Last week, Big in Japan brought you news of Rovio, the remote surveillance robot that patrols your home or office. Now, we're pleased to introduce you to Kota the Triceratops, the toy your kids will want this holiday season...

Every year, there is always one toy that drives kids mad with glee, and parents mad with frustration. From Cabbage Patch Kids and Tickle Me Elmo to Nintendo Wii and Sony Playstation, what loving parent wouldn't wait it out on long-lines in the hopes of getting their hands on the one item their children want the most?

(While we're on the subject, here's a special shout out to my Dad for all those times you hit up the Toys 'R Us in Jersey City! I was totally the first kid in my 3rd grade class to play Super Mario Bros 3 on Nintendo!)

Anyway, kids these days sure are a fickle bunch, but I'm fairly certain that they'll want their very own Kota the Triceratops. This 3 foot-tall robot has a hidden handle and a spring-loaded seat, which allows children up to 60 lbs. to sit on its back while it makes stomping sounds and plays adventure-themed songs.

How awesome is that?

Keep on reading...

Reaching dizzying depths of more than 30,000 feet (9,000 meters), the Japan Trench is, quite simply, the stuff that imagination is made of...

Part of the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, the Japan Trench runs north to south roughly from Siberia to Iwo Jima. A murky and inky-black underworld that defies mere description, the Japan Trench is home to a veritable Lost World of bizarre creatures that are virtually unknown to scientists.

Of course, this is all set to change following a joint effort between British and Japanese scientists, who earlier this month explored the depths of the trench in a remote operated submersible vehicle. Designed to withstand the incredibly pressures that lie beneath the deep blue sea, the vehicle was equipped with cameras and sensors that combed for marine life.

Much to the joy of the scientists, the expedition discovered a shoal of snailfish (Pseudoliparis amblystomopsis) at a depth of 4.8 miles (7.7 kilometers) in the trench, which are presently believed to be the deepest living fish ever recorded.

In true Japanese form, Dr. Monty Priede from the University of Aberdeen described the deep-sea fish as being 'cute,' while Dr. Alan Jamieson proclaimed: "It was an honor to see these fish."

Nice one.

Disclaimer: The author of this article is in no way prejudiced against random acts of excessive nudity. After all, there is nothing quite like letting it all hang out, and enjoying the feeling of a gentle breeze or a rush of cool water against your sensitive bits and pieces. With that said, there are times when it's not appropriate to wear your birthday suit!

Earlier this week, Tokyo police arrested a naked Briton for skinny-dipping in the Imperial moat that surrounds the palace of Emperor Akihito. The man shocked onlookers as he parted the waters in a gentle breaststroke, and playfully splashed the cops that were chasing him in a rowboat.

The high-speed chase, um, low-speed regatta, was filmed by local TV crews and photographed by onlookers, all of whom seemed to delight in the random display of flesh. As the pursuit reached its heated climax, the Briton pulled himself out of the water, and proceeded to climb the 25-foot stone wall of the palace.

Unfortunately for him, police were waiting at the top, and promptly clothed him and arrested him - roughly in that order.

Keep on reading as the craziness continues...

(Photo taken by the Associated Press (AP) in Tokyo)

If you live in Tokyo, it's hard not to stay on top of the latest fashion buzz...

Ranking alongside Paris, Milan, London and New York, Tokyo is one of the world's most fashionable cities. Japanese consumers, who are quick to snatch up the latest brand name goods and must-have items, largely fuel the second largest economy on the planet.

In a country defined by the phrase 'customer is king,' Japan is a shopper's paradise where flashes of cash are the preferred means of demonstrating your wealth and power. With that said, the question on everyone's mind is whether or not the Japanese will have to tighten their belts and check their spending habits, especially considering that their economy is heading towards recession.

While brandaholics might have to curb their lust for designer shoes and handbags, the latest trend in the world of Japanese fashion is Hennes & Mauritz, the Swedish retailer that is better known in North America and Europe as H&M.

Yup. That cheap-but-chic and wear-it-then-toss-it fashion giant we've all come to know and love has finally arrived in Japan. But, in a land where US$100 T-shirts and US$300 jeans are the norm rather than the exception, will H&M be a hit amongst fickle Japanese consumers?

Old Japan, at least the one in the stories, must have been a wild place...

The word yōkai (妖怪) refers to a broad class of demons, spirits and monsters that appear in traditional Japanese folklore. Possessing great supernatural and spiritual powers, yōkai are famous for their mischievous dealings with humans.

While modern Japan is justifiably famous for its weird, wacky and often bizarre anime and manga, it's not too difficult to figure out where the inspiration for these creations came from. Indeed, yōkai are truly the stuff of legends, which why today's post is all about these crazy, crazy creatures from old Japan.

Bakezōri (化け草履, transforming straw sandals) There is an entire class of yōkai known as tsukumogami (付喪神, artifact spirits), which are ordinary household items that come to life on their one-hundredth birthday. Bakezōri are traditional straw sandals that suddenly spring to life, and start running through the house screaming at the top of their lungs.

Tanuki (狸, タヌキ) Anyone who remembers the video game Super Mario Bros. 3 knows that the tanuki suit was pretty awesome, especially since you could change into a statue and avoid those pesky koopa troopas. Tanuki are actually a living raccoon-like animal found in mountains and forests. In old Japan however, they were mischievous tricksters that were easily identifiable by their massively swollen testicles, which they could swing over their shoulders and carry around like a duffel bag!

Intrigued? There are lots more (^_^)

The difference between men and boys is truly the price of their toys...

Last month, Big in Japan reported about the latest and greatest robot, namely 'Eternal Maiden Actualization' or EMA, a 15 inch tall robotic girlfriend that kisses on command.

However, just in case you thought that robots couldn't get any cooler, I would like to introduce you all today to the Rovio, a remote surveillance robot created by the brilliant minds at WowWee. With a retail price of US$299, and an estimated shipping date of early fall, the Rovio raises the bar for home surveillance, baby and pet monitoring, long-distance communication and straight-up coolness.

Basically, the Rovio is a mobile robotic web camera that is equipped with a state of the art micro-GPS system known as Northstar. This sweet and sophisticated tech allows the Rovio to act as a mobile sentry capable of plotting waypoints around your home, and patrolling between them with precision and accuracy.

As if this wasn't enough of a hard sell, the Rovio is also equipped with a flexible arm and an array of onboard sensors, which are together capable of filming and recording everything that is going on inside your home, and streaming this info to the internet.

How awesome is that?

All this week, Big in Japan is bringing you trade secrets on how to unravel the linguistic enigma that is Japanese...

While most resident foreigners here in Japan can rattle off a good number of key phrases, the true test of linguistic fluency is whether or not they can read traditional Chinese characters or kanji (漢字 / かんじ).

One of three sets of written scripts that comprises Japanese, kanji are - quite frankly - a royal pain in the ass to learn, especially since there are literally thousands and thousands of characters to learn.

Considering that most Japanese students can't read a newspaper until they reach high school, you can imagine how long it takes Westerners to master the full character set. However, this worthy goal is in fact possible to achieve, and it really is never too late to take the plunge.

Interested in learning a bit of 日本語 (nihongo, Japanese)?

Here are 15 easy Japanese kanji that that you can learn to read today:

田　(den / ta, rice field) This character is just like a bird's-eye view of a rice patty.

山　(san / yama, mountain) Do you see the shape of the mountain here?

川　(sen / kawa, river) Try to picture the flow of a bending river.

The list goes on...

All this week, Big in Japan is bringing you trade secrets on how to unravel the linguistic enigma that is Japanese...

We're not going to lie to you: Japanese is really, really hard to learn. Even if you fancy yourself to be an aspiring linguist, it takes years and years of study to wrap your noodle around the complex characters, grueling grammar patterns and formal phrases that comprise 日本語 (nihongo, Japanese).

Truth be told, there really isn't any substitute for formalized Japanese education. However, before stepping off the plane here in the Land of the Rising Sun, you can certainly give yourself a head start by crash coursing basic Japanese.

You'll be surprised how quick and easy it is to master the basics and build a strong foundation. And, while we're certainly biased, most people will agree that Japanese has an undeniable cool factor. (^O^)>スゴイ！！

So, if you want to take the plunge and start to figure out exactly what's going on in all of those crazy anime you watch, keep on reading for some author-tested tips on how to crash course Japanese.

The best way to learn Japanese, at least according to the old joke, is to be born in Japan, to have Japanese parents, to go to Japanese Kindergarten...

(You get the idea!)

For the rest of us however, the only way of wrapping of our minds around the linguistic enigma that is Japanese is to spend years and years slaving away over complex characters, grueling grammar patterns and formal phrases that seem to defy all manners of sensible logic.

But seriously, it really isn't that bad, and even if you never fully master Japanese, at least you can look cool ordering sushi in front of all of your envious friends!

On that note, this week's Big in Japan is devoted to unraveling the mysteries of 日本語 (nihongo, Japanese).

While we're certainly not promising that you'll be able to learn Japanese in just a few clicks of the mouse, at least you'll get a good sense of how it is that you can draw meaning from all of those crazy scribbles.

So, without further adieu, let's start with the basics (^O^)>始める！！

I love ramen.

For some, it's the heady aroma and subtle flavor of a finely aged cheese. For others, it's the enticing sizzle and juicy goodness of a T-bone steak.

For me, it's gotta be ramen, nature's most perfect food.

Now, while there really is no substitute for handmade ramen noodles floating in zen-like harmony in a steaming bowl of rich and creamy miso broth, sometimes you have to settle for Cup Noodles.

An old standby that's as cheap as it is nourishing, Cup Noodles can be enjoyed beyond your college years, especially if you know how to spice it up. On that note, if you're an aspiring gourmand, or you're just too poor to treat yourself to a proper meal, then today's posting is for you.

Here are 5 ways to make a real meal out of Cup Noodles:

5) Seafood Bisque Here in Japan, the latest craze is to add steaming hot milk to seafood flavored Cup Noodles, which makes a hearty cream soup that is surprisingly filling. This is a great way to stretch your budget as milk fills the belly much better than mere water. And, if you close your eyes and savor the aroma, you can almost convince yourself that you're dining on seafood bisque in an expensive restaurant somewhere by the sea.

Keep reading as the list goes on...