Latest news with #AmazonJapan
SoraNews24
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Does Chiikawa's cuteness have a breaking point? Testing anime character's edible stickers【Photos】
Looking for the limits of Chiikawa and friends. Since Japan has an insatiable appetite for cuteness, it's only natural that the country is always searching for ways to make food cute. That search recently brought us to a way to incorporate the cast of anime/manga Chiikawa into our meals and snacks of, well, essentially anything. While poking around the official Chiikawa online store, we came across the Chiikawa Edible Stickers set, which gets you a sheet of illustrations of Chiikawa and friends made of thin strips of starch and agar. While they don't add any noticeable flavor or substantial texture, they do give food a sizable cuteness boost, and so we were eager to try them out ourselves. Though they're currently sold out on the official shop, we managed to find some on Amazon Japan here, priced at 270 yen (US$1.85) per sheet of 13 stickers. Sliding out the sheet, we were greeted by several stars of the main cast, including Chiikawa, Hachiware, Usagi, Momonga, and Kuri-Manju. With so many options to choose from, we decided to try using the Chiikawa Edible Stickers with a variety of different foods in order to test the limits of their cuteness-enhancing powers. We settled on a top-down approach, starting with foods that are already inherently cute, then working our way down to less-cute foods until they stopped making us go 'Awwwww!' when Chiikawa stickers are applied to them. ● Round 1: Sanshoku dango This traditional Japanese sweet of a trio of mochi dumplings doesn't really need any help being cute, as the bright colors and playful atmosphere of eating them straight from the skewer is enough to put a smile on our faces already. But would applying the Chiikawa stickers send their cuteness soaring to an even higher level? Yes. Yes it would. We're honestly amazed at how professional the results look. You'll want to make sure your hands are clean and dry when placing the stickers, and use a delicate touch, but get it right and they'll transform a pack of ordinary from-the-supermarket dango into something amusement park snack bars would probably charge you three or four hundred yen a stick for. ● Round 2: Warabimochi Next up, the jiggliest of traditional Japanese desserts, warabimochi. For our test, we picked out a pack of bite-sized spherical mochi pieces. Since warabimochi doesn't have much flavor by itself, the pack included kinako (roasted soybean powder) and kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup) to dip/cover them in, but we added the stickers first. Once again, there was a major addition of adorability, with the stickers looking like they were quivering in joyous excitement. Applying the extras seasonings does dampen the visual contrast, though, so you'll want to use them sparingly, or at least be strategic as to which angle you dip from. ● Round 3: Tamagoyaki Shifting from sweet to savory, we come to tamagoyaki, the Japanese-style fried egg omelet. This gave us our first broad, flat canvas to work with, but applying the facial-feature-only stickers worked great, making it look like Chiikawa and the others had morphed into egg form. ▼ Seriously, if they made plushie keychains/straps that looked like this, they'd probably sell a ton of them. ● Round 4: Konnyaku OK, now it's time to really start challenging Chiikawa as we introduce konnyaku to the test. A type of yam-based gelatin, konnyaku is healthy and low-calorie, but as a gray/beige block, it's not exactly cute… …or at least it's not exactly cute until you put some Chiikawa stickers on it. With konnyaku having a drabber hue than the more vivid tamagoyaki, there's sort of a humorous undercurrent to the cuteness here, with your brain telling you this probably shouldn't be cute, but somehow still is. Simmilar to warabimochi, konnyaku doesn't have much flavor on its own. One way to eat it is with miso, so we slathered some on, which turned out to be a very wise plan because it made it look like we'd covered our Chiikawa konnyaku up with a cozy blanket. ● Round 5: Shishamo OK, now it's time for the final trial, shishamo, or as they're called in English… …smelt. Yep, these are straight-up small fish that are served with the heads still on. Even by Japanese standards, it's an old-school dish, something particularly popular with older generations. So how well will it mesh with Chiikawa aesthetics? Hmm… OK, Chiikawa, that's enough for today. It looks like we've reached the limit of foods that you can make cute. Between the undulating nature of the fish's flesh and the visual unevenness of the scaly pattern and color imparted during grilling, it's hard for the character artwork to stand out. Since the linework doesn't pop, it seems to fade in and out depending on if you're directly looking at it, which kind of makes it look like the fish is haunted. For everything with more inherent cuteness than a grilled fish, though, Chiikawa Edible Stickers definitely create a cute dining experience, and one you don't even have to go to McDonald's for. Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
SoraNews24
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Trying out Amazon Japan's lowest-rated wall decoration
Amazon makes our writer an offer he can't refuse. After an enlightening job performance review with his senior colleague Mr. Sato, our writer Masanuki Sunakoma was feeling a bit in a rut. That's why he got a sudden urge to refresh his mood by redecorating his living environment, preferably something with a little pizzazz. He decided to search on Amazon Japan for something that could spruce up his homestead within his budget. However, after years of seeking out the worst products on the e-commerce giant, his search results have gotten a little skewed. One product that caught his eye was the Giraffe Head Wall Hanging for 2,585 yen (US$18). It's a simple 3-D bust of the savanna's gentle giant that creates the illusion of it popping its head into your living space, as if to munch on some mimosa leaves. The product image made it look incredibly life-like too. It would certainly wow guests who came to visit and looked sure to put a smile on his face every day as he walked past it. It also had a feel of a hunter's lodge but in a more fun way that doesn't say, 'I shot and killed an animal that's as big as a house and yet somehow also completely non-threatening.' However, the reviews for it were less than stellar. It has a rock-bottom rating of 1.0 stars and reviews claiming the real thing was nothing like the image. Knowing that products have been unfairly maligned by picky reviewers before, Masanuki decided to take the plunge and purchase a giraffe's head. It took about two weeks for the wall hanging to arrive from overseas, and our writer was filled to the brim with suspense about how it would look. Then, one fateful day, his package arrived. ▼ Cue the Godfather theme… ▼ Duh-duhn-nuh-nuh-nuh-neh Nuh-neh-nuh-neh-nuh-nuhhhh… ▼ Duh-duhn-nuh-nuh-nuh-neh Nuh-neh-nuh-neh-nuh-nehhhh… ▼ Duh-duhn-neh-nehhhh, duh-duhn-neh-nehhhh… ▼ Duh-nuh-neh-neh-nuh-neh-nuh-neh-neh-nuh-neh… ▼ Nehhhhhhh… Far from the vibrant herbivore shown on the Amazon page, this giraffe looked like it had been dead for quite a while. It was also covered in a white powder that might have been caused by the resin it was made of. It managed to make the giraffe look even less alive and cursed to roam the world as a soulless, long-necked wraith. Needless to say, this was not the pick-me-up that Masanuki wanted, but he decided to give it a shot anyway and hung it on his wall. He looked at his new objet d'art and contemplated if it had any redeeming qualities he might have overlooked. It was then that he realized even the false window was horrendously made. Rather than peeking its head in from the lush foliage of Kenya, this giraffe seemed to be struggling to escape the ectoplasmic confines of an eldritch hell. ▼ Sometimes that giraffe looks right at ya. Right into your eyes. And the thing about this giraffe is he's got lifeless eyes. Black eyes. Like a doll's eyes. When he comes at ya, he doesn't even seem to be livin'… 'til he bites ya, and those black eyes roll over white and then… ah then you hear that terrible high-pitched screamin'. Rather than brightening his day, this wall hanging cast an even heavier pallor over his home. He even felt he would be hard pressed to find a more depressing decoration than this. Maybe someone out there would have a need or desire for such a thing, but it wasn't Masanuki. He took down the cursed item and went in search of something else to lift his spirits. It would seem interior decoration was a lot harder than he had thought. Related: Amazon Japan Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
The Mainichi
05-05-2025
- The Mainichi
Woman mistakenly arrested for not carrying passport: Our 5 most-read stories from last week
We've listed our five most read stories on The Mainichi news site, from top to bottom, that were published between April 26 and May 4. The first story was viewed by 26.1% of our regular readers. (The Mainichi) Japan's Kanagawa Pref. police mistakenly arrest Thai woman for not carrying passport YOKOHAMA -- Police in eastern Japan's Kanagawa Prefecture mistakenly arrested a Thai woman for not carrying her passport, failing to notice it inside a sanitary napkin in her possession, it has been learned. Full story. A Chinese man airlifted from Japan's Mount Fuji returns to the slope days later and is rescued again TOKYO (AP) -- A climber airlifted with altitude sickness from near the peak of Japan's Mount Fuji last week returned to the slope and was rescued for a second time just four days later, authorities said Monday. Full story. As prices rise, is battle heating up between domestic, foreign tourists for Japan hotels? TOKYO -- The cost of staying at hotels in metropolitan Tokyo and regional Japanese cities keeps rising amid a surge in foreign visitors, with a survey by a Tokyo-based corporate analytics firm showing rates at key lodgings had risen by as much as over 50% year-on-year last fall. Full story. How does wrong-way driving like in fatal head-on crash in east Japan occur? TOKYO -- Two people died in a collision caused by a driver going the wrong way on an east Japan expressway April 26. Some 20% of the 200 annual cases of wrong-way driving on expressways in the country result in accidents. But when and how does such driving occur, and how can other drivers safely respond? Full story. Device seller demands Amazon Japan step up after 'outrageous' delisting of genuine item TOKYO -- A medical device sales company whose product was removed from the Amazon Japan website demanded the e-commerce giant to "take responsibility precisely because of its significant influence on the market," following an April 25 ruling by the Tokyo District Court ordering the latter to pay damages. Full story.
The Mainichi
26-04-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
Device seller demands Amazon Japan step up after 'outrageous' delisting of genuine item
TOKYO -- A medical device sales company whose product was removed from the Amazon Japan website demanded the e-commerce giant to "take responsibility precisely because of its significant influence on the market," following an April 25 ruling by the Tokyo District Court ordering the latter to pay damages. In August 2021, Takahiro Fujii, 56, then president of the Kobe-based Excel Plan Co., had a gut feeling that an item he saw on Amazon "must be fake." Excel Plan held exclusive rights to sell pulse oximeters manufactured by a firm in Kobe. The device, which measures blood oxygen saturation, was used to monitor the health of coronavirus patients. While Excel Plan's genuine product was priced at 25,740 yen (about $180), a nearly identical counterfeit version was being sold for only 2,200 yen (around $15). There were many complaints from consumers who received these fake items, saying "the products were made in China." Despite contacting Tokyo-based Amazon Japan G.K. to request the removal of the counterfeit listing, the situation remained unchanged. Instead, Excel Plan's own product was delisted and disappeared from the site without any explanation. Sales through Amazon, which had been around 100 million yen (roughly $695,000), plummeted to approximately 610,000 yen (some $4,200) just two months later. "This is outrageous!" Fujii recalled thinking. Refusing to accept the situation, he sought relief through the courts. The April 25 ruling criticized Amazon for failing to conduct a proper investigation, stating that there was "intent or at least gross negligence," and called on platforms to implement measures against counterfeit goods. At the April 25 press conference, Fujii stated, "There are many sellers like us who are struggling because counterfeit goods aren't being removed. If fake products stop circulating, it would benefit consumers as well. We hope the company takes this seriously and makes a change." Takaaki Someya, the attorney representing the plaintiff company, said of the court's decision, "Sellers are compelled to use platforms that many consumers use. The demand for proper operation is highly commendable."
See - Sada Elbalad
25-04-2025
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
Amazon Japan Fined $244,000 Over Fake Listings
Israa Farhan Amazon Japan has been ordered to pay 35 million yen (about $244,000) in damages for permitting the sale of counterfeit goods on its platform, following a landmark ruling by the Tokyo District Court. The case centered on the platform's responsibility to monitor and remove fake listings. The court found that Amazon Japan failed to take adequate action against known counterfeit products, despite being informed of their existence. The lawsuit was filed by Kobe-based companies Try and E Co., a manufacturer of medical devices, and its exclusive distributor, Excel Plan Co. They claimed their business suffered after a counterfeit version of their pulse oximeter appeared on the same product page on Amazon at one-tenth the original price. The court ruled in favor of Excel Plan, awarding compensation for the damages incurred. The judge emphasized Amazon's duty to implement effective anti-counterfeit measures and maintain a reliable authentication system for products sold on its site. The plaintiffs highlighted that companies have little choice but to rely on dominant e-commerce platforms like Amazon, making it critical for such platforms to uphold rigorous standards in product verification and seller accountability. The ruling is seen as a precedent in Japan, potentially paving the way for stricter enforcement of platform responsibilities in curbing the spread of counterfeit goods online. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Lifestyle Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Videos & Features Bouchra Dahlab Crowned Miss Arab World 2025 .. Reem Ganzoury Wins Miss Arab Africa Title (VIDEO) Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple
