All of Tokyo available as a free 3-D scale model right now!

Grand Theft Auto: Tokyo, anyone?

The Japanese Government hasn’t had the best track record with technology. While some key figures have rarely—if ever—touched a computer, one of their most ambitious campaigns at the moment is phasing out the use of wooden stamps and fax machines for official documents.

However, every once in a while they do something that’s really quite amazing. This time it’s a 3-D digital model of all 23 special wards of Tokyo, and it’s completely free!

▼ Make sure you have a computer that can handle it all though. This group of buildings is less than 5 percent of the whole thing

When I say “completely” I mean you can do whatever you want with it, including using it for commercial purposes such as designing your own software or game around it. Surely, the geographical information purposes alone are endless, but it’s hard not to look at that and see the potential free-roaming action or racing games that can be made with it.

▼ It is now possible to make a video game version of those video versions of video games!

The model was made by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s “Plateau” project from aerial surveys and objects such as buildings and roads, all containing data such as purpose and date of construction. The entire area covered is about 627 square kilometers (242 square miles) and includes all of Tokyo’s favorite locations from Shinjuku to Shibuya and landmarks from the National Stadium to Haneda Airport.

They also hope to add “urban activity” data in the future which presumably includes information such as traffic volume. This could be useful in a variety of urban planning or real estate projects, but perhaps most importantly for generating a realistic number of NPCs in your authentic Tokyo crime simulator.

Netizens also sang the praises of this development, because it would mean their favorite games could finally be set in a Japanese location.

“Finally, a racing game in the 23 wards of Tokyo rather than the U.S.A.”
“I always dreamed about an FPS or Spider-Man game set in Tokyo…”
“I want a Cyberpunk style game set in Tokyo.”
“I want to fight people on the streets of Tokyo with this!”
“I will cry tears of joy when a fully open-world GTA-style game set in Tokyo comes out.”
“Can’t this be used for people to plan attacks on Tokyo?”

While the data could potentially be used in harmful ways, it doesn’t seem to give any tactical information that can’t be gotten from Google Maps and Street View already. What Plateau’s model does do, however, is put this data in the hands of artists and developers to manipulate freely in new and interesting ways.

The data can be found on the G Spatial Information Center website and downloaded in FBX file formats for free. There are some issues with certain sections not downloading properly, but considering it was only released a few days ago and given the massive size of it all, some hiccups are to be expected.

▼ Building textures are also included

I tried to make a simple game with the data so I could become the first person to create a fully open-world game set in the real Tokyo, but my tiny computer just couldn’t handle it. My loss, but that title is still open to anyone willing to take on the challenge!

Once again, there are no strings attached, so let’s get out there and get that proper 3-D open-world Tokyo Jungle reboot we all deserve going.

Source: G Spatial Information Center, Plateau, My Game News Flash
Images: ©SoraNews24
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Sakura bloom around Asia on limited-edition Starbucks goods

Cherry blossom suitcases and umbrellas prove Japan isn’t the only country in love with hanami season.

Whenever springtime rolls around, Starbucks fans always look to Japan for their limited-edition sakura collections. However, Japan isn’t the only country to be blessed by the blossoms each year, as Starbucks branches in Taiwan and Hong Kong also have some amazing sakura goods on offer.

Over in Hong Kong, for example, customers get to purchase eye-catching delights like the Bamboo Foodware with Pink Carrying Pouch (HK$150 [US$19.29])

▼ …The Navy Blue Full Blossom Water Bottle (HK$120)…

▼ …And the Spring Sakura Umbrella (HK$200)

▼ More items from the beautiful collection are pictured below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Starbucks Hong Kong (@starbuckshk)

Over in Taiwan, customers get to choose from an array of other cherry blossom-branded goods, including a Spring Cherry Blossom Cup Plate Set (NT$850 [US$29.82]).

Purchase the above set with the Spring Cherry Blossom Cup Plate Set below (NT$580) and you’ll be able to mix and match the cups and saucers.

▼ Other highlights from the drinkware collection include the Sakura Glass Plate Set (NT$950)…

▼ …And this adorable Sakura Bear Mug (NT$500).

▼ Swipe through below to see more items from the beautiful collection, including a stunning sakura suitcase.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Starbucks Taiwan 星巴克 (@starbuckstw)

While Japan may be the country most famous for its sakura, we’re yet to see anything as awesome as a Starbucks-branded cherry blossom suitcase or umbrella here! We can’t really complain, though, as we’re grateful to enjoy the current drinkware collection available in Japan, including the Sakura Frappuccino, which is still on the menu for a limited time.

Sources: Starbucks Hong Kong, Starbucks Taiwan
Featured image: Instagram/Starbucks Taiwan
Insert images: Starbucks Hong Kong (1, 2, 3), Starbucks Taiwan (1, 2, 3, 4)
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We visit Oshima, an island in Japan where walking counterclockwise means death【Haunted Japan】

We send Seiji to find out more about the terrible curse!

Our brave Japanese language reporter Seiji is familiar with the occult already, as he once moonwalked across a bridge to avoid being taken by vengeful spirits. The bridge, Oshimabashi in Fukui Prefecture, is close to the cliffs of Tojinbo, a famous landmark that is a well-known suicide spot, named after a monk who met his death there and whose ghost is still said to haunt the area to this day.

Last time Seiji battled with the bridge, but this time he decided to report on what happened when he crossed the bridge, to the uninhabited island of Oshima. Being so close to Tojinbo, a hot spot for the supernatural, Oshima has an urban legend all of its own: if you walk around the island counterclockwise, you will die.

Seiji first heard about the island of Oshima from his friend Mr. Y, who was born and raised in Fukui. According to Mr. Y, Oshima is a place with a long history with the supernatural, and a popular spot for psychics and lovers of the occult to gather. In fact, when Seiji mentioned he was going to Oshima, Mr Y told him “Please be careful…”

▼ To protect Mr Y. from any possible revenge attacks from ghosts, we’ve hidden his face.

So it was with bated breath that Seiji made his way across the bridge and to the island of Oshima. As it was uninhabited, would it be a literal ghost town? What kind of evil spirits would be waiting for him at the other side?

To his surprise, it wasn’t a ghost town at all. In fact, he was greeted with a parking lot full of cars, with families and groups of sightseers following him across the bridge to Oshima Island. Seiji let out a sigh of relief. For now, he appeared to be safe.

While Oshima has its fair share of urban legends, it also seemed to be a popular spot for sightseeing. Just across the ocean was a clear view of the Echizen-Kaga Kaigan Quasi-National Park. In fact, the view is so beautiful that the locals refer to it as ‘Island of the Gods’, and the nature there is said to have remained untouched for over a thousand years.

So despite everything, Seiji was torn between ‘ghost hunter‘ mode and ‘blissfully unaware tourist’ mode, and he followed the stream of families making their way to the island. As he approached the torii gate, Seiji felt relaxed and less scared, but just to be on the safe side, he bowed respectfully and said “excuse me” as he passed through.

The first thing Seiji spotted was a group of youngsters doing a spot of fishing, and was immediately reminded of a famous movie from the eighties. If by chance they managed to catch a body, they could make a Japanese version of Stand By Me.

As he made his way further into the island, Seiji was faced with a long set of stone stairs, surrounded by a forest full of trees. Even though it was the middle of the day, the staircase still gave off a supernatural aura, and Seiji wasn’t the only one to feel a little spooked. A girl with her family took one look at the staircase, said “It’s scary!” and turned back.

▼ Starting to look like something out of Princess Mononoke

As Seiji bravely made his way up the stairs, he was met with a fork in the road. Following the advice he had read online, Seiji took the left path, keeping him on the clockwise route.

As he made his way along the path, he came across something more surprising than any supernatural activity he had expected to see…

▼ People…

▼ …walking in the opposite direction??

By walking past Seiji, who was very much walking on the clockwise route, this couple were facing the opposite direction, a.k.a they were taking the counterclockwise path. But while Seiji was suitably spooked by the counterclockwise couple, the atmosphere remained light and pleasant. Seiji could have called out “Lovely weather today, huh?” and it wouldn’t have seemed unusual at all, despite the fact that they appeared to be brushing with death. Did the couple not know that walking around counterclockwise would mean certain doom? Seiji decided to call out to them.

Seiji: Is it ok to take the counterclockwise path, then?

Couple: Hmm? What do you mean?

Seiji: I read online that taking the counterclockwise path isn’t good.

Couple: Ah, is that so?

Seiji: Why did you come to this island?

Couple: We went to Tojinbo for sightseeing, and we could see Oshima from there. We felt like there was something here worth seeing, so we came.

While people familiar with the urban myth may be stunned by the couple’s light attitude towards Seiji’s comments, most people would probably have a similar reaction. After all, for an area as beautiful as Oshima, people come for sightseeing and not for the occult. There were no signs telling people about the counterclockwise rule, and if the legend was as important as it seemed, surely locals would replace any signs that may have faded over time.

▼ A map of the island, with no mention of the clockwise vs. counterclockwise rule.

So Seiji completely removed his ghost hunter glasses and decided to enjoy the island for its beauty rather than its urban myths. There is certainly an atmosphere on Oshima Island, but it was more of a mysterious one than a spooky one. The dense forest that covered the island made Seiji feel like he was walking around on a movie set, such was its beauty.

▼ Ominato Shrine had a bit of an aura, but it was a spiritual one rather than a scary one

In the end, the Oshima Island that Seiji looked up online was one that was full of supernatural legends and spooky stories, but in reality the island is legendary for a very different reason — for how beautiful it is. To think of it as an occult hot spot and nothing else is a waste. The majestic scenery on the island and the view of the Tojinbo cliffs is a must for any would-be sightseer.

It was as Seiji made his way back to the bridge, ready to leave Oshima Island without any vengeful spirits haunting his daily life, when he noticed something… odd.

The parking lot was full of cars, but none of the cars were local. Seiji saw cars with number plates from nearby prefectures like Aichi, Ishikawa and Hyogo, but not a single one was from Fukui. Was it a coincidence? Or was there something more to this island that only the locals know? We’ll leave that up to you to decide…

Images © SoraNews24
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Japanese schoolkids to be able to carry their books in official Harry Potter randoseru backpacks

Hogwarts crest and wand holder-equipped bags for the start of little wizards’ academic careers.

It’s a big day in the life of a Japanese kid when they head out the door wearing their randoseru for the first time. These sturdy, half-rounded backpacks are what pretty much every elementary school student carries their books in, and now there’s a randoseru for kids who are (or like to imagine they are) enrolled at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

A collaboration between Japanese fashion brand Q-pot and the Harry Potter franchise, the Harry Potter Chocolate Randoseru proudly displays the Hogwarts emblem at the bottom of its flap.

That’s not the only magical accent either, as the bag’s left side is equipped with an exterior wand holder, so that little mages can whip it out whenever necessary to cast spells during their school commute.

▼ A wand is not included with the randoseru, since presumably you’ll be issued one during your orientation at Hogwarts.

If you’re wondering about the pattern etched into the synthetic leather, it has two inspirations. First, it’s meant to be evocative of the brickwork at Platform 9 3/4, from which Hogwarts-bound trains depart. Second, it’s designed to resemble a bar of chocolate, in keeping with Q-pot’s dessert-derived design themes.

▼ Each block has either the Harry Potter logo, the boy wizard’s scar, or the Q-pot logo.

Flip open the cover, and there’s another nod to Hogwarts’ rich traditions with the crests of Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff.

▼ All four houses are included with the backpack, allowing you to slip in whichever one you feel like showing allegiance to that day.

And last, one of the pockets has a clear section where you can display the Hogwarts letter of acceptance that comes with the bag.

Randoseru generally aren’t cheap, and this one is no exception, being priced at 110,000 yen (US$1,060). However, randoseru are customarily made with such high-quality materials and craftsmanship that the student can use the same bag for all six years of Japanese elementary school, and Q-pot’s made-in-Japan Harry Potter bag comes with a six-year guarantee.

Orders open though the Q-pot online store here on April 1, meaning that buyers won’t have them in their hands in time for the start of the 2021 Japanese school year, but they’ll have them by 2022, and also by the opening of the Harry Potter permanent exhibition/museum in Tokyo.

Source: Q-pot via IT Media
Top image: Q-pot
Insert images: Q-pot (1, 2)
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Family Mart recalls “skin-coloured” women’s underwear

Inappropriate branding sees Convenience Wear products pulled from shelves nationwide. 

Japanese convenience store chain Family Mart made news on social media last December when it was revealed that stores in Kansai, the region in and around Osaka, had an unusual new range of “Convenience Wear” for sale.

Consisting of everyday essentials like hand towels, socks, basic tees and underwear, people around Japan had their fingers crossed for a nationwide rollout of the new products, some of which were emblazoned with the green-white-and-blue stripes featured in the chain’s logo.

Family Mart sells "Convenience White" socks and hand towels with their logo on them. Reports say they're limited to the Kansai region only at the moment.https://t.co/CjYcq7DHsz #ファミマ #konbiniwatch #FamilyMart #Japan #Kansai pic.twitter.com/SYtBQE77t3

— Oona McGee (@OonaMcGee) December 19, 2020

Earlier this month, it was announced that the chain would in fact be expanding sales of the Convenience Wear line nationwide, but while most people had their eyes on the striped items, it was one of the less colourful items that ended up creating headlines.

The collection’s beige-coloured underwear, initially sold in Kansai with “beige” written on the packaging, was found to be sold in packs with “hadairo” written on the front after the national release. Hadairo literally translates to “skin colour” in English, and it’s a shade people in Japan learn to identify from a very young age by way of their coloured pencil collections.

▼ The colour of hadairo.

Image: Wikipedia/湖の国の王子

As the above image shows, hadairo refers to a pale orangey beige colour. However, in recent years, use of this term has been declining due to its racially insensitive nature, as this shade doesn’t accurately represent the colour of all skin tones. So as soon as the new hadairo-branded products landed in stores, Family Mart received complaints from concerned franchises and employees.

As a result of these concerns, Family Mart decided to voluntarily recall all products with “hadairo” printed on them. The products recalled were a camisole, tank top, and briefs, all in the women’s range.

▼ This image, from the company’s 23 March press release announcing the nationwide rollout, shows the tank top at the bottom right, with “はだいろ” (hadairo) printed on it.

Image: Family Mart

Family Mart is yet to release a formal apology or explanation as to why the name of the colourway was changed from “beige” to “hadairo”. Though the future of the recalled products remains uncertain, it’s believed they’ll be re-released in the near future under the more appropriate “beige” labelling.

While it’s a shame the incident occurred in the first place, it’s encouraging to see the chain take immediate action to rectify the problem. And with one of Japan’s leading cosmetics companies recently taking action to drop the word “whitening” from their products, it looks like awareness surrounding issues related to racial inequality are steadily growing throughout the country.

Source: Mainichi Shimbun via Jin
Top image: Wikipedia/Yasu
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These amazing, ultra-pink photos of Tokyo are NOT of cherry blossom trees【Photos】

Pretty in pink on a spring afternoon might have you imagining sakura, but there’s something else going on.

In Japan, pink is the color of spring. That’s because it’s also the color of the cherry blossoms that bloom in late March/early April, transforming patches of the country into fantastic landscapes shaded in sakura hues.

And sure enough, these springtime photos of the streets around Tokyo Tower, taken by photographer and Twitter user @shiifoncake, are extremely pink.

However, you might notice that it’s not just the trees that are especially pink, but Tokyo Tower too, despite the structure ordinarily appearing crimson. Another mysterious aspect: @shiifoncake shared these photos back in early March, weeks before the sakura reached full bloom in Tokyo.

人の目には見えない"赤外線"を捉えるカメラで撮影した東京が、幻想的でした。 pic.twitter.com/aX4wtKpj2T

— しふぉん (@shiifoncake) March 11, 2021

So are these some special type of early-blooming cherry blossoms? Nope. Look closely and you’ll see that the trees in the photo don’t have pink flowers, but pink leaves.

And if you’re thinking “Wait, I’ve never seen a tree with pink leaves!” you’re absolutely right, because these photos, which don’t show sakura trees, were taken with a camera that captures the spectrum of infrared light that’s invisible to the human eye under normal circumstances.

Tokyo tower. pic.twitter.com/4XMzqHYsuE

— しふぉん (@shiifoncake) March 12, 2021

Even though Tokyo Tower is one of the most photographed sights in the city, few have seen it like this before, prompting reactions such as:

“Whoa, this has a major isekai vibe!”
“It’s like something out of a fairytale.”
“So spring-like and beautiful.”
“Hmm…so this is how some animals and space aliens would see the world.”

Yet another famous Tokyo landmark, the Asakusa neighborhood’s Sensoji Temple, also looks amazing given this treatment, as shown in the bottom right of this collage.

赤外線写真を載せるインスタも始めたので、ぜひ見てみてくださいhttps://t.co/UM7K8w1gUh pic.twitter.com/yZ9nZDsTLS

— しふぉん (@shiifoncake) March 11, 2021

@shiifoncake’s current artistic ambition is to one day travel around Japan, taking infrared photos everywhere along the way. Until that happens, though, we’re happy to have this reminder that there’s all sorts of beauty to be found in the world, as long as you know where, and how, to look.

Source: Twitter/@shiifoncake via Hachima Kiko
Images: Twitter/@shiifoncake
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Kodansha promises worldwide prosecution of illegal uploaders of Attack on Titan

Warning posted in English and Japanese comes just days before manga’s series finale.

Some anime and manga series are all about maintaining the status quo, their whole appeal wrapped up in allowing fans to leisurely spend time with the settings and characters established in their earliest segments. That’s not the case for Attack on Titan, though, whose rollercoaster ride of mysteries, betrayals, and warfare is about to come to an end.

The final chapter of creator Hajime Isayama’s tale of fearless heroes and pantsless monsters is set to be published in the next issue of manga anthology Bessatsu Shonen Magazine. No matter how Attack on Titan’s conflicts resolve themselves, though, publisher Kodansha is making it very clear that its fight against manga pirates continues, and will be a worldwide one as well, as shown in a tweet from Shintaro Kawakubo, the Japanese editor for the Attack on Titan manga.

Regarding illegal upload and pre-release leakage of Attack on Titan.

We’ve begun to take legal actions against several accounts & individuals. We'll take measures against illegal uploads of images & texts regardless of country.
Thank you for choosing our official products!

— 「進撃の巨人」担当編集者バック (@ShingekiKyojin) March 30, 2021

While Kawakubo doesn’t mention Attack on Titan’s final chapter specifically, the timing, coming just a little more than a week before the next Bessatsu Shonen Magazine issue’s street date, can’t be a mere coincidence. Of particular note is the assertation that Kodansha will pursue legal action against unauthorized uploads “regardless of country,” implying that the company is in no way willing to turn a blind eye to uploaders located in countries where the final chapter is yet to go on sale and/or local fans may object to the pricing and/or localization choices of the officially license version.

▼ The same statement was issued in Japanese (with the Japanese tweet currently having some four times as many likes as the English version).

「進撃の巨人」違法アップロード、発売前漏洩について

複数の個人、アカウントに対して訴訟の手続きを進めました。
今後もインターネット上での画像やテキストによる違法投稿について、国を問わず対応します。

正規商品をお楽しみいただいている皆様に感謝します。引き続きよろしくお願いします。

— 「進撃の巨人」担当編集者バック (@ShingekiKyojin) March 30, 2021

Attack on Titan’s series finale will appear in the May issue of Bessatsu Shonen Magazine, which actually comes out on April 9.

Source: Twitter/@ShingekiKyojin via Otakomu
Photo © SoraNews24
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