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Japan (Page 1473)

Japanese Man Perfects, Battles Most Useless Machine 【Video】

In the early 1950s, American mathematician and engineer Claude Shannon built a device that looked like a simple wooden casket with a single switch on the side. When the switch was thrown, the lid would rise slowly and a mechanical hand would emerge from beneath. The hand would slowly reach over to the side of the box, flip the switch off and retreat back　into the box, whereupon the lid would snap shut.

Shannon called the device the “Ultimate Machine,” and since its invention, it has been reconstructed and revised under a number of different names, such as the “Useless Box”　or “Leave Me Alone Box.” While all of these iterations are entertaining in their own right, a recent video by a Japanese university student has the internet buzzing that, more than 50 years later, Shannon’s Ultimate Machine may have finally been perfected.

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Mister Donut Limited Edition Lamb French Cruller Doughnut

Mister Donut is the largest doughnut franchise chain in Japan with over 1,300 stores nationwide.  Even more popular than Krispy Kreme and Doughnut Plant, the chain has been serving sweetened, fried pieces of dough to the people of Japan for over 40 years.

Starting October 22, Mister Donut fans are able to enjoy a limited edition French cruller doughnut featuring a smiling white chocolate lamb. Named “French Ura,” this adorable doughnut will only be sold at the chain’s Tokyo Solamachi shop for 189 yen (US $2.37).

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Have you ever looked at a guy and thought: “Gee, he looks loaded!  He must make a lot of money!”

It’s often the case that guys like these aren’t as well off as they seem. While they look like they live lavishly, they may not necessarily have the finances to support such a lifestyle.  Japanese website Niconico News recently did a survey inquiring into why guys make some costly lifestyle decisions even if they know they should be trimming the fat. Read More

Revolutionary Speakers Made Entirely of Rubber, All the Bass without those Pesky Magnets

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaoIMy1ybFE?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent&w=640&h=360%5D

At this year’s CEATEC Japan, Tokai Rubber Industries Ltd. unveiled the first ever speaker made entirely of rubber – or should I say “smart rubber.”  With this technology what appears to be an ordinary strip of latex can be wired into a speaker.

There already is a range of modern products such smartphones using miniature speakers to produce decent quality sound. However, smart rubber speakers stand above with one thing they don’t have – good bass.

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In a news story over on the Asahi Shinbun Digital, despite the Japanese coastguard coming to the aid of a Chinese freighter that had caught fire, the Chinese government has yet to issue a statement of thanks.

Chinese netizens, however, have taken to their keyboards to show their gratitude and express their joy upon hearing about the act of humanity despite relations between the two countries being so bad at this time.

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Starbucks Japan Unveils Posh Leather Cup Sleeves as Part of Charity Drive

Starbucks Japan has teamed up with Spanish luxury leather designer Loewe to produce a range of sexy leather sleeves for its paper coffee cups, it was announced yesterday.

The limited-edition sleeves are part of a programme designed to provide financial support to those affected by the earthquake and tsunami that stuck north-eastern Japan in March last year.

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ANGFA Co Ltd is a Japanese company that develops health and anti-ageing beauty products like medicinal shampoos for the scalp.

Wanting women to know the importance of good scalp care, which is reported to help keep hair beautiful five and ten years down the line, on October 19th this year the company launched a campaign called “Scalp D Hair Care ‘Scalp Revolution”.

The first part of this project focused on, would you believe it, the smell of women’s scalps.  The research included verifying the strength of the smells of the scalps of 500 men and women between the ages of 20 to 30.  They also took part in surveys and interviews with body odour care specialists.  The results were posted on a special site. Read More

Our Team Sample a New Strawberry Rice-Cake Flavoured Milk Drink: “Tastes Like Green Peppers…”

Japan is no stranger to exciting, original or downright odd beverages. Just 20 feet from this writer’s apartment, in fact, there’s a vending machine that sells cans of grape jelly or caramel pudding flavoured “drinks”, and convenience stores stock an enormous array of beverages from green tea or chilled coffee to butterscotch milk and melon soda.

Still, it’s better than row after row of tremor-inducing caffeine-packed cola and the illegitimate offspring of child’s cough syrup and lemonade that is Dr Pepper, I suppose…

On the 15th of this month, however, dairy experts Meito brought Japanese consumers something altogether more challenging- a milk-based drink that’s designed to taste not just like strawberries, but classic Japanese favourite strawberry daifuku mochi rice cakes!

But no sooner had the delicious-sounding beverage found its way into stores than internet users starting leaving rather odd comments on message boards about the drink’s taste…

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Japanese Company President Decides All Chairs Get Replaced by Exercise Balls

Located in Kyoto is the headquarters of hair styling product maker Nakano Pharmaceutical. This company is well-known for something besides their high quality hair care gels and sprays and confusing name.  They are one of the few companies to almost completely eliminate everyone’s favorite sitting device, the chair, from their facilities.

In its place staff and visitors are treated to a wobbly seat on those large plastic balls often seen in Pilates classes.

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Towel Jenga: Super Patient Pooch Lets Owners Stack Towels on His Head

Before I was five years old, I’d been chased, bitten and cornered by dogs no fewer than three times.

From then on, whenever we went on to the park or were out for a family stroll, the mere sight of a dog– be it leashed, unleashed, right in front of me or 100 metres away– would have me clinging to my parents’ legs, begging them to turn back.

If only we’d had a dog like this loveable little Shiba-inu, who lies patiently while his master rests towel after towel on top of his head, I’m sure it would have taken me far less time to get over my fear of dogs.

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Any anime or manga fan will tell you that the sight of characters suffering sudden, sporadic nosebleeds when they’re sexually aroused is not uncommon in Japanese-created works.

A male character catches a glimpse of a girl undressing, a girl has the object of her affection wink seductively at her, a character trips and finds his face inches from a female character’s ample bosom; the result is always the same- a flushed face followed by a gushing nosebleed.

The idea is that sexual arousal causes an increase in blood pressure, which in turn sets off a nosebleed. It’s certainly true that arousal or embarrassment can cause us to flush– I can clearly recall my face bursting into flames when I was 12 years old and the girl in my class whom I was madly in love with was dared to kiss me on the cheek– but could it really cause a nosebleed?

NicoNico News turned to a medical professional to find out whether there’s any truth to the anime phenomenon, or whether it’s just an old wives’ tale…

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A sun bear cub residing in Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo was videoed having a frustrating time dealing with the door to its den.  It would seem the handle to the door was juuuuust out of reach of the bemused bear cub.  Even standing on its tip-toes it can’t quite make it. Then it starts spinning around, gets dizzy and falls on its back.

Prepare to go “Awww” hard.

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Nissan’s New Safety Technology Wrestles Control of the Wheel from Drivers Facing Doom

As the world inches closer and closer to driverless cars, Nissan released a video demonstration of their newest precrash system, the Autonomous Emergency Steering System.  It utilizes an arrangement of camera, laser, and radar sensors to detect objects around your car and avoid potential collisions by commandeering the steering wheel.

In other words, if your car thinks it can drive better than you then it takes control of the wheel.

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Knife Resistant Shirt Presented at Anti-Terrorist Convention

As a high ranking anti-terrorist agent in my fantasies off-time I’m often attacked by knife wielding maniacs.  This is why when I read Gigazine’s coverage of the recent Special Equipment Exhibition & Conference for Anti-Terrorism (SEECAT) 2012 in Tokyo I saw something that really piqued my interest.

On display at the Tanizawa Corp. booth was a sporty looking sweater that also prevents damage from knife slashes.  It could be the most comfy looking piece of armor I’ve seen.

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The Problem With Everyone Knowing Where We Live【You, Me, And A Tanuki】

You, Me, And a Tanuki is a weekly featured blog run by Michelle, a Californian who is currently one of only two foreigners living in Chibu, a tiny fishing village on one of the Oki islands in Japan. Check back every Saturday for a new post or read more on her website here!

My husband and I live on a five square mile island with less than 600 inhabitants. To make matters even cozier, most of our island is mountainous so the houses are clustered together on the coasts where any flat land is available. As a result of our close proximity to our neighbors and the fact that we are the only two foreigners on the island, everyone knows where we live.

This is a great thing most of the time. People often come to our door to give us extra vegetables from their garden or fish they caught. When Khoa and I stayed on the island during New Year’s, the principal of the elementary school saw the light on at our house, figured we were home, and invited us over for a big New Year’s feast.

However, there is a downside to the entire island knowing our whereabouts.

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[Perfect for Halloween] Make Your Own Gaping Flesh Wound Without Wounding Yourself!

With Halloween just around the corner many people are looking around for those finishing touches on their costumes.  And what better accoutrement to your costume is there than an open sore or gaping wound?

However, store bought injuries can be cumbersome and might not look the way you want.  And while injuring yourself with a butcher’s knife is an economically sound idea it could seriously hamper your day to day activities.

So let us show you a safe way to make your own realistic wounds using ordinary household items! Just follow our multimedia guide on wounding yourself and get yourself some markers and glue.

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Food Fight: We Compare Yoshinoya and Sukiya’s Pricey New Dishes

Fight! Fight! Fight!

Times are tough in Japan, and, as reported here on RocketNews24 earlier this week, the country’s two biggest gyūdon chains, Sukiya and Yoshinoya, are tightening their belts after seeing financial losses in the first half of the tax year.

The restaurants’ response to the decrease in profits? Stop cutting costs, end the focus on dirt-cheap dishes and instead launch new, fancier menus in the hope of enticing new customers and squeezing a few extra yen out of regular patrons.

Both Yoshinoya and Sukiya’s new dishes that are more than twice the price of their regular gyūdon staples, but the restaurants claim that they are a cut above the rest as a result. But will the average salary-man, with just 500 yen per day to spend on lunch, want to pay extra for a fancier menu? And if they do, which dish should they choose?

Armed with a camera and grumbling stomachs, we headed out to both restaurants on two seperate days to try the new dishes for ourselves.

Let the New Gyūdon Wars begin!

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Pretty White Soba Flowers Making Fukui Locals Want to Vomit

For those of us living in cities, the idea of moving away to a country home surrounded by vast meadows of these pretty white autumn flowers sounds nice doesn’t it? However, this year, in Fukui Prefecture, where crops of thousands of these soba (buckwheat) flowers are grown, residents are perplexed that all these little blossoms literally smell like an ocean of sh*t.

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“Spare Some Change, Guvnor?” Photo of Distinctly Impious Monks Causes Outrage Online

In pretty much any major city around the world, you’re bound to run in to a person collecting money for some cause or other. It could be in aid of curing a deadly disease, cutting world hunger, protecting the environment or even animal rights activists PETA asking for donations when they’re not making online videogames…

In Japan, it’s not uncommon to encounter Buddhist monks, standing still in the street with a bowl in hand, asking for donations. This is a tradition that has existed in Japan for centuries, and, while few busy city-dwellers stop to drop a few yen in the bowl, even fewer would begrudge the monks for doing it since they have scant income and bring a lot of comfort to many people.

A photo that appeared online earlier this week, however, showing what appears to be two monks sitting in a side-street laughing and smoking while counting their takings for the day, has caused quite a stir among Japan’s internet users…

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