Sushi Chef Crafts Awesome Star Wars Veggie Sculptures
You never want to rely too much on validity of stereotypes, but many Japanese people like to think of themselves as being skilled or crafty with their hands. While you obviously can’t say that about everyone, it’s definitely a required trait of sushi chefs, who must rely on trained and steady hands to make perfectly crafted and cared for sushi. That ability apparently transfers over to their free time, as talented sushi chef Okitsugu Kado has been carving awesome Star Wars vegetable sculptures. Continue reading »
No Mural? No Worries! Japanese Lifehacker Invents Instagenic Angel Wings To-Go
By now, most people have seen images of people posing in front of angel wing murals. Either through Colette Miller’s Global Angel Wings Project launched in LA in 2012, Kelsey Montague’s wings which became famous when Taylor Swift posed in front of one in 2014, or the numerous other murals inspired by them which continue to pop up all over the world, wing murals have become a staple on Instagram. Continue reading »
Lucky Cat Underwear Will Bring Good Fortune To Your Crotch
If you’ve traveled enough around Japan, you’ve likely spotted the ceramic figures of the ‘maneki neko’ (beckoning cat), a Japanese good luck charm that is said to bring good fortune and prosperity to its owner. Shop owners often display one at the front of their business, as the upraised paw moving in a beckoning motion is believed to summon good fortune. What you probably haven’t seen, however, is a ‘maneki neko’ summoning good luck to your crotch. Continue reading »
An Instagram Account Dedicated To Japanese Walls
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It’s a common adage that often rings true, especially depending on your background. Walls, for example, don’t immediately come to mind as a thing of beauty. And thanks to a certain president, they don’t exactly have a great connotation right now. But none of that stopped one Instagram user from spreading his love for walls across the Internet. Continue reading »
Half A Century In The Making: Tree ‘Crop Circles’ Emerge In Japan
Two peculiar ‘crop circles’ have recently been spotted in Japan’s Miyazaki Prefecture. Viewable only from above, they were formed by sugi (Japanese cedar) trees. Conspiracy theorists will be disappointed to learn that there is a very practical explanation for how these shapes emerged: science. Specifically, it was the result of a scientific experiment that spanned close to 50 years. Continue reading »
Quirky And Extraordinary Moments Of Everyday Life In Japan By Shin Noguchi
There is something extraordinary magical about Japan and its culture and Japanese photographer Shin Noguchi proves that through his photographs of everyday life in Japan. He catches the peculiar, surreal and strangely beautiful shapes and situations that occur when people don’t think anyone is watching. Continue reading »
Japanese Papercraft Artist Turns Pringles Can Into A Stylish Pringles Mascot Figure
Japanese university student and papercraft art enthusiast @02ESyRaez4VhR2l (Haruki), however, may be setting the standard for creativity when it comes to inspirational sources. Haruki reconstructed an empty can of Pringles into a lively figure of the Pringles mascot! Continue reading »
7 Dogs Before And After Japanese Grooming
According to photographer Grace Chon: “I am an animal photographer named Grace Chon and these images are from my new photo series titled HAIRY.
I’ve always found before and after photos from dog grooming to be really funny. Usually it doesn’t even look like it’s the same dog in each photo! I had the idea of shooting a photo series that highlighted this extreme transformation. Each dog went way beyond their normal grooming schedule to grow their hair long and shaggy for the shoot. There’s something so funny to me about seeing a dog so shaggy that they can’t even see! I wanted the after photos to be really extreme by showing a type of cut that’s uncommon to most of us here in the United States. Continue reading »
Beautiful Wooden Bookshelf Inserts By Japanese Artist Monde
Japanese artist Monde has created a beautiful series of woodworks complete with a light switch! The Tokyo-based artist built and designed intricate, wooden bookshelf inserts that are like miniature dioramas of narrow alleyways you might find in the streets of Tokyo. Continue reading »
These Two Cats In Japan Have Been Trying To Sneak Into A Museum For Years
What do you do after you fail? Purr your disappointment away and just try harder. Meet Ken Chan and Gosaku: two devoted art lovers that have been trying to get into the Onomichi City Museum of Art for years now, but have been consistently kicked out just as they were entering it. The two have probably taken residence somewhere nearby the museum, because they keep coming back again and again. Continue reading »
Miyu Kojima Creates Miniature Replicas Of Lonely Deaths
Twenty six-year old Miyu Kojima works for a company that cleans up after kodokushi (孤独死) or lonely deaths: a Japanese phenomenon of people dying alone and remaining undiscovered for a long period of time. The instances first began to be reported around 2000, and are thought to be a product of increased social isolation coupled with a greying population. Continue reading »
The World’s Largest LEGO Cherry Blossom Tree Blooms In Japan
A record-breaking LEGO tree has taken shape at LEGOLAND Japan, a theme park in Nagoya dedicated to the beloved plastic bricks. The cherry tree’s construction marks the theme park’s first anniversary, and has been registered as the “largest LEGO brick cherry blossom tree” in the Guinness Book of World Records. Continue reading »
The Many Layers Of Japan Captured By The Photographer Hiro Goto
Japanese photographer Hiro Goto perfectly captures the busy life of Japanese people who are always in a hurry by showing the lively vibe around the city at the same time. Hiro Goto’s photography explores Japan, leading to a profound discovery of history and culture seamlessly blended with modern technology and design. Continue reading »
The Blinged-Out Work Trucks Of Japan Photographed By Todd Antony
For more than 40 years Japanese truck drivers have been piling on lights, patterned fabrics, and other over-the-top adornments to their work trucks, creating moving masterpieces covered in LEDs. This tradition of decorated trucks or “Dekotora” originated from a 1970s Japanese movie series inspired by Smokey and the Bandit titled Torakku Yaro or “Truck Rascals.” Continue reading »
Meet Lulu Hashimoto – Japan’s Creepy Real-Life Living Doll
Lulu Hashimoto is the world’s first “living doll fashion model”, and you can actually become her by putting on a realistic body suit consisting of doll head mask, a wig and stockings patterned with doll-like joints. As you can see in the photos below, the effect is pretty disturbing. Continue reading »
Japan Marks 10th Anniversary Of Rice Field Art
A huge painting on a rice field was seen in the city of Gyodashi, Saitama in Japan on July 9. The field, composed of nine different kinds of colored rice plant and crops, was designed by local people with their never exhausting creativity. Continue reading »
A Sculptural Arch Of Mist Has Been Installed In Japan
Australian artist James Tapscott was commissioned by the Japan Alps Art Festival to great a site-specific art piece, which he named “ARC ZERO – NIMBUS”. The art piece is a ring of mist that sits at the entrance to Hotokizaki Kanon-ji, a local Buddhist Temple, and encircles a bridge that crosses a small river. Continue reading »
Cute Cat Culture Goes Too Far With Japan’s Freaky Cat-Theme Masks
Japanese society places a great value on personal hygiene, and that extends to taking care of your skin. But just because the country is serious about grooming doesn’t mean it can’t have fun with the process, as evidenced by the variety of playful themed skin care masks that have gone on sale. Continue reading »
Japan’s Ultra Luxurious Shiki-Shima Train
Kyodo News via Getty Images
The new Train Suite Shiki- Shima luxury sleeper train departs the Ueno Station, Tokyo. The train will run bound for Hokkaido, the Tohoku and Koshinetsu regions. JR East plans to offer services similar to luxurious hotels to improve the image of area along the railroad and attract tourists. Tickets for trips departing from this May to March 2018 have already sold out. Continue reading »
Drainage Canal In Japan Is So Clean They Yven Have Koi In It
This drainage canal in Japan is a living proof that not all canals are dirty, some can even be a habitat for animals.
Netizens have gone crazy about drainage canals in Japan that are so clean, Koi Fish live in them. These schools of fish living in what supposed to be a storage of waste water amazed everyone and became an instant trending topic. After the post went viral, the canals became a tourist spot for the locals and even to some foreigners. Continue reading »
Embrace Spring With Pictures Of Japan’s Cherry Blossoms
About a month before sakura season in Japan, the pink flowers started to bloom in a small town about three hours from Tokyo. Kawazu, located in Izu Peninsula, is home a to unique variety of sakura that blooms in the beginning of February. The cherry blossoms, called Kawazuzakura, last for about a month, compared to the usual sakura that blooms and wilts within one to two weeks. Continue reading »
Fox Village In Japan Is Probably The Cutest Place On Earth
This magical oasis of foxiness is called Zao Fox Village, and it’s located in Japan’s Miyagi prefecture. For 100 yen (or about 85 US cents), visitors are provided with food, but because the foxes are not domesticated, they are cautioned against hand-feeding them or bringing small children. Continue reading »
This Sexy Piece Of Clothing Is Becoming Increasingly Popular In Japan
This knitted sleeveless sweater with a large cut-back is all the rage in Japan right now, and it’s not hard to see why. Continue reading »
People In Japan Are Turning Vibrant Foliage Into Stunning “Fallen Leaf Art”
The colors of fall foliage are often so vibrant that they’re the perfect palette for creating works of art. In Japan, many people are using the leaves for just this purpose. They gather the abundance of bold reds, yellows, and oranges, separate them by hue, and then arrange them into compositions that live among nature. Known as ochiba art or fallen leaf art, this trend reimagines the environment in a whimsical way. Although they’re visually delightful, the pieces’ existence is fleeting. As soon as the wind blows, an artist’s handiwork is gone with the breeze. Continue reading »
Bunny Bags From Japan That Turn Your Household Stuff Into Rabbits
Tired of seeing stuff around your house that you kind of need but don’t like the look of? Well, you’re in luck, because now you can turn all that unsightly clutter into cute little rabbits thanks to these funny bunny bags from Japan. Made by the YOU+MORE! brand from Felissimo, the bunnies are designed to add some character to your household shelves and tabletops. Simply put your stuff into the bunny cloth, tie up the droopy bunny ears and voila, your bathroom products or random desk junk are magically transformed into a cute little rabbit. Continue reading »
