The ‘king of infidelity’ has landed in Tokyo!

The ‘king of infidelity’ has landed in Tokyo!

Posted on Sep 22, 2013 in Japanese customs, News, Stories about Japan |

The ‘king of infidelity’ has landed in Tokyo. After finding that enabling affairs can make money in 27 countries, Noel Biderman is bringing Ashley Madison — the world’s largest dating website for married men and women who want a little something on the side — to Japan, his first launch in Asia. The website of Mr. Biderman, CEO of Avid Life Media, Inc, has logged 230,000 visits and 70,000 members as of Thursday, only four days after its Japan launch, and Mr. Biderman said he...

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All the rage: animal cafes

Posted on Sep 20, 2013 in Japanese customs, Stories about Japan, Things to do |

In a vibrant city such a Tokyo, many people live in small apartments stacked up on each other creating plenty of high-rise buildings. Because these apartments are often rented, the people are prohibited to own any pets and even if it wasn’t prohibited the places would just be too small. But Japan would not be the modern country as we know it if it had not come up with a solution; animal cafes! The first animal café was a Neko café (neko means cat) and was established in...

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Japanese Part-Timers ‘Terrorize’ Employers with Pranks

Japanese Part-Timers ‘Terrorize’ Employers with Pranks

Posted on Sep 20, 2013 in Japanese customs, Must see, News, Stories about Japan |

Stuffing out cigarettes in sushi, wearing pizza dough as a mask and cleaning feet in the dishwasher – these are just some of the stunts part-time workers are pulling to the delight of their Twitter followers and the chagrin of their employers. While the part-timer pranks may not seem particular unusual to readers outside Japan, the behavior has raised eyebrows in Japan – a nation that takes dedication to work and strict discipline very seriously.Since a man posted a...

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Things to do: Have your dinner blessed by a Koyasan monk

Things to do: Have your dinner blessed by a Koyasan monk

Posted on Sep 18, 2013 in History of Japan, Japanese customs, Stories about Japan, Things to do, Where to eat |

Monks have taken over the menus at restaurants in the posh Shin-Marunouchi building in Tokyo to offer real soul food. Throughout the weeklong Koyasan Cafe event, diners can fill their stomachs and their spirits with Buddhist-inspired dishes. Koyasan Cafe takes its name from the spiritual center of Japanese Buddhism, Koyasan in Wakayama Prefecture. Also known as Mount Koya, it is the last resting place of the eighth-century monk Kukai, the headquarters of the Shingon sect he...

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Only in Japan: Old fart prances around town living out his “school girl fantasy”. Check out his youtube video!

Only in Japan: Old fart prances around town living out his “school girl fantasy”. Check out his youtube video!

Posted on Sep 17, 2013 in Japanese customs, Must see, News, Stories about Japan |

ressed in schoolgirl’s uniform, “GrowHair” has become has an Internet phenomenon in Japan over the past five years, and he’s a regular sight in Tokyo’s über-trendy Harajuku/Shibuya district. According the website dedicated to him (Google Translate): GrowHair enjoys walking the streets wearing a sailor-suit school uniform where he is widely known as ‘Sailor Uncle.’ In born 1962, his real name is Hideaki Kobayashi and he has master’s degree in Mathematics from the...

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