With no clear answers, it’s up to the wallet’s owner to choose what he wants to believe about the person who had it. About a week ago, our Japanese-language reporter P.K. Sanjun was sitting at home when his phone rang at about 10 p.m. Surprised that someone would be calling instead of texting at that time, and not recognizing the number of the caller, he answered the call and tentatively said hello. “This is Detective A from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Z Precinct,” said the voice on the other end of the call (we’ve redacted the specific names for the sake of privacy). “We found your wallet.” P.K. did indeed lose his wallet, but that was all the way back in mid-September. What’s more, since he usually keeps his wallet in his bag and uses his phone for so many of his payments, when he finally did reach for his wallet and discovered it was gone, a whole three days had passed since he last remembered seeing it. So even though he filed a missing property report with the police, he didn’t really expect to actually get it back. He wasn’t happy about losing the 20,000 yen (US$130) he’d had inside, but he’d managed to cancel his credit and ATM cards without anyone making unauthorized use of them. Getting his driver’s license and other forms of ID reissued had been more of a hassle, but he’d finally gotten everything sorted out, and by the time he got this phone call, he’d practically forgotten all about having lost his wallet. ▼ P.K. doesn’t have time to mope about losing his wallet when there’s rare Japanese-grown coffee to taste, among other things on his schedule. Between how much time had passed since the incident and the hour of night at which the call came in, P.K. thought this might be a scam. “How can I know you really are who you say you are?” he asked. Detective A advised P.K. to take a look at the official website for the precinct he said he was calling from, where there’s a listed contact phone number, and to call it and ask to speak with Detective A. P.K. did that, and sure enough, the operator connected him to the same person, proving that Detective A was a legit law enforcement member. With that settled, P.K. and the detective could discuss getting his wallet back to him. The detective asked P.K. to confirm his address and other particulars, and P.K. had a question for him too, asking where the police had found his wallet. “We found it at a private residence within our jurisdiction,” Detective A informed him. “We actually had an emergency call from another party saying that they’d been unable to get in contact with the resident and were worried about them. When we entered the home, we found your wallet, and also that the resident had passed away.” P.K. was startled by this unexpected information, but the conversation didn’t go on much longer, as Detective A said that the precinct would be in touch again soon to determine a date for P.K. to come pick up his wallet. Three days later, he got another call, this time from a Detective B who confirmed, one by one, the contents of the wallet when it was found, and it turned out that each and every one of P.K.’s cards had been recovered. “I’m sorry to inform you that the cash was gone,” said Detective B. “I believe Detective A has already mentioned it, but the resident of the home where we found your wallet is deceased. So, will you be pressing charges?” It took P.K. a moment to process that the detective was asking the question in earnest, and was waiting for his response. “Wait, you can file charges against someone after they’re dead?”, he asked in return. “Yes. The process is sort of involved, but it is possible,” Detective B explained. Possible or not, P.K. had no intent of trying to get cash from a dead man. Actually, he was concerned about what had happened to him. “By the way, was this a suicide, or do you think there was some sort of foul play?” he asked, but all Detective B could tell him was “That’s part of an ongoing investigation.” P.K. made an appointment to come to the police station and pick up his wallet two days from then, and after he checked in at the front desk, he was ushered into an interview room by a Detective C. Sitting on the desk waiting for him was his wallet, and after they confirmed its contents, yet another detective, Detective D, came in carrying a thick folder. “The deceased resident of the home where we found your wallet was a Sri Lankan national,” said Detective D as he opened up the folder to a page with a photocopy of a foreign resident ID card. “Do you remember having seen or met this person before?” P.K. looked at the photo on the card, which showed a man with long hair and glasses who appeared to be about 30 years old. P.K. had never seen him before in his life. “I see,” said Detective D when P.K. told him, and he then closed up the folder and left the room. As Detective C was wrapping up the paperwork, P.K. took the opportunity to ask a few more questions, starting with “Did you find any other missing wallets in the residence?” “No, just yours.” the detective answered. “It was sitting inside the entryway.” He then made an observation that made P.K. feel hollow in a way far beyond the simple 20,000 yen he’d lost. “If we’d found your wallet, say, hidden inside the deceased’s bag, then we’d definitely suspect him of having stolen it. But having it just sitting in the entryway like that, it’s possible that he was planning to return it to you.” P.K. also asked again if they’d figured out what had happened to the guy, but was told that the cause of death was currently undetermined. As he left the building with his wallet back in his bag, P.K. struggled to sort out his emotions. Yes, his wallet had been missing, but he hadn’t been mugged. It’s possible that someone stole it out of his bag, but it’s also possible that he accidentally dropped it or left it somewhere while he was out. And yes, when the police had found it the cash that was inside was gone, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the Sri Lankan man had taken it. It’s possible that he’d found P.K.’s wallet after someone else had pocketed the cash, but figured that the rightful owner would still want the wallet itself and cards it contained back, but hadn’t been able to start the process of returning it before his life ended. It’s unlikely that P.K. will ever conclusively know how or why his wallet ended up in the Sri Lankan man’s home, and precisely because he’ll never know, he has to decide for himself what to believe. He’s choosing to have faith and believe that the man was trying to do the right thing and return his wallet, and so while he’ll never have the chance to tell him in-person, P.K. wants to say thank you, and hopes that he’s resting in peace. If you or someone you know is in Japan and having suicidal thoughts, there are people here to help. Click here for more info. Top image ©SoraNews24 Insert images: SoraNews24, Pakutaso ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Sign language art-themed Hello Kitty pop up shop opens in Tokyo. Hello Kitty is always ready to make new friends. Having just taken part in collaborations with the casts of the Evangelion and Sonic the Hedgehog franchises, the Sanrio star’s newest pal isn’t an anime or video game character, but real-life Japanese artist Hidehiko Kado. Kado was born to deaf parents and became proficient in sign language from an early age. His desire to express thought and emotions that couldn’t be summed up entirely with spoken words or signing led him to become an artist and establish his own brand, Smile Talking Hands. On November 6, the Hello Kitty x Smile Talking Hands Pop Up Shop opened in Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood. Kado has created a series of new artwork pieces for the project, and they serve as the motif for the merchandise collection being offered. Not only do they combine Kado’s stylish sensibilities with Hello Kitty’s characteristic cuteness, they also teach some very useful sign language. The first is one you might already be familiar with, as the sign for “I love you” is the same in Japanese and American sign language. The sign for “konnichiwa,” meaning “good afternoon” (and sometimes used for “hello” in a broad sense), is more indicative of Japanese culture, though… …since you turn your index fingers towards each other and bend them, so that they “bow” to each other in greeting. ▼ “Konnichiwa” in Japanese sign language VID Finally, there’s Kitty-chan demonstrating the sign for “arigatou” (“thank you”), in which you bring the edge of your right hand down in a gentle chopping motion onto the back of your left. The Hello Kitty x Smile Talking Hands collaboration will be offering T-shirts with the “I love you” design for 3,250 yen (US$21.50)… …tote bags with a design that combines all three signs (2,640 yen)… …as well as stickers (440 yen) and pins (550 yen). A randomly selected magnet of one of the single-sign designs will also be given to shoppers who purchase 3,300 yen or more worth of items at the store. The Hello Kitty x Smile Talking Hands Pop Up Shop will be open until November 19, but many of the items can also be purchased online here. Shop information Hello Kitty x Smile Talking Hands Pop Up Shop Address: Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Sakuragaokacho 1-1, Shibuya Sakura Stage Shibuya Side 3rd floor Characolle 東京都渋谷区桜丘町１−１　渋谷サクラステージSHIBUYA　SIDE 3Fキャラコレ店内 Open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Runs November 6-November 19 Website Source: Shibuya Keizai Shimbun, PR Times, Hidehiko Kado official website Top image: PR Times Insert images: Morimo Craft Online Shop, PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

One of Kitty-chan’s favorite foods is the inspiration for her birthday sundae. There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself to a little sweet reward when you’ve been working hard, and no one works harder than Hello Kitty, who’s been especially busy these past few weeks making new friends and learning sign language. That’s not the only reason the timing feels right for the Hello Kitty Loves Ice Cream campaign at Baskin-Robbins Japan, either, since November 1 was Kitty-chan’s birthday. As of November 1, Baskin-Robbins (or “Thirty-one,” as it’s more commonly called by fans in Japan) is serving up frozen Sanrio fun, so we made sure to hurry to our nearest branch to order a Hello Kitty Special Cup. This is a two-scoop ice cream cup (680 yen [US$4.55] for small scoops or 930 yen for regular-size) that comes in a special container covered in adorable Hello Kitty illustrations. ▼ Baskin-Robbins Japan has stuck with the pink-and-navy blue color scheme that the chain recently shifted away from in the U.S., and it’s also featured on the cup. We suspect some fans might wash the cup out after they’re done eating so that they can keep it as a memento of this sweet moment, but even if you don’t, you also get a Hello Kitty charm, in which she’s enjoying a cone of Baskin-Robbins’ Popping Shower, perennially one of the chain’s most popular flavors in Japan. While it comes attached to the spoon, the charm can easily be unclipped and transferred to a bag strap or key ring. Also included with the Hello Kitty Special Cup is an icing cookie, featuring one of three randomly selected icing renderings of Kitty-chan. Sweet and crunchy, it also helped prevent brain freeze by keeping our mouth from becoming overly chilled from the ice cream. This is just the tip of the iceberg for the collaboration, though. According to her official profile, one of Hello Kitty’s favorite foods is apple pie, which brings us to the Hello Kitty Apple Pie Sundae. This sundae in a cup gives you two small-size scoops of ice cream, an apple-shaped chocolate, and pie crust sticks. Swirled at the top is whipped cream drizzled with a sweet apple sauce with bit of apple in it, and dipping the pie sticks into the cream gives a flavor like eating a slice of apple pie. As with the Hello Kitty Special Cup, you can pick what flavors of ice cream you want for the 1,370-yen Hello Kitty Apple Pie Sundae. We opted for one of this month’s special limited-time flavors, which is also a nod to Hello Kitty’s tastes, Caramel Apple Pie, and this turned out to be an excellent choice for meshing deliciously with the rest of the sundae’s ingredients. The Hello Kitty Apple Pie Sundae comes with three toothpick-style Sanrio character decorations. You might be wondering why Hello Kitty appears twice, but as Sanrio scholars know, November 1 isn’t just Kitty-chan’s birthday, but also the birthday of her twin sister Mimi. Mimi generally leaves the limelight to her much more active sibling, but every now and then she’ll make an appearance too, as she does here along with Kitty’s teddy bear pal Tiny Chum. And while you don’t get the charm strap with the Hello Kitty Apple Pie Sundae, you do still get a very cute extra in the form of a reversible cloth cup sleeve. The Hello Kitty side features a bow in the colors of Baskin-Robbins’ Banana and Strawberry ice cream flavor, while Mimi’s has the hues of Caramel Ribbon. No matter which side you have facing outward, though, it’s warm and fuzzy in both the literal and emotional sense. Basking-Robbins actually has even more Hello Kitty-themed sweets and merch available right now, but it turns out that eating three frozen desserts in one sitting is beyond even our capacity (we know, we were shocked to discover this ourselves). But with the Hello Kitty Loves Ice Cream collaboration running until November 27, there’s still time to fit multiple visits into your dessert schedule. Bottom image: PR Times All other photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Mister Ditto. The new Mister Donut Pokémon donuts recently went on sale in Japan, with this year’s batch featuring the debut of the Fluffy Pikachu and Foongus donuts. It turns out, though, that Mister Donut secretly had another surprise in the oven all along, and it’s one that fittingly involves the easiest Pokémon to overlook. The shapeshifting Ditto will soon be transforming into the Ditto Donut Tree. This decadent offering is actually 10 treats in one. At the base of the “tree” is a white chocolate-covered old-fashioned donut filled with custard cream. Stacked on top of that are eight donut holes (or “Donut Pops,” as Mister Donut calls them) and, most importantly, a strawberry chocolate-coated Ditto-shaped donut. Finally, the whole thing is given a sprinkling of sugar as a finishing touch. Given how involved the production process is, Mister Donut understandably doesn’t want to just have a bunch of these sitting around in its display case. Instead, the Ditto Donut Tree, which is priced at 648 yen (US$4.30) is available only by pre-order made either with the Mister Donut smartphone app or through its online order website. Pre-orders will be open from November 12 to December 24, with selectable in-store pickup dates between November 26 and December 25, so you can use the Ditto Donut Tree as a Christmas tree too (note that the Ditto Donut Tree is a takeout-only item). However, while the pre-order window is scheduled to last for a month and a half, Mister Donut says that they’ll stop early if supplies run out, and also cautions that different branches will have differing quantities available per day. Given the huge fanbases of both Pokémon and Mister Donut, demand is sure to be high for the Ditto Donut Tree, so if you want to snag one you’ll probably want to put your order in as soon as possible. Related: Mister Donut mobile order page, app Source, images: PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Wrap yourself up in the warmth of an anime movie.  There’s something infinitely charming about Studio Ghibli’s animated movies, with hand-drawn scenes pulling you into the action… and the quiet moments shared between characters. One such moment occurs when Kiki from Kiki’s Delivery Service chats with Ursula, who offers sage advice that helps her regain her confidence as a blossoming witch. ▼ In that moment, Kiki can be seen bundled up in Ursula’s blanket. It’s a cosy moment perfect for recreating in the colder months, and Studio Ghibli is now giving us a way to do that, with the release of Ursula’s Half Blanket. Measuring 140 x 100 centimetres (55.1 x 39.4 inches), this 100-percent wool half blanket perfectly replicates the hue of the one worn by Kiki in the movie. ▼ And you can wear it over your shoulders just as she does, too. The reversible design is pink on one side while the reverse features some of Ursula’s favourite items, notably her straw hat, backpack, and artist’s brushes. ▼ Look closely and you’ll find an image of the stuffed animal that resembles Jiji, which Ursula mended. The compact size makes it perfect for use as a lap blanket or shoulder wrap, while parents can use it for children’s afternoon naps. Its soft texture will gently envelop you and keep you warm, with contrast stitching and a movie label adding an air of quality to the item. While the blanket is designed for comfort and warmth, it also looks good when casually thrown over a sofa or chair. The blanket is priced at 16,500 yen (US$107.75) and will be available to preorder on the Donguri Kyowakoku online store from 12:00 pm on 8 November, with delivery scheduled for early to mid-December. Reservations will close once the planned number of reservations is reached, and general sales at physical branches of the chain are scheduled to begin after pre-orders have been shipped. If the product is sold out during the pre-order period, though, there will be no general sales so you’ll need to act fast if you’d like to wrap yourself up in the warmth of a Ghibli movie. Source, images: Donguri Kyowakoku ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

The orthodox Osaka style of Japan’s beloved octopus balls is waiting at Jugemu. Takoyaki is impossible to find in Tokyo…??? That statement didn’t seem right to us. Sure, Japan’s beloved octopus dumplings may have originated in Osaka, and the city is still considered takoyaki holy ground and has the most enthusiastic fans, but takoyaki is popular across Japan. There’s even a major takoyaki chain, Tsukiji Gindako, that was founded in Tokyo’s Tsukiji neighborhood. But as our Osaka-born reporter Seiji Nakazawa will vehemently tell you, he doesn’t consider Gindako takoyaki to be real takoyaki. Sure, he admits they’re tasty enough, but to him, “Gindako” are their own kind of food, separate from takoyaki. ▼ For everyone else on our staff, this is a picture of Gindako’s takoyaki, but for Seiji, it’s a snapshot of Gindako’s Gindako. Seiji feels similarly about pretty much all the takoyaki he’s had since moving to Tokyo: They may not be bad, but they’re not takoyaki. So what’s his beef with how Tokyo does octopus balls? Their texture. Take another look at Gindako’s version in the photo above. See how the outside has been cooked enough to develop a sort of crisp crust? That’s the problem. Takoyaki isn’t supposed to be like that, Seiji says. Instead, the dumpling is supposed to be tender not just at the center, but all the way through. The outer texture should be no firmer than what it would feel like biting into a thin crepe. To Seiji’s palate, Tokyo’s takoyaki feel more like they’re fried than grilled. Again, he’s not saying that the contrast between the crisp outer layer and gooey center in Gindako takoyaki is bad. However, it feels too fancy, too calculated, too much like someone is trying to elevate the dumplings into a serious dish. The proper takoyaki ideology, Seiji says, is that takoyaki should be a completely unpretentious snack that you can scarf down as quickly as you want to, and the soft Osaka-style texture is what makes that possible. So imagine how high Seiji’s heart jumped while he was walking around the Ameya Yokocho section of Tokyo’s Ueno neighborhood and saw a stand boasting that it sold not only Osaka takoyaki, but Osaka Senshu takoyaki, referencing the part of Osaka Prefecture where Seiji grew up. Right away, the down-to-earth, no-frills seating area had Seiji feeling confident that this place, called Osaka Senshu Jugemu, had brought the old-school Osaka takoyaki philosophy with it to Tokyo. The menu is straightforward too. You choose how many takoyaki you want (starting at six for 480 yen [US$3.20]) and then your sauce/primary seasoning, with options consisting of the standard savory Worchester-like takoyaki sauce, a spicy variant, ginger, and salt and pepper. Seiji opted for a six pack with the standard sauce, plus some mayo, bonito flakes, and aonori (powdered seaweed). Once he had his order, he knew he was in for some, by his definition, real takoyaki. The texture was perfectly gooey, sometimes so much so that the dumpling would melt away before he could bring it up to his mouth and he’d eat the octopus and batter separately, the latter mixing with the sauce and mayo into a delicious mess. As happy as Seiji was to have finally found a place to get his preferred style of takoyaki in Tokyo, he was even more thrilled when he did some checking and found out that Jugemu also has two other branches in the city, one in the Nakano neighborhood and the other in Koenji. So whether you’re an Osaka-style takoyaki hardliner like he is, or you’re just interested in getting a taste of the dish’s roots without going all the way to Osaka, be sure to check them out. Restaurant information Osaka Senshu Takoyaki Jugemu (Ueno Okachimachi branch) / 大阪泉州たこ焼きじゅげむ（上野御徒町店） Address: Tookyo-to, Taito-ku, Ueno 6-9-1 東京都台東区上野6-9-1 Open 1 p.m.-10 p.m. Website Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

School idols will create original songs, hold live performances. Extracurricular activities at schools in Japan can be broadly divided into two categories. Some of them are the same sort of sports teams or cultural clubs as you’d find in many other countries, like a soccer team or marching band. Other activities, though, are uniquely Japanese, and often tied to centuries-old traditions, like kendo or sado (tea ceremony). However, one high school is adding a new club that’s very Japanese but also rather modern: an idol club. Nichidai High School is a private school in Nagano City, and with the new school year scheduled to start in spring, the administration is finalizing what sorts of extracurricular activities its students can choose from. Brand-new for 2026 will be the idol club, whose members will form an official idol unit to represent the school. As with other clubs, the idol club will hold meetings, practice sessions, and activities after class and on weekends. In addition to having specialized dance and vocal lessons, the club will create and distribute original songs, perform concerts, and appear at live events and on local radio and TV broadcasts. While idol music is characterized by its upbeat sense of fun, the idol club itself is meant as a legitimate extracurricular activity where members can develop their skills as performers. The school hopes for it to become a point of pride on the level of its athletic teams, and similar to such systems for gifted athletes, special entrance-exam waivers may be granted to incoming idol club members with prior musical or dance performance experience. Even those without experience, though, are welcome to join the club. The idea for the idol club comes from 49-year-old principal Yoshihisa Soeya, and the logic isn’t simply that having an idol club would be neat. Though it’s the prefectural capital, Nagano City sits in the center of some very wide rural zones, and doesn’t have nearly the same level of performing arts opportunities that more urbanized cities can offer. The gap gets even bigger for the Higashi Wada neighborhood where Nichidai High School is located, as it’s not even in the Nagano City center. By establishing an idol club, Soeya wants to provide students who are passionate about dance and music with a way to pursue those interests without having to move away to the big/a bigger city, while also deepening connections within the community. Nichidai High School appears to be the first high school in Nagano to start a dedicated idol club, and may also be the first in the country to do so, and the news has quickly drawn comparisons from online commenters to the Love Live! anime franchise, in which the protagonists are members of their fictitious schools’ idol clubs. While some might scoff at the idea of idol music being given academic recognition, an argument can be made that it’s not really all that different from a school’s extracurricular activities including a jazz band or keiongaku/light music club, which focuses on pop/rock music. Those were also once seen more as “entertainment” than culture, but have now earned a level of respect and recognition where they’re seen as worthwhile as subjects of study and instruction. The same goes for jazz and hip-hop dance, so accepting idol music/dance as a viable genre for an extracurricular club might not really be so crazy. Nichidai High School plans to hold an idol club orientation and sample lesson this coming weekend, and will be officially opening the club to first-year female students in the spring. Source: Shinshu Mainichi Shimbun Digital via Yahoo! Japan News via Hachima Kiko Top image: Pakutaso ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Tourist-friendly Shibuya shopping center hosts senbei newcomer-friendly event, and it’s completely free! “All you can eat” is one of those deals that sounds great in theory, but usually also comes with a few catches that make the reality maybe not so appealing as it initially seems. All-you-can-eat offers are just about always priced higher than a regular, single portion of the food in question would be, so you’re going to have to eat a whole lot of it to get your money’s worth, and even if you’ve got the stomach capacity to do so, you might get tired of the taste of something if you’re eating it nonstop for a a full 60 minutes, the length of a lot of all-you-can-eat promotions. In other words, while unlimited sashimi or yakiniku are undeniably tempting, you’re going to already know you’re a serious fan of them before taking the plunge on those all-you-can-eat deals. It turns out, though, that there’s an all-you-can-eat event going on right now in Tokyo that’s super friendly to absolute newbies and their wallets, and it’s even in one of the most popular tourism neighborhoods in the city. Based in Niigata Prefecture, Iwatsuka Seika is one of the most popular makers of senbei, Japanese rice crackers, producing dozens of different types of flavors. Variety may be the spice of life, but that much of it can overwhelming if you’re a newcomer to the world of senbei, but Iwatsuka has opened a popup called Osenbei Taste Test Land inside the Shibuya branch of department store Parco in downtown Tokyo, the same building that houses the Nintendo Tokyo specialty shop and the Shibuya Pokémon Center superstore. At Osenbei Taste Test Land, you’re given 10 minutes to enjoy as much as you like of the 40 different types of senbei on offer, so getting bored with a single taste isn’t something you’ll need to worry about. What’s more, it’s completely free! ▼ The sign for Osenbei Taste Test Land with its nonchalant mention of “admission free” (入場無料) All-you-can-eat sessions are held every 20 minutes between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. We showed up just a little early, which gave us time to look at the displays chronicling the history of Iwatsuka, which was founded in 1947, and some of the snack subsidiaries it’s started since. But we were here to eat, not to read, and our hearts raced and stomachs growled as we were ushered into the room where the senbei were waiting for us. Participants are asked to take just one of each type at a time, then go back for seconds after they’ve eaten it. Obviously, we wanted to try them all, so we sampled one of each kind first, using the suppled tongs to pick up the senbei that don’t come individually wrapped.. With 40 different types to try, doing a complete sweep took us about eight and a half minutes. The across-the-board-quality was excellent, and we still had some time left over for repeats of our favorites. Though senbei are a one or two-bite-sized snack food, 10 minutes eating them is plenty of time to fill you up but not so much as to make you feel uncomfortably bloated. So while we weren’t hungry after our all-you-can-eat session was done, we knew we’d be craving senbei again soon. Thankfully, Osenbei Taste Test Land also sells the senbei that are part of its all-you-can-eat offer, and while there’s no obligation to buy anything, we picked up three packs to take home: the outstanding shrimp-flavored Zuika (476 yen [US$3.15]), the excellent edamame-flavored The Hitotsumami (232 yen), and Zarameaji, crisp and spinkled with granulated sugar for a lightly sweet flavor that we’re absolutely going to pair with a cup of nice green tea. ▼ Left to right: Zarameaji, The Hitotsumami, and Zuika Osenbei Taste Test Land will be ending its run in Shibuya Parco’s 8th-floor Hobo Michiyoubi event space soon, though. Its last day is scheduled for November 9, and while walk-ins are welcome on the 7th, reservations will be required on the 8th and 9th, and can be made online here and here, respectively. Related: Shibuya Parco Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Sloping elevator transports you to a magical world in the sky.  Elevators are known for moving vertically, but sometimes you can come across rare “inclined” varieties, known as “shakou elevators” in Japanese. However, in a nature-filled area in a quiet pocket of Yamanashi Prefecture, you’ll find an even rarer “chou kyodai na shakou” elevator, which translates as “super huge inclined elevator“. Why is there such a large contraption in the middle of nowhere in Japan? And where does it even connect to? In order to find the answers to these questions, we made the roughly one-hour journey on the Chuo Line from Shinjuku to Shiotsu Station in Uenohara City to find out. Stepping out at the station, we could immediately see the modern construction making a neat path up the nearby slope, giving it a slightly overgrown, dystopian look. ▼ From up close, the sight is quite breathtaking. The station building connects directly to the elevator, so as soon as you climb the stairs from the platform and cross the overhead walkway… …you’ll find yourself inside the so-called “Commore Bridge“, which houses a massive escalator, a massive set of stairs, and the special elevator. Marked by blue doors, the elevator looks like any other you might see around Japan. The diagonal arrows, however, suggest a different style of movement, and that sensation heightens when the doors open to reveal… ▼ …there are no floors, only metre markings, presented in a sloping display above the doors. The display lights up to show your upward progress, but chances are your eyes will be drawn towards the views out the window instead, which are mesmerising. The ride is surprisingly smooth, with almost no vibration, making it feel like you’re gliding up the mountain. At 200 metres (656 feet) in length, this is one of Japan’s biggest inclined elevators, with the ride to the top taking roughly four minutes. When you arrive at the top, the doors open to reveal something remarkable. Here, at a place of elevation around 100 metres higher than Shiotsu Station, is a residential area, split into four neighbourhoods. ▼ This map view shows how the location sits above the main areas of town, tucked away like a hidden city in a magical forest. The location is so unusual that it’s said to have been the inspiration for the opening scenes in Studio Ghibli’s animated feature film Spirited Away. The opening scenes depict a family of three — main character Chihiro and her parents — driving up a steep slope to an elevated residential community, on a road that mysteriously narrows and takes them into a densely forested area, where the magic begins. Stepping out to explore the real-world residential district that inspired the scenes in the animated film is a captivating experience. This town, built high in the sky, is dubbed the “sky township” or “Japan’s Machu Picchu”, and it really does feel worlds away from the busy streets below, with an air that smells crisp and clean. Walking the outer perimeter, which is around three kilometres (1.9 miles), takes about 30 minutes, and the site area is about 80 hectares (198 hectares), which is about 17 times the size of Tokyo Dome. ▼ The vibe is lovely and calm, and the views make you feel like you really are living in the sky. It’s amazing to think that the entire purpose of the super-long inclined elevator is to act as a linking passage that connects this mountaintop residential area, known as Commore Shiotsu, with the ground level. While exploring the unusual location, we found some interesting sites that we’d like to recommend. Firstly, right in front of the elevator boarding area is Commore Plaza, a shopping centre with a local supermarket and a 100-yen (US$0.65) shop. Unfortunately, photography wasn’t allowed inside, but it was quite lively when we visited. Here, we picked up a bottle of local Yamanashi sauce called “Bimisan“, which is said to be a household staple in the area. It cost 200 yen, which was surprisingly cheap. Next, in the northeastern part of town is Ayame Farm, a direct sales site where you can buy fresh local vegetables at cheap prices. Among our top finds here were Yamanashi’s Shine Muscat grapes, sold at the bargain price of 1,500 yen for two kilograms (4.4 pounds). The store caters to local shoppers and, judging by the number plates in the parking lot, visitors from other prefectures as well. If you visit in autumn, you might be able to stuff a bag with as many persimmons as you can for just 500 yen. ▼ We also came across a delicious-looking bakery nearby, but unfortunately it wasn’t open on the day we were there. On the west side of town is a stylish cafe called LiLy’s Taiwan Shop. We ordered a Taiwanese tofu pudding for 300 yen and daikon mochi for 350 yen. The fluffy texture of the mochi was addictive and the Taiwanese tofu pudding was insanely good, with a gentle sweetness that melted in the mouth. Everything was so tasty that we decided to order a Taiwanese sticky rice dumpling for 600 yen, which turned out to be equally delicious. The dumpling contained plenty of boiled peanuts and tender kakuni (braised pork), with a seasoning that was sweet, salty and incredibly moreish. It was a pleasure to stumble upon such a high quality cafe, and we found ourselves vowing to return one day as we made our way back to the elevator entrance. ▼ The downhill journey on the elevator was remarkably thrilling, like a theme park ride. After returning to ground level, we realised what a vital role the elevator plays in the local community. The super-long elevator may be enjoyable to ride but it’s more than just a fun attraction. As an indispensable means of transportation for local residents, the elevator acts as a bridge between the town in the sky and the world beneath it, which, if you think about it, is similar to the way the tunnel serves to connect the protagonist between the mundane and the fantastical in Spirited Away. Commore Shiotsu is a magical real-world anime setting that few people know about, and a hidden gem of a residential area where anything can happen. Site information Commore Bridge / コモアブリッジ Address: Yamanashi-ken, Uenohara-shi, Shiotsu 1912 山梨県上野原市四方津1912 Open: 5:15 a.m. – 1:15 a.m. Website Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Military is only there to provide logistic support and not take part in any hunting. With all the problems facing the world today, it’s easy to overlook the fact that parts of Japan are experiencing bear attacks at unprecedented levels. There have been nine deaths from bear attacks this year as of October, which already makes the total for 2025 an all-time high, and while attacks and sightings are difficult to quantify accurately, it is clear they are both on a sharp rise. Bear encounters are also getting bolder as the year goes on. Just this week, a bear slammed into the side of a moving patrol car in Fukushima Prefecture, though it’s unclear if that was an attack or just an accidental collision. Also, a young bear walked right into the Town Hall of Nishimeya in Aomori Prefecture during working hours, but luckily ran away without anyone getting injured. ▼ Security footage of the bear in the town hall. It’s becoming one of the top issues facing Japan, and whenever you read about a top issue facing Japan, know that politician Shinjiro Koizumi won’t be far behind. Having already largely cut the use of plastic bags at stores and tackled the skyrocketing price of rice, he now appears to be taking on the bear problem in his latest position as Minister of Defense. On 4 November, Koizumi announced that the Ground Self-Defense Force (SDF) would be called in to help support population control of the bears. This is in response to a request for help from Governor Kenta Suzuki of Akita Prefecture in northern Japan. According to Suzuki, the prefecture’s resources are stretched too thin to be able to deal with the bears effectively. ▼ News report showing Koizumi’s announcement and some of the traps to be used. The SDF do have experience with animal capturing after helping to contain deer populations in Hokkaido. However, the SDF will not use its weapons against the bears. Instead, they will assist local hunters with logistic support and by providing traps. According to the Ministry of Defense, SDF soldiers have no experience in bear hunting, but they are also legally restricted from directly engaging with the bears under the constitution of Japan. Readers of the news online largely supported the move of bringing in the military to help the underfunded and undermanned parts of Japan, but some felt the SDF was being handicapped too much in handling the situation. “At this point, it’s practically a natural disaster, so this makes sense.” “If all they can do is provide logistical support, why not just use the police?” “It seems like a waste for them to just help with logistics.” “Hey, look. It’s Shinjiro again.” “I hope this puts an end to the deaths.” “It’s frustrating they can only be used for support. I think we should amend the laws.” “Calling in the military just to do odd jobs?” “I’m glad they’re being used to help rural areas, but why can’t they carry firearms? Diplomacy doesn’t work on bears. I hope they have a way to protect themselves.” The SDF are prohibited from “use of force” by the constitution unless three conditions are met, the first being that a military force is attacking Japan or a close ally. Bears are not a military force, and thus the SDF can’t launch an assault on them. However, the soldiers would legally be able to carry firearms for the purpose of protecting themselves and the population, so that last commenter needn’t worry about that. Luckily, there is a bit of a legal precedent for this kind of situation, albeit a fictional one, in the form of Godzilla. Shortly after the release of Shin Godzilla, the government ran a hypothetical thought exercise in how the military could legally be used against wildlife (in this case, a kaiju) if it posed a significant enough threat. They concluded that it could be done by classifying the weapons as “tools” used to prevent disasters. This would also theoretically give the SDF the green light to go directly after the bears in the same way, but it would seem the Ministry of Defense feels the current situation doesn’t warrant the risk of doing such a thing. ▼ Most people would consider a tank a weapon, but it could be a tool when, say, using it to open a stubborn jar of pickles. Constitutional law can be kind of confusing, so let me try to sum it up in layman’s terms: The Self-Defense Forces have the right to bear arms even if the bears aren’t armed aside from their bare bear arms, because the Self-Defense Forces could use armed force in self-defense. Also, unarmed bears could bear the brunt of armed force if the arms the armed forces bear bear the label of “tools”, much like our own bare, unarmed arms do, but bearing in mind the SDF would bear the blame if something went wrong. So, in the end, this seems like a prudent first step in tackling this pressing issue. While minimizing injuries and deaths from bear attacks is the top priority, doing it in a way to preserve as much of the prefectures’ autonomy as possible while also minimizing bear deaths would be ideal. Source: 47 News, Hachima Kiko, TUF, ATV Top image: Pakutaso Insert image: Pakutaso ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!