Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
pentawards
When receiving a gift or even after buying a snack at the convenience store, it’s sometimes hard not to just rip open the package to get to the goodies inside. But if you find yourself in the possession of one of the following products, you might want to pause and take a few moments to admire the hard work and creativity that went in to designing the packaging. Here are 10 beautiful product packages from Japan, all of which have won at the Pentawards, a worldwide packaging design competition.
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
Beautiful Sailor Moon manhole cover coasters being given out for free by Tokyo tourist center
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
Super Nintendo World expansion gets delayed for several months at Universal Studios Japan
Arrest proves a common Japanese saying about apologies and police
Hamster abandoned at Tokyo ramen restaurant gets new home
Ed Sheeran’s bromance with One Ok Rock frontman warms the hearts of fans around the world
New Pokémon blankets are part plushie cushion, part fluffy wrap, and all adorable【Photos】
Spruce up your office with Pikachu date stamps in various sizes and stylesMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in Tokyo
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Beautiful new Final Fantasy T-shirt collection on the way from Uniqlo【Photos】
Is the new Shinkansen Train Desk ticket worth it?
Foreign English teachers in Japan pick their favorite Japanese-language phrases【Survey】All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
Japanese convenience store packs a whole bento into an onigiri rice ball
We try out “Chan Ramen”, an underground type of ramen popular in the ramen communityMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Studio Ghibli releases Kiki’s Delivery Service chocolate cake pouches in Japan
Japan’s bone-breaking and record-breaking roller coaster is permanently shutting down
New definition of “Japanese whiskey” goes into effect to prevent fakes from fooling overseas buyers
Our Japanese reporter visits Costco in the U.S., finds super American and very Japanese things
Studio Ghibli unveils Mother’s Day gift set that captures the love in My Neighbour Totoro
Foreign passenger shoves conductor on one of the last full runs for Japan’s Thunderbird train
Domino’s Japan now sells…pizza ears?
New Japanese KitKat flavour stars Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty
Kyoto creates new for-tourist buses to address overtourism with higher prices, faster rides
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitelyMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Sold-out Studio Ghibli desktop humidifiers are back so Totoro can help you through the dry season
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Arrest proves a common Japanese saying about apologies and police
Hamster abandoned at Tokyo ramen restaurant gets new home
Ed Sheeran’s bromance with One Ok Rock frontman warms the hearts of fans around the world
New Pokémon blankets are part plushie cushion, part fluffy wrap, and all adorable【Photos】
Spruce up your office with Pikachu date stamps in various sizes and styles
Japan’s Baby Bird Reincarnation sofa bed — So cozy you won’t want to go back to being a human?
What happens to Cup Noodle Mystery Meat when you cook it in a rice cooker?
Mario can’t beat state of emergency, Super Nintendo World theme park opening delayed again
McDonald’s Japan’s new kalbi koshihikari rice burger and its friends only come out after sundown
Giant Clodsire Pokémon plushie comes with up to 32 Woopers in super size, super cute set【Pics】
Flying Totoro appears in new Studio Ghibli x Foxfire collection
Muscly Japanese men fill stock photo site with hilarious poses in unusual settings
Is Japan’s massive Shizuoka steak sandwich really as delicious as it looks in promo photos?