Strange Japanese Soft Drinks

There has always been a lot of hype surrounding the eccentricities of the Japanese people but I believe that eccentric is as eccentric does. In the differences between the West and the East, we can learn a lot of things – even in the most mundane of things. Take for example how different Japanese soft drinks can be. I found this list on Inventor Spot and picked out some of the most interesting items.

Cucumber-flavored Pepsi, anyone?
I am a Coke person but Pepsi will do if the restaurant does not serve Coke. Yet I always stick to the regular kind. How about Pepsi Ice Cucumber, then? I do not know – I like cucumber in salads but in my drink? Uh, I am not so sure about that.

How about Mother’s Milk?
What? Yes, you read that right, they are marketing a drink called Mother’s Milk. Now I am not so sure if it is really milk from a (human) mother but the packaging of the drink is frightening – it has a suckling baby. Who would want to drink mother’s milk aside from babies?

Salad and water in one
If you are in a hurry and you don’t have time to eat even a quick salad, then you should go for Water Salad. I can’t believe that Coca-Cola even dreamt up this drink. Was this a reaction to Pepsi’s cucumber drink?

My kid should learn how to drink early…
…give him Kidsbeer! It’s non-alcoholic but your kids will feel like they are adults as they drink their own version of beer. Bizarre, to say the least. I think I’ll give my kid root beer instead.

Wooden Laptops, Anyone?

I have never really thought about a laptop – or any computer – being made of wood. Then again, I didn’t factor the brilliant and innovative Japanese mind into the equation. Very popular and reliable notebook manufacturer Fujitsu recently unveiled a concept laptop made of wood – yes, more earth friendly than the conventional laptops we all have today.

Fujitsu showed off the concept at the Milan Furniture Show 2008. Dubbed the WoodShell. Quite obviously, I have not seen a real one for myself but based on the reactions from various people all over the blogosphere, the WoodShell is being received with mixed feelings.

Some people say that it is merely an attempt to go green and thus have the “right” to charge more for the product. Others have nothing but good to say: “you’ve got to love Fujitsu’s take on a generic 70s sci-fi font, not to mention its black-and-red-ness.” That’s from Gizmodo by the way.

My personal opinion? I love the concept but how would wood stand up to the heat that laptops give off, especially if they are used for prolonged periods of time? I, for one, wouldn’t want my beautiful wooden shell bursting into flames while I am playing online!

Wooden keyboard from Marubeni Infotech

The popularity of PC modding as a hobby is a direct response to the universal opinion of computer users that PCs generally look boring. Before modding and personalization became popular, a computer buyer can choose any color for their PC as long as it is beige. The form factors are equally unimaginative, plain, boxes that redefines what spartan means.

Modding has allowed users to really personalize their computers — reflecting their personalities as well as their passions. For the DIYers out there, you can get this nifty device from Marubeni Infotech. It’s a do it yourself wooden keyboard kit that was handcrafted by skilled craftsmen. The kit, which costs 34,800 yen, needs actual assembly, which I know will thrill hobbyists everywhere. The finished product is no slouch either. It is a definite conversation piece. How many people do you know use wooden keyboards, anyway? The keyboard is part of a whole range of wooden PC products that include a USB drive, mousepad, desk organizers, keyboard stands and cable organizers.

DIY Kit, H901K-M/H901KI-W, Marubeni Infotech
34,800 yen

The Jinsei Ginko

Combining the value of saving up and having fun, Japanese toy company Tomy Co., has come up with a revolutionary piggy bank called the Jinsei Ginko. The idea behind this piggy bank is to of course save up money and have fun while doing it. The saving money part is easy to understand – put in money and you have it saved for a rainy day. Yet what about the fun part?

Typically Japanese, electronics have a large role. In the front panel of the white cube-shaped bank, there is a black and white LCD panel. The owner of the bank can input his target amount and date at the beginning. There is a character displayed who initially lives in a tiny room with 3 tatami mats. Depending on the amount of money in the bank and the rate at which the money increases, the character moves on in life. He even finds a job and marries! However, if you take money out of the bank before the target date, he will be relegated to his original situation in life. Fun, isn’t it?
[tags]Japan, technology, piggy bank, innovation, gadget, Jinsei Ginko[/tags]

The Japanese Instant Noodle Inventor

Earlier this month, Momofuku Ando, the “Father” of instant ramen passed away after suffering a heart attack after eating his famous chicken ramen with his employees . At 96, the inventor of the dish that sustains students in universities all over the world was the chairman of Nissin Foods Corporation, which he founded.

Nissin Food Products, was started by Mr.Ando in 1948 as a means to help feed the war-torn people of Japan post WW2. His invention, the
“Chicken Ramen”, which was the first instant noodle in the world, was introduced in 1958 and became a huge success.

The famous “Pot Noodle” debuted in 1971 and the rest is history. In 1999, The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum opened in Ikeda City, western Japan paying tribute to this remarkable inventions.

The photo above shows Mr.Ando with his noodle invention for astronauts. He was showing off the “Space Ram” at the Instant Noodle Museum in Osaka 2005, a project he was very keen on. The first “space noodle” was brought aboard the space shuttle “Discovery” on the 26th by Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi.

[tags]Japanese food, ramen, inventions, instant noodles, Momofuku Ando[/tags]