Japanese oddity and bookstore Village Vanguard has always been a hub for adventurous and themed roomwear and pajamas. In the past, their online shop has offered super comfy kimono pajamas, fairy tale character-themed pajamas, and even a Japanese schoolgirl outfit that doubles as a kotatsu. The store is turning its eyes to animals for its latest release, however, with these fluffy one piece bunny-eared pajamas. Source: PR Times During colder seasons in Japan, it’s not uncommon to cozy up under the dangerously warming comfort of a kotatsu or more billowy pajamas to combat older houses or lack of central heating. These pajamas, called the “Rabbit Roomwear Fluffy One Piece”, provide…

Sometimes, certain less populated prefectures of Japan which are less commonly frequented by tourists and less commonly known by average city-dwellers are characterized in popular culture as wild and dangerous. For the most part, such characterizations are tongue-in-cheek, and even the locals enjoy playing it up. This seems to be the case with Fukui, located in the central Chubu region of the Honshu island facing the Sea of Japan, and one of the least populated prefectures. This picture posted on Twitter last Saturday by @oyayubi_814, along with the caption: “Fukui…dangerous!” caused quite a stir. It would seem to be a hammerhead shark lying on a street gutter, clearly far removed…

Japan’s love for cat cafes has yet to burn out. The feline trend has evolved beyond a simple opportunity to sip coffee and play with cats, and spawned interesting varieties that offer up incredibly luxurious cat host clubs, cafes with cosplaying kitties, and even opportunities to raise awareness for and adopt FIV+ cats. Recently, Japan continued the evolution of cat cafes by introducing the world’s first cat cafe train, courtesy of Yoro Railways. More photos from Sunday's first ever cat cafe train. One train in Japan with 30 kittens. For 2 1/2 hours, the cutest place on earth. #cats pic.twitter.com/BV8HRYsenv — Bill Adler (@billadler) 2017年9月11日 The event, hosted by Yoro…

Japanese fast food chain Lotteria is certainly no stranger to spicing up their menu with some creative items. In the past they’ve released such adventurous items as burgers so cheesy and stretchy they come with a bib, as well as the overwhelming “Everything On It” burger. In a departure from hamburgers, however, they are combining one of Japan’s favorite traditional snacks with one of the country’s favorite dishes in the form of Omurice Taiyaki. Lotteria Press Release Taiyaki, fish-shaped (seam bream, to be exact) cakes usually filled with red bean, have gathered some attention around the world in recent years, thanks to colorful dessert and ice cream varieties becoming popular….

Many traditional Japanese sweets (wagashi) are lauded not only for their exquisite taste, but also their intricate and beautiful designs as well. As recently seen with a Japanese jelly dessert that reveals a different picturesque scene with each slice, many longstanding wagashi makers are looking to enhance the aesthetic qualities of these treats, but sometimes it’s the simple creative effort people apply at home that stands out the most. Take for instance, animal lover and Japanese Twitter user Nao’s (@england618) take on dango, a Japanese dumpling sweet made from mochiko rice flour. Nao has made perhaps the cutest dango Japan has ever seen, as they are shaped and decorated to…

It’s often thought that sushi (although which contrary to popular belief, doesn’t actually require any seafood) is thought of to be Japan’s representative fish dish, it may be eel, or unagi, that is the country’s most beloved. Now changing attitudes toward food abroad has helped unagi gain more popularity in foreign countries, shifting toward the same status as a savory and luxury treat (and one of the country’s summer delicacies) that it holds in Japan. Much like sushi, unagi may as well have become part of the English language, with many high quality varieties in Japan attracting foreign guests and tourists. The sauce-covered warming dish is a big crowd-pleaser, and…

Of Japan’s wide selection of animal cafes–cafes where you can enjoy a beverage while playing with, petting, and feeding animals–there has been a recent trend toward more exotic animals. However, by far the most common variety is that of cat cafes. So in order you stand out as a business, it makes sense to offer up a particularly cute gimmick, like a cat cafe in Saitama where the feline staff is known for cosplaying in their spare time. And while there are many uncomfortable with the idea of cat cafes in general, there are many that simultaneously operate as shelters where you can actually buy a cat–and even one that…

See this cute American shorthair gazing up intently? Apart from the cushion around her neck, she seems like a normal cat. But when she’s on camera, watch out! Paris Collection models have nothing on this fashionable feline. Swaying her collar cushion as she struts towards her owner with just a hint of fierce attitude, she knows how to put the “cat” back in “catwalk.” @insi_someがシェアした投稿 – 2017 8月 25 10:03午前 PDT It turns out that she had just come out of surgery and needed an Elizabethan collar to prevent her from licking the wound. Since many cats dislike the standard-issue plastic variety, however, her owner opted for a more comfortable…

It’s not uncommon to see dogs in Japan wearing pet-sweaters to brave the colder seasons (and sometimes chilly indoors), but lately we’ve seen some cats sporting some rather inventive feline fashion. In the past year, there’s been a cat cafe in Saitama with a staff of kitties who cosplay, along with a cat who plays dress-up to teach Instagram followers about Japanese culture. Sometimes, however, these cat clothes aim for a nice balance of both cuteness and practicality, as ween with the recent kitty scarf. Source: @atelier_mam Japanese pet collar designer and Twitter user Mam (@atelier_mam), however, is now trotting out an item that simply doubles down on the cuteness…

Sakura (@kawauso_sakura) is a one-year old otter, and it’s pretty fair to say that she is the lead star of an otter popularity boom on Japanese social media that may have resulted in at least one pet cafe that lets you cuddle with otters. Like many otters, Sakura is rather playful, but since she’s still young, she has yet to move on from a certain sleeping habit she has. According to her Twitter account, she can’t quite accept her bedtime without having something to cuddle up tightly with–namely this stuffed piggy doll! ぬいぐるみぎゅーしないと寝られない系女子！ pic.twitter.com/7QVZKNODQx — カワウソさくら (@kawauso_sakura) 2017年8月23日 The ease with which she falls asleep after getting in a good…

When it comes to adventurous headgear in Japan, very few things match up to these creepy hyper-realistic gigantic felt cat heads, but eccentric book and oddity shop Village Vanguard has shown that they are willing to sell their own fair share of head-turning hats. This time the retailer is opting for a 3D aesthetic, offering a series of creepy and cool polygon animal helmets. Source: PR Times They’re simply called “Headkits” and consist of a self-assembly paper mask that when put together, has a surreal 3D polygon style. There are four different types offered, allowing you to become a panda, bear, rabbit, or black panther. While other quirky masks in…

Japanese online retailer Felissimo‘s YOU+MORE! series (a play on the pronunciation of “humor” in Japanese) tends to gravitate toward feline goods, such as scratch and sniff stationery that smells like a kitty tummy, but they also seek to satisfy Shiba Inu lovers with quirky products such as Shiba Inu smartphone cases that let you give dog belly rubs, as well as these adorable Doge Bags. Their latest fun entry in Shiba Inu-themed goods, however, is a combination of utility and companionship in the form of Shiba Inu hanging racks that give you some doge friends to enjoy meals with. Source: PR Times The “Overhead Shiba Inu Hanging Rack” works just…

In that past, we’ve seen some incredibly intricate and beautiful work produced by the art form of kirie, or traditional Japanese paper cutting, which is also very similar to kirigami. While origami may be the more famous Japanese paper art, Japanese Twitter user and artist @mi_kocoa (Risa), is giving some much needed love to kirie in an absolutely gorgeous way with her intricately carved designs. Source: @mi_kocoa Risa’s animal and floral designs have gained her quite a following on Twitter, but its her latest text-based piece of kirie that is gaining her the most accolades. Intricately carved, she has taken an excerpt from Kenji Miyazaka’s classic Japanese fantasy novel Night…

A “mysterious phenomenon” happened at art historian Momoe Kanazawa’s (@momokanazawa) home. She woke up one morning to see this object. A drastic white object that extends out like a ribbon: boldness in which layers upon layers of white bands are placed seems to be a pretty convincing artwork. An unanonymous artist? Ms. Kanazawa doesn’t know either. But according to her investigation (or: common sense), she believes that the creator is obvious when you see down on the floor. That artist, is “Mr. R”. 朝起きたら、オブジェが誕生していた。作り手は特定されていないが、その作風からRと思われる。 pic.twitter.com/PGI6ocFQvu — Momo Kanazawa (@momokanazawa) August 7, 2017 According to Ms. Kanazawa’s study, Mr. R had a spark of creative inspiration when he saw a raw…

It’s dinner time. And 13 cats line up in front of their bowl. The way they eat in an orderly manner is quite astounding. However, it only lasted 40 seconds when this happened. Look at the way they go! Apparenly, the trigger to this sudden drama was a jumping cat that accidentally landed on one of the other cats. “What the hell happened?” Faces on the remaining cats mark an end to a strangely funny dinner.