Category: Japan

Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show

Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show (Episode 1)

Now, having seen more Japanese TV than the average American I can tell you that this is just about what normal daytime programming is like in Japan. Just kidding, but this is an amusing and well crafted parody. ‘Talk to the hotdog, he can read your mind’. HA! If anyone ever needed a definition of the word ‘engrish’ this would be it.
As the video discription states:

One part Pee Wee’s Playhouse, one part crazy, unpredictable Japanese talk show, and one part whole milk. Mix and serve chilled. Written by Kim Evey and directed by Greg Benson. .. May not be suitable for children. Or adults.

I hope there are more episodes coming up soon, this is the most entertainment I’m had in weeks! The clip is produced by  Mediocre Films out of LA and looks to be something that I’m going ot have to keep looking out for.

Spherical Photovoltaic Solar Cell, Flexable too!

Sperical Solar CellThe latest offering from the guys in Japan:

Sphelar® captures light from all directions, which means it can catch reflected light and diffused light. In addition, there is no need for the superfluous operation of tracking the sun. The spherical light-receiving surfaces achieve unprecedented high generation efficiency.

[via metaefficient]
Spherical Photovoltaic Solar Cell | Kyosemi Corporation

Ninja Themed Restaurant in Japan

Now why can’t I find a place like this in Arizona? Not that I’d mind going Tokyo Japan to have dinner in a ninja themed restaurant, heck, I’d call that a good reason to go to Japan.

After you enter the restaurant, you go to the reception area and are met by a waiter dressed in ninja garbs and told to wait for your personal ninja guide to your table. When the waiter comes, you are guided through a maze of sorts. It is like a ninja castle with many trap doors and hidden passages. While in most restaurants people would be annoyed to have to bend over backwards to reach your table, at Ninja it is part of the experience. It is as if you are actually entering that ninja castle. My most enjoyable moment of the trip was when we had reached a point in our journey and were faced with a pit filled with water and no way to cross. Then suddenly the waiter clapped her hands and a draw bridge drops for you to cross. It was at that point I knew the event was going to be fun.

Read more at Sushicam:

S u s h i c a m – A trip to a Ninja Restaurant

Ninja restaurant website

Maneki Neko

The Wikipedia say on the subject of ‘Maneke Neko’ that:
 The Maneki Neko (???, literally "Beckoning Cat"; also known as Welcoming Cat, Lucky Cat, Money cat or Fortune Cat) is a common Japanese sculpture, often made of porcelain or ceramic, which is believed to give good luck to the owner.

Thats all well and good but they forgot to mention that they can be made of LEGO blocks. Neat!

[Thanks for agent Eugene for this one]
Bill Ward – All – LEGO – Models – Sculpture

Miyazaki Copper Building Clock

Very cool!

The above, is a giant, mechanical, copper and automaton filled clock designed by Mr Miyazaki (he of Laputa, Naussica, Howl’s Moving Castle and other Ghibli anime fame).  It sits pride of place outside the NTV building in Tokyo – with mechancial people doing their thing as the clock strikes hours etc.  Mr T Indindoli wrote to tell me about it – and I am ever so glad – it’s a giant Steampunk clock if ever there was one, with big gears and funny clawed talon legs holding it up.  I’m a big Ghibli fan, so seeing a giant copper clock (very reminiscient of the style of Howls Castle) is delightful.  I’m only sorry that the only YouTube video we’ve found so far is taken in the dark.  Still, you can read more about it both at Mainichi and the Table of Malcontents – and you can bathe your eyes in the pretty illustrations over at what looks like the official clock site (all Japanese, alas).

I’d post a link to a translated version of the official clock site but it’s a Flash page (Boo! Hiss!)
Here are a few stats about the clock:

The clock, which is 12 meters tall, 18 meters wide and weighs 28 tons, was made from 1,228 copper plates, and displays 32 mechanical trick features. The clock resembles images from Miyazaki’s film "Howl’s Moving Castle," and at fixed intervals blacksmith dolls come out of the clock as music is played.

So if your in the area make sure you go to the Shiodome district and have a look at this marvel.

[via brassgoggles]
Huge mechanical figure clock designed by Oscar-winning anime director unveiled at NTV 

Top 10 Robots of Japan

Paro seal robots on display at the 2006 NextFestAwards have been given out by Japan’s Ministry of Economics and Trade Industry for the top 10 robots in the area of service, industrial, civil, and small to medium sized venture robots.
It’s easy to see why Japan has given out these awards. Japan has a pretty low birth rate and their citizens are living longer and longer so it makes sense to build robots that will assist the elderly. I’m all for it, as the technology advances more and more of it will trickle down to everyday tasks. I for one hope that robotic fueling stations for cars become common. It might force car makers to establish a standard fuel port for cars but I think that would be a small concession for the convenience and environmental benefits such a system would create.
I saw a gob of the contenders at the 2006 NextFest in New York last September, and I can say that the Paro robot seals are going to be a big hit when they come across to the US. From the reactions of the kids that were interacting with them I’m sure that pediatric hospitals will be buying some of them.
KHR-2HV robots are cool just because they walk like humans but they are low enough in price that you could see a few being used in a school setting to teach robotics.
Go follow the link and see who took home the top award.

[via MAKE]

Top 10 robots selected for Robot Award 2006