Japan

When You’re Not Cleaning, This Self-Standing Vac Is Also an Air Purifier

What do you do with your vacuum in-between visits from your parents? Does it just sit in a utility closet until you need to do a mad-dash cleaning the day before company arrives? That seems like a waste, and Mitsubishi apparently agrees because the company has created a stick vac that does double-duty as an…

Gadgets Andrew Liszewski

These Absurd Star Wars Toys Turn Heroes And Villains Into… Eggs?

The cast of Star Wars have been turned into a plethora of things over the years as the Merchandising empire trudges ever onwards – potato people, transformers, you name it. But I’m pretty sure this new set of toys from Bandai might be the first to turn them into transforming Eggs. We actually first saw…

Tech News James Whitbrook

This Guy Went Around the World In 80 Days The First Time He Traveled

The death of a close friend rocked Chris Sypolt’s world. So, he did what any logical 44 year old would do and set out on an an 80-day, round the world trip. It was the first time he’d ever left the country. This is what he learned. I first learned of Chris’ story when he…

Tech News Wes Siler

An Ode to the Design Legend Behind the Soy Sauce Bottle and Bullet Train

Odds are good that you’re familiar with the work of Kenji Ekuan, even if you don’t know his name. Ekuan, who died in Japan yesterday at the age of 85, was the force behind some of the most iconic industrial design of the 20th century—and he said he was inspired to do it after the…

Tech News Kelsey Campbell-Dollaghan

You’ll Finally Understand Felines With the Meowlingual Cat Translator

Many years ago the Bowlingual translator promised to finally bridge the communications gap between humans and dogs. But since a wagging tail and shredded toilet paper make it easy to figure out what a dog is thinking, it wasn’t exactly a must-have gadget. Cats, on the other hand? That’s a different story. Often, you’re never…

Gadgets Andrew Liszewski

Evangelion Fans Want To Send The Lance Of Longinus To The Moon

The crazy and beloved anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion turns 20 later this year, and Japanese Eva fans are looking to celebrate by literally embedding a teeny replica of a famous weapon from the show into the moon. Beats a birthday cake, I guess! Yes, fans want to replicate a scene in the anime where…

Tech News James Whitbrook

Disney Expo Japan Shows Off New Star Wars and Age Of Ultron Toys

Disney’s annual Japanese Expo is in full swing, and now that the giant owns Marvel and Star Wars, it means we get to see a snifter of some of merchandise for the two properties created by Japanese companies. Come see Hot Toys’ Star Wars figures, A Hulkbuster figure and more, oh my! There wasn’t much…

Tech News James Whitbrook

How Americans Changed The Way Japanese People Ate Sushi

Sushi has taken on its own shape and form in the United States, but even before the first sushi restaurants opened up in California, America had an impact on the type of sushi eaten in Japan. During the American occupation after World War II, a food rationing program helped the rise of nigiri outside Tokyo.…

io9 Lauren Davis

This is the new menu of the world’s best restaurant

Considered by some the best restaurant in the world, Noma has moved temporarily from its Copenhagen, Denmark, home to the Tokyo’s Mandarin Oriental, in Japan. From January 9 to February 14, they will serve a new menu based on local products, completely different from its original menu. Check it out: The fixed menu at Noma,…

Sploid Omar Kardoudi

Even In 19th Century Japan, People Loved To See Cats Doing Human Things

These artworks were made by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861), one of the last great Japanese masters of the ukiyo-e style were really a novelty of its age. Kuniyoshi started to use cats instead of humans in satirical kabuki prints in the early 1840s. Cats Enjoying The Evening Cool, 1839-1842 via Tokyo National Museum Engaged in Various…

io9 Vincze Miklós

This Gigantic Alien Toy Is Absolutely Beautiful

It’s rare you get to call the titular creeptastic creature of Alien beautiful – but I’m willing to make an exception for this awesome vinyl toy of the Big Chap himself from Kaiyodo, because man, just look at it! This Alien figure is 22 inches tall, and done in the Sofubi style of vinyl toys…

Tech News James Whitbrook

I Wish This Fan-Made Model Was An Actual Gundam

I have a hearty respect for the crazily dedicated fans of ‘Gunpla’ – the intricately detailed Japanese model kits of the oodles of awesome Mobile Suits of the Gundam franchise. But this custom-made Gunpla model is so cool, I wish it had a series of its own. The awesome model, dubbed ‘Gundam Albion’ was built…

Tech News James Whitbrook

The Eerie Ruins of 11 Abandoned Hotels

Tourism is a funny thing. Sometimes hot spots are hot, prompting opportunistic developers to build. And sometimes they’re not. (The outbreak of a civil war is a great way to shut down a tourist destination.) Photographer Dietmar Eckell has spent the past several years visiting the hotels and resorts that got left behind. The resultant…

Tech News Adam Clark Estes

Japanese Office Attacked By Full-Size Gundam In Insane Prank

Japan is known for pulling off some insane — and pants-wettingly terrifying — pranks, but this may take the cake. Someone went through an elaborate amount of trouble (and cost!) to have a 1:1-scale Zaku, the enemy mobile suits from the original Gundam anime, stop by an upper-floor Tokyo office. See for yourself! https://gizmodo.com/this-terrifying-raptor-chase-is-the-most-traumatic-pran-1210483692 This…

io9 Rob Bricken

Sailor Moon Contact Lenses Let You Apply Anime DIRECTLY TO YOUR EYES

First, they came for your Tortilla chips. Now, the Sailor Senshi are coming FOR YOUR EYEBALLS. Who will stop this endless tide of magical girl merchandising? No one. No one I say! https://gizmodo.com/the-power-of-sailor-moon-branding-comes-to-tortilla-1657491895 These Senshi-inspired contacts are going on sale later this month at Village Vanguard in Japan, with each pair representing a different member…

Tech News James Whitbrook

Amazon Japan Is Selling A Build-Your-Own Mech Starter Kit

You know how it is when you’re browsing Amazon – books, games, Blu-rays, even your groceries, the occasional giant mech. Wait, what? The Kuratasu Starter kit lets you build a four-wheeled mech that is almost 4 metres tall, and fully piloted by a human. Think of it almost like the world’s most ridiculous car. Speaking…

Commerce James Whitbrook

The World’s 9 Most Haunted Bodies of Water

Ghost ships, watery pianos, vengeful spirits, shipwrecks, killer seaweed, and voodoo… haunted bodies of water come in all kinds and configurations. There’s nothing scarier than water that’s out to get you. Here are the nine most haunted bodies of water on Earth. Who’s up for a swim? Top image: Pluck and Luck Dime Novel Magazine…

io9 Cheryl Eddy

Ancient Japanese technique to make wood buildings is a pleasure to watch

Japanese carpenters are famous for their elaborate joining techniques that put their wooden constructions among the most durable in the world. These videos show how this neat ancient technique works. SPLOID is delicious brain candy. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Sploid Omar Kardoudi

Marvel Are Now Streaming Two Episodes Of The Japanese Spider-Man Show

Hot off Takuya Yamashiro’s spectacular entrance into the ongoing Spider-Verse comics event, Marvel are celebrating the finest Live-action adaptation of Spidey by streaming the first and seventh episodes of the series online. Watch them, and bask in the absurdity that is Supaidaman! https://gizmodo.com/spider-mans-giant-robot-just-became-official-marvel-com-1678509168 It’s not the first time Marvel has made episodes available ( they…

Television James Whitbrook

Why Did Japanese People Stop Performing Seppuku?

Seppuku, a highly ritualized form of suicide that involved cutting one’s own stomach, was once part of the bushido samurai code, and considered an honorable way to die and, until the 20th century, was quite common. So what happened? Why did this practice die out? Now, this is not to say that suicide is not…

io9 Lauren Davis

When You’re Not Cleaning, This Self-Standing Vac Is Also an Air Purifier

These Absurd Star Wars Toys Turn Heroes And Villains Into… Eggs?

This Guy Went Around the World In 80 Days The First Time He Traveled

An Ode to the Design Legend Behind the Soy Sauce Bottle and Bullet Train

You’ll Finally Understand Felines With the Meowlingual Cat Translator

Evangelion Fans Want To Send The Lance Of Longinus To The Moon

Disney Expo Japan Shows Off New Star Wars and Age Of Ultron Toys

How Americans Changed The Way Japanese People Ate Sushi

This is the new menu of the world’s best restaurant

Even In 19th Century Japan, People Loved To See Cats Doing Human Things

This Gigantic Alien Toy Is Absolutely Beautiful

I Wish This Fan-Made Model Was An Actual Gundam

The Eerie Ruins of 11 Abandoned Hotels

Japanese Office Attacked By Full-Size Gundam In Insane Prank

Sailor Moon Contact Lenses Let You Apply Anime DIRECTLY TO YOUR EYES

Amazon Japan Is Selling A Build-Your-Own Mech Starter Kit

The World’s 9 Most Haunted Bodies of Water

Ancient Japanese technique to make wood buildings is a pleasure to watch

Marvel Are Now Streaming Two Episodes Of The Japanese Spider-Man Show

Why Did Japanese People Stop Performing Seppuku?

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