Tokyo Seen

This is a photo from an exhibit titled "Tokyo Seen" at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography.

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[via Minus Manhattan]

Off To Tokyo

The Watermelon Cart

Oh, Japanese people...

Yes, this is exactly what you think it is. A cart to keep your watermelon fresh and cool whilst transporting it. Then again, with the prices they charge for perfect fruits in Japan, I suppose something like this makes sense.

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M83 - "Safe"

I almost didn't post this because the video is sort of low quality, but I liked it too much not to share it. My favorite M83 song has long been "Lower Your Eyelids To Die With The Sun", but "Safe" just might be my new favorite. The video above was made by a fan who compiled clips from various history programs about the bombing of Hiroshima. When I first saw it I thought it was the official video from M83, but no, it was simply made by fan, which probably explains the low quality. But I think the video is deeply moving when combined with this song, which is about an atomic explosion. Here are the lyrics:

Atomic roads, nuclear sunrise
They left me all alone
Falling stars exploding on the sea
God, it's beautiful
The land and the roses slowly disappeared
Why I'm so alone?
A wounded angel is smiling to me
God, it's so beautiful

Vibrations And Color

Even though certain people will tell you FREECITY supershop is so passé (Fabian), I still think it's a cool and inspiring and really fun concept. I was reminded of this as I was flipping through an old issue of NYLON magazine and found a little piece they did on this sweet teepee FREECITY made for their second anniversary celebration art show titled TEXASTOKYO TOKYOTEXAS. It's composed of freshly cut bamboo and handmade silk-screens and takes its influence from Japan and Texas. Nina Garduno, who founded the Malibu store, said she was inspired by the Japanese phrase, "Ai-No-Neiro" which translates to "vibrations and color". I want one, please. Click here to read a pretty solid interview with Ms. Garduno.

Vice Squad

With all the talk about scat bars and puke porn and octopus sex it’s easy to forget that Japan also caters to totally reasonable fetishes, like guys who wish girls walked around without pants all day.

Vice Squad

I wonder how many young men have perished trying to keep Miss Tokyo Posh Pants ’09 happy?

Japanese firms to partially propel cargo ship via solar panels

First things first -- when we say "partially" propel, we mean partially. Nippon Yusen and energy distributor Nippon Oil are teaming up to spend around $1.37 million in order to equip a car-hauling cargo ship with 328 solar panels. Rather than just provide energy for the crew's on board entertainment system, it will be the first solar installation to actually produce a smidgen of power for the boat's engine. If successful, the panels would provide 0.2% of the ship's energy consumption for propulsion, and they're hoping to raise that to a whopping 1% by 2010. Gives a whole new meaning to "baby steps," huh?

Japan Invades Midtown NYC Until November

Japan C showcase at midtown’s Felissimo Design House. The design fair–trade show–art exhibition hybrid includes wares from more than 70 established Japanese firms, spanning food, beauty, gadgets, home and fashion accessories and various pop-culture trinkets. Now through November 1, each week will feature a different theme focusing on a specific aesthetic, like “High Design” or “Design at Play,” during which a selection of items from each grouping will be available for sale.

Roller Coaster-like Transportation System to Be Tested in Japan

Conceptual view of Eco Ride, which runs on potential energy

The new transportation system operates using the height difference on the railway. Drive units to pull the cars up are installed at various points on the railway so that the Eco Ride can obtain the potential energy to run. This is the same principle as a roller coaster.

Stuff White People Like - #58 Japan

Though there is full white consensus on a number of white things, there is perhaps nothing that draws more universal white acclaim than the island nation of Japan. It should be noted, that some white people harbor SOME ill will toward Japan because of whaling, killing dolphins or Nanking. But those are generally considered isolated incidents that do not indict the entire nation.

White people love Japan for a number of reasons. Sushi is pretty much the biggest one, since white people have spent so much time Sushi restaurants, enjoying the food, learning about how to eat it, and how to be snobby about it. This natural curiousity fills them with a need to pay a visit to Tsukiji and taste the freshest Sushi possible.

But it goes beyond just food, all white people either have/will/or wished they had taught English in Japan. It is a dream for them to go over seas and actually live in Japan. This helps them not only because it fills their need to travel, it will enable them to gain important leverage over other white people at Sushi restaurants where they can say “this place is pretty good, but living in Japan really spoiled me. I’ve had such a hard time finding a really authentic place.”

White people also love Japan because of it’s tradition, futuristic cities, films, kawaii stuff, music, and writers. Many white nerds are into anime, so being too into this can be seen as a negative by white people. It’s best to have a passing familiarity for things like Hayao Miyazaki who is universally accepted by white people, or if they don’t know who is he, they will look him up and they won’t find weird violent or sexual cartoons.

If you find yourself in an awkward silence with white people, just mention how you want to go to Japan. They will immediately begin talking about how their trip to Japan, or their favorite stuff from Japan, but it will be entirely about them. This is useful as you no longer have to talk, and they will like you for letting them talk about themselves.

But like with anime, you have to be careful about how much you like Japan. If you know how to speak Japanese, you kind of ruin it for everyone else.