New device for portable karaoke

The Japanese love to karaoke. It could probably even be considered as the national pastime. This love for singing in public (to the usual detriment of the ears of people within listening distance) could only mean that the Japanese will try to develop gadgets that would take karaoke to different platforms.

Take for example the portable karaoke handset that was developed by Logictec. The device, which could be attached to MP3 players like the iPod is the answer to karaoke lovers who just cannot wait to go to karaoke clubs to get their groove on. By attaching the device to the earphone plug of a digital music player you can now sing along with the music in the player. An added bonus is the built in FM radio transmitter that would beam the signal to a nearby radio, effectively widening the range in bad singers can irritate people.

Japan’s “love hotels” now target women

One of the quirky establishments that are part of contemporary Japanese culture are the so called love hotels. These small hotels are used as a clandestine meeting place for lovers and those who have a secret relationship. But over the years, love hotels have begun to diversify and are now trying to market themselves not as a secret rendezvous for illicit affairs but as a place where people can have fun.

One surprising trend is that these hotels are now beginning to cater to women. Different facilities and services are being incorporated the specifically target what women want. Among the new services include the addition of luxurious baths, amenities that cater and pamper women, mimicking the feel of a resort, and entertainment options like DVD players and widescreen TVs. One other service/facility that seems to be a hit among women are sex toys. More and more Japanese women are becoming enamored with sex toys and they usually incorporate it when they have sex with their lovers. There are even some love hotels that provide uniforms for costume play.

Love hotels are definitely one more landmark that a tourist should visit when in Japan.

Man dressed in schoolgirl uniform arrested

Hentai culture in Japan can sometimes go to the most extreme lengths and practices. Take for instance this recent report from one of Japan’s dailies.

A man in Saitama was arrestedby police when he was caught sneaking inside a high school. And what was this pervert wearing? a schoolgirl’s uniform.

The man, 39 year old Tetsunori Nanpei, was reported to have been witnessed exposing himself to passing students from within his car, while it was parked outside the school. Apparently not content with what he was doing, he decided to enter the school wearing the uniform. Fortunately, a number of students recognized him and immediately reported it to school officials. He was promptly nabbed by a teacher, who handed him to the police.

Nanpei admitted that he got the uniform from an online auction. The police reported that he was wearing makeup and a pink bra but with no other underwear.

A story that could’ve been taken straight out of hentai fiction, doesn’t it?

A lack of news about Princess Masako

One of the enigma’s facing the Japanese is the situation of Princess Masako.

When Princess Masako married into the Royal Family in 1993, many people (most of them women) considered it as a triumph that could possibly change the way women are seen in Japanese society. Masako is an accomplished and successful woman, a Harvard graduate and a diplomat who can speak a number of languages. She was seen as challenging the traditions of the Imperial household. But this never came to be. tremendous pressure and stress as a royal has actually made her retreat from the public eye. Now, it has been years since Masako has retreated and there are no signs this is going to change.

The most perplexing part though is the lack of information that is being given to the public with regards to her health. This is quite strange for a member of the Imperial household. And the public is beginning to clamor for more news, which does not seem forthcoming.

A healthier bento box

I’ve always thought of the dishes inside Japanese bento boxes as healthy alternatives to fast food fare. I had this belief that since most of the dishes are stir fried and rarely deep fried then it is a better option.

I was surprised when I read that many people still think that bento meals are not healthy after all. This is especially true of the bento boxes sold at convenience stores. But the Lawson convenience store chain may have heard these comments and have done something about it. The company has recently come out with a bento box that was developed with the help of students at the Kagawa Education Institute of Nutrition.

The newly formulated bento box is said to be much healthier because of the increased use of beans and vegetables. the portions of the healthy food were based on the food balance guidelines set by the health ministry. All branches of the Natural Lawson stores will carry this healthy option.

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

Food service for athletes

Japanese businessmen have thought up of the perfect way to incorporate their patriotic love for the country and the smarts to take advantage of a niche in order to earn money. The result is a new meal service that caters to athletes in training at training camps and dormitories. The menu for this service put special emphasis on nutrition and dietitians are frequently consulted about it.

D-Athlete Communications started the service back in 2001. The inspiration for the service came when the company’s chairman was requested by a track and field club of a university to provide meals for its training camp. From then on the company’s clients have expanded over the years. Currently, it services 1,500 people in 150 sports clubs in its area — this includes universities and high schools as well as swimming clubs.

Don’t think that you will get the same generic meals though. Since each sport requires different nutritional requirements for its athletes, the company provides a dietitian for each team. These professionals also give seminars on nutrition to the athletes.

This is one more idea that people in other countries should look into. The Japanese can really think out of the box.

Japan’s “Pimp Pusher”

The Japanese aesthetic is wonderfully quirky and one of the most unique point of views in the world. Just take for example this really funky watch. The Pimp Pusher watch from Tokyo Flash is a wonderful fashion accessory that is not only useful it’s also a great conversation piece. The watch has 72 surface mounted LEDS. These LEDs tell time by lighting up one light for the hour, which is located in the left column. It then also turns on one light for every minute that passes. So for, example, it 3:15, 18 LEDs will be turned on on the watch face.

But where does the “Pimp” come in with this Pimp Pusher watch. Well, between 6 PM and 1 Am, which is considered Pimp Time (go figure), rows of the LED will light up at random in order to catch the attention of people around you. Maybe the light display is a technological equivalent of showing your mating feathers or howling like a banshee like howler monkey in heat.

Be warned though, the watch may look very cool, but telling time will require constantly exercising your math skills. All for the name of fashion, eh?

The Tokusatsu genre

In a few previous blog post, I talked about my love for the various sentai series that came from Japan. Well, the nostalgia trip didn’t end with writing that post.

I recently went to a toy sale at my local mall and found a whole stash of Kamen Rider 555 action figures. I immediately grabbed a Kamen Rider Kaixa figure (which is one of the coolest figures in the bunch). It was a 12-inch figure that lights up just like in the series — signifying that the armor is powering up.

Getting my hands on a Kamen Rider figure made me think of the other genre that is as popular as Sentai — the Tokusatsu genre. Tokusatsu is a looser grouping, not like the more genre specific sentai. Tokusatsu literally means Special Effects and is actually a contraction of two words tokushu satsuei, which means special photography.

The tokusatsu series runs the whole gamut of subgenres from science fiction, fantasy and even horror and monsters. Some of the most popular tokusatsu series or shows aside from Kamen Rider are the Ultraman series, the Godzilla and Gamera series, and even Doraemon.

The Tokusatsu is another one of those distinctly Japanese pop culture references that make their culture so unique.

A love for Sentai

One of my fondest childhood memories was excitedly anticipating 6pm on a Saturday. No, it’s not because my mother was going to prepare a favorite dish. It’s when Goranger is shown on one of the local channels. Goranger was one of the first Sentai series to come out of Japan. They were also one of my favorite heroes. It’s been almost three decades (!) since I’ve seen Goranger but I still have a soft spot for it. It practically defined my childhood.

Sentai are one of the quirky genres that can be categorically confirmed as purely Japanese created. If you’re confused about what Sentai is then just look at any of the current iterations of the Power Rangers, because the Power Rangers are absolutely Sentai. The Sentai phenomenon spawned so many different titles and heroes that only the most hardcore sentai fan would even recognize all of them. But a common theme does run through all of the sentai series and heroes — the preference for distinctive colors to identify individual heroes, distinctive designs on the helmet, a group of four or five, and unique abilities for each sentai hero. With the emergence of Super Sentai, other conventions became established — separate vehicles that could either form into a robot or enter a robot and a first battle with a villain that culminates with the robot battle.

Adults watching a sentai series now may find it quite silly. But in our childhood, they were the pinnacle of cool. I admit, they are still the coolest things I’ve seen on TV, and I still secretly long to become the Aka Ranger.