ROCKET NEWS
 
These flavors are only available in Taiwan and Okinawa for a limited time!
Starting April 18, two limited-time Doritos tortilla chip flavors will be available at Family Mart convenience stores throughout the island of Okinawa. The new chip flavors have already been on sale at Family...

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JAPAN TRENDS
 
May the force be with you. Or should that be… toothpick?
Does Japan harbor the biggest Star Wars fan base? Why else does it seem to have such an insatiable appetite for Star Wars products and promotions? From the ANA Star Wars airplanes to Kyoto temple art and even Star Wars hanten...

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JAPAN TODAY
 
KUSHIRO -- The icebreaking sightseeing boat Mashu Maru, a 188-ton vessel, on Monday began breaking through the ice surface to create a sea lane along Lake Akan located in Kushiro, Hokkaido Prefecture. Boat operators are expecting to resume regular operations in May as they commence ...

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JAPAN TIMES
 
DORTMUND, GERMANY – Midfielder Shinji Kagawa scored one goal and created another but Borussia Dortmund lost the first leg of their rescheduled Champions League quarterfinal against Monaco 3-2 on Wednesday, a day after three explosions targeted the German Bundesliga team’s bus.
Kagaw...

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THE JAPAN NEWS
 
 A variety of attractions are drawing visitors to Koka, Shiga Prefecture, including ninja experiences, shrines, Shigaraki ware pottery studios and a shukubamachi post station along the Tokaido road.
An English-language travel brochure has recently been published, featuring popula...

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JAPAN TODAY
 
TOKYO — A controversy has been brewing after “a bakery” that appears in an elementary school ethics textbook was changed to “a Japanese wagashi confectioner” by a textbook publisher, in response to suggestions made by the education ministry in consideration of the “respect for tradi...

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ROCKET NEWS
 
Idol Expo allows fans to worship their favorite idols in one convenient location.
This is really the golden age of Japanese idol singers. Yes, Japan’s appreciation for perky vocalists in frilly skirts stretches back to at least the 1970s. The current otaku culture boom, though, mixe...

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JAPAN TIMES
 
KUMAMOTO – “Warning: No trespassing due to earthquake damage,” bears a sign at Kumamoto Castle, a popular tourist destination in the prefecture, while castle officials make rounds to prevent trespassers.
Strong earthquakes that hit the region last April not only destroyed homes, sch...

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JAPAN TRENDS
 
The latest virtual reality gaming venue to open in Tokyo is VR Zone Shinjuku. It is set to open at the former Shinjuku Tokyo Milano site in summer 2017.
Kabukicho’s Tokyo Milano closed in December 2014 after 60 years and its operator, Tokyu, is keen to make use of the prime locatio...

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JAPAN TRENDS
 
Everyone’s favorite creators of chindogu (strange and “useless” gadgets) have done it again: made something we didn’t even realize we needed.
Thanko’s latest arrival is the Smaneck Smartphone Hands-free Neck Holder, which is not a necklace we expect to see on the streets of Aoyama ...

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