Obviously staged but still funny. [via reddit]

Leave it to the Japanese to come up with a big-boobed-spikey-nippled bee villain. Genius!

Any ideas on what this show is called? Betcha any money 'boobs' is in the title.

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Gundam Mobile Suit robot franchise, this 18-meter Gundam will be on display from now to August 31.  It is also part of Tokyo's campaign for the 2016 Olympics.  Link to photo (via vtbarrera)

Related:
More information about the giant Gundam - Link

Here is an instructional Japanese video on what you should say when your stomach hurts.

Warning: Be prepared to have the words "I have a bad case of diarrhea" playing over and over in your head.

Okinawa Soba posted a fascinating flickr set of 3D stereoviews of old Japan.

Almos 60 of the stereoviews in this set were photographed by Japanese photographer T. ENAMI [His self-portrait in Japanese Armor is the face of my flickr Icon]. The rest are divided up mostly among works by HERBERT PONTING, HENRY STROHMEYER, AND JULIAN COCHRANE. A few other 3-D photographers from both Japan and abroad are also represented here.

Most of the views were taken during the years 1895 to 1910, with the majority taken ca.1898-1905.

Link

[Above photo by Julian Cochrane, 1904 - Link]

Mike Cash is an American working as a truck driver in Japan.  While on the road and at the wheel he takes beautiful photos of Japanese culture and environments.  Link to his gallery, Japan from the Driver's Seat.

[Pictured:  cropped photo of "Modern Monk" by Mike Cash.  View full image here.]

When a Japanese man was baffled as to how food kept disappearing from his kitchen, he decided to set up a hidden camera which found something quite unsettling.

The 57-year-old unemployed man of Fukuoka in southern Japan called police Wednesday when the camera sent pictures to his mobile phone of an intruder in his home while he was out on Wednesday, the Asahi newspaper said on its Website.

Officers rushed to the house and found a 58-year-old unemployed woman hiding in an unused closet, where she had secreted a mattress and plastic drink bottles, the Asahi said. Police suspect she may have been there for several months, the paper said.

Every year in Japan, sumo wrestlers are paired off with infants in a ring.  The amateur wrestlers hold up the infants into the air and the infant who cries first is the winner.  If the infants cry at the same time then the loudest infant wins. 

The purpose of the contest is to pray for children's healthy growth.

Link, Link to photo gallery [via]

I found this image when I was using google to research bamboo for a logo project. Everything for me stopped when I saw this. Actual location is in Kyoto, Japan (where my grandmother is actually from)--- a pathway (for miles I think) of these massive bamboo trees. I have to go back to Kyoto and walk through this.

Just stare into it and imagine being there. It's my desktop image at work and I look at it when my mind needs a mini vacation.

Thought I'd share something positive today.

Sagano: bamboo forest