
Japanese hotel offers toys their own beds, but it will cost you
The teddy bear beds are currently being trialled at the Toyoko Inn Osaka Dome Mae for an additional fee of 300 yen (£1.50).
Nuikatsu or 'living with stuffed toys ' is a social media trend that sees people travel to events with their nuigurumi plush toys.
A hotel representative for Toyoko Inn told J-Cast News he hoped the service would be popular with Gen Z travellers, reported The Times.
According to the Toyoko Inn website, the sleepover plan includes 'a special overnight set for your Oshi merch — like plushies or acrylic stands — complete with a mini bed and tiny bathrobe'.
Travellers are also encouraged to post a photo or video of their stay on TikTok, X, or Instagram with the hashtag #推し活なら東横イン (Toyoko Inn is the place to go for your favourite idols) to receive a small gift.
The overnight set is available as a rental and has to be returned to the hotel on checkout.
Recently, a Chinese hotel was ordered to end its unusual wake-up call service that involves red pandas climbing onto guests' beds after concerns for safety and animal rights.
Lehe Ledu Liangjiang Holiday Hotel, a popular family resort in Chongqing, has been called on by the local forestry bureau to stop one of its most popular services. Many guests are attracted to the hotel solely for its red panda wake-up experience.
The service involves bringing one of the hotel's red pandas up to a guest's bedroom in the morning, allowing the panda to roam freely around the room and climb onto the bed.
Despite the popularity of the service, the Chongqing Forestry Bureau has reportedly asked the hotel to immediately cease all close contact activities between the pandas and visitors.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
30 minutes ago
- The Independent
Why your matcha latte is about to get a lot more expensive
Matcha prices are soaring due to record temperatures in Japan and a significant increase in global demand. Japan's Kyoto region, a key producer of tencha (the base for matcha), experienced severe heatwaves last summer, resulting in weak yields during the recent April-May harvest. The popularity of matcha has surged, with sales in the UK rising by 202 per cent in 2023, driven by social media trends and Japan's post-pandemic tourism boom. Farmers are reporting reduced harvests, and importers are struggling to meet demand, with some cafes experiencing rapid stock depletion. New US tariffs of 15 per cent on Japanese imports are anticipated to further increase matcha prices, despite concerns from distributors who argue the product should be exempt.


The Sun
5 hours ago
- The Sun
I lived on a cruise ship – we got no days off but you did get free food and didn't have to pay tax or rent
A TRAVEL fan has revealed what it was really like to live and work on a cruise ship. Anaya Daisy, who is currently exploring Thailand but was previously working on a cruise ship in the shore excursions department, claimed that during her stint on the ship, she never got any days off. Despite this, she revealed the benefits to living on a cruise ship and explained that not only was the food free, but she didn't have to pay any rent or tax either. Posting on social media, the brunette got candid on cruise ship life, as she said: 'Do you get days off while working on a cruise ship? Now, this is a question I get asked quite a lot, both by people off the ship and then guests that are actually on the ship, but the answer, unfortunately, is no, we don't get any days off.' Anaya explained that 'most of the crew' don't get any days off, as it is 'an unwritten rule' that you work the entirety of your contract. The content creator, who doesn't have to pay tax whilst on board, acknowledged that contracts can range from anywhere for three months up to nine months. She added: 'Because the cruise is running nearly every day of the year, we can't have any days off because obviously, we're gonna have passengers, and who's gonna look after the passengers if everyone's having days off? 'Yes, this does sound like a lot, and yes, it sometimes does feel like a lot, but even though we're working seven days a week, that doesn't necessarily mean that you're gonna be working all of the entire day.' Anaya then expressed that rather than having a day off, many departments will get the middle of the day off to relax and explore the cruise ship. Her hours vary, but she never works more than 10 hours a day. But Anaya, who gets free food onboard and is allowed to eat at the crew buffet, isn't bothered by never having a full day off, as she claimed that there are 'so many perks of working on a cruise ship.' In particular, for Anaya, who lives in a 'basic' but free shared accommodation with bunk beds, waking up in a different country every day is something she finds 'literally insane.' I 'live' on a cruise ship with my son & fiancé - the food's amazing, there's childcare & our laundry's done for free too Not only this, but she then continued: 'Although that's not a full day off, you're still getting time to actually enjoy the ports that we're going to and enjoy the countries that we're visiting. 'It might sound kind of crazy that we don't have any days off, especially if you have a really long contract, but you just get used to it after a bit and I suppose it's the price you pay for seeing the world, so, yeah, I really don't mind.' Social media users react Anaya's TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 94,300 views, 3,220 likes and 107 comments. Social media users were stunned by Anaya's full on work life on the ship and many were eager to know more about life on board. It might sound kind of crazy that we don't have any days off, especially if you have a really long contract, but you just get used to it after a bit Anaya Daisy One person said: 'Up to nine months without a day off is crazy!' Another added: 'Love the ship content.' A third commented: 'That sounds so full on, sounds amazing though.' Pros and cons of going on a cruise ship Whether you're considering a long holiday, working remotely or even living on board a cruise ship for a few months or years, here are the pros and cons from a former cruise shipper. Pros Travel the world, learn and experience new cultures Meet new people Don't have to think or worry about room cleaning, or food Cons Internet connection can be painfully slow and expensive Limited luggage allowance so have to wear the same clothes on rotation Having no control of where the ship would go next and the possibility of visiting the same ports Having the same onboard entertainment, on-demand movies, and little choice of TV channels No fresh newspapers or new books unless someone adds them to the library Relatively the same food week after week unless major menu changes occur seasonally. Occasional rough seas, bad weather and viral outbreaks while inboard. Meanwhile, one user asked: 'Genuine question because I want to work on a cruise but how do you see the world if you don't get a day off?' To this, Anaya confirmed: 'Because sometimes we have breaks off in the middle of the day and I work in the excursions department so I spend a lot of time on the trips and seeing the places that way.' At the same time, someone else questioned: 'What happens if you get really sick?' Setting the record straight, Anaya explained: 'You would see the medical centre if you were ill. If they thought you were too sick to work then you'd get 'signed off'. If you've not been signed off by medical then you'd still have to work.' Not only this, but one person wondered: 'How common is cheating?'


Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Telegraph
Escape the hordes at Greece's last great off-the-radar glories
Tiers of whitewashed houses tumbling down to impossibly blue coves, charming tavernas serving the classics in sleepy villages, and greetings of 'opa' from exuberant locals… Our rose-tinted idea of the Greek island idyll is now all too often a nostalgic cliché which no longer truly exists. These days the most popular resorts on the Greek island big hitters – the likes of Crete, Corfu and Mykonos – seem more focussed on Instagram appeal, where Gen-Zedders and wannabe influencers think nothing of shelling out €150-plus for a beach lounger for a day. In the main streets you're never far away from a big chain, from Zara to Starbucks, and even the so-called 'hidden gems' are now on most tourists' checklists. But for those still seeking that archetypal authentic Greek island holiday – and perhaps looking to experience must-sees a little differently – help is at hand. Here's our selection of the loveliest off-the-radar spots which the tourist hordes haven't yet discovered, and where the hazy, dreamy Greece of yesteryear lives on. Skopelos Before hosting the Mamma Mia nuptials, this small island in the Cyclades was barely on the tourist trail. Now, however, you'll find more tours in its tiny hilltop Agios Ioannis church than olives in a Greek restaurant. Yes, it's pretty as a picture, but so are the other 360 or so chapels and churches dotted around the island. Go beyond this popular spot, however, and you'll soon find Skopelos – 80 per cent of which is covered by pine forest – retains much of its traditional charm. This is helped by the fact that the island has no airport (just frequent ferries from neighbouring Skiathos), meaning it gets a fraction of the tourists it otherwise might. The stunning Panormos beach, with its deep crystal clear waters, is 12km from Skopelos town and popular for divers keen to explore the wreck of the Greek cargo steamer Christoforos, which sank in 1983. It's a large beach with parasols and beds (some free, some around €5 a day), but it's also possible to hire a motorboat to seek out one of many deserted coves along the coastline that are inaccessible by road. For some authentic Skopelitan shopping, the Rodios pottery workshop and store in Skopelos Town is the place to to buy the island's patented black pottery. Since 1900, four generations of the Rodios family have continued their tradition of creating unique black ceramics, and you can even watch Nikos Rodios at work at their original foot-operated wheel. Just don't ask him to reveal how the pottery achieves its celebrated colour – it's a closely guarded secret. Portaria and Makrinitsa The third largest port in Greece (after Athens and Thessaloniki) and an important industrial hub, Volos is about as far from textbook Hellenic paradise as you can get. But there's more to it than meets the eye. For those seeking something rather special, it's also the gateway to the lush hills of Mount Pelion, where the ancient Centaurs (half-man, half-horse) are said to have brought up the young hero Jason, who went on to lead his Argonauts in the quest to find the Golden Fleece. Pelion was also believed to be the summer residence of the Olympian Gods, who enjoyed its abundance of figs, olives and pomegranates under the pine and cypress trees. Half an hour's drive up the winding hillside, the twin villages of Portaria and Makrinitsa appear like an illustrated pop-up book. Plane trees with maple-shaped leaves grow close to the abundant natural springs dotted all around Makrinitsa, offering soothing shade for those keen to take a dip. The town square, meanwhile, is the heart of the village, filled with tiny shops selling bunches of mountain herbs to cure all ills. Even the local cats are on a go-slow; you simply can't help but relax here. Skyros The fishing village of Linaria is the port stop for Skyros, from where a €15 taxi will take you to the main town (or Chora – the name for most Greek island capitals). Here, the medina-like streets and white-cubed buildings seem to cling to the hillside, which is topped by the Byzantine Castle and Monastery of Skyros. Not being much of a shopper myself, it was refreshing to see something different being offered in the quirky stores along the marbled walkways: miniature boats made of driftwood and sailors twine; traditional Trochadia sandals made of leather with rubber soles from car tyres (certainly more unusual than the ubiquitous Birkenstock); and Skyrian macarons topped with a clove and stuffed with walnuts and thyme-scented honey. The island's network of old footpaths appeals to both hikers and those keen to seek out isolated beaches, the walk made all the lovelier by the wild Skyros' ponies, one of the rarest equines in the world, who roam the mountains. Patmos Known variously as the Jerusalem of the Aegean, the Holy Island or the Island of the Apocalypse, Patmos is famous for its religious legacy. A day trip here will likely include a visit to the Monastery of St John and the Cave of the Apocalypse, where you will see such treasures as the skull of doubting apostle St Thomas. The museum houses the late 5th century Gospel According to Mark, one of the sources for the text of the New Testament, and in the Cave of Revelations you can touch the crevices in the wall where St John steadied himself while receiving the heavenly revelations. Perhaps not a huge draw for everyone, but of special importance for many. Less likely to be on everyone's radar is Patmian House, a living museum which not only reflects a typical wealthy family home, but also depicts the way in which wealth is passed down through the daughters, rather than the sons, of each family. Perhaps the Greeks were on to something from the start… How to do it Most major cruise lines offer itineraries covering various Greek isles – but bear in mind that companies with smaller vessels can reach a wider range of islands, and – better still – have the flexibility to adapt itineraries depending on the sailing conditions, opening up more opportunities to get off the typical tourist trail. A good option is SeaDream, a line whose catchphrase is 'It's yachting, not cruising': you're technically on a cruise, but with a yachting mindset, allowing for a flexible route which often leads to bonus destinations not on the original itinerary (such as Kusadasi in Turkey to see the ancient city of Ephesus by night). Choosing to sail with a company like SeaDream also often means additional comforts (nightly turndown gifts such as monogrammed pyjamas and personalised water bottles, for example), and experiential highlights such as sleeping under the stars on the top deck or zooming down a huge inflatable slide straight into the Aegean. What to book SeaDream Yacht Club (020 7399 7670) has an 11-day Greek Odyssey round-trip from Athens. Prices from £12,465 per person, including return flights from London Heathrow, overseas transfers and all meals and drinks, use of waterspouts equipment, gratuities and port fees. Departs September 19 2026. If you'd like to tack on a few days in Athens pre-cruise, the five-star Xenodocheio Milos hotel has rooms from £259 (including breakfast), as well as a fabulous spa, superb fish restaurant, and great location close to Athens's most famous sites and buzzy areas such as Psyri, Kolonaki and Pangrati.