logo
In Japan, rare bobtail cats are considered good luck. Nagasaki is filled with them

In Japan, rare bobtail cats are considered good luck. Nagasaki is filled with them

Washington Post28-05-2025

NAGASAKI, Japan — In Japan, bobtail cats are considered good luck and Nagasaki is the place to find them.
They are known as 'omagari neko (bent-tail cats)' or 'kagi neko (hook cats)' and have their own society of admirers and even a dedicated Shinto shrine.
Their tails come in varieties including hook-shaped at the tip, curved or in a bun, explained Kazuya Hideshima, a worker at Omagari Neko Shrine and member of the Nagasaki Cat Society.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

I Didn't Think French Toast Could Get Any Better, but Here We Are
I Didn't Think French Toast Could Get Any Better, but Here We Are

New York Times

time9 hours ago

  • New York Times

I Didn't Think French Toast Could Get Any Better, but Here We Are

A nice thing I do for myself is, whenever it's available, I pick up a loaf of shokupan from my local bakery. Everything about shokupan is pleasing — its plushiness, neat cubic shape, buttery aroma and fawn color. It's my favorite landing pad for all sorts of sandwiches, sandos and toasts, though I'm perfectly happy munching on a soft square, plain and unadorned, with a milky afternoon tea. You don't need shokupan to make Cybelle Tondu's Hong Kong-style French toast (any white sandwich or brioche-style loaf will do) but it's a great excuse to seek it out. Likewise, you don't need peanut butter for the filling, and could swipe your slices instead with marmalade, chocolate-hazelnut spread, a different nut butter or (ohh) kaya. The formula here — custard-dunked, shallow-fried bread holding an oozing filling and topped with a sigh of butter and sweetened condensed milk — sets you up for delicious success. It's a very nice thing for a weekend morning. Featured Recipe View Recipe → Cilantro-mint chicken lettuce wraps: How stunning are these vivid green wraps from Zainab Shah? Versatile, too: If you're not liking lettuce, you could tuck the tangy, herby chicken salad into sandwiches; if you're chickened out, the green chutney would be wonderful on kebabs and fritters. Shorbat adas bil hamod (lentil soup with greens): I once rented an Airbnb that came with the instructions to 'please water and eat the chard.' We ate a (literal) bunch of it every day. I wish I'd had this easy, healthy recipe from Noor Murad, which turns one pound of those tender, leafy greens into a sustaining, lemony soup. Crispy tofu tacos: Alexa Weibel doesn't exclusively develop vegetarian and vegan recipes, but her vegetarian and vegan recipes are so, so good. (You've met the Beans, yes?) These assertively seasoned, umami-full tofu tacos already have five stars. 'It was so delicious I ate one pan all by myself' writes Julia, a reader. Our Cookie Week king Vaughn Vreeland has written — wait for it — 'Cookies,' a cookbook full of brilliant recipes for anytime treats. You can preorder your copy here, and make a batch of his five-star chewy brownie cookies as a preview of all the goodness coming your way.

Researchers horrified by disturbing discovery captured in trendy cafes: 'There's a lot more … than we previously thought'
Researchers horrified by disturbing discovery captured in trendy cafes: 'There's a lot more … than we previously thought'

Yahoo

time10 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Researchers horrified by disturbing discovery captured in trendy cafes: 'There's a lot more … than we previously thought'

Asian small-clawed otters have a cult following on the internet, particularly in Japan. However, researchers recently found evidence of extensive, behind-the-scenes poaching driven by their popularity. Mongabay looked at new research published in Conservation Science and Practice, focused on Asian small-clawed otters in Japan's controversial otter cafes. Concerns about the species aren't new — in 2019, published an exhaustive piece questioning the ethics of Japan's otter cafes, documenting unsuitable conditions and visibly distressed otters. Researchers from France, Thailand, and Japan suspected poaching played a role in the bustling otter trade. They obtained DNA samples from 81 Asian small-clawed otters in Japan, 43 of which were from zoos, 33 from animal cafes, and five from otters intercepted at the border. Using genetic markers, the team contrasted the samples with those of otters from "the southern region of Thailand, which is a suspected poaching hotspot." Their suspicions were validated, and their findings were striking. "Based on the identical haplotypes, most otters (94%) kept at cafes originated from Thailand, compared to around 60% from those kept at zoos and aquariums," researchers determined, per Conservation Science and Practice. "Actually, there's a lot more Thai otters in Japan than we previously thought," said conservation biologist and study co-author Worata Klinsawat, per Mongabay. "Poaching and illegal wildlife trade are among the key drivers of biodiversity loss and biosecurity crises worldwide," the team said, per Conservation Science and Practice. The practice of poaching — defined by National Geographic as "the illegal trafficking and killing of wildlife" — is a global problem with far-reaching consequences in terms of conservation and habitat, both human and animal. Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely Only in some areas Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Researchers said in Conservation Science and Practice that poaching "threatens the species' survival and population viability of otters." The Asian small-clawed otter was designated "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the Japanese river otter was officially deemed "extinct" in 2012. Dwindling populations of native flora and fauna wreak havoc on local ecosystems, creating a domino effect on habitats and disrupting the food chain. Donating to conservation and wildlife protection organizations is one way to directly mitigate harmful behaviors like animal poaching. However, the most effective approach is a simple one, according to one researcher. "It's natural to feel affectionate toward otters, but we need to leave them in the wild so that they can fulfill their ecological role, for them and for us," Klinsawat said, per Mongabay. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.

Your Daily FoodScope for June 07, 2025
Your Daily FoodScope for June 07, 2025

Yahoo

time17 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Your Daily FoodScope for June 07, 2025

Do you often find yourself wondering what food to cook, how to cook it, and even that dreaded question—how much of it? It's a daily struggle for all of us, but need not be with our food horoscope. Satisfaction is only a click away! You could be tempted to do as little as possible. But that will be difficult as work demands suck you back in. But the day will be over before you know it and you can finally relax. Let someone else do the cooking tonight. Sushi and miso soup will be a mellow way to end the workweek. It'll behoove you to keep the company of those who share your goals today. This will be particularly true if you're trying to lose weight. A support group will keep you focused so arrange to meet for lunch. You can share each other's salads, although you may want to pass on the one with the anchovies. Things will seem blurry today, and comprehension will be hard to come by. You could be experiencing fallout from skipping breakfast. Making amends at lunch could save the day. Turkey breast on rye with a big green salad could have you seeing things clearer, or at least a lot less fuzzy. You may want to bond with your watery roots today. So get in a swim at the local pool. You'll feel right at home in the water and the subsequent workout will do you good. Follow that with a healthy dinner. Hmmm, grilled salmon with a bowl of Manhattan clam chowder suddenly comes to mind. Emotions will run high at work today, but strive to be the embodiment of Zen. This may be tough as you sit in the middle of the swirling vortex. But a cup of organic chamomile tea with a lemon slice and a sprig of mint may prompt you to chant your mantra, much to the chagrin of those around you. What does your karmic journey hold? Discover your destiny with our Karma Report. ✨ Don't expect a lot to get done on this last day of the week. Fortunately you won't have much on your plate, so it'll be easy to relax. But avoid skipping out early to get a head start on happy hour. Those Buffalo wings and nachos can wait until at least five o'clock, but not a minute later. It won't make sense to start new projects today. So milk the work you've already got on your plate. But you'll want to knock off a little early. There's a seat with your name on it at the sushi bar and a boatload of sashimi that's just daring you to dive in. You'll think your imagination is playing tricks on you today. But you'll soon realize that you're staring at the real deal. So pull up a chair and a fork and dig into a delicious crab casserole made with crab fresh from the bay. It'll be so good you'll think you're dreaming. You'll have a hard time getting the engine started today. So put the appropriate fuel into the tank before leaving home. Buttermilk pancakes with turkey sausage smothered in maple syrup will give you something to burn straight through lunch and beyond. Compassion will fuel you with a desire to help the less fortunate today. So buy cans of tuna, soup and fruit as well as boxes of cereal and donate them to your local food bank. It's important to remember those who don't have much to celebrate. You deserve to pamper yourself as the week draws to a close. A massage or facial sound tempting but they will ultimately be unsatisfying. Treat yourself to dinner instead. A surf and turf meal will give you contentment, especially if the surf in question is a plump Maine lobster tail. You may not have funds to lavish yourself with jewelry and trendy new clothes. But you can still pamper yourself and remain within budget. Buy the ingredients needed to make an obscenely cheesy lasagna. You'll get tremendous self-satisfaction and it won't break your bank. Need guidance? Your Numerology Reading is a mystic cheat-sheet to living your full potential.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store