goes by the cute product name of “Tama-chan”. But why is Tama-chan shown with a watermelon inside? Read More

Someone Call an Exorcist! We Have a Serious Case of Demon Bread Here!

Apr 19, 2013 by Kay
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I’m sure there are many of you who like to bake your own bread. (I, unfortunately, lack the culinary skills to do so and have to resort to store-bought goods.) But bread doesn’t always turn out the way you intended, does it? It certainly didn’t when Twitter user korpi baked a batch of what was supposed to be harmless, wholesome cheese bread, and the pictures she shared on her account have apparently caught the attention of Japanese Internet users — with their shock value. But what could be so alarming about some pieces of bread? Read More

Ladies, Please Don’t Be So Blatantly Disappointed With Your Delivery Man (At Least With How He Looks)!

Apr 17, 2013 by Kay
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A short while ago, a group of men belonging to a particular delivery service company became hot news in Japan, not for their sterling courier service as you might expect, but, to put it bluntly, for their dashing good looks. Yes, as silly as it may sound, good-looking delivery men, specifically those working for major Japanese delivery company Sagawa Express, have been making many a Japanese woman swoon.

But then again, perhaps it isn’t too surprising that these “Sagawa Danshi” (literally, “the Sagawa men”), as they have come to be collectively known, have been in the media spotlight, as plenty of hot men are indeed in the employ of Sagawa Express, and the busy delivery work tends to keep them physically fit and energetic looking. However, all of this attention now seems to have resulted in a rather unfortunate phenomenon for some Sagawa delivery men. Read More

200 Years Old And Still Irresistibly Adorable! A Timeless Image of “Cute” From the Edo Period

Apr 14, 2013 by Kay
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Okay, this little fella is seriously cute! (And I’m not talking about the big black bull in the painting above, but the small white ball of fur in the bottom center — see him?) It’s hard to believe he’s more than 200 years old, or at least his picture is. Yes, dogs have been man’s best friend for a long time, and this particular picture that has been capturing the heart of modern internet users of late goes to prove that our love of dogs (and all things furry and adorable for that matter) truly transcend time. Just look at the little guy’s fluffy white coat and innocent puppy eyes. No wonder the image has been making net users go all gooey! Read More

Tasty, Easy, Quick and Affordable! Mos Burger Lets You Eat Tempura and Rice with One Hand

Apr 12, 2013 by Kay
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Yes, we Japanese love tempura, and it’s also one of the better known Japanese foods around the world. If you’re a fan of the dish, I’m sure just thinking about the light, crispy batter and the sweet flavorful sauce is enough to make your mouth water. What’s more, tempura in Japan can be enjoyed as haute cuisine at high-end restaurants like Tenichi (where a full course dinner might cost you between US$100 and $300), or a completely casual yet tasty meal at joints like Tenya, where a very decent tendon (tempura on rice) costs about $5 to $8.

Now, popular Japanese fast food chain Mos Burger makes tempura even more accessible to the average consumer by offering special tempura based rice burgers for a limited time. Read More

Our Hero is Back! Goku Returns After 17 Years With a Huge Box Office Bang! 【Impressions】

Apr 5, 2013 by Kay
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Okay, I have to admit it feels just a tiny bit awkward for a woman my age to go see an anime film … but this is Dragon Ball! Ever since they announced that the first new Dragon Ball movie in 17 years was going to be released, I knew I would have to go see the movie. After all, when you’ve grown up reading or watching Dragon Ball, it’s hard not to be excited about seeing Goku and his brethren again after nearly two decades. So, I might as well do away with pretense and just go see the movie right? Well, go see the movie I did over the opening weekend, and so did more than 500,000 moviegoers across Japan as well. Read More

What Do You Do When Aquarium Sardines Start Acting Fishy? You Call In The Tuna Squad!

Mar 31, 2013 by Kay
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The Nagoyako Aquarium in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, is experiencing an unusual problem — lazy sardines. That’s right, according to a recent story on Japanese newspaper Asahi’s digital site, the sardines at Nagoyako Aquarium are not behaving as they should, supposedly because “they have it too easy” in the protected environment of their tank. And in order not to disappoint visitors, it looks like the aquarium will have to call in the “tuna squad” to whip the sardines’ act into shape. But what could be causing these errant fish to misbehave? Read More

C’est Si Bon! Enjoy a Taste of Gourmet France in Central Tokyo

Mar 29, 2013 by Kay
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Okay, this is a question for you francophiles out there. Where should you go if you’re in Tokyo and you want to eat and feel like you’re in France? Ask Tokyoites, and chances are they’ll say Kagurazaka, where the official Institut français du Japon–Tokyo is located and where you’re liable to find many French nationals as well as numerous French restaurants. But according to an article that appeared recently on Japanese news site Excite Bit, there’s another rather unexpected area of Tokyo with a surprising concentration of shops offering a taste of France.

And just where might that be? Well, the article informs us that quite a few famous French gourmet establishments have set up shop in Shibuya, that mecca of young pop Japanese culture. Read More

To Dye or Not To Dye? Why Current Hair Color Trend Is Hitting Japanese Beauty Salons Hard

Mar 22, 2013 by Kay
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In Japan we have a saying that roughly translates to “A woman’s hair is her life.” While that may sound quite dated in this time and age when Japanese women wear their hair in any and all conceivable styles, it looks like the current trend in the Japanese fashion and beauty industry is good old-fashioned, natural black hair. But you may be wondering, Japanese people have naturally black hair, right? So, how can something naturally occurring become a “trend”? Read More

Can’t Live Without the Internet? 10 Signs that You May be Addicted to Life Online

Mar 10, 2013 by Kay
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Addiction — it comes in many forms and can quickly destroy your life and all that is dear to you. We all know it forms an integral part of our lives in the 21st century, but have you ever wondered if you may be addicted to the Internet?

Sure, the Internet has certainly made our lives easier in many ways, allowing us to instantly learn breaking news, stay in touch with friends or buy practically anything you need with the click of a button. However, always being connected perhaps makes it a little too easy to constantly receive and send information, and for some people it can turn into a serious dependency problem.

Japanese news site Excite News recently ran an article based on the online manga (comic) series titled “The Manga Introductory Guide to Psychosomatic Medicine” (Manga de Wakaru Shinryo Naika) published by You Mental Clinic, in particular an episode dealing with Internet addiction. According to the article, the manga episode lists 10 signs that indicate you may be addicted to the Internet. So, do any of them apply to you? Read More

The Love Affair Behind A College Beauty Queen’s Amazing 33kg (73lb) Diet! How Ever Did She Do It?

Mar 2, 2013 by Kay
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Ahh, the things we do for love … but of course, love takes many forms, sometimes with astonishing results.

Just a month ago, we brought to you the story of the amazing cosplay diet that had the Japanese internet buzzing. Now, there’s another young lady who achieved equally incredible results dieting — motivated by her love for a manga comic, no less. And we have to say our hats were off to her when we learned how she shed off the weight. Read More

The Surprising Truth Revealed! Now We Know Why Hello Kitty Has Been Working So Hard

Feb 20, 2013 by Kay
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We’ve brought to you many stories previously about how Hello Kitty isn’t picky at all about her jobs. Collaborating with other popular characters, operating hotels and restaurants, changing herself into various foods (and even going nude!) — you name it, she’s probably done it. Yes, she’s the internationally loved cat of all trades. And you may love her even more once you find out just why she’s been working so hard. Read More

“Manga Drawing Kit” That Comes With Girls’ Comic Magazine Way Too Impressive To Be A Freebie

Feb 16, 2013 by Kay
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Did you love to draw as a child? If you’re a girl, chances are you went through a phase of being infatuated with drawing pictures of princesses wearing fluffy gowns and diamond tiaras. (Sorry, I wasn’t quite sure what little boys would be crazy about drawing.) Well, for those of you who haven’t quite grown out of that phase, a special little kit that comes free with a recent issue of a popular girls’ comic magazine may make you squeal with delight. In fact, it’s been a hot topic on the Japanese Internet and even has professional manga-ka (comic artists) interested and impressed. The topic of all this attention? It’s the “Super Mighty Comic Artist Set (Super Saikyo Manga-ka Set)” brought to you by the comic magazine Nakayoshi. Read More

Soak in A Nice Hot Spring Bath With Ted the Dirty Little Old Teddy Bear!

Feb 9, 2013 by Kay
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So, have you seen the movie Ted yet? If you have, I’m sure many of you will agree that it’s an absolutely hilarious movie (probably not profound or enlightening in any way, and you may even lose a couple of brain cells watching it, but yes, definitely hilarious)! Well, it appears the antics of the cute teddy bear with a bad mouth and a dirty mind has captured the hearts of movie goers in Japan, because as of last weekend, the movie is the top box office hit in Japan. But what does a middle-aged borderline delinquent teddy bear have to do with a hot spring bath? Read More

Totoro, Our Cute And Furry Friend? Not In This Case!

Feb 8, 2013 by Kay
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We all love Totoro, that huge cuddly bundle of fur, right? Well, maybe not this version of the lovable character from the famous Studio Ghibli anime “My Neighbor Totoro (Tonari No Totoro)”. Yes, the dark side of the friendly forest spirit is revealed in this particular work of art we found on the internet. Take a look at the unedited photo if you dare… Read More