Homeless in Japanese City Hired as Tour Guides

In an effort to curb prejudice toward the homeless in Sapporo, Japan, the city has hired a number of them to serve as tour guides. Sapporo, a major tourist district known for its cuisine and a …

Mother’s Café in Osaka, Japan: Button Up Your Overcoat

A land of many interests and odd predilections, Japan’s themed cafés are well known all around the world. Usual themes include gundams, manga, anime, cats, and subservient maids that wait upon …

Japan’s New Campaign: Let’s Love the Toilet

Japan is a sophisticated land of many odd fascinations. Perhaps most enduring is the country’s love for robots in all of their cyber manifestations. Somewhere up there on the list of Japan…

Japanese Company Creates $100,000 Diamond-encrusted Toilet

For a device that receives human excrement, you would think that aesthetics and value would be the lowest of priorities. But not in Japan, where they play host to a diamond-studded toilet valued at…

Pusuke, the World’s Oldest Dog, Dies at Age 26

The Japanese are known for their longer-than-average life spans, but what about their dogs? Enter -- or rather, exit -- Pusuke, a Siba mix that died recently at the age of 26 years, 8 months. …

Japan Now Offers Single-Person Karaoke Rooms

If you have ever wanted to practice your karaoke-ing without the potential embarrassment it provides, one company in Japan has the perfect solution for you. Known as "1Kara" in English, this s…

Toyota Unveils the Walk Training Assist Robot

On the wings of Honda’s most successful robot, Asimo, Toyota has unveiled four of its own, which are slated for the health care industry. All four robots represent collaboration between Toyota te…

Honda’s Asimo Robot: Revamped, Agile, Clever and…Cute

Although Japan is constantly topping itself with its fascination for and dynamic development of robots to perform just about every task in life, the world’s most advanced humanoid robot, Honda’s A…

Japanese Student Creates Typeface out of Leg Hair

Typography is an interesting subject. You can make fonts out of almost anything. For one Japanese typography student, leg hair seemed to be the ideal choice. Mayuko Kanazaw of Tama Art Universi…

Japan Develops HAL Robot Suit for Nuclear Plant Workers

The Hybrid Assistive Limb, which is also known affectionately as HAL, is the creative brainchild of Dr. Yoshiyuki Sankai, a professor at the University of Tsukuba. The first HAL was developed i…

Special Japanese Underwear Aids in Burning Extra Calories

Japan is known for the longevity of its citizens, but recently there's been a growing trend of obesity in the Land of the Rising Sun. Thankfully, there's a solution! Enter the MXP Calorie S…

The PALRO Humanoid: A Laptop with Arms and Legs

Japan’s never-ending obsession with robots has reared it metallic head once again. This time, the creation is from the Fujisoft Company, and the name of the new small-scale humanoid is PALRO. …

Professional Ear-cleaning Shops Popping Up in Japan

Nothing beats a good pedicure, manicure, or hell, even a nice haircut. But when you're seeking the ultimate in being pampered, how about nice ear cleaning? Thanks to Japan, you can visit a sal…

Japan’s Sweet Tooth Evident in Latest Ranking of Popular Dog Names

Sit, Chocolate Pudding, sit. Good boy. Japan's sweet tooth was again evident in an annual ranking of popular dog names. In late October, Tokyo-based pet insurance firm Anicom Insurance Inc…