Forget the Pokémon style mascots. The one the Tokyo Olympics needs and wants is a pistol-slinging, fencing foil-wielding centaur.

At This Japanese Noodle Restaurant, The Restroom Is So Thoughtful

Brian Ashcraft

2/01/18 5:00am

Going to the toilet at Ichiran Ramen, means more than high-tech washlets. It means all the toilet paper you could ever want.

Kotaku East

Japan, Don't Worry About Noodle Harassment!

Brian Ashcraft

2/06/17 8:00am

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When I first moved to Japan at the turn of the century, I was told that noodle lovers need not fret about making slurping sounds while eating. Among some, that attitude is changing. There is now concern over “noodle harassment.”

Kotaku East

Inside One of Japan's Oldest Restaurants

Brian Ashcraft

12/09/14 4:30am

You like noodles, right? I sure do. Especially soba noodles. And Kyoto's Honke Owariya is famous for its soba noodles. That, and being very, very old.

Video

"Dog Noodles" Are Now Available in Japan

Brian Ashcraft

9/25/14 4:00am

What's wrong with dog food? Can't we just feed our four-legged friends dog food? No, it seems, we cannot. Enter "Dog Noodles." These are noodles for dogs.

Kotaku East

Samurai Dazzles with Soccer Tricks

Brian Ashcraft

6/10/14 5:00am

For this year's World Cup, Japanese noodle company Nissin thought it would be a good idea to send Red Bull athlete Kotaro Tokuda to Brazil. To do soccer tricks. In samurai gear.

Kotaku East

A Look at Japan's Modern Day Samurai

Brian Ashcraft

3/28/14 4:40am

You might think that the samurai no longer exist in Japan. That the samurai officially vanished when they were banned from carrying swords in the late 19th century. That might be true, but samurai still exist in Japan. Today, they just wield glowsticks instead.

Kotaku East