Quirky Asia Files: Eating Autumn Leaves in Japan

Yeah, it's a thing.  Those fried leaves look good, though!  I wouldn't mind trying them.

Quirky Asia Files: Japan's Black Cheeseburger

Hungry?

3 Notes on Asia

One:  "Big Yellow Duck Creator Brings Giant White Rabbit to Taiwan"

Two: Starting a Letter with "Dear Kung Fu Panda ..." 

Three: Mooncake industry eclipsed by Chinese corruption crackdown 

Quirky Asia Files: Selling Peaches In China

I don't even know what to say.

Quirky Asia Files: A Doll Village in Japan

I hate dolls like I hate clowns.  This is totally creeping me out.

Friday Fun Video: Have a Nice Day

Via The Manolo:

Quirky Asia Files: China's "Top Gun"-Wannabe Propaganda

This is hysterical.  The New York Times says it's all supposed to be a tribute to China's new aircraft carrier, but whatever.  Watching those two Chinese knockoffs of Goose and Maverick gave me the best laugh I've had all day.

A River Runs Through It

Watch the Chinese Air Force bomb the iced-over Yellow River.  Note how the website filed this under the tag "WTF." 

Hello Kitty Monstrosity of the Day: Hello Fruit-Flavored Beer

NOOOOOO!  

If you're morbidly curious, here's a review by some poor sap who actually tried this.

Quirky Asia Files: Ceremonial First Pitch, South Korean Style

Ki Bo-bae is an Olympic archer.  So, really, what did you expect when you asked her to throw the first pitch, right?

My all-time favorite, though, has got to be this one.  She's a rhythmic gymnast, people!

Quirky Asia Files: Getting From Point A To Point B

It all just makes me want to stay home, ha!

Quirky Asia Files: Baggage Claim Art in Japanese Airports

It's like conveyor belt sushi, only bigger, inedible, and, occasionally, Disgustingly Cute.

Fishing for Compliments: Gyotaku

So are you trying to tell me that an entire art form arose from guys' desire to document and brag about the fish they caught? LOVE THAT!

Quirky Asia Files: Giant Rubber Ducky in Hong Kong

Rubber ducky, you're the one!

Quirky Asia Files: Vietnam's Fire-Breathing Dragon Bridge

I kind of love it:

Quirky Asia Files: Meet King Bazza

Meet a most unusual monarch.

Quirky Asia Files: The Masked Japanese Politician

He calls himself "Skull Reaper A-ji"!  This fellow certainly has a lot of personality.  Perhaps he's watched Nacho Libre once too often?  Then again, back in Renaissance Venice, people got into trouble for wearing carnival masks to church.  There's also this:

Honda Markets a Car For Women

I was kind of hoping this was a joke, but it seems legit.  Anyway, the car is pink (natch), and part of the marketing is that it has "a windshield designed to block skin-wrinkling ultraviolet rays." Oh, I laughed out loud at the whole thing.  The cutesypoo car is only available in Japan.  Somebody slap a Hello Kitty face on the hood and be done with it, OK?

On a related note, let's play with a certain stereotype, shall we?  Here's an actual bumper sticker with proof that somebody's got the sassy sense of humor to use it:

Quirky Asia Files: Samurai Swimming in Japan

More info here.

LOL: "Gangnam Style"

On the off chance that you are not one of the 200 million+ people who have seen this already on YouTube, here's the now-infamous "Gangnam Style."  This crazy song has gone globally viral, and it is as weird as all get out even for K-Pop.  So!  Do you think it's as annoying as that other earworm of the moment "Call Me Maybe"?