Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Qantas
To celebrate Singapore’s 50th birthday, Australia sent four koalas to the Singapore Zoo for what is possibly the best birthday present ever. As one of Australia’s national animals, these four fuzzy marsupials were given top-notch treatment as they were upgraded from the cargo hold to “Koala Class”. Pictures appearing on Qantas’ Facebook page showed exactly how good people and bears have it in business class.
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
Studio Ghibli releases new action figures featuring Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind characters
Kyoto’s 100 Demons yokai monster parade returns!
Super Nintendo World expansion gets delayed for several months at Universal Studios Japan
The oldest tunnel in Japan is believed to be haunted, and strange things happen when we go there
The humane (and adorable) way to make a flat hamster 【Video】
Japan’s first-ever capybara cat cafe opens in Tokyo
Kyoto’s “ikezu” culture of backhanded compliments explained in hilarious souvenir sticker series
Muscly Japanese men fill stock photo site with hilarious poses in unusual settingsMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in TokyoAll-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
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】
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
Beautiful Sailor Moon manhole cover coasters being given out for free by Tokyo tourist centerMcDonald’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
Domino’s Japan now sells…pizza ears?
New Japanese KitKat flavour stars Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty
One of Tokyo’s most famous meeting-spot landmarks is closing for good
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
The oldest tunnel in Japan is believed to be haunted, and strange things happen when we go there
The humane (and adorable) way to make a flat hamster 【Video】
Japan’s first-ever capybara cat cafe opens in Tokyo
Kyoto’s “ikezu” culture of backhanded compliments explained in hilarious souvenir sticker series
Muscly Japanese men fill stock photo site with hilarious poses in unusual settings
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in Tokyo
We visit the 24-hour male-only sauna just outside of Hakata Station and ponder a strange sight
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
Which Studio Ghibli house would you most like to live in?
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
This 2,264-page manga behemoth is the biggest Japanese comic anthology we’ve ever seen【Photos】
McDonald’s Japan releases a pancake pie for new retro kissaten coffeeshop series
We try out “Chan Ramen”, an underground type of ramen popular in the ramen community
This dorayaki spot is one of the best sweets shop in Tokyo that people don’t know about yet