Archive for November, 2009

Panda poop smells like tea

A Japanese comedian visits a Panda park in China, where he tests the smell (and taste) of panda crap:

He is amazed to find that it smells great and is even lick-able. Some panda feces is brought back to Japan for the celebrity studio audience, all of whom agree about it not smelling bad. [...]

Cheese Harmony pizza

Pizza Hut Japan’s latest creation, the Cheese Harmony pizza:

It’s got pieces of Camembert cheese thrown on top of normal cheese. There is also some fried cheese on the pizza. The crust is stuffed with a mixture of Parmesan, mozzarella, and cheddar cheese.

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Japanese Twilight fans

According to this news report, those Twilight vampire movies apparently have a few fanatical female followers in Japan. Here’s a partially-subtitled clip of some really excited girls sharing their opinions on the film:

Not surprisingly, these women watch the movies because of the handsome men who star in them.

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The rise of AKB48

“Mezamashi TV” reports on how idol group AKB48 has expanded beyond its original Akihabara fanbase:

Sales of their recent single hit #1 on the Oricon charts, setting a record for first week sales by female artists in 2009. They’ll also be performing in this year’s NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen (they failed to make the cut [...]

Shumai want to be eaten

A cute commercial for shumai:

Kiyoken, the company that produces the shumai, was founded over 100 years ago in Yokohama. Its age and location allows it to boast that its products have an old fashioned Yokohama-style flavor.

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Tommy Lee Jones as Santa in a Japanese commercial

The latest edition of Tommy Lee Jones’ Boss coffee commercial puts him in the role of an alien who discovers that Santa really exists:

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Mask vs. Herbal powder

The makers of this herbal powder seem to be claiming that it can expel germs from your throat, possibly even providing protection you can’t get from just a mask:

If this product looks familiar, it could be because you seen Paul Potts using it.

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Cleaning the floor with mop cat

Somebody’s finally discovered a practical use for lazy cats:

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G.Com Nova celebrates its second birthday

Two years have passed since English conversation school chain Nova imploded. G.communication, the company that purchased the remnants of Nova, is now running commercials that celebrate the 2nd birthday of the G.com Nova brand:

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Insects + Rice

“Nanikore Chin Hyakkei” travels to Shizuoka prefecture and tries out some yellow jackets (Vespula flaviceps) mixed with rice:

The comedians who eat the gruesome looking dish are quite surprised by how good it tastes. Apparently the bugs taste very much like sakura shrimp.

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Thief enters apartment through closet ceiling

Someone who was puzzled by valuables somehow disappearing from inside a locked apartment, so a surveillance camera was set up:

It was revealed that a man who lived in an adjacent apartment was crawling up into the ceiling and entering the apartment through a loose ceiling board in the closet of that room. Thanks to [...]

Japan Times photo caption error

An amusing mix-up over at the Japan Times caused the following photo caption to appear in an article about ferry service between South Korea and Russia:

[hat tip to Durf]

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