Sample ramen pizza, alongside other limited-edition items to pick up, or just make your own treats.

Snacks in Japan come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, from ever-feuding mushrooms and bamboo shoots to make-your-own sweets, but one that I see fairly often in the hands of little children are packets of Baby Star Ramen. A popular snack made of deep-fried, crunchy, bite-sized pieces of instant noodles, Baby Star Ramen came about in 1959 when the founder of Oyatsu Company realized that the broken noodle fragments left at the bottom of instant noodle production lines could actually be seasoned and packaged up as a snack by themselves.

The Oyatsu Company factory is located in Tsu, Mie, and while factory tours are currently suspended, for those who want to dive into the world of Baby Star, right next door is Oyatsu Town, a theme park offering everything from a giant athletic course to making original Baby Star Ramen, as well as limited-edition food you can only eat there, resulting in an enjoyable experience for child and adult alike.

▼ Sadly, no factory tours are currently available.

Our Japanese-language reporter Natsuno Futon visited the theme park with her kids in tow during Golden Week, one of Japan’s busiest periods for travel and day excursions, so upon arriving and noting that same-day entry was limited until after lunch, it wasn’t too unexpected. So, Natsuno’s first recommendation for any future visit is to always reserve your entry tickets in advance, particularly if you plan to go on a weekend or holiday.

Arriving at the entrance, the first thing to welcome Natsuno and her family was a giant Baby Star photo spot, appearing as if Baby Star was flowing like a waterfall, along with a spot where you could get inside a Butamen cup, Oyatsu Company’s line of instant cup noodles, adorned with designs of Hoshio-kun, the Baby Star Ramen mascot.

Peak season entry is 2,500 yen (US$15.70) for adults, whereas it drops down to 2,200 yen during the Regular days, and 1,600 yen for the Value days.

It’s best to check the company website for absolute clarity, but the general rule seems to be Saturday through Monday is Regular, Tuesday through Friday is Value, and national holidays like Golden Week in May and Obon in August are Peak.

▼ Natsuno couldn’t help but take one last look at the factory, as she really enjoys factory tours, but it sadly wasn’t to be.

Stepping inside, Natsuno was greeted with the company’s history spread out on the floor, designed almost like a board game.

It was quite interesting to learn that the name change to Oyatsu Company was an unexpectedly recent development.

▼ Not at all spoken through the pitch-black sunglasses of denial: 1993 is still very recent.

Proceeding further inwards, a giant athletic area appears, teeming with the Golden Week crowd of people.

While as an adult, Natsuno tends to curb her childhood playfulness and instead let her children loose to gallivant through play areas, she couldn’t quite restrain herself from wanting to join in on the fun. Looking around, she could even see many adults playing there quite seriously, so she embraced her inner child and entered the play equipment.

Among them, what was particularly enjoyable was the Hoshio-kun Giant Slide, which gets quite a bit of speed.

▼ They’re even considerate enough to provide wrap-around skirts to make sliding even more speedy.

The Super Giant Butamen-kun Adventure and Giant Jungle Gym are also extremely fun.

Since you walk on the net, the stimulation to the soles of your feet is amazing, nearing the level where you might mistake it for a minor piece of health equipment.

▼ Natsuno is still a child at heart, she promises.

The most popular one, though, is the giant athletic course consisting of three whole floors, which are divided by height; the first floor is for small children, but the second and third floors offer up more of a challenge.

Natsuno ventured up to the third floor together with her children but had to retire halfway through for a very specific reason: her sweaty hands.

It’s a little difficult to see in the image below, but this is a course where you have to move forward while moving around the outside of orange bars that bulge outward.

With hands that get particularly sweaty, Natsuno could just foresee herself slipping off due to them. Yet, because she wanted to show her children an inspirational figure that takes on challenges even in the face of adversity, plus it was too frustrating to just give up, she attempted it a second time and cleared it safely. However, she later heard from her children, “since we were moving ahead of you, we couldn’t see you.” Sad though she was, she still felt a sense of accomplishment, so it wasn’t all bad.

▼ There is even a section of the park dedicated to interactive digital content that kids can have fun with.

Next, the family moved on to the experience of making Baby Star at Hoshio-kun Kitchen, where you can make your very own original Baby Star Ramen.

For an additional 1,000 yen each to the park entrance fee, the children challenged the “My Special Baby Star,” where you can choose your favorite flavor from several types, season it yourself, and then have the staff bake it for you in the oven.

Natsuno had reserved in advance, but there seemed to be sufficient availability that you could even reserve on the day itself.

After completing the ramen, you put stickers on the original container, though her children instead opted to put on only a few, saving the rest for later to add to their sticker collection albums.

The family came away from the experience with the children beaming with happiness and proud faces for their new creations.

However, being hungry, they decided to swing by Baby Star Dining, where you can savor original foods using Baby Star, such as Baby Star Katsu Curry.

Among them all, Natsuno can personally recommend the pizza, particularly the limited-time Pink Butamen Gratin Pizza, being a lot more authentic than expected.

It’s baked in a pizza oven, so you get that classic pizza base texture, and the pink coloring is added via beetroot instead of food coloring.

The appearance certainly has quite the impact, referencing Butamen and its pig mascot, but the taste has no unexpected quirks and is extremely delicious.

▼ The Ramen Pizza was also full of ingredients and highly satisfying.

Of course, you can eat freshly-fried Baby Star Ramen.

At the gift shop Oyatsu Marche, limited-edition products and character goods are lined up, with Natsuno being drawn to all of the Butamen goods. He just has such a charming presence…

Natsuno also discovered Baby Star limited to Oyatsu Town, this time purchasing the Spiny Lobster Flavor (850 yen for a pack of six), and found it to have a very strong shrimp taste, both rich and delicious.

There was also a cute, little steel suitcase-like container that you could stuff your favorite Baby Star flavors into for just 1,700 yen.

Before walking through the doors, Natsuno had assumed she would be entering a facility designed just for children, but she ended up, even as an adult, enjoying it with all her might.

In the end, from their 10:30 a.m. start, they stayed fully until the closing time at 5:00 p.m., staying more than six hours. With the addition of a new area opening in Spring 2027, there will be even more to get lost in, although prospective visitors should take note that the park will be closed from January 12, 2027, to prepare for this new opening.

Whether you visit with kids or not, it’s all but guaranteed you’ll have a great time exploring Oyatsu Town, just remember to book in advance on the weekends and holidays.

Location information
Oyatsu Town / おやつタウン
Address: Mie-ken, Tsu-shi, Mori-cho 1945-11
三重県津市森町1945-11
Open: 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. (Tuesday–Friday), 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (Saturdays and Mondays), 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (Sundays) However, times can change, so check the website for up-to-date information
Closed: Irregular Days
Website

Photos ©SoraNews24
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KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 — Every year, aspiring student coders from all over the world join the Apple Swift Student Challenge. 

From the best entries, a selected few get not just a certificate and cool prizes but an invitation, travel and board provided, to Apple Park for the Worldwide Developers Conference.

These 50 winners are dubbed Distinguished Winners whose entries have been considered “truly exceptional” by Apple and this year, Malaysian Jasmmender Kaur is among them.

Ipoh-born Jasmmender, 22, is currently pursuing her bachelor’s in computer science at Taylor’s University Malaysia, specialising in data science.

She said her interest in technology started at an early age: “My journey with technology actually started at home at the age of 10 when a curiosity about how things worked led me to my first computer.”

After picking up the basics of computing at school, she soon started using HTML and CSS to code her own websites as well as built mini-games in Scratch.

By the time she was 15, she had also created a tuition centre management system and with Python, created a simple quiz game.

As to how she became acquainted with Apple’s developer ecosystem, she said, “I actually taught myself Swift independently through YouTube tutorials and Apple’s official developer tutorials, documentation and workshops.”

Apps are in themselves solutions, solutions to specific problems and what Jasmmender saw as a challenge was to help people understand what’s actually going on behind AI.

Her app, Unreal, is meant to educate users about how AI works, saying that the name came from what it does, “pulls back the curtain on the inner workings and the technical backgrounds of AI, but in a very friendly and approachable manner.”

With AI already being used in a myriad of ways, at scale, Jasmmender said, “But most people have no understanding of how or why these decisions are being made.”

Jasmmender said that existing information is not tailored as much for the everyday person, either being too formal or targeted at those already in tech. 

“I felt like in Malaysia, AI adoption is growing, but openness without proper understanding is a very dangerous gap,” she said.

She first listed down what she knew about AI, then noted things that she felt would be important for people to understand and know about.

With that base, she then used AI tools like Claude to create a structure and figure out how she could create something that could be translated easily for everyone.

She added, “But I also got advice from my friends as well about things that they wish they knew before they got into AI.”

Jasmmender considered her win as invaluable in many ways.

“It not only gave me the experience and the lessons, but it opened doors to connect with incredible developers and professionals globally, especially through the network from the Apple community,” she said.

It also allowed her a platform to advocate for AI literacy on a much larger scale, something that she is deeply passionate about.

“Everyone deserves to understand the system that’s shaping their world,” she said.

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference will take place in Apple Park at Cupertino, California from June 8 to 12.

Caption: Jasmmender Kaur learned to code from an early age and is now in her final year studying computer science. — Picture courtesy of Apple

Children’s Peace Monument is going to be a quieter place for a while.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is located in the center of Hiroshima City, right across the street from where the atomic bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945. Aside from being a tranquil green space, the park contains several monuments to those who lost their lives in or after the bombing, one of which is the Children’s Peace Monument.

The Children’s Peace Monument was built in 1958, following the death of Sadako Sasaki, who was a 2-year-old girl living in Hiroshima when the bomb was dropped and died from leukemia 10 years later. The monument’s central structure consists of a statue of a child standing atop a stone dome, and suspended underneath it is a bell that visitors can ring as a symbol of their wish for peace.

As of May 18, though, the bell has been silenced, but not because of vandalism or a change in public opinion. The reason why is something much more heartwarming: a family of sparrows is moving into it.

A pair of sparrows has been seen gathering branches and placing them inside the bell in order to build a nest. The animals’ activity was first reported by a visitor to the park on May 18, and once administrators confirmed the nest’s presence, the decision was made to detach the chain by which the bell can be rung, in order to keep the nest from being shaken apart or its eventual eggs and hatchlings from being damaged.

▼ The bell’s design has a folded paper crane motif, as the tradition of folding 1,000 cranes to have one’s wish granted is heavily associated with Sasaki.

With Japan’s rainy season on the way, the bell provides a nesting spot that’s protected from the elements and also out of the line of sight of crows and other predators. The Hiroshima City government has said the sparrows are welcome to stay for as long as they need for their babies to grow large enough to leave the nest, at which time workers will remove it and replace the bell’s chain. A similar situation unfolded five years ago, when a different nest was discovered inside the bell and was left in place until its avian occupants vacated it.

Online reactions to the park’s decision have been overwhelmingly positive, and providing a place for new life to come into the world dovetails with Peace Memorial Park’s mission of being not just a place of remembrance, but also a symbol of hope for a compassionate future, and the Hiroshima City government has asked that parkgoers “Please be kind to the sparrows during your visit.”

Source: Chugoku Shimbun, FNN Prime Online
Top image: Wikipedia/Taisyo
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MOUNTAIN VIEW, May 20 — Google on Tuesday showed off new plans to turn its famous search bar into an AI assistant that can book restaurants, track news and contact businesses – just by asking a question.

After three years of struggling to keep up with ChatGPT, Google is racing to roll out artificial intelligence tools that build on its grip over online search.

The company’s Gemini AI app now has 900 million monthly users, twice as many as last year. Its AI-powered search feature, AI Mode, is also taking off, with a claimed one billion monthly users worldwide.

On Tuesday, at Google’s annual developer conference near its California headquarters in Mountain View, CEO Sundar Pichai unveiled the next step: Gemini Spark, a personal AI agent available starting next week for top-tier subscribers in the United States.

Google’s search engine will also get a new upgrade for US users this summer: always-on AI agents that can alert you to news, book activities, and manage shopping lists.

The changes to Google search, which the company said were its biggest in 25 years, will also see a widened search box to make room for more complicated queries people use for chatbots.

“I love how search has become less about individual queries and feels more like an ongoing conversation, giving users deeper insights and connecting you with the vastness of the web,” Pichai told journalists.

Many of the features ride a wave of “agentic” AI that has gripped Silicon Valley since Austrian developer Peter Steinberger in late 2025 launched OpenClaw – a platform that lets AI book flights, manage emails and build apps from chat prompts.

OpenAI hired OpenClaw’s creator earlier this year and the tech giants are now racing to bring agentic features to mainstream users, despite security concerns and the soaring computing costs that come with them.

To stay ahead of rivals Anthropic and OpenAI, Google on Tuesday also launched the latest version of its AI model, Gemini 3.5 Flash.

Google says it runs four times faster than top competing models – including Anthropic’s Claude Opus and OpenAI’s ChatGPT 5.5 – while performing at a similar level.

The model is now the default across the Gemini app, AI Mode search and other Google services. A more powerful version, Gemini 3.5 Pro, is expected next month.

Google also announced it was teaming up with OpenAI on one front: to help stop the spread of fake or manipulated content, the ChatGPT maker has adopted SynthID, Google’s tool for invisibly watermarking AI-generated images.

End of clicks?

Google’s growing AI features could spell trouble for news websites and online publishers.

By keeping users inside its own apps and tools, Google makes it less likely that people will click through to outside websites – cutting into their traffic and ad revenue.

Google searches already end 58 per cent of the time without users clicking on any website, according to a lawsuit filed against the company by Penske Media, which publishes the Hollywood Reporter and Rolling Stone.

In Europe, a major publishers’ group has complained to the European Commission, saying Google uses news content to fuel its AI summaries without paying for it.

France is the only major European country where AI Mode is still unavailable, and remains at the centre of a bitter fight between Google and French publishers.

However, Google’s legal troubles are not limited to Europe.

A US court found it guilty of illegally monopolising online search in 2024, and the company could still be forced to break up parts of its business.

The Justice Department in February appealed a ruling that had stopped short of making Google sell its Chrome browser.

A hearing is not expected until the end of the year at the earliest, or possibly 2027. — AFP

 

 

 

WASHINGTON, May 19 — Every Sunday, percussionists, dancers and everyday residents of the US capital gather in a Washington park for a drum circle—a decades-old tradition that historically celebrated Black liberation.

But some regulars fear the weekly event could come under threat amid US President Donald Trump’s program to make the District of Columbia “safe and beautiful.”

Meridian Hill Park, also known to locals as Malcolm X Park following the Black nationalist leader’s assassination in 1965, has been undergoing major renovations for years.

Much of it is now freshly reopened, but with Trump in office, residents still fear its history will be whitewashed.

“It gives us this anxiety... if they close the park, where can we go to express ourselves and have a community like this, where can our community exist?” said Jalisa Settles-Bey, a 36-year-old mother of six and a street vendor who uses the park.

Settles-Bey sways to the rhythm of the bongos on a recent Sunday in the park—but nerves are still frayed.

“We’re definitely a little worried about Trump trying to come in and mess up this park,” said Jesse Bogdan, one of the organizers of the Keep Malcolm X Open Coalition.

Mikey, who is originally from Ethiopia, is one of about 15 musicians gathered on this particular Sunday. He explains how Meridian Hill Park was historically a place for the city’s Black community to gather, and still is, despite rapid gentrification of the area.

“It’s important for the people to gather here and maintain the tradition.”

Sanitizing the space

Trump’s plan to restore Washington’s parks and give its monuments a bit of a glow-up coincides with the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States on July 4. Billions of dollars have been earmarked for it.

For supporters, it is a long overdue mission to restore the capital’s luster. But for many residents, it feels like Trump is putting his personal stamp on the city, from his plans for a triumphal arch to a new gilded White House ballroom.

Nearly 90 percent of green spaces in Washington are under federal control, meaning the president has almost free rein to change them to his liking.

Large barriers in the park read: “We are making DC safe and beautiful.”

Setha Low, the director of the Public Space Research Group at the City University of New York, says that in urban areas, “revitalization and beautification has often meant sanitizing the space or making it more secure.”

That can also mean “reshaping who gets to be seen, who gets to gather, and which stories are allowed,” Low told AFP.

Bogdan fears that by cleaning up Meridian Hill Park—which is managed and maintained by the National Park Service—its history as a place of Black protest and community will be anesthetized.

Bogdan said his group fears that the park’s informational signage could eventually be redone to eliminate elements of its history, as the Trump administration moves to remove “divisive narratives” from national sites.

“You don’t make a city safe and beautiful by excluding its people!” he said.

Bogdan’s coalition has gathered 4,000 signatures so far on a petition that slams the lack of public consultation about the Meridian Hill Park project and the possible cancellation of summer events due to construction.

Meridian Hill Park notably has a monumental cascading fountain that has been in disrepair for years and only just reopened.

But the area where the drum circle usually takes place is still not finished.

Necessary work 

So far, Washington’s outgoing Mayor Muriel Bowser has walked a fine line between defending the city’s interests and cooperating with Trump on certain projects. Some residents say there is federal overreach.

“The fountain was out of order and the lawns were bad—it was necessary,” says 40-something neighborhood resident Dina Smith.

“But many believe this investment would never have happened if certain people in positions of power hadn’t wanted to make things look good for the 250th celebration.”

The National Park Service (NPS) “understands how much the community values Meridian Hill Park,” a spokeswoman told AFP.

The NPS also said the renovations already completed had helped improve security and cleanliness.

Bogdan’s coalition says it hopes in the meantime to cover the official banners about beautifying the city with “artworks reflecting the diversity of the park’s community.” — AFP

 

 

SHAH ALAM, May 19 — Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporated) (MBI Selangor) has denied any involvement in the organisation, management, ownership, promotion or operation of the Bernam Maritime Industrial Park project and its launch ceremony, as circulated by Bernam Shipyard Holdings Sdn Bhd.

MBI Selangor further clarified that it has never granted any approval, permission or consent for the use of its name, logo, corporate identity or branding materials in relation to the activity.

“MBI Selangor would like to stress that the project, entity and launch ceremony are not connected to, supported by, affiliated with, or representing the company in any capacity.

“MBI Selangor has conducted an initial check with the Sabak Bernam District Council (MDSB) and, based on the information currently available, there is no official confirmation linking MBI Selangor and MDSB to the project or the launch ceremony.

“Therefore, any representation, statement, publication, promotional material or depiction suggesting that the project or launch event has any connection, support, endorsement or association with MBI Selangor is inaccurate, misleading and unauthorised,” according to a statement issued today.

MBI Selangor urged all parties involved to immediately cease the use of its name, logo, branding or any form of representation suggesting a relationship with the company without proper written consent.

The company said it reserves the right to take any necessary action to protect its corporate identity, reputation and legal interests.

“MBI Selangor views seriously the unauthorised use of its name, logo and branding elements in promotional and publicity materials related to the event and project.

“This unauthorised use could lead to confusion and misunderstanding among stakeholders, investors, government agencies, business partners and the public,” the statement said.

Following that, the public, stakeholders and related parties are advised to refer only to official announcements issued through MBI Selangor’s official channels. — Bernama

 

 

 

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