JAPAN TRENDS
Maywa Denki are one of Japan’s best-kept secrets. Part music unit, part toy designers, part performance artists, the group is now 20 years old but continues to come up with great ideas.
Their biggest hit was likely the Otamatone Sound Toy, a remake of the theremin that came out a few...

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JAPAN TODAY
 TOKYO — NTT Docomo and McDonald’s Japan Co have jointly announced a partnership to offer discounts and other benefits to more than 54 million members of Docomo’s “d POINT CLUB” and McDonald’s customers at most of its 3,000 locations nationwide. By offering customers enhanced convenie...

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JAPAN TRENDS
Thanko are our favorite Japanese gadget makers, not least because their approach to the marketing is always so gleefully down-to-earth but also because they deliberately find everyday problems and seek out low-fi, cheap resolutions.
Here’s a case in point.
Don’t you just hate it when...

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JAPAN TRENDS
On November 13th, architect Kengo Kuma and Komatsu Seiren unveiled fa-bo, a three-floor office for the fabrics manufacturer in Nomi City, Ishikawa Prefecture.
It is said to be the world’s first use of carbon fibers as earthquake-resistant materials. While unrecognized by Japanese arc...

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JAPAN TRENDS
Stores of SoftBank, one of Japan’s three main mobile phone providers, will be staffed by robots, announced CEO and Japan’s richest man Masayoshi Son at a press conference today in Tokyo.
The robot is the Pepper, a new model developed by French robotics company Aldebaran, who have pre...

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ROCKET NEWS
For their 10th anniversary, Wazigen Shizukuya is providing gorgeous modern hakama and yukata styles for all the men.
Hakama, yukata and kimono may be the traditional clothing of Japan, but there’s no reason that you can’t wear and enjoy them every day. Wazigen Shizukuya opened its doo...

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ROCKET NEWS
These individually carved and lacquered wooden iPhone cases aren’t cheap, but they are gorgeous! With a design as gorgeous as it is simple, your phone will look great wherever you might play Candy Crush.
The iPhone has never been the affordable smartphone option, though many will argu...

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JAPAN TRENDS
If you thought the SpongeBob SquarePant and Yummy Mart was bizarre enough, wait till you see this.
Yummy Mart’s latest branded clothing line is Coca-Cola.
The five items — including a bra and panties set, pajamas, socks, eye mask, and bathrobe — in the new series go on sale from Nove...

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ROCKET NEWS
What’s crucial for a getting a good night’s sleep? For many, a good pillow is key, as a bad one can leave you tossing and turning all night trying to get comfortable and leave you with a crick in your neck the next morning.
If you need a little extra support, a neck pillow can be just...

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JAPAN TRENDS
Is this virtual wearable arm keyboard that future of user interface?
NEC has developed the ARmKeypad, a virtual keyboard that displays on your arm.
The keyboards work in tandem with other wearable tech like a pair of smart glasses and smart watches to display the virtual keyboard int...

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