Artist behind 22-year project takes to the skies one last time on real-world version of Hayao Miyazaki flying machine. You could get into a spirited debate as to whether Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind belongs in the fantasy or science fiction genre, but either way, the anime film from the artists who would soon after form Studio Ghibli is set in a world of fiction. That gave director Hayao Miyazaki unbridled freedom not only in designing the characters and creatures that appear in the movie, but the vehicles too, and with his love of aircraft, that meant imaginative creations like Nausicaa’s glider, alternatively called the mehve or mowe, depending on the translation you’re going by. In 2003, though, 19 years after Nausicaa premiered in Japanese theaters, Kazuhiko Hachiya decided to try to bring the glider from the anime world to the real world. Hachiya, who describes himself as a media artist, didn’t want to just make a replica model, either. His goal was to create an actual working mehve that a single pilot could take into the skies, while still looking and being operated like Miyazaki’s version. This was no easy task. While Miyazaki’s interest in aeronautics regularly influences his artwork, he’s still an animator first and foremost, so his aircraft looking cool ultimately takes precedence over real-world functional feasibility. Early on in Hachiya’s OpenSky Project, which he dubbed the development process, he had to settle for short, downhill hops like the one shown in this test conducted in 2006. But Hachiya kept at it, with his efforts culminating in the M-02, a jet engine-powered glider which the pilot rides strapped face-down to the machine, shifting their weight in the harness to change pitch and roll in order to turn, climb, or dive. The M-02 is capable of reaching speeds of up to 90 kilometers (55.9 miles) per hour and an altitude of roughly 100 meters. It’s equally impressive to otaku and engineers, but the excitement of seeing the M-02 in flight at the Sora Matsuri air show in Noda, Chiba Prefecture, last Sunday was mixed with a bittersweet emotion, as it marked the final flight for the real-world Nausicaa glider. ▼ The last flight of the M-02 After 22 years, the 59-year-old Hachiya says it’s time for him to pass on the project to younger engineers and pilots, along with the knowledge he’s gained from the two decades-plus he’s been chasing this dream. Online reactions to the glider’s last flight have been filled with admiration for both Hachiya’s vision and his courage. “That looks awesome, but I don’t have the guts to hang on the outside of something that’s flying 100 meters up in the air.” “It’s got to be crazy scary to fly like this without any kind of cockpit.” “Even since I was a kid, I’ve wanted there to be something like the mehve, and it makes me so happy that he did this.” “It’s so inspiring seeing it lift off from the ground.” “The video shot from above the glider makes it look just like it does in the anime.” “He even landed in a field of gold!” “It’d be like a dream come true if they put this on display in the Ghibli museum.” As for exactly why Hachiya has decided his M-02 flying days are done, age is likely a factor, as it’s clearly physically demanding to pilot the thing. The machine is also likely designed and calibrated specifically for his body size and weight and can’t be safely operated by anyone else without modifications, which could be why the November 16 flight in Noda was designated as its final flight. Thankfully, the M-02 isn’t going to be demolished, and the current plan is to keep it intact for display purposes, with its engine left functional as well. Source: Asahi Shimbun, YouTube/朝日新聞 Images: Studio Ghibli ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Chuo Rapid Line’s first-class cars are extra fancy this month. Earlier this year, East Japan Railway Company. AKA JR East, added Green Cars to Tokyo’s Chuo Rapid Line. The cars themselves keep the same orange-striped silver color as the other carriages on the Chuo Rapid Line, though, since Green Cars are what JR calls its premium cars, essentially the trains’ first-class section. Unlike standard commuter train cars on the Chuo Rapid Line, with their bench seats and overhead straps for standing passengers to hang on to, the Green Car has plush, individual seats with fold-out trays and pouches in which to store your personal items during your ride. It’s definitely a more comfortable way to get around Tokyo, and this month things are getting extra fancy inside select Chuo Rapid Line Green Cars, because they’re hosting live musical performances. On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays in November, among the trains’ Green Car passengers will be a pair of professional musicians, performing a medley of songs on the flute, violin, acoustic guitar, clarinet, harp, saxophone, mandolin, and viola. While the instruments are primarily classical, the songs they play aren’t limited to traditional orchestral pieces, as some of the concerts have included music from the anime films of Studio Ghibli. The performances are held in the first-floor seating area of Car 5, with the performers sitting on both sides of the aisle in the middle rows. This leaves 30 seats for other passengers/audience members. The performances will be held on one round-trip train per day on Saturdays and Sundays, with the train departing Toyoda Station at 1:41 p.m. and heading towards Tokyo Station, and then running the same route in reverse by leaving Tokyo Station at 2:42 p.m. The musical performance itself takes place during the middle portion of the route, between Tachikawa and Shinjuku Stations. That means you could, theoretically, enjoy the complete concert by only riding for that part of the route, which is about 40 minutes. However, Green Car seats on the Chuo Rapid Line are unreserved (i.e. a Green Car ticketholder can claim any unoccupied seat), so if you want to make sure of getting a seat on the first floor of Car 5, getting on at Tokyo or Toyoda Station is the safest plan. Source: JR East via Traicy, Twitter/@atsushi_akechi Top image: JR East Insert images: SoraNews24, JR East ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Derelict brothel gets a new lease on life, opening the doors to its unchanged interiors and attracting a new type of visitor.  Walk around any neighbourhood in Japan and you’ll find nods to the distant past in the form of temples, shrines, and sometimes, abandoned “girou” or “brothels“. Usually located in former “yukaku” (red-light districts), these brothels fell into disuse after World War II, when the Allied military abolished licensed prostitution, bringing about an end to the pleasure districts. Now, they stand as a relic of times past, like hidden ruins of an ancient city, but in the central district of Atami City in Shizuoka Prefecture, one old building has found a new life as part of a special art project called Glound Atami. ▼ The art event gives you the opportunity to step inside a former brothel that went by the name “Tsutaya“. After arriving at Atami Station and going down the slope to the southwest, you’ll come to a seaside area lined with old buildings. This is the former “Itokawa Beri” red light district, although it’s written in Japanese on Google Maps as “Itokawa Former Special Drinking District“. ▼ The old brothel is located off the main road, in a quiet alley devoid of tourists. “Old Tsutaya”, as it’s now known, is said to be about 70 years old, and for the most part, it’s been left abandoned. So although it’s old and rickety in parts, it’s also like a time capsule, unchanged from its time as a brothel. ▼ If these tiles could talk, what stories they would tell. Normally, a place like this would be off-limits to the public, but we were able to step inside as we were visiting for the Glound Atami art project. Entry was free, and you could even take photos inside the unique space. After entering the building, though, something felt off and we couldn’t quite put our finger on it. ▼ It wasn’t the high wooden step in the genkan entrance where we left our shoes… ▼ It wasn’t the steep, dark wooden stairs… It was something about the vibe of the place, as it seemed much darker than what we’d imagined for a place that was once in the business of indulgence. It seemed moody and slightly depressing, and that’s when we were finally able to put our finger on it. The place was so tiny and cramped that it was difficult for any light to pass through. Having seen brothels in red light districts depicted in anime like Demon Slayer, we’d come to think of them as grand, sprawling places filled with rooms, endless corridors, and high ceilings, almost like a small community. Old Tsutaya, however, was the complete opposite – the entrance, hallways, stairs, bath, and rooms were all tightly squeezed together, evoking a feeling of oppression. We realised we’d been foolish to romanticise these places as lively institutions where people were able to buy and sell happiness. Anime isn’t always like reality, and here in Old Tsutaya, the reality was dark, cramped, and slightly broken. While the place was slightly unsettling, it was also strangely fascinating, with all the rooms on the second floor still displaying individual names. ▼ The “Ayame” (“Iris”) room ▼ In one corner of the building, a small washbasin had been set up against a stone wall, making us wonder what it was doing there. ▼ For some reason, we got strange vibes in this area… ▼ … and the room at the very end, which was marked with stains and peeling paint. ▼ While some places were obviously in a grave state of disrepair, other places were surprising in their relative neatness. As we moved through the building, we couldn’t help but wonder what happened to the people who frequented these rooms and maybe even peered out from the windows. Ordinarily, a building like this would normally remain closed off to time and the curious public. However, the dark, moody vibe and chequered history makes it an ideal site for art exhibitions, especially the Glound Atami event, which has video installations cleverly set up in some of the unlit rooms. ▼ The relationship between the space and the artworks makes for a mysterious, thought-provoking experience. It’s intriguing to think that the seven small, individually named rooms on the second floor where physical relations once took place are now being used as art spaces. Though we visited on the last day of the pop-up gallery, Glound Atami is just one part of a larger project to revive Old Tsutaya. Ultimately, the goal is to gather unique stores in this building as a way of creating a new base to attract visitors. The Old Tsutaya revival project, to create a store tentatively named “Tsutaya General Store”, recently smashed the target amount on its crowdfunding page, so the dream of reviving the old building for a longer period is well and truly in the pipeline. With many more abandoned buildings standing vacant around Japan, creative initiatives like this may soon breathe new life into them, so their stories can continue to be told throughout the ages. Related: Glound Atami Photos©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Dozens of rubber fixtures have suddenly gone missing from building’s toilet lids and seats. You have to be comfortable with a certain amount of uncertainty when stepping into a public restroom. Even if the cleaning staff is diligent in its duties, there’s no guarantee that someone who’s used the bathroom since the last sweep hasn’t dribbled onto the floor in front of the urinal, squirted soap onto the sink counter, or been too lazy to flush after doing their business. However, when a custodian recently went in to clean one of the restrooms at the OKB Fureai Kaikan event hall in Gifu City, the surprise waiting for them wasn’t gross, but baffling, as the rubber fixtures had been removed from a number of toilet lids and seats. ▼ Interior of the OKB Fureai Kaikan The discovery was made last Saturday afternoon at the building, which is administered by the Gifu prefectural government. A subsequent check of the other restrooms within the facility found that a total of 63 pieces of rubber were missing from 20 different toilets located in men’s and “multi-purpose” restrooms, the latter being a term used in Japan for non-gendered restrooms for use by elderly or handicapped people as well as parents with small children. Considering how rarely rubber fixtures fall out of toilets, and how it’s even less common for the fixtures to then disappear of their own accord, the incident is being treated as a theft, with a police report filed and plans to increase patrols of the building’s bathrooms by its security guards. As to why someone would want to snatch up a few dozen pieces of toilet rubber, that’s something that’s got online commenters scratching their heads. “Just what the heck is the thief planning to do with them?” “Someone out there has a purpose for 60 some-odd pieces of toilet rubber…” “He must know some way to convert them into cash.” “Is he going to try to scalp them?” “Is there a market for rubber?” “Who’d be enough of an idiot to buy used toilet rubber?” When infrastructure components get stolen, it’s often because thieves are after metals that can be sold off as scrap, such as manhole covers or copper wire. Rubber isn’t thought of as a material that’s quite as easy to flip for lucrative profit, but according to the building’s management, the 63 pieces of stolen rubber have a cumulative value of approximately 60,000 yen (US$400), though that brings us back to the question of whether anyone would be willing to buy used toilet parts. The investigation is ongoing and the suspect still at large, but there is at least something that should soften the blow for the victims a little bit. In the image below, you can see the exterior of the OKB Fureai Kaikan… …and right next door is a showroom for Toto… …Japan’s leading toilet maker, so it should be pretty easy for the building’s management to obtain the necessary replacement parts. Source: Melo Melo Meetele via Yahoo! Japan News via Hachima Kiko. Twitter Top image: Pakutaso (edited by SoraNews24) ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Why should we go hunt for bargains when we’ve already got all we really need (fried chicken) right here? Japan has wholeheartedly embraced Christmas and Halloween, but the American custom of celebrating Thanksgiving in November isn’t really a thing here. You’d think that the lack of Thanksgiving, and its associated four-day weekend, would also mean there’s no Black Friday in Japan, and yet so-named sales and promotional events have become increasingly common in recent years. The trend started with online retailers, but it’s since spread to some brick-and-mortar shops and even convenience stores. What’s more, since Japan doesn’t have a common perception of Black Friday referring to the day after the locally non-existent Thanksgiving, Black Friday is treated much more like a season of bargains that stretches across half a month or so rather than a specific discount date. But without the mental trigger of “Thanksgiving is done so we’d better get started on the Christmas shopping,” Japanese shoppers don’t go as hog wild on their Black Friday purchases as their counterparts in the U.S. do. As a matter of fact, our crack reporter Mr. Sato was recently musing about how even though he’s been seeing Black Friday ads, he’s not really sure what the significance of the season is supposed to be. So he looked deep into his heart, trying to find the true meaning of Black Friday, and after ruminating on the topic from several different angles…he realized that “Friday” sounds just like “fry day,” and so he decided to make some Black Friday/Fry Day fried chicken. To do so, he turned to Japanese recipe website Cookpad, where he came across a recipe posted by Japan Food Service, the food services company that manages the site. The ingredient list is short: all you’ll need is chicken, a karaage (Japanese-style fried chicken) breading and seasoning pack, cooking oil, and bamboo charcoal powder. Bamboo charcoal powder can be a little tricky to find, even in Japan, as not every supermarket carries it. Mr. Sato was lucky enough to find some at the grocery store closest to his home, but if yours doesn’t have it, you can purchase the same brand as Mr. Sato used online here. For the breading, he went with Karaagezukuri, a seasoning and breading pack from maker Nihon Shokken that’s pretty easy to find, but can also be purchased through Amazon Japan here. After cutting the chicken into bite-sized pieces, Mr. Sato placed them in a plastic bag and poured in the packet of seasoned soy sauce that had come with his Karaagezukuri. He then left it to marinate for a while and turned his attention to the bamboo charcoal powder. Bamboo charcoal is the go-to ingredient for turning foods black in Japan, as opposed to using artificial food colorings. To make the Black Friday/Fry Day Chicken, we need to prepare a bamboo charcoal sauce, which we can do by dissolving the powder in water, adding in water little by little and stirring gently to keep it from getting mushy. According to the Japan Food Service recipe, you should use 25 milliliters (0.85 ounces) of water for every teaspoon of bamboo charcoal powder, but Mr. Sato skipped measuring the amounts and just sort of eyeballed the ratio instead. Once he was finished preparing the bamboo charcoal sauce, he went back to the chicken and poured the pieces into a bowl. Then he tore open the pack of powdered batter from the Karaagezukuri pack and sprinkled it evenly over the meat. Now it was time to do the actual cooking. After heating up cooking oil, he carefully added the pieces of chicken to the pan and fried them up. Checking to see if they were done, he stuck each piece with a toothpick, and if it came out clean, he transferred the morsels to a rack to cool off on. At the risk of being accused of tooting his own horn, Mr. Sato has to say that he was extremely pleased with how well he’d managed to fry the chicken. However, while the batch looked good enough to eat, it didn’t yet look the part of a Black Friday/Fry Day meal, and so using a pair of long cooking chopsticks, Mr. Sato picked up the fried chicken pieces, one by one, and dunked them in the bamboo charcoal sauce. Remember how we said Mr. Sato didn’t bother sticking to the exact ratio of water to bamboo charcoal powder listed in the recipe? This turned out to be a mistake, as his sauce ended up a little on the thick side. It wasn’t unusable, but coating the chicken thoroughly and evenly was trickier than it would have been if he’d used a little more water, like he was supposed to. Still, when he was done dunking, the chicken was impressively dark in color. Quite the transformation, huh? The Black Friday/Fry Day Chicken came out so dark that it was hard to visually perceive shadows on its surface, making for some surreal visuals when Mr. Sato pickled up a piece and went in for a closer look. As shocking as Black Friday/Fry Day Chicken might look, though, it doesn’t have a frightening flavor. Bamboo charcoal has next to no effect on the taste of the food it’s added to, so while your eyes will immediately see a difference, to your taste buds it’ll seem like standard karaage, which is in no way a complaint, seeing as how tasty Japanese-style fried chicken is. Aside from making sure to actually measure the amount of water and bamboo charcoal powder you use when making the black sauce, Mr. Sato does have one other point of caution, which is that eating the Black Friday/Fry Day Chicken will temporarily color your teeth. You won’t get permanent stains, but some color will probably be there until you give your teeth a proper brushing. So sort of like recipes that are heavy on garlic, this is a dish that’s best enjoyed by everyone you’re sharing the table with, and on occasions where no one has other social engagements lined up for later in the day. Keep those points in mind, though, and you’ll have an eye-catching dish that’s sure to have people curious to try it, and one you can easily whip up in time for Thanksgiving or the actual Black Friday. Reference: Cookpad Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

With a new cake and hot apple cider joining the festivities, this is shaping up to be a delicious holiday season. After revealing its first round of Christmas drinks before Halloween was even over, Starbucks is back again with the grand unveiling of its second round of festive drinks, and these look even tastier than the first. Whereas the initial drinks combined the chain’s Joyful Medley tea blend with strawberries, the latest release shifts the focus to chocolate and marshmallows for a richer, more unctuous flavour. This combination of chocolate and marshmallows conjures up thoughts of bonfires and toasty treats, and that’s exactly what these new drinks offer, as they’re called the S’mores Chocolate Latte and the S’mores Chocolate Frappuccino. The latte (pictured on the left in the image above) combines bitter chocolate sauce with the flavour of salted caramel, an espresso shot, and carefully steamed milk. The topping contains tiny marshmallows and crunchy whole wheat pieces, the two main components of s’mores, and finishes it all off with a sprinkling of brulee sugar for added sweetness. The fragrant aromas are said to gently spread through the palate, while the marshmallows gradually melt in the warmth of the latte, allowing you to enjoy the changing texture and flavour as you sip your way through the drink. The S’mores Chocolate Frappuccino is a deep, flavourful drink that combines an espresso shot with chocolate sauce, creating a fragrant yet deliciously bitter taste. It’s also topped with whipped cream, marshmallows, whole wheat pieces and brûlée sugar, but comes with the addition of a special chocolatey “s’mores sauce” for added richness. The variation in textures between the fluffy marshmallows and crunchy wheat pieces is said to be one of the highlights of this drink, in addition to the chocolatey coffee flavours. According to Starbucks, both drinks are said to represent a slightly more grown-up version of s’mores that’s perfect for the holiday season, and they’re said to pair well with the new Strawberry & Chocolate Tart (also pictured above) that’s set to be released on the same day. As if that wasn’t enough of a Christmas present for us, Starbucks has also announced it will be releasing yet another new beverage, and this one is called Hot Apple Cider. A staple at many Christmas markets in Japan, hot apple cider is becoming synonymous with local festive celebrations, and this one combines apple juice with the flavours of cinnamon, cloves, and orange, topped with freeze-dried apple, strawberry and cranberry pieces. Said to be “a simple yet sophisticated version” of the holiday drink, each cup of Hot Apple Cider is carefully steamed by a barista, and the tantalising, spicy flavours are designed to warm your body and soul from the very first sip. All the items above are set to be released on 26 November, with the Frappuccino sold in a Tall size only, priced at 678 yen (US$4.36) for takeout and 690 yen for dine-in. The Latte and the Hot Apple Cider will be available in Short through to Venti Sizes, priced from 570-710 yen and 550-690 yen respectively. As for the tart, it will be on the menu at 570 yen for takeout and 580 yen for dine-in. That’s a lot of festive selections to choose from, and you can bet we’ll be trying them all for you as soon as they’re released, right after we finish sipping on our truffle Soupuccino. Source, images: Press release ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Sakura Veil plumpers make a stop at temple in the Kyoto foothills before making their way to convenience stores. As a Japanese cosmetics brand, it’s not surprising that Parado would draw parallels between the shades if its lip plumpers and the colors of cherry blossoms. They even have a series that they call Sakura Veil Lip, drawing inspiration from the appearance of Japan’s representative flowers. Aside from just looking pretty, though, sakura are seen as an auspicious symbol in Japanese culture, evoking thoughts of bursting into vigorous beauty as they bloom in the spring. Because of that, the sakura motif on Parado’s Sakura Veil lipsticks would already give users a bit of a mental pick-me-up, but that boost is going to be even stronger thanks to a special batch that’s been blessed by priests at a 300-year-old Kyoto temple. Located at the western edge of the city in the foothills of the historical Arashiyama district, Suzumushidera was founded in 1723. Though the temple’s name is officially Myotokusan Kegonji, it became known as Suzumushidera because of the soothing sounds of suzumushi (crickets) which can be heard chirping at night on the temple grounds. Suzumushidera is also famous for its cherry blossom trees, though, and this is why Parado reached out to the temple and asked its priests to perform a blessing on two different Sakura Veil colors, with their prayers intended to channel happiness and wellbeing towards the lipsticks’ users. The basic Sakura Veil color takes its cue/hue from cherry blossoms in full bloom, imparting a warm, soft pink glow to the lips. The second color, Sakura Tsubomi, is a darker pink, closer to a red and similar to the color of not-yet-open sakura flower buds (tsubomi). The Sakura Tsubomi also has flecks of yellow, which is the color of the omamori amulets that Suzumushidera offers at its temple and are said to bring happiness to their bearers. The Sakura Tsubomi also gets an extra luxurious ingredient in the form of a moisturizing agent made from Somei Yoshino (Japan’s most iconic cherry blossom variety) extract. Because of their blessed status, supplies of these special Sakura Veil lip plumpers are limited, but they’re surprisingly affordably priced, with the standard version just 770 yen (US$5.15) and the Sakura Tsubomi just a little more, at 990 yen. They both go on sale November 28 and will be available exclusively at 7-Eleven branches across Japan. Source: PR Times via Japaaan Images: PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Burger King’s rapid expansion in Japan has caught the eye of the Wall Street giant. You don’t have to be a financial genius to realize that you could buy a lot of hamburgers with 70 billion yen (US$466.7 million). But did you know that dropping that much cash would allow you to buy all the hamburgers? Well, all the hamburgers from Burger King Japan, to be more precise. The above sum is the amount that will reportedly be paid by Goldman Sachs to purchase Burger King’s Japanese operations. The U.S.-based investment bank hasn’t switched its priorities from making money to making meals, though, as it’s Burger King Japan’s potential profit growth that attracted Goldman Sachs’ attention. Burger King has been aggressively expanding in Japan over the past few years, going from just 77 branches nationwide in May of 2019 to 308 as of last month. It’s intending to keep that pace of doubling in size every three years going for at least one more cycle, as the chain’s current plan is to have 600 branches in Japan by the end of 2028. There’s often a sense of unease among consumers in Japan when a foreign company is looking to acquire a restaurant chain or other type of food provider, given Japan’s high standards for flavor and freshness, even at price points where expectations would be low in other countries. However, Goldman Sachs purchasing Burger King Japan wouldn’t necessarily make the chain any less Japanese than it is right now, as its Japanese operations are currently owned by Hong Kong’s Affinity Equity Partners, who purchased them in 2017. Moreover, this isn’t a case of an outside organization having to come in and save a tottering company by making sweeping changes to how it does business, but rather one of Goldman Sachs thinking that Burger King Japan is on the path to a bright future, and so we can probably expect the chain’s kitchens to keep on grilling up things like sumo burgers and Kyoto Whoppers even under its new ownership. Source: Yomiuri Shimbun Top image ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

A soft and cuddly kaki fry, complete with lemon wedge for squeezing.   There are a lot of Japanese foods that have wide-ranging appeal, and one of them is “kaki fry” or fried oysters. With a crispy exterior and plump filling, these morsels of golden goodness are usually a great partner for beer, but now they’re a great partner for your couch, thanks to a new release from Japanese manufacturer Felissimo. ▼ Like kaki fry, there are two components to this cuddly meal — the oyster itself and the crispy coating. Created for Felissimo’s humorous You+More brand, the so-called “Cute Oyster Cuddle Cushion” retails for 3,200 yen (US$20.64). It has a deliciously plump base, with black fringe folds and an adductor muscle recreated with synthetic leather appliqué embroidery. The Crispy Oyster Fry Cover (3,080 yen) is a new release that instantly transforms the raw oyster into a fried one, with a textured material that displays darker and lighter spots as you caress it, creating a natural, irregular fried appearance. ▼ Plus, it comes with a soft lemon wedge that can be squeezed between your fingers to really make you salivate. While the cushion and cover can be purchased separately, they’re also being sold as a set for 6,600 yen. You’ll be hard pressed to find any other kaki fry in the homewares world, let alone one this adorable, so if you’d like to share your couch with a cuddly piece of seafood, head to the online store (cushion here and cover here), where you’ll also be tempted to take home a pillow that looks like a Shiba Inu. Source, images: Press release ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Jiko bukken survey examines the deal-breakers and deal-makers among apartment hunters in Japan. In Japanese real estate, some apartments and homes are referred to as “jiko bukken,” or “accident properties.” This is a euphemism for properties in which a death or violent crime took place, or which was damaged by a fire or natural disaster. Real estate agencies are required to disclose jiko bukken status in property listings, and since it’s never seen as a desirable thing by prospective renters or buyers, landlords usually need to knock the price down too in order to seal the deal. However, there are some “accidents” which are going to be absolute deal breakers. To investigate, Wakeari Bukken Kaitori Pro, a Japanese real estate agency that specializes in unorthodox properties, conducted an online survey asking participants about what sort of “accident property” they absolutely don’t want to live in, as well as what sort of upsides would convince them to live in one, collecting a total of 500 responses. Among the deal breakers, the number-three response, from 9.2 percent of participants, was an apartment or home in which a fire had occurred. Obviously repairs would be carried out before new tenants move in, but survey respondents worried about the quality and reliability of patchwork renovations in which surviving parts of the building had to blended with replaced sections, and also felt that, even if there weren’t any functional problems, the aesthetics would be off. The second-most common response, 21.4 percent, was a home in which the previous occupant had committed suicide. Reasons for this response included supernatural fears of lingering dark energies, psychological unease from being unable to avoid thinking about what had happened in the home, and even concerns that something about the home’s physical environment, such as poor air circulation or excessive dampness, could indirectly affect a resident’s mental state. At the top of the list of no-way jiko bukken, though, and by a wide margin, were homes in which a murder had taken place. Along with sharing many of the misgivings related to homes in which a suicide had occurred, properties in which someone was murdered carry an additional personal safety issue. Respondents making this their pick said that if such a violent crime could occur in a home, they’d worry about the overall level of safety in the area and would be uncomfortable living there. Switching over to the other side of the survey, when asked what could entice them to live in an accident property, the respondents’ number-five answer, from 5.8 percent, was a property in which the deceased was discovered soon after passing away, under the logic that this would mean less in terms of odors or other effects on the cleanliness of the home. Above that, 9.8 percent of the survey participants said they could live in a jiko bukken if the location was especially good, such as being just a short distance from the nearest train station. One woman added that she doesn’t spend all that much time at home anyway, and as long as the surrounding neighborhood is nice, she wouldn’t feel uneasy for the amount of time she’s not out and about. ▼ It’s easier to not worry about your apartment possibly having bad mojo when you know for sure that the local cafe has good java. Coming in at third, with 18.2 percent, were jiko bukken that have had their exteriors and interiors thoroughly cleaned and repaired, and after that was a large gap until the number-two response, from 34.6 percent of the survey participants: an accident property in which the accident wasn’t of a particularly shocking nature. In more concrete terms, this meant homes in which the previous occupant had died due to either natural causes, such as old age, or illness. While those still aren’t plusses in the eyes of home-seekers, a certain amount of such deaths were seen as inevitabilities, and so they’re less likely to color one’s perception of a home to the extent that a suicide or murder would. Finally, at the top of the “I’d be OK living in a jiko bukken if…” list, we come to the obvious number-one answer, from 54.2 percent of the survey participants: cheap rent. As mentioned above, real estate listings are required to disclose jiko bukken status, and it’s always going to be impossible to rent or sell them for the same price as an otherwise comparable property that isn’t a jiko bukken. That means that people who are willing to live in one can reap two types of potential benefits, either saving money that they can then use in other ways or living in a class of apartment or neighborhood that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. Ultimately, whether living in a jiko bukken is worth the drawbacks, or even whether there actually are any drawbacks at all, is going to be up to one’s individual way of thinking. But since there will always be a portion of the population in Japan who would never choose one as their home, there will always be economic opportunities for those without any such hangups. Source: PR Times, Wakeari Bukken Kaitori Pro Top image: Pakutaso Insert images: Pakutaso (1, 2) ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!