I’m sure every anime fan has pondered the idea of visiting Japan sometime during their lives, but things like time and money usually hold them back. Well, the good news is that now you can see what Japan has to offer for less than $15 and on your own time. Whether you want to stroll down the streets of the anime mecca of Akihabara, visit the temples and palaces of Kyoto, or go up the Tokyo Tower for a breathtaking view of the city, that can all be done at the press of a button.

Thanks to game maker Overdrive and their game Go! Go! Nippon! -My First Trip to Japan-, you can now experience the sights and sounds of Japan from your computer. The title is the first visual novel to be targeted at audiences outside of Japan.

While visual novels largely consist of erotic dating simulators, Go! Go! Nippon! is free of any 18+ material, but it does contain some dating simulator elements. You play the role of a foreigner who decides to visit a couple of Japanese friends he has made online for a week. After arriving in Japan, you discover that these friends are actually two cute sisters and you’ll be staying with them for the next week. What’s more, their parents coincidently happen to be out of town for 2 weeks, leaving the house to just the three of you. If that doesn’t sound like a dating simulator, I don’t know what does.

Besides the whole living with two cute girls aspect, the game is promoted as an educational resource for anyone interested in Japan or planning to visit Japan. Right from the beginning, the game walks you through the basics of visiting Japan like renting a cellphone at the airport and getting a SUICA card. As you tour Japan, the two sisters will describe the history and significance of the places that you visit. Although you would think the game covers most areas of Japan, it is actually limited to the major tourist areas in Tokyo and Kyoto. Perhaps not the best guide to places to visit in Japan, but it’s certainly a nice way of introducing someone to the country.

The game is published in English by MangaGamer and is available for purchase on their website for €9.95 (< $15).

Jaw. On. The. Floor.

This is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. I mean, it doesn’t blow my mind that something like this is possible, but seeing the incredible precision of dozens of tiny water nozzles squirting out water droplets to form shapes, letters, and numbers… It massages that spot in the brain where my inner geek lives.

This fountain is a fixture at the enormous Osaka Station, one of Japan’s busiest train and bus hubs for travelers and freight. I never knew water could do anything quite this mesmerizing. The video at the top is over four minutes long, but I don’t think I blinked once while watching it. I love when the two kids walk up to the fountain near the end and start clapping and cheering. Totally sums up how I feel, too.

I showed the video to my wife the first time I saw it, and at first she was convinced it was a continuous stream of water and there were lights behind it or under it creating the effect. Then I turned the sound up louder so she could hear the water as it hit the basin at the bottom of the fountain.

A second video showing a different perspective of the fountain is embedded below.

Crave companionship?  Do you find yourself lacking in love and absent affection, or do you simply need a good hug?  Finally, thanks to Japanese robotics engineers, a hug will always be at the ready with the Sense-Roid HugBot.

Combine the Sense-Roid HugBot with another Japanese creation, a mood-matching cat ear headset, and your emotional state may improve despite the fact that another’s opinion of you may take a serious hit.

The Sense-Roid HugBot was developed by a student at the University of Electro-Communications in Japan, and is described as:

“The Sense-Roid is essentially a sewer’s dress form–a mannequin torso, in other words–that wears a very particular jacket or vest. The user also wears a jacket, and when the two articles of clothing connect, they being to inflate with air and vibrate in ways meant to simulate a real hug.”

“In fact, the Sense-Roid mimics the pressure from the user’s hug, so in a way, hugging it is like hugging yourself. It detects the precise nature of the hug with micro switch sensors, then reciprocates in real-time. There are no known plans to make the Sense-Roid any more than a prototype.”

Sounds warm and cuddly, no?   If the description doesn’t grab you (pun intended), perhaps the “loving” video demonstration below will.

Forgive me if I’m creeped out by the concept and the video, but if I need a hug and can’t find a willing partner (highly likely), don’t expect me to ever turn to the Sense-Roid HugBot for a loving embrace.

What do you think of the Sense-Roid HugBot?  Odd or awesome?

Popular Science

If there’s one thing missing from this world it has to be electronic cat’s ears that perk up or flatten according to one’s mood.  Fortunately humanity no longer has to wait for such a splendid creation to arrive thanks to Japanese inventors.

All one has to do is attach the fur-covered device to one’s head and the ears are programmed to react to your mood.

The toy, known as Necomimi, features brainwave sensors and depending on your mood, the ears flatten or stand at attention just like those of a real cat!  Splendid, I know.

Neurowear’s Kana Nakano:

“We were exploring new ways of communicating and we thought it would be interesting to use brainwaves,” said Neurowear’s Kana Nakano.

“Because the sensors must be attached to the head, we tried to come up with something cute and catchy.”

The video below shows the prototype Necomimi, developed in black in white versions (what no calico?) using a sensor produced by a company in Silicon Valley.

Tomonori Kagaya, a member of the team behind the product:

“Brainwave sensors used for medical equipment cost several million yen, but falling costs have allowed people like us to seek interesting ways to use them.”

Neurowear has yet to set a price for the Necomimi, but hopes release the product by the end of the year.  The question is, will you buy one?

BBC

At Tokyo Flash Japan, you can find a host of watches that are not your run-of-the-mill watches. Check out the Kisai Joypad LED Watch, for example.

And how the heck can you tell the time? You need to touch the upper right button for the “numbers” to display the time. The hours are placed in the same manner as a regular watch and are displayed as numbers. The minutes are displayed in the inner ring, in groups of five minutes, and single minutes are also displayed in the center column. Here is the diagram to help you.

The Kisai Satellite Black LED Watch is sleeker in design, but no less interesting.

This display is a tad easier to read. The largest circle reflect the hours. The circle at the lower left shows minutes in groups of five, and the lower right circle shows four single minutes. Here’s a sample time reading.

Here’s the last of my pick – the RPM LED Watch. It is the simplest of the three, and I think the most striking as well.

As with the other watches, the display is divided into three zones – the hours, minutes in groups of five, and single minutes. Check out the diagram for a sample.

The coolest thing about these watches is this: if you buy from now till tomorrow (March 24), 100% of the purchase value will be given to the Tokyo Flash Tsunami Relief Fund! If you’re into quirky watches (and even if you’re not, really), you might as well get one today from this store and contribute to something worthwhile! Check out the other watches at the Tokyo Flash web site.

Also, you can still donate to the fundraising drive that Splashpress Media is carrying out. Visit our Japan Blog for more details.

By now everyone has probably already heard of the disasters happening in Japan, including earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, nuclear reactor meltdowns, and volcanic eruptions. This has left many systems severely crippled, one of which is the Japanese power grid. The earthquakes and ensuing tsunami took out several of the country’s nuclear power plants and the ones remaining are not able to provide nearly enough electricity to supply the country. In order to prevent a complete blackout, the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) is implementing rolling blackouts where turn off power in certain areas for a few hours per day to ensure other areas have the power they need.

Rolling blackouts are not a desirable situation though, so ordinary citizens are being called upon in an unofficial campaign to participate in “Operation Yashima”. If that name sounds familiar, that’s probably because it comes from the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. Specifically, it comes from episode 6 where an Angel attacks Japan and can only be taken down by using a positron rifle that needs to draw all of the electricity from Japan’s power grid.

The real-life Operation Yashima isn’t as extreme as to ask everyone to stop using electricity, but it is asking for people to conserve as much as they can, and only use what is necessary. Information about the project can be found at http://yashima.me/about.html (in Japanese). The operation is being promoted on Twitter using the tag #84MA. The Japanese have suffered tremendously these past few days, so here’s to hoping that they can pick up the pieces and at least return to some normalcy in the following weeks.

If you don’t live in Japan and would like to help out in some way, you can donate to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Consisting of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background, information contained in a QR code can range from text, a web address, and now information on a deceased individual thanks to a Japanese tombstone creator.

The use of QR Codes in Japan is no surprise given they were created by Toyota subsidiary Denso-Wave in 1994.

Tombstone creator Ishinokoe (Voice of the Stone) of Yamanashi Prefecture, soon will offer tombstones featuring embedded QR codes.

Known as “Kuyou no Mado” (Memorial Service Window), visitors to the resting place of the deceased can scan the code, receiving information on the deceased.

For those looking to add a QR Code to the decor of their final resting place, the codes are capable of housing information such as: pictures, video, family information, and more.

Desire to see the technology in action?  Pull out your phone and scan the QR Code below or visit here:

Pretty neat, while at the same time slightly creepy.

If you are going to purchase a grave marker or tombstone, would you opt for one featuring a QR Code?  If so, what information would you include for visitors to scan and why?

Copyranter

If you’ve been to a party, out to a fancy establishment, or been to a store selling wine, no doubt you’ve encountered a “wine snob.”  Wine snobs are those who not only consider themselves experts in the world of wine, but aren’t afraid to share their “expertise” with anyone and everyone surrounding them.  They’re a “wonderful” lot to spend time with.

Lest you think humans are the only species afflicted with wine snobbishness, a group of researchers at Japan’s Hiroshima University decided to train mice to tell the difference between different kinds of wine.

According to the researchers:

“We examined performance of mice in discrimination of liquor odors by Y-maze behavioral assays. Thirsty mice were initially trained to choose the odor of a red wine in the Y-maze. After successful training (>70% concordance for each trained mouse), the individual mice were able to discriminate the learned red wine from other liquors, including white wine, rosé wine, sake, and plum liqueur.”

Pretty impressive, for mice.  The research continued, this time the focusing on if mice could tell the difference between types of red wine:

“However, when the mice were tested to distinguish fine differences between 2 brands of red wine, their performance significantly varied among the individual trained mice. Among 10 mice tested, 2 mice were able to discriminate between the red wines (>75% concordance) whereas 6 mice failed to distinguish between them (50-67% concordance, where chance could be assumed to be 50%).”

Humans – 1, Mice – 0.

Evidently the only reason behind the research was to determine if the attention of mice could be altered through learning experiences.  Seems like a complete waste of time to me.

What do you think of the research?  What merit, if any, does it have and are there any real-life applications you see where society may benefit from a world with wine-smart mice?

iO9

What your eyes see is the face of Affetto, a new child robot platform.

Created by Hisashi Ishihara, Yuichiro Yoshikawa, and Prof. Minoru Asada of Osaka University in Japan, Affetto has the ability to make realistic facial expressions, allowing humans to interact with it (why would you want to?) in a more natural (oxymoron?) manner.

The spawn of Prof. Asada’s JST ERATO Asada Project, Affetto is the result of advances in “cognitive developmental robotics,” an area of robotics determined to to understand human intelligence using robots.

Affetto, modeled after a one- to two-year-old child , will be utilized to study early stages of human social development.  Earlier attempts to do so have failed due to the lack of a realistic child-like appearance and incorrect facial expressions.  This has led to to robot caregivers not attending to the robot in a natural way.  The last sentence seems so odd, but yes there do exist robot caregivers attempting to interact with robots in natural ways.

Desire to see how Affetto can interact with caregivers?  Check out this video:

Did the video scare you at all?  Are you frightened by some of the advances in robotics, such as Affetto and his future companions?

Created by Konami for the Nintendo DS, Love Plus⁺ quickly gained popularity in Japan and hit an all time high when a college guy actually married his virtual partner. Sad, I know, but it did push the game into the limelight. So, a year later, we haven’t been hearing much of the game (maybe outside of Japan) – until now.

In an effort to revive its declining tourism industry, the little town of Atami has “partnered up” with Love Plus⁺. This town used to be the destination of choice for honeymooners and couples looking for a romantic getaway. Located in the eastern part of Shizuoka, Japan, Atami is known for its hot springs. Thanks to decreasing marriage statistics and increasing outside-of-the-country travel statistics, not too many couples head over to Atami anymore.

Enter the new breed of couples – one human, one virtual. Atami launched a campaign targeting male players (are there any female players? I wonder…) of Love Plus⁺. Believe it or not, the town has received LOTS of Love Plus⁺ guests.

It’s quite strange, actually. Young men go to the town and check into a hotel as if they had a real partner with them. Some would even go as far as to pay for two people. (Apparently, in Japan, the norm is to pay per person and not per room.) The business owners, naturally, indulge their customers. After all, these not-so-ordinary guests are breathing a bit of life back into their businesses. Here, take a look at a video report of what’s going on in there.

So guys, can’t find a date? Maybe you ought to consider taking these guys’ lead.

(I can’t help but add this question: How come I haven’t really heard of gals engaging in this sort of thing? Any ideas why?)

Geeks in Tokyo seem to have found the perfect solution for this problem. They have created what is being dubbed as the Geek House. The idea is simple: geeks who have common interests come together by pooling their resources and renting an apartment together. The idea of sharing living quarters is definitely not a novel one; however, the Geek Houses are more than interesting.

Pronounced gikihausu in Japanese, a Geek House hosts several young professionals who have a particular interest in anything tech. Inventorspot shows us still images of a particular Geek House where five geeks live, and I have to say that my nose wrinkled a bit at the images! Take a look.



I mean, I know how messy guys can be, but this is something else! I suppose that the really small living space contributes to the difficulty. Still, the set up seems to suit the guys.

I can’t help but wonder if this trend will catch on in other parts of the world. Personally, I wouldn’t be able to withstand such arrangements. Maybe I am just too old.

scoreLight is “a laser-based synesthetic experience” and works by allowing one, two or more red lasers to trace over drawn shapes, objects, even people.

Similar to how the pickup of a record player scans the grooves in vinyl, these lasers simply traces the shape and then sound is generated based upon its movement. There’s no camera or projector involved.

It’s not only the shape of the objects being traced that affects the sound, but also their colour and texture. Abrupt changes in direction (such as a right angle) trigger discrete sounds such as percussive effects, while smoother shapes change the sound in other ways.

What’s really cool is that this is another example of the visuals enhancing the audio, rather than simply being a by-product. It’s quite mesmerising watching several laser pointers tracing around a picture or object.

It’s also possible to have the lasers “bounce” around objects or to interact with each other, and it’s a great base for collaborative music-making.

OK, some might question how musical the output is at present, but I can imagine some genres really making use of this, and what an amazing live show you could put on, maybe with audience participation?

Really, the possibilities are near endless, and to think (apart from the lasers and processing unit itself) all you need to get going is a whiteboard and a marker pen.

scoreLight (Via)

For those who want something of that, but don’t want to pay top dollar (or yen) for the privilege, check out the Alpha Centauri all metal Red LED watch, available for under $20.

Tap the button at the bottom of the watch and the 124 red LEDs light up. You can glean the hour and minute from whichever of those dots are lit.

It’s definitely cool, taking up epic proportions of the wrist you’ve chosen to strap it around.

Product page

Yes, it’s a fairly bizarre concept — take data from Japan’s Kaguya explorer as it orbited the moon between 2007 and 2009 and then assign musical notes and instruments to that data.

Sadly, it’s a Java applet (sorry, I have a thing about avoiding Java unless it’s absolutely necessary) but it’s still definitely worth a look. You can tweak a number of parameters to get the sort of effect you want.

It’s not going to make it in to the charts, but then I generally don’t like chart music, so that’s a good thing.

Via

Here’s a video including slow-motion replay:

At present the pitcher can only throw fast balls (well, 25mph balls), but researchers want to get it up to 93mph and vary the types of ball it can deliver.

The batter will be trained to consistently hit balls to the same target.

Via

For the true-blue and hardcore geek no other country in the world would be the destination for a pilgrimage more than Japan and when in Japan, the geek will naturally gravitate towards Akihabara, like a pigeon sensing magnetic north.

Akihabara is the flashiest district in Tokyo and covers practically everything the geek will have any interest in. Akihabara is considered the technological district of Tokyo and with good reason. It is located in the eastern part of Tokyo and just a two stops away from the northern section of the main Tokyo Station. For the uninitiated, Akihabara is commonly known as Electric Town — a throwback from its earlier reputation as the center of electronics and home appliance retailers. But even though the area is littered with a wide range of shops that offer all of the gadgets and electronics you can think of, it has also acquired a new, much deserved, reputation as the place where geeks can go see the things that interest them.

Name the geek pursuit and Akihabara will most probably have it. What makes Akihabara a geek paradise is that it actually caters to all the kinds of geeks out there. Oh yes, there are many types of geeks and they have different pursuits, passions and obsessions.

One of the most common type of geeks are the gadget freaks that absolutely must have the latest and greatest gadget out there. Akihabara is the perfect place for these geeks because it enjoys a “pioneer” reputation for getting technologies and gadgetry fads way before it becomes popular or even hits the rest of the world. You will often see gadgets and electronic equipment there that will only catch the world’s attention after a few years. Just the thought of getting a gadget before everyone else boosts your bragging rights and makes you the ubergeek of your neighborhood.

Anime and manga geeks will also find their Shangri-la in Akihabara. The Tokyo Anime Fair is held near the area and there are many merchandising shops in the district that sell anime stuff — from OAVs, plush toys, replica weapons and action figures. Beware though, the hentai anime figures are also quite ubiquitous in the area so be vigilant if you’re going to visit with youngsters.

Of course, for geeks from the West, Akihabara has become synonymous with a particular geek pursuit — gaming. Electric Town is where you can find shops that sell all manner of gaming consoles (you can even get lucky and find the discontinued console you’ve been looking for). You’ll also find a dizzying array of games for sale for absolutely all kinds of platforms. Even games from discontinued platforms (even those that’s more than a decade old) will usually be available there. And the most insane thing is that they’re housed in huge places. You’ll find stocks in stores that are contained in several floors. All manner of games are represented in Akihabara. You’ll be amazed at the sheer number of games that have been developed in Japan that never got to see the light of day in the West — from RPGs to shooters to hentai type sex games.

Geeks that love music and movies will also find many interesting places to visit and shop in at Akihabara. Shops that sell second hand and brand new CDs and DVDs proliferate around the area. For non-music loving geeks here’s an interesting piece of information — Japan-pressed CDs have gained a reputation among audiophiles for having the best audio quality. Additionally, Japan-pressed albums usually contain additional tracks that are not usually available in CDs pressed in the US or the EU. These are the factors that make buying CDs in Japan a very interesting proposition.

Cinephiles will go nuts over the selection of Japanese movies that are the rage among movie lovers. From the wide array of horror movies to thought provoking dramas and in-your-face action — Japan offers films that are worth watching and collecting.

Akihabara is a wonderful place to explore. If you’re a geek there is just so many things to do and explore there that you’ll get lost in your own mind just looking at the dizzying array of products and things that cater to your every desire. But non geeks will love it too because Akihabara is the perfect reflection of what Japan is — a place steeped in history and culture that is not afraid to embrace the new. Go book hotels in Japan and don’t forget to visit Akihabara.

Via Fanboy.

Created by boffins in Tokyo, J-Ware “stink-free” underwear is being tested by Koichi Wakata, currently orbiting the earth on the International Space Station.

“He can wear his trunks more than a week. The other astronauts become very sweaty, but he doesn’t have any sweat. He didn’t need to hang his clothes to dry,” reports an official with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency.

How?

This versatile undergarment can kill bacteria, absorb water, insulate the body, and it dries quickly too.

Unfortunately, this miracle clothing looks as if it’ll be confined to space explorers. The rest of us will just have to (continue to) endure daily clothes changing, laundry and personal hygiene.

Could go nicely with this Aircool suit.

(Via Weird Asia News)

Ken Tayas’ Nihon Town illustration mashes both Asian and Western pop culture up. Among the party are Super Mario Brothers’ mushroom, Astro Boy, Domo kun and Noodle from The Gorillaz.

You can check the complete list out at Enfu and admire the illustration 3000px large on Flickr.

When I initially saw this, I thought ‘Genius!. A lovely wooden USB stick with Post-it notes dispenser. The perfect argument to start sticking post-it notes on my laptop screen, a sure recipe for disaster.
Little later I was sitting in the little room, thinking how I could make one those myself. It’s crunchtime, DIY FTW!

Reasons for the DIY:

• 1. It’s credit crunch.
• 2. They have to come from Japan. Who else would invent this?
• 3. 2GB is ridiculous for a modern USB stick.
• 4. Making plans to DIY it would save me from having one more gadget.

And then it dwindled upon me: what a horrible design. A catasprtophe to stick in your pockets because every time you can change the pack of Post-its. Still I think that they would nicely fit in a wooden monitor. If only the Swedes made 24″ computer monitors.