"Wagashi are traditional Japanese confections that evolved into an art form in the ancient Imperial capital, Kyoto." Wagashi fall into the following categories: namagashi, yokan, monaka, manju, and higashi. Playful and inventive examples of confectionery art abound within those categories. [more inside]
posted by needled on Aug 1, 2010 - 18 comments

Being a Fish in Japan. [more inside]
posted by crunchland on Jun 4, 2010 - 9 comments

The latest fun, gimmicky bra from Japanese lingerie maker Triumph International grows rice. Promo Videos (SFW, YT) [more inside]
posted by zarq on May 17, 2010 - 29 comments

Japanese Element Symbols is an introduction for non-Japanese to the Japanese language through Kanji symbols, its alphabet, elements of Japan's culture, and what to expect on the culinary front.
posted by netbros on Aug 6, 2009 - 12 comments

Obento wonderland. A site in Japanese which (appears to) chronicle one bento-crazed artisan's daily lunch-making ritual. Let no lunch be without novelty! You don't need to be able to read the text to get a perverse kick out of the images. [more inside]
posted by lottie on Dec 9, 2008 - 12 comments

Sushi art. Weird sushi art. Sushi ASCII art. Sushi soap. Sushi jewelry. Sushi candles. Wind-up sushi. And finally, sushi made of chocolate!
posted by desjardins on May 31, 2008 - 8 comments

Chankonabe. If you've ever wondered how sumotori achieve their epic bulk, this article from Gastronomica details the complex preparation and serving rituals of the (perhaps not) delicious, protein-rich chunky soup that's the staple of their diet (with recipe helpfully included).
posted by melissa may on Mar 26, 2005 - 7 comments

Now With 42% More Death Wish! Tipping out the contents of the plastic wrapper onto my rice seemed to make a noise that sounded almost like colooostommy baaaag but I ignored it and took a bite. Rather good.
posted by naomi on Feb 8, 2005 - 25 comments

Fingertip found in a Japanese Rice Ball. In other news, the feds are thinking about investigating rumors about dead bodies being stored inside the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota.
posted by kingmissile on Jun 4, 2002 - 15 comments

"People can eat Godzilla and become energetic and powerful. It's got dreams mixed in with fun," Takara spokeswoman Yoko Watanabe said Tuesday. Do I even need to comment? They've chopped up Godzilla and they're eating him. Where's Greenpeace when you need them? (Of course, maybe it's the pseudo-Godzilla from the recent American picture...I'd feel less bad about that.)
posted by Ezrael on Jun 13, 2001 - 13 comments