May 08, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Nintendo’s Super Mario throws out first pitch at professional baseball game in Japan[Video] Turns out Mario throws a baseball like he throws a fireball. Nintendo’s Super Mario may be a plumber by trade and adventurer by necessity, but you could make a pretty convincing argument that his t...
May 08, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- A letter from our reporter’s deceased mother arrives at just the right time A 10-year wait turns out to be exactly the right length to warm her heart. A while back, our Japanese-language reporter Mariko Ohanabatake was sorting through her mail for the day, and mixed in amo...
May 08, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before Gyonuts look set to become the nation’s trendiest new sweet. Japan loves to throw out the rulebook when it comes to foreign-born sweets, a fact we recently saw when udon noodle chain Marugame Seim...
May 08, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Squeezy Tanuki Testicle toys once again appear in Japanese gacha machines Prizes are still random, but you’re guaranteed to get a pair of tanuki balls. You always have to be prepared for a certain amount of randomness when buying something from Japan’s gacha/capsule toy ...
May 07, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Woman in Japan breaks into home of complete stranger just to slap him in the face No doorbell rung, one face slapped. Sometimes, in his idle moments at home alone, a guy living by himself might think “Ya know, it’d be nice to have a girl here.” And if that happened to be the sen...
May 07, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Japanese criminals are now using crabs to hunt for burglary targets They’re using our urge to share against us. With its consecutive national holidays, Golden Week is one of those long-awaited periods in Japan, with many people eager to leave behind their daily str...
May 07, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Final Fantasy VII’s Tifa’s bar pops up in real-world Tokyo, and we stop by for drinks[Photos] Seventh Heaven arrives in Roppongi with a twist on its name and another for its cocktails. In addition to being a loyal friend and skilled martial artist, Final Fantasy VII’s Tifa is a bartender, s...
May 07, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- We turn to a shady Amazon Japan gadget to try to stop Tokyo crows from stealing our hangers Man and machine versus nature. The fact that we call the items “hangers” is proof of how hard it is for us humans to imagine any use for them other than hanging clothes. And yet, despite their nudi...
May 07, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Zunda Shake vending machine lets you taste samurai culture in milkshake form Edo-period specialty gets a modern makeover in the heart of Tokyo. If someone were to mention they’d tried a green beverage in Japan, most people might assume they’re talking about matcha. However...
May 07, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Does one of Japan’s favorite chocolate brands work with the Pringles chocolate hack? We’ve heard good things about Pringles and chocolate, but what about Pringles and Lotte’s chocolate? Pringles has been selling potato chips in its distinctive cans for decades, but it wasn’t until ...
May 06, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Does the Fukuryumon Chinese restaurant in Koenji offer the best lunch deal in Tokyo? The main dishes are already cheap to begin with–but the unlimited free side dishes could even be a meal by themselves! Our Japanese-language reporter/resident musician Seiji Nakazawa has always lov...
May 06, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Japanese Pokémon card shop grabs scissors as part of its plan to keep scalpers away Thwarting resellers isn’t always a snap, but maybe it could be a snip. Much like a slice of sweet cake attracting flies, scalpers continue to swarm around Pokémon cards. At its core, the problem is...
May 06, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- We sent two Japanese elementary school kids on a Mother’s Day shopping mission at a 100 yen store With 1,100 yen to buy gifts for Mom, but no other directions, what will they come out with? Japan celebrates Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May, just like the U.S. does. With the special day ...
May 06, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Holy Fungus Mud Volleyball is Japan’s most filthily beautifying bacteria event of the summer! Getting dirty in Gifu comes with benefits for your skin and stomach. There’s an outdoor volleyball tournament scheduled for this coming August in the town of Gujo. But while playing the sport under...
May 06, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Japan’s rice warehouse stockpile rate hits record high as consumers, restaurants reject high prices Consumers showing little sympathy for rice sellers as eating habits and supply chains change. Rice is supposed to be the foundation of the Japanese diet, but these days there’s a whole lot of it th...
May 06, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Final Fantasy Chocobo cookies have galloped into Tokyo’s Square Enix pop-up shop Beloved Final Fantasy mounts are Japan’s newest bird-themed sable sensation. As a country that loves sweet treats and cute animals, it’s no surprise that one of Japan’s most famous cookies is the H...
May 05, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Art Fire Festival lights up the night at a unique venue in the mountains of Japan Sarusho continues to shine in its second life. Ordinarily, summer is the season for amazing nighttime pyrotechnics in Japan, as that’s the time of year in which most of the country’s fireworks fest...
May 05, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Foreign tourist needs ambulance to pick him up at Mt. Fuji after hiking closed trail Lack of patience, lack of ability to get home without an ambulance. After a relatively cool spring, the weather in Japan has begun heating up, with a few days this week even hitting early-summer te...
May 05, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Looney Tunes is now an adorable anime series with Looney Tunes Gokko[Videos] Eh, what’s up, kawaii doc? Animated franchises don’t get much more quintessentially American than Looney Tunes, which made its debut in U.S. theaters all the way back in 1930. But as it approaches ...
May 05, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Shogun Cultural Experiences merges a walking tour, sweets, and the music of traditional Japan A limited tour in Kagurazaka, Tokyo invites guests to “Discover Edo Through All Five Senses” in one morning with full English services. Kagurazaka is a central Tokyo neighborhood with refined charm...
