The Real Spirited Away Onsen
Remember the red bridge and layered, rising walls of Yubaba’s hot spring hotel in Spirited Away?
Inside Osaka's Attack on Titan Bathrooms
Awkward images of Levi, Armin, and other Survey Corps members watch visitors pee.
Adorable Onsen Litter Box
It comes complete with a cute spa-style noren curtain to provide some much-needed privacy.
Stand Your Phone in a Ramen Bowl
Want to really confuse your neighbor at the local ramen shop? Set one of these bowls up on the counter while you slurp and watch the double-takes ensue.
Otsuka Ai Gives You 3 Minutes for Ramen
Otsuka Ai is best known for her 2003 bubblegum-pop track "Sakuranbo," which spent a staggering 103 weeks on the Top 200 Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
Mamoru Oshii Reveals His Top Miyazaki Film
The Ghost in the Shell director makes an unexpected pick for a characteristic reason.
Beautiful Film Shot Through a Drop of Water
A drop of water inside the hole of a ¥5 coin delivers a surreal and haunting iPhone film.
Synchronized Bathing Bids Travelers to Oita
To show off a number of its best onsen, Oita recruited the help of a professional synchronized swim team.
14 Wacky Wilderness Onsen
Onsen critic Isamu Gunji risks his naked life to bring us 14 unforgettable outdoor hot springs that are barely on the map.
A J-Punk/Metal Ode to Noodles
CANTOY penned the track Tenkaippin to describe the life-affirming qualities of the band's favorite noodle chain.
Evangelion's 7 Strangest Product Tie-ins
Remember Schick's creepy, clean-shaven Gendo Ikari? How about the time a box of Kagome vegetable juice used the Spear of Longinus to defeat a giant tomato? No? It's time for a refresher!
Vegeta vs. Instant Ramen
In May 2015, Dragonball’s resident attitude with a widow’s peak epically endorsed Nissin Cup Noodle’s new vegetable-packed variety of instant ramen.
Surreal Funassyi Mashes Viruses with a Hammer
Funassyi goes extra-weird for an antiviral spray commercial.
Mechanical Marvels: Japanese Tin Toys
Would you pay $50,000 for a tin can of California tomatoes?
An Ad for Eating Hair & Smashing Cakes
Seki City in Gifu Prefecture finds a weirdly endearing way to highlight its local specialty.
Are You Ready for Yarn Ramen?!
Ramen is easy enough to make with a package of cup noodles, but knitting a bowl of hot soup takes a lot more skill.
Japan Votes for its 100 Best World-class Songs
10,000 people were asked what they thought were Japan’s most world-class songs. The final list left many netizens scratching their heads.
A Kansai Home Designed Around Circular Margins
Designer Fumi Aso was named best young architect by the Architectural Institute of Japan’s Kansai chapter.
Adorable Capybara Hot Springs
Snow monkeys aren’t the only ones getting in the water in the winter.
