Solar Power For Houses To Be Encouraged

With the problems that we are encountering with fuel consumption and global warming, the best possible course for us to take would be sustainable source of power. We all know that solar power is one of the most feasible sources of energy and perhaps this is would be what the future holds for us. The Japanese government seems to think along the same lines.

Based on a report by Reuters:

The Japanese government will come up with measures on Tuesday to promote the household use of solar power systems by introducing subsidies and tax breaks from next year, the Nikkei financial daily reported on Sunday.

The paper said the steps, following an environment initiative announced earlier by Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, include halving the cost of buying solar power systems in Japan, home to major solar component makers.

These include Sharp Corp, Kyocera Corp and Sanyo Electric Co.

This is really a good move by the government as the more people make use of solar power, less people will be using conventional power sources. I am sure that many of us would love to go solar but the costs of converting to this source are very high. But since the government is giving subsidies, I suppose that more people will be able to afford solar power.

Perhaps other countries in the West should study this example. It is never too early to start making use of more sustainable sources of power.

Photo courtesy of Rich_Lem

Cigarette Vending Machines That Can Check Age

Trust the Japanese to make use of technology for very practical reasons. This is, in fact, one of their strongest points, in my mind. They have been gifted with the aptitude for innovations when it comes to technology and they have not hesitated to make use of it. As simple as things may be, the Japanese are known to be able to create applications that are quite useful.

One of the latest things that the government is working on is to enable their cigarette vending machines to be able to check the age of the buyer using his or her driver’s license. An AP article gives more information:

The Finance Ministry plans to allow a new type of cigarette vending machine that accepts driving licenses for age verification, in addition to those that read “taspo” smart cards, sources close to the matter said Sunday.

The move is planned because vending machines with the taspo card function have proved unpopular, probably due to the extra procedures required to obtain the integrated circuit card, they said.

In order to prevent underage smoking, Japan plans to restrict access to cigarette vending machines to adults carrying taspo cards by July.

Vending machines that check a buyer’s age by reading a taspo card have already been introduced in some areas, including Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures.

But according to the Tobacco Institute of Japan, only 8 percent of the around 26 million smokers had applied for the cards as of April 13.

To obtain the taspo IC cards, consumers need to fill out applications distributed by tobacco shops and to mail them to a designated address together with copies of personal identification papers such as a driving license.

The new type of vending machine, to be approved by the ministry, can verify a cigarette buyer’s birth date when a driving license is inserted in it, they said.

Nomi No Ichi – Japanese Flea Markets

A flea market by any other name is still a flea market – and in Japan, it is called nomi no ichi. This traditional name is still used by the older generation in Japan but the young people use the global term flea market. Today, flea markets still abound in Japan, perhaps even more than in the past. This should not really be a surprise as the Japanese are known to be environmentally conscious, maybe more than some other nations today. They even have the word mottainai, which refers to the concept of recycling – reduce, reuse, and recycle.

As such, one can find most anything in the nomi no ichi – everything that the Japanese people deem reusable can be found here. Flea markets can be found almost anywhere in Japan. They are normally held during on the weekends, from early morning to late afternoon. The venue is usually on temple grounds and shrine grounds. According to the Japan National Tourist Organization, some of the most popular nomi no ichi in Japan include:

*Togo-no-Mori Nomi-no-ichi at Togo Shrine in Tokyo (3-min. walk from JR Harajuku Station); 1st Sunday of every month.
*Hanazono Jinja Nomi-no-ichi at Hanazono Shrine in Tokyo (5-min. walk from Shinjuku Sanchome Station); every Sunday (except May and November).
*Kyoto Temmangu Nomi-no-ichi at Kitano Temmangu Shrine in Kyoto (30 min. by bus from JR Kyoto Station); on the 25th of every month.
*Kyoto Toji Garakuta-ichi & Kobi-ichi at the South Gate of Toji Temple in Kyoto (10-min. walk from Toji Station on Kintetsu Line); Japan’s largest flea market, the 21st of every month, with a smaller market 1st Sunday of every month.

The next time you pay Japan a visit, try roaming these grounds and you might just find something to take home with you!

Urawaza – Quirky Japanese Solutions

We all love how the Japanese think – they are just a breed of their own! I believe that nothing showcases this way of thinking more than a recently released book entitled Urawaza: Secret Everyday Tips and Tricks from Japan. Quite obviously, with the release of this book, these supposedly secret everyday tips and tricks no longer remain secret.

Written by Lisa Katayama, who was born in Tokyo, Urawaza highlights tons of quick fixes for mundane things. It could have been an ordinary collection of DIY tricks except that the solutions that Katayama are things that we probably would not have thought of – that is, unless you are Japanese.

How’s this for starters - put your plant in a water soaked diaper if you are going away on a trip and you can’t find anyone to water it for you. Over time, it will slowly soak the water from the diaper, making sure that your plant will not die. Think that’s clever? How about this one – having problems with your sled sliding smoothly down the hill? Give it a boost by spraying nonstick cooking spray! You’ll be gliding down the hill at speeds you’ve never imagined before!

If these quirky solutions have caught your attention, then you would want to get yourself a copy of Urawaza, which, by the way, is the Japanese term for “secret lifestyle tricks and techniques.” The book is available at Amazon for only $10. Even if you are too conventional to try out the tricks, it would be quite a good read.

Kids’ shoes that are eco-friendly

Talk about corns and feet and the first mental picture you’ll probably get is that of painful, swollen calluses on your toes. But in Japan, corns and feet have a new meaning — one that is eco-friendly.

Moonstar, a shoe manufacturer in Japan, has recently partnered with Kuraray in releasing a new shoe line for children. The Biomass Hadashikko are the first shoes to be made from corn. The manufacturer uses biomass technology in producing the shoes, which reduces the total carbon emission when compared to using fossil fuel.

The shoes do not scrimp on comfort, too. using Comfort Saver technology, Moonstar claims that children will be assured of sensations that are akin to actually walking barefoot without sacrificing ample support for the soles that active children need.

Soba machine now sold in Japan

I love noodles. In fact, I love it so much that it is the first thing that I check out in a menu whenever I go eat at a restaurant. I doesn’t matter if it’s Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean or any other cuisine. As long as they have long strips of carbohydrates then I am ordering that.

I particularly love soba noodles. Soba is one of my most favorite Japanese foods. I love how soft and flavorful soba noodles are and how it complements the condiments and additional ingredients included with the dish. Of course, just like with any other noodle, freshly made soba is better than the commercially available dried ones. I know how hard it is to make soba so I was quite delighted to discover an actual soba machine being sold in Japan. Now, anyone can make soba, even at home. The machine will allow a user to make soba in just 20 minutes. The maker, Takara Tomy, designed the machine similarly to Italian pasta machines, meaning it is quite easy to operate. who says you need to be an accomplished soba chef to make soba? Now you can make your own soba!

Triumph unveils My Chopsticks bra

I was watching the news yesterday and thoroughly getting depressed because of all the bad news the anchors were relaying. Fortunately, a light, lifestyle feature followed that lifted up my spirits and also showed how wacky the Japanese can get.

It’s the My Chopsticks bra that was created by Triumph Japan. The funny looking bra actually has sports cups that look like a bowl of rice (on one cup) and a bowl of miso soup (on the other cup). To top it off, the bra has side pouches where chopsticks can be kept. Call it a concept bra, if you will. The My Chopsticks bra really brings home the message that a woman’s breast can really provide nutrition and has a wonderful packaging.

Land of Louis Vuitton Lovers

Louis Vuitton Malletier à Paris (LVMH), more commonly known simply as Louis Vuitton, opened its first store in Paris on Rue Nueve des Capucines way back in 1854. More than a hundred and fifty years later it is still very much famous with its leather goods considered as a status symbol all over the world.

When the first Vuitton store opened in Japan in 1978 they expected the product to take off but never anticipated as warm a welcome as they got. In fact by the 1980s Vuitton sales in Japan alone accounted for nearly half of the ENTIRE revenue of the company. To this day Loius Vuitton is more like a cult phenomenon among Japanese females instead of just a popular but passing trend. Sales in Japan stil account for an estimated 55% of all sales. According to Akira Miura, chief editor of a fashion paper in Japan, “Almost every grown-up Japanese woman already owns at least one Louis Vuitton item.” But even then people continue on buying more Vuitton items, after all a single Vuitton trunk in your closet looks incredibly lonely.

Cartoons and Beauty Products

What do these things have in common? Ask the manufacturers of the very popular brand Bihada Ichizoku and they’ll tell you everything. One of the most common sights in drugstores and beauty bars in Japan today is a skincare product that is packaged in the most extraordinary way – a pretty girl with long curly blonde hair backdropped by a scene of hot pink.

This beauty sheet mask is sold by Lovelabo, a Japanese company specializing in beauty products. What they did was unprecedented – they combined their marketing strategy with that of a popular novel and its characters. Though quite new at the time that they conceptualized this strategy, they have been proven right in their choice. To date, the sales of this line of products have skyrocketed beyond the company’s original expectations.

Indeed, having an excellent line of skincare products packaged in such an unconventional manner is a great way to catch consumers’ attention. I wonder where I can get my hands on one?
[tags]Japan, fashion, skincare, anime, novels, marketing[/tags]

Harajuku

The fashion lovers mecca of Japan, Harajuku stretches out along the Takeshita Street, or Takeshita-dori. One can get to the plethora of shops and stalls in this area by getting off at the JR Harajuku station of the Yamanote Train Line. From there, you will get inundated with all the clothes, jewelry, and all sorts of accessories that you can find.

Harajuku mainly attracts the younger crowd who fill up the place, especially during the weekend. More often than not, you will also see large flocks of tourists frequenting the place. Different areas in Harajuku stand for different things. Fashion boutiques are best found in Laforet Harajuku while the hub of young designers is Ura Harajuku. Omotesando on the other hand is the place to go for the chic and sophisticated. Whatever your taste may be, you will surely find something to suit you in this fashionable place. At the very least, it will be a feast for your eyes.
[tags]Japan, tourist spots, shopping, fashion, Harajuku[/tags]