Either the locomotive is tiny or the fireman is a giant. A worker cleans the ash from a miniature steam locomotive after a hard days work in Sapporo during the 2011 Snow Festival. The cool little engine pulled a ride-on kids train and runs on coal, just like its big, big brothers. It’s not the [...]
Vicious mutant beasts know as melonbears (メロン熊) attempt to build a tower and escape from the claw machine holding them captive. The fruity creatures are from Yubari (夕張), a former coal mining boomtown in Hokkaido which is now famous for melons. The town once had around 120,000 residents but only about 12,000 people live there [...]
This map of Japan features dozens of colorful folk toys, all 47 prefectures, and a handful of iconic landmarks. It’s a great checklist for these cultural, often-creature creations. Just the cover of a New Year’s card I got from a friend — because cartography can be cute too.
Curry Cook from Kinnikuman (キン肉マン, Muscleman or “Ultimate Muscle” in the US) bobblehead. He came in a mystery box so I didn’t know which character I was going to get. Sure I could have gotten Kinnikuman himself, Alexandria Meat (aka Meat-kun), Robin Mask, or Canadianman, but I’ll gladly take the fighter who wears a bowl [...]
