The Japanese snow monkey or the Japanese macaque is a symbol of Japanese folklore and a visit there is a must on any trip to Japan. The park was established in 1952 after WWII when the monkeys were going down from the mountain to the farm fields to eat the crops. There wasn't enough food for humans at the time so the city set up this park to attract them to the other side. Video producer John Daub of the series Only in Japan spent a day working at a Park, specifically the Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden on the Kyushu Island city Õita, Japan. Daub accompanied the park workers as they travelled up into the mountains and over to the hot springs where these adorable macaques congregate. Daub learns that these native primates are hungry little critters who will travel far into town for food if they miss their dinner.
Japan
A Japanese artist who goes by the name of Stone Artist Akie is a name you should remember.
She makes beautiful art out of small stones: "To me, stones are not simple materials or canvases for painting pictures on. Among all those numerous stones on a river bank, one stone, looking like an animal, catches my eye. When I find a stone, I feel that stone has found me too. Stones have their own intentions, and I consider my encounters with them as cues they give me it's OK to go ahead and paint what I see on them', she told ArtFido.
Let's take a look at some of her incredible work. We had some hard time picking our favorite.
Do you love adorable furry animals? we have found the perfect place for you!
Located in eastern Hiroshima, Rabbit Island is a small enclave occupied by hundreds of wild rabbits that roam the forests and fields, chasing tourists for food. Japan isn't short of places with mythical tales and extraordinary history, but Rabbit Island is certainly one of the most unusual.Despite the nickname usagi-shima (Rabbit Island), thanks to the hundreds of wild rabbits in the area, the island of Okunoshima in the Seto Inland Sea has a dark history dating back to 1929. The government constructed a large poisonous gas production facility on the island. The facilities were destroyed after the defeat in World War II, but these days urban explorers can visit some abandoned structures. To bring back peace, it is thought that schoolchildren released rabbits onto the island, and over the past 50 years, they have reproduced at a great rate, eventually conquering the island. Join us for a tour on the island.
As a cat lover, one of the top reasons to visit Japan is its 11 "Cat Islands" and mainly the specific one that stands out among them - the Aoshima island. Also known as "Cat Haven Island," this adorable little area features a cat population that outnumbers humans 10 to 1! When they heard that music pop star, Ed Sheeran, loves cats, they decided to invite him to come and visit in the most purr-fect way. Via: Cats on catnip
A pair of cats has been visiting the Hiroshima Onomichi City Museum for a long time, trying to get inside. A black cat arrived first, as early as June, 2016, but soon brought a ginger cat along too, and together the pair are still trying to sneak past security.
Not long ago, it was revealed that a Hello Kitty train would soon come into existence in Japan, and now, design plans for what the Sanrio-branded mode of transport will look like have surfaced as well. As the plans show, both the exterior and interior of the Hello Kitty train will be overtaken by classic pastel hues, mainly consisting of varying hues of pink. These bright shades will be used to mark the iconic cartoon cat's branding throughout the train, with the walls, counters, benches, head rests, and more all covered in its motifs. On the train, fans will be able to browse branded shops, and take photos in themed booths to commemorate their experience on the obscure train. We have already booked our tickets! Via: Trend Hunter
In a residential neighborhood in Kyushu, Japan, three adorable Shiba Inus have become a popular tourist attraction – and it's not hard to see why. Via: Lost At a minor
It's not so strange for animals to get their own Funeral, after all, they become family. However, we have never heard of a funeral for robot dogs! Well, that's what they did in Japan! 114 of Japan's Sony old generation AIBO robot dogs (the world's first machine pet capable of developing its own personality) were sent off to dog nirvana.
Akita dogs are big, fluffy and incredibly loyal and come from Akita prefecture in the snowy north of Japan. Today, Street View can take you there in an instant. Odate city wanted to give visitors a snapshot of the local area and, since Akita dogs are such an important part of the city's history and culture, they called on the help of a hardy pair of working Akita dogs — Ako and Asuka — to give their own unique perspective of a dog's life in Akita by strapping a small camera to a dog-friendly harness on their backs. Adorably, you can see their fluffy ears and curly tails as you pivot around in any spot.
Housetsu Sato is a wool artist in Japan who just wants you to be a cat so he started making wearable cat heads for people who want to cosplay as cat-headed human hybrids.The heads are made of wool and look incredibly realistic if you don't consider how big they are, and the eyes look like they're following you wherever you go. All the heads are individually handmade, and the short-haired cat heads can be completed within a month. You can even get a head of your own cat made if you send the artist a photo. The heads don't come cheap, however. They sell for 648,000 yen, which is about $6,220 US dollars. You can purchase them online from the Japanese site Dwango. Via: Cat Time
More and more Deers At Japan's Nara Park Bite People And 80% Of The Cases Involved Foreign Tourists. Via: 9Gag
One anonymous couple from Japan had the genius idea of documenting their cats' various expressions whenever they eat. They take photos of their pets' faces which often look like they're dying of envy or surprised at how much yummy food there is. Who could blame them? You can see more of these two kitties lovingly staring at food over on Instagram.
Crafted by Masanori Kono, these cute creations are made of grated daikon radishes. Each character looks like an adorable cartoon plopped into a bowl of warming vegetables. By adding these little animals, Kono puts a sculptural twist on the Japanese version of a hot pot dish. Seriously, what's more comforting in winter than eating a bowl of warm food topped by a cute animal? Via: So Bad so good
This adorable gadget that offers the sweetness and presence of a cat or a dog to anyone who can't own a pet (as it's often the case in apartments in Japan) or just misses him when he is away. It will sure tag its way into your heart.
Japanese company Yukai Engineering has studied the behavior of cats and dogs as far as the effects on the movements of their tails and came up with Qoobo: a soft, round cushion with a robotic tail that reacts to strokes, just as a loving pet would."Tails: a communication tool that doesn't require words," the demo video begins. It goes on to show everyone who might find peace with the "cushion-tailed therapy robot": young people living alone in immaculate apartments, children, the elderly. The process to healing is easy: just give it a good pat and watch the cushion's tail wag softly in response. It'll also wag and curl the tail on its own, via an accelerometer in the pillow.
Fall is a season of harvesting, and festivals to celebrate it are currently taking place all over the world. In Northern Japan, the Wara Art Festival recently rang in the September-October rice season, and it's a wildly inventive and fun way to repurpose rice straw left over from the harvest.
