Japan Central!

So, the Dalai Lama walks into a convenience store in rural Japan…

April 15, 2014

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Brilliant dad fulfills his daughter’s dreams…and then!?!?!

April 15, 2014

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Best instruction manual ever? What to do when your washer goes “kiiin”, “shaaa”, or “pokopoko”

April 15, 2014

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That’s a Ticket?! The Impressive Space Battleship Yamato 2199 Art Exhibit Commemorative Ticket

April 15, 2014

Otaku Mode: Seven Members of Wake Up, Girls! and Director Yutaka Yamamoto to Appear as Guests at Anime Event in Chicago

April 18, 2014

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Advice from Japanese women on dealing with your boyfriend’s anime girlfriend

April 19, 2014

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Otaku Mode: Kyomaf 2014 is Coming in September!

April 19, 2014

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Get your picture next to your favorite Evangelion characters with these cake rolls

April 19, 2014

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The 5 anime or manga characters people want as their boss according to DDNavi

April 20, 2014

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Gundam Front Tokyo celebrates 35 years of Mobile Suit Gundam

April 21, 2014

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Tsutaya reveals the winners of their Love Live! Election

April 22, 2014

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Poire celebrates the Monster Hunter 10th Anniversary with some special chocolates

April 22, 2014

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Charayaki turn Hatsune Miku and friends into taiyaki

April 22, 2014

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The 7 best blue-haired anime character according to DDNavi

April 22, 2014

Japanese people surprised to find that “popular Japanese store” Meiso doesn’t exist in Japan

April 23, 2014

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If real animals were Pokémon, the world would be a much weirder place

April 23, 2014

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Otaku Mode: The Results Are In! Ota-Q “What Anime Made You Cry While Watching it?” As Expected, the Top Ranked Tearjerker is…

April 23, 2014

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Love Live! music reaches 1 million sales

April 23, 2014

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Love Live! café opening courtesy of Cure Maid Café

April 23, 2014

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ESP turns the Rathalos Flamesword into a 22,000 dollar guitar for the Monster Hunter 10th anniversary

April 23, 2014

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Does Avril Lavigne’s Tokyo music video really have anything to do with Japan?

April 24, 2014

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Otaku Mode: Stand By Me Doraemon Theme Song is a Ballad by Motohiro Hata

April 24, 2014

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Otaku Mode: Conversation Interview: Milky Bunny x TOM Special Creator COGA

April 24, 2014

Interview with a banana-carving master: We get avice on the art from Keisuke Yamada

April 25, 2014

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Aomori? Here! Fukushima? Here! Saitama? Here, but I have a cold

April 25, 2014

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Sailor Moon team is ready to keep your legs warm, nose dry with tights and tissue holders

April 25, 2014

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What’s for breakfast at Burger King Japan?

April 25, 2014

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Pirates, poems, and cows all appear on Japanese parents’ top 10 manga picks for kids

April 25, 2014

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It’s a cat! No, it’s an owl! No no no… it’s a “Meowl”! [Photos]

April 25, 2014

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Japanese archery: The coolest school club ever?

April 25, 2014

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Nissan has made a self-cleaning car

April 25, 2014

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Otaku Mode: Six of Japan’s Greatest Idol Groups to Perform at Kawaii Pop Fes in Hong Kong!

April 25, 2014

This rice omelet is so cute, it’ll make you see stars!

April 26, 2014

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KFC launches collaboration with soccer star Ronaldo, ensures next generation will be too fat to play

April 26, 2014

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Otaku Mode: Mr. Hublot and 21 Other Works to Screen in CG Animation Category of Short Shorts Film Festival 2014

April 26, 2014

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Mahjong tiles feature characters from Lucky Star, Date A Live, and more

April 26, 2014

Who do Japanese women want to care for them when they get sick? (Hint: It’s not their boyfriends)

May 10, 2014

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It may look like a tool shed, but one of Japan’s fastest trains passes through this station

May 10, 2014

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If you thought Japanese lunches couldn’t get any cuter, you were wrong

May 10, 2014

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These beautiful temple gardens are… 15 minutes from Narita Airport?!

May 10, 2014

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Japanese Twitter user discovers the perfect Halloween decoration in the form of a flower

May 10, 2014

People in Japan are going crazy for straw art

May 11, 2014

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Mayoterrace to open this month, may well be the tangiest place on Earth

May 11, 2014

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Food by Fujitsu: Rise of the super veggie!

May 11, 2014

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Meet the most unmotivated Sanrio character ever – Gudetama, the lazy egg!

May 11, 2014

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Good news, Nara residents! You’re in the middle of a huge upside-down pentagram!

May 11, 2014

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Let’s learn Japanese through terrible “American jokes”

May 11, 2014

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Easy peasy lemon squeezy: Our writer attempts to make salted lemon

May 11, 2014

Japanese museum celebrates Golden Week by publicly dissecting rare sea creature

May 12, 2014

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Soft and tasty cat paws win our hearts – no, they’re not marshmallows, they’re fishcakes

May 12, 2014

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Japanese fast-food chain Lotteria continues shoving noodles where they don’t belong

May 12, 2014

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Kids today get all the best toys! “Sketch Aquarium” turns doodles into lifelike fish

May 12, 2014

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The little test that’s blowing Japanese netizens’ minds

May 12, 2014

Awesome castle-like café in Shikoku lacks dragons, does have crepes and coffee

May 13, 2014

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You don’t know Pokémon: 14 little-known facts about your favorite monster collecting series

May 13, 2014

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80% of Japanese women report being hit-on by strangers, indicate dudes need to try a new strategy

May 13, 2014

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Kawasaki donut shop goes beyond cat sweets with cute alpacas, penguins and killer whales

May 13, 2014

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Mr. Sato celebrates Gokusen Day with one of 59 Premium Gokusen Bananas

May 13, 2014

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9 futuristic jobs we could see by 2030

May 13, 2014

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Hello Kitty melons are back in Japan for the same high price

May 13, 2014

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Man arrested for hunting the nerdiest game: Akihabara otaku

May 13, 2014

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KISS singer Gene Simmons reacts to Love Live’s KISS parody

May 13, 2014

VR setup now lets you kiss Hatsune Miku, sort of

May 14, 2014

Multimedia companies Kadokawa and Dwango merging this October

May 15, 2014

Customer reviews on Amazon Japan are more priceless than the expensive items they’re about

May 16, 2014

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Japan Supermarket

May 16, 2014

Japanese women reveal six pitfalls to watch out for on your ramen date

May 17, 2014

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In the kitchen with Kiki – We whip up some Ghibli-inspired rice porridge

May 17, 2014

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Husband gives wife a piece of his lung in a revolutionary transplant with the help of a 3-D printer

May 17, 2014

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Need another reason to drink green tea? How about preventing dementia?

May 17, 2014

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Elephant nose ice cream: The treat with a trunk

May 17, 2014

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“But we’re speaking Japanese!”: Humorous video confronts lingering stereotypes in Japan

May 17, 2014

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Slow News Day Special: We cook pasta with Tokyo Bay seawater

May 17, 2014

Five things about male friendship that confuse Japanese women

May 18, 2014

Broccoli bonsai and sweet sushi: Japanese culture’s evolution abroad

May 19, 2014

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Nissan’s endurance racing team combines PlayStation training, hybrid power, crazy design

May 19, 2014

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Adorable panda cakes back to steal our hearts with a lovely combination of cream and chocolate!

May 19, 2014

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Attack on Titan sketch wows Twitter users and other manga artists alike

May 19, 2014

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Just when you thought it was safe to get your triglyceride levels checked, the Mega Mac returns

May 19, 2014

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What in the world is going on at Hermes in Shibuya??

May 19, 2014

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Orange-flavored rice balls: Japan’s newest way to fuse vitamin C and carbs

May 19, 2014

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Vinyl flower vases are all the rage right now in Japan

May 19, 2014

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Hokkaidō’s “Sea of Clouds” Terrace now open, just a 13-minute chairlift ride away!

May 19, 2014

Elementary school’s morning greeting is so intense it almost makes us miss long division

May 20, 2014

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McDonald’s Japan’s eight-nation World Cup menu kicks off next week

May 20, 2014

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Alice in Wonderland shop in Nagoya, another opening in Osaka this week!

May 20, 2014

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U.S. may demand compensation from Japan for having the nerve to snow on its planes

May 20, 2014

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Figures, plushies, and merchandise galore at the Café Reo Character Convention

May 20, 2014

Japanese fashion comes home: Interior design ideas for Lolita-style living

May 21, 2014

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Alleged hacker Yusuke Katayama publicly confesses to spree of bizarre crimes

May 21, 2014

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Everyday Japanese names that make English speakers chuckle

May 21, 2014

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Dip your feet into some Fondue Slippers

May 21, 2014

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The demise of traditional Japanese tatami flooring?

May 21, 2014

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Traffic accidents kill over 300,000 per year in SE Asia, Toyota calls in Taylor Swift to help

May 21, 2014

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World-famous Shibuya scramble crossing to become even more epic with giant(er) screens

May 21, 2014

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Three misconceptions guys have about how to be popular with the ladies

May 21, 2014

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Extreme Japanese bargain hunting – We buy a car for 10 bucks

May 21, 2014

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ex-CindyKate’s Otake Reveals Details on New Band and First Release

May 21, 2014

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‘Life-Size’ Optimus Prime & Bumblebee For Sale For $13K

May 21, 2014

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Viz Media Talks ‘Millennium Snow’ Manga Getting Final Release

May 21, 2014

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Twi-Ani rates the various ‘sister-brother relationships’ in anime

May 21, 2014

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Kagerou Daze, Durarara!!, and Sword Art Online are the most popular light novels for teenage girls

May 21, 2014

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Japanese university professor uses anime characters in his lecture

May 21, 2014

We head to France to try Nutella sushi

May 22, 2014

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AKB48 fan shows his love the only way he knows how: By buying $300,000 worth of CDs

May 22, 2014

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Paul McCartney cancels Japan tour due to illness, netizens realize just how often it happens

May 22, 2014

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Woman falls down open manhole into excrement-filled drain, lives to tweet about it

May 22, 2014

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Free at last? Japanese government mulling over doing away with cell phone SIM locks

May 22, 2014

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“If only I could get that on a t-shirt…” – Now you can thanks to Uniqlo!

May 22, 2014

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Two boys beaten and robbed of puffy pants, Osaka slammed for being trapped in the past

May 22, 2014

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Pleated skirts, Kewpie dolls, and death: The wild music and videos of Urbangarde

May 22, 2014

Sailor Suit Old Man origin story revealed! Not an extra-dimensional wizard after all

May 23, 2014

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Japan’s famous all-female theater company lists the ’25 marks of ugly women’

May 23, 2014

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Sex, sushi, and suicide – Everything you need to know about Japan in infographics

May 23, 2014

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Tohoku Rokkonsai to showcase northern Japan’s six biggest summer festivals all in one place

May 23, 2014

Newsflash: AKB48 members attacked by saw-wielding “fan” at handshake event

May 25, 2014

Doughnuts meet sandwiches — with both sweet and salty results!

May 26, 2014

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These Shibayama-style sword handguards are stunning…and freaking expensive.

May 26, 2014

AKB48 idols Anna Iriyama, Rina Kawaei released from hospital

May 27, 2014

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Nissin hopes to score a World Cup GOOOOAAAALLLL! with Brazilian flavored noodles

May 27, 2014

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Five places to get awesome limited-edition matcha sweets right now

May 27, 2014

Bones of mythical Japanese water demon to go on public display

May 28, 2014

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The Ozashiki Cafe — Japanese restaurant offers chance to spend time with real-life geisha!

May 28, 2014

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“Brazilian” coffee cola released in Japan

May 28, 2014

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Artist gives anime and comic characters stained-glass look — with stunning results!

May 28, 2014

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Nitroplus Launches International Store

May 28, 2014

Where do idol events go from here? AKB48 attack forces rethink on how handshake events are held

May 29, 2014

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Sushi train restaurant serves up caramel banana sushi and caramel mayonnaise corn sushi!

May 29, 2014

Goldfish shine in Nihonbashi Art Aquarium

June 4, 2014