RocketNews24 / Bringing You Yesterday's News From Japan and Asia, Today (Page 101)

Why Japan Doesn’t Give a Gangnam Sh** About PSY

Oct 11, 2012 by Steven
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I remember showing “Gangnam Style” to my Japanese friends and coworkers only a few weeks after it was uploaded to YouTube in July. While, like millions of other viewers, I thought the video was best thing to come out of YouTube since Charlie the Unicorn, I was surprised to find that most Japanese people I showed it to would just stare at the screen and mumble a disinterested “hmmmm.”

Were they seeing the same video I was? Did they not notice the horse-riding dance and the rhythmic pelvic thrusting in the elevator? Were they deaf to the addictive melody and blind to the tongue-in-cheek sexual innuendos? I mean, come on people: he’s screaming at her butt.

At the time, I thought maybe I just had dull friends. But after over 400,000,000 views, numerous international media appearances, an American record deal and still only minimal sign of interest from Japan, I’m compelled to think that there is something about PSY and Gangnam Style that the Japanese are simply unable to accept.

Oct 11, 2012 by Philip Kendall
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With every man and his dog having heard tales of Japan’s heated, butt-cheek-massaging, water-squirting thrones or experienced them firsthand by now, the country’s space-age toilets are nothing new.

Why the contraptions haven’t quite caught on overseas yet still amazes me, but Japan continues to do toilets exceedingly well, and few things on this earth please this writer more than opening a stall door and being greeted by a sensor-activated toilet whose lid opens to greet me with the fondness of a dog whose master has just return from a weekend away.

But with all those buttons, dials and functions, Japan’s toilets seem to have peaked. Today’s toilet enthusiasts demand something more! Luxury, ladies and gentlemen, does not come from mere electronics; it comes from spacious, tranquil privacy.

In search of just that, our lucky writer over at RocketNews24 Japan headed out to Chiba prefecture, the home of the world’s most spacious public restroom, documenting the entire process on our behalf. Well, maybe not the entire of the process…

Before we set off, does anyone need to pee?

Oct 11, 2012 by Steven
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Some of you may be familiar with South Korean female dance team Waveya from their sexy dance rendition of international K-Pop hit “Gangnam Style” (see below).

While unable to match the raw sexual energy that made PSY’s original music video so successful, the video has gotten over 40 million views on YouTube and has helped the five-piece unit make a name for themselves domestically.

Last month, for example, Waveya was asked to perform at an all-boys high school in Korea. The girls took the stage and began working their sexiest, most seductive moves on stafe in front of the crowd of adolescent males and, as you might imagine, it wasn’t long before every guy in the room found himself standing erect with excitement.

You know, to see Waveya. Because they’re famous now… Pervert.

Oct 11, 2012 by Master Blaster
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So you’re a middle aged person living in Japan with a mind to tie the knot but can’t seem to find that perfect match. You went to a goukon and followed all the rules but still couldn’t land that potential spouse.

It could be because you’re a geek. Now, that’s not as bad as it sounds. Statistics that I just pulled out of thin air suggest that up to 31% of us carry the otaku gene. Some of our best and brightest are nerds, such as Mark Zuckerberg, Weird Al Yankovic, and Wayne Gretzky.

However, for the otaku, marriage can be as hard to complete as that level in Battletoads where you have ride the hover bike. This is why the town of Washimiya has set up the Otaku Marriage Hunting Masquerade Ball.

Oct 11, 2012 by Karen Bremer Masuda
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A refreshing bubbly drink is desirable in any season, but particularly in hot weather. Pour it over ice on a hot day and you have an excellent refresher.

While it comes after the hot and humid summer has passed, Soda Sparkle, the home soda machine that lets you take plain water and carbonate it, finally came to Japan earlier this year!

Oct 11, 2012 by Yoshio
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A couple in China has invented a “mood detector” that helps to stop couples from fighting.

Couple fights are part and parcel of everyday life. While it is said that small quarrels help to keep the marriage alive, unresolved arguments can escalate into serious conflicts. At times like this, it is always good to have a third-party act as a mediator, but even so, the family counselor cannot be there 24/7. This is when the “mood detector” comes in handy.

Oct 11, 2012 by Steven
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Calendars featuring photos of sexy models posing provocatively are nothing new, but leave it to Japan to come up with a calendar where the date is written on the exposed skin of a woman’s body —and actually make it look artistic.

Oct 11, 2012 by Kay
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From pumpkin flavored ice cream to sweet pumpkin dumplings, I seem to be writing quite often about pumpkins recently, which I guess is not too surprising considering that we are about 3 weeks away from Halloween. Well, this too, is a story about a pumpkin, but is completely unrelated to Halloween. In this case, the pumpkin turned into a potentially deadly “trick” instead of a “treat”. Read More

Are You in the Sexy Zone? If So the Police Would Like a Word with You

Oct 11, 2012 by Master Blaster
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Johnny Kitagawa, 80 year-old former teen idol and boy band mogul is celebrating his 50th year in the industry. And what a better way to do it than with Johnny and Associates’ newest smash hit makers, Sexy Zone!

Shori Sato (16), Kento Nakajima (18), Fuma Kikuchi (17), So Matsushima (15), and fresh young Marius Yo (12) formed Sexy Zone after graduating from Johnny’s Juniors, an extensive school for talented and strapping young men who will do whatever it takes to become stars.

By the way, all previous allegations by former Johnny’s Juniors with regards to inappropriate advances and abuse published in books and newspaper have never been proven in a criminal court of law. I have no idea why I wrote that, but it seemed like it was necessary.

Oct 11, 2012 by Philip Kendall
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McDonald’s Japan has been having kind of a tough time lately…

After the restaurant took peculiar the step of removing menus from its counters, Japanese patrons have expressed their dissatisfaction both online and off, suggesting that the idea was perhaps not the company’s best in recent year, and the Golden Arches have received plenty of negative press as a result.

Perhaps fuelled by this feeling of discontent, a photo shared on social networking site Twitter, which shows an in-store sign alerting customers to the fact that free water will no longer be served, has had Japanese netizens up in arms, and has been shared more than 5,000 times.

Oct 10, 2012 by Steven
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As political tensions between China and Japan continue to grow, it becomes ever more important for citizens of both countries to remain level-headed and remember that a nation’s actions do not always reflect the character of its people. Not all Chinese people have a taste for indiscriminate mob violence and not all Japanese people squirt mayonnaise on unsuspecting high school girls.

Luckily, Chinese web portal NetEase has put together an illustrated guide to addresses a number of misconceptions Chinese people have of Japanese people.

A noble initiative, to be sure, but for some reason the guide only touches on misconceptions of Japanese women. Well, as long as they help break down those harmful stereotypes inhibiting international understanding…

Take a look at what kind of cultural insights the diplomats at NetEase are offering their readers below.

Oct 10, 2012 by Yoshio
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We’ve all heard about the dogs and monkey brains served on the Chinese dining table. But believe it or not, the latest trend now is raw deer blood.

According to Mr. Yang, the owner of a deer farm located in Nanjing, deer farming is much more lucrative than cattle or sheep farming. Every single part of the deer can be sold, including the meat, the antlers, and of course the blood.

Oct 10, 2012 by Philip Kendall
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Just over a week ago, McDonald’s Japan took the sudden and seemingly unnecessary step of removing menus from its counters, instead asking customers to make their selection before stepping up to order.

As reported here on RocketNews24, this very minor change had a strangely jarring effect on us when we visited the restaurant, perhaps conditioned by years of frequenting fast food joints and coffee outlets where the menu is, usually, right next to the cash register to at least glance at.

According to recent reports, that feeling of confusion is not limited to this us alone… Read More

Need Motivation to Lose Weight? How About Cheaper Rent?

Oct 10, 2012 by Jessica
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Anyone who’s ever tried to shed a few pounds knows how hard it can be to stay motivated. Sometimes you just can’t reach down and find the fortitude deep inside to put down the doughnut and pick up your dumbbells without a more immediate payoff. A recently opened rental property in Osaka has come up with a novel idea to help dieters keep their motivation up: a discount on rent for weight lost. Read More

Harness the Power of FIRE!!! …to Charge Your Smartphone

Oct 10, 2012 by Michelle
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Strong opposition to the use of nuclear reactors has put pressure on scientists to find a replacement for atomic energy. In the past, scientists attempted to harness the energy generated by rush hour traffic, pedaling a bicycle, and many other creative sources. In our never-ending quest for power, a bicycle that charges your smartphone was even developed, allowing consumers to charge their phone while they pedal.

A new innovation in energy generation is here. BioLite Camp Stove is a biomass burning stove that can cook food while charging small electronic devices.

Oct 10, 2012 by Philip Kendall
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As much as it might sound like a speech that one of those creepy, smile-flashing, tracksuit-wearing guest speakers might have given at your school when you were a kid, it genuinely is cool to be seen cleaning up your town in Japan right now.

In a joint venture between Garbage Bag Artwork and Columbia Sportswear Japan, a range of artistically-designed garbage bags has been launched, along with a swanky new website that aims to encourage both local groups and handsome folks like you and me to get out and clean up our towns. Read More

Ichiro Reveals Inner Ninja during Second Game of Divisional Series

Oct 10, 2012 by Master Blaster
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Can you spot what’s wrong with this picture?

That’s right. This slide into home is going the wrong way. Some were concerned that future hall of famer Ichiro Suzuki may have been past his prime when added to the Yankees this year, but he certainly pulled his weight scoring the first run in their second divisional playoff game against Baltimore.

Ichiro, after being waved home suddenly found himself cut off by an early throw to Baltimore catcher Matt Wieters. Staring an inevitable 3rd out in the face, Ichiro wondered “What would Naruto Uzumaki do right now?”

Oct 10, 2012 by Karen Bremer Masuda
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Isonokatsuo is a ramen shop in Suskino, the drinking district of Sapporo, Hokkaido, that opens its shutters around the time the city night life starts revving up into full swing and continues to serve up hot bowls of noodles until 7 o’clock the next morning.

All-night ramen shops are not unheard of in Japan, but Isonokatsuo is known for making ramen so delicious that people line up for it in the middle of the cold Sapporo night. On a recent trip to Hokkaido, one of our reporters decided to burn the midnight chili oil and try out Isonokatsuo for himself.

Check his report below!

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【News Bite】 South Korea Now Imports More Than Half of Its Own National Dish

Oct 10, 2012 by Philip Kendall
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Stereotypes; you have to love them.

Americans all own guns; every Brit has bad teeth; Asians make bad drivers; Koreans all eat Kimchi.

Usually stereotypes are utter nonsense- none of my American friends have ever held a real gun, let alone own one; a Japanese friend of mine once piloted my car along possibly the narrowest mountain road known to man when I was too freaked out to do it myself; and, as far as I can tell, my teeth are not in need of any urgent dental work.

But with 18kg (40lbs) of kimchi consumed per person in Korea each year, there might just be a grain of truth to that last stereotype.

So when news broke earlier today that Korea now imports more of its own national dish than it makes, it’s understandable that there were a few raised eyebrows… Read More

10 Everyday Items Inspired by Food That Look Good Enough to Eat

Oct 10, 2012 by Steven
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Everyone has their own comfort food; a meal that brings you back to better days and fills the void in your heart and stomach. But how about food that provides real, physical comfort?

From curry futons to ice cream cone lamps, here are 10 unique food furnishings from around the net that are sure to add a little relish to your everyday life!