Japo-Japan, 加納本石町3/7 (2026)

25/12/2024

Reverse thinking. Japanese clothespins that are pure genius

One may say that it’s much nicer to hang the laundry outside. However, you have to make sure it doesn't get blown away.

Also, don’t you worry about the marks left by the clothespins on your clothes?

Ivy Ltd, an Osaka-based company that designs and manufactures household goods, came up with the idea of making clothespins that do not leave marks:

“When we looked at the products of other companies, we noticed that many of them are marketed under the catchphrase “less likely to leave a mark”.

Then we proceeded with product development to try to make something that would never leave a mark. However, this was quite difficult.

If we weakened the grip, it would leave no marks, but this would not be suitable for use as a clothespin. We tried to balance the gripping force and the shape of the gripping part, but the reality was that, like other companies, we could only produce a product that was resistant to leaving marks.”

Reverse thinking

The idea was to reverse the situation, “If you can't erase it, just make a mark that everyone will want to leave behind”.

“If it's a stylish shape, even if it leaves a mark, it will still be cute. So, we made a cat's paw print on the grip.”

While maximizing their function as clothespins with a firm grip to hold on to, they have created a design that makes you happy to have marks rather than to worry about them.

They are sold in 100-yen shops in Japan but have become a hot topic on social networking sites and are in short supply all over Japan.

The product is a great success, realized through reverse-thinking.

For non-cat people

Cat paws are very cute, but say you prefer dogs to cats, or even birds to cats and dogs. Don’t worry. They can be custom-made with a design of your choice. You can make them with your favourite mark, or you can even make them with your company logo and hand them out as novelties.

I think it would be a pretty good publicity stunt if people all over the world were walking down the street wearing the JAPO logo wash marks!

Many companies make novelties, but practical novelties are appreciated by everyone. Why not consider this for your company?

It's in Japanese only, but here is a link to the Ivy Corporation website:

https://www.ib-bb.jp

I think this is a very good example of how reverse thinking can create great business opportunities.

So, when you are stuck for a business idea, please be flexible and try to think in reverse.

ABE KENGO

https://jp.japo.news/contents/culture/158278.html .tab=0

12/12/2024

Is forgotten Japanese technology making a comeback? Why was Japanese technology so advanced in the past?

As civilization progresses, some technologies are forgotten. In this article, I will tell you about three legendary technologies lost in Japan that have made a comeback.

Koto (old sword)
Koto is one of the Japanese swords. As the name suggests, it is an "old sword", made between 800 and 1595 AD, and is characterized by its straight blade, which is not warped like the Japanese swords you may be familiar with. The sword is said to have a risk of breaking because of this, but it is said to be the sharpest of all Japanese swords.

All the materials and production methods were secrets passed down by mouth from master to apprentice, but this is no longer the case. After much research, a manufacturing method was found in 1996, and the technique was revived after 800 years. They are indeed really sharp, but it is also said that it is not as sharp as the preserved ancient sword, so it isn’t a complete revival at this point in time.

Gilding
Gilding has been used on Japanese buildings since ancient times. However, the method has not been feasible until now. Gold plating on steel was just not possible, and the technique used in ancient buildings was a mystery. This is being revived in modern times. It was achieved when copper was accidentally mixed in during the gilding production process. It is used on buildings that are more than 1,000 years old, but why such technology existed remains a mystery.

Universal clock
This ultra-high-performance clock was manufactured in 1851.

As it is mechanical, the mechanism needs to be wound up, but only once a year. It is said to be able to tell not only the time and date but also the movements of the sun and moon at the same time. It was impossible to reproduce because it was so difficult to understand. After the death of its inventor, it became a lost technology, but more than 100 craftsmen and experts spent a year trying to restore it as a national project, and as a result, it has been restored after 154 years.

Although everything has digital capabilities these days, if it is possible to make such elaborate machines, the technology can be applied to other industries besides watchmaking.

Despite the celebratory return of these technologies, the question remains: How were the Japanese able to make such achievements in the past? Besides Japan, there are many other places in the world where technologies have been lost, the manufacturing methods of which remain unknown.

Were there exceptional geniuses who appeared by chance, or were the technologies the work of extra-terrestrials or people from the future? What do you think?

ABE KENGO

https://jp.japo.news/contents/culture/158274.html .tab=0

01/12/2024

What is the legendary “chonmage”? A haircut which was made while covered in blood.

To all the men in the world who long to be a samurai,

The traditional samurai style was that of a cool kimono and a Japanese sword at the waist. The samurai’s good posture and polite behavior have won the hearts of many men, but if there is one thing you wouldn’t want to imitate, it’s the hairstyle. Japan’s enigmatic hairstyle: The so-called chonmage.

However, did you know that it's a haircut made while covered in blood?

Why the chonmage?

Samurai originally fought on the battlefield. They fought wearing armor and helmets, but it was quite hot under the helmets due to sweat, body heat, and the sun, so they got steamed up.

Sweat dripping down can get into the eyes, which can be a disadvantage in combat. Therefore, the haircut was an attempt to create space and make it a little cooler. The pursuit of functionality resulted in that strange haircut.

Personally, I don't want to imitate it.

Are bald areas not shaved?

It is characterised by the absence of hair on the top part of the head. This part of the hairstyle is called the “sakayaki”. Do you know how it is made? I originally thought it was shaved with a razor, but that is not true. The hairs are plucked out, one by one. As this is a considerable area, a laughably large number of hairs need to be plucked. Compared to removing grey hairs, the amount of hairs that need to be plucked for the sakayaki are a bigger order of magnitude.

Bloodshed to make a chonmage

Making a chonmage was certainly painful, but it was also accompanied by quite a bit of bleeding. If you've ever had a facial hair removed, you know that sometimes bleeding occurs. Imagine that but a vast area of hair, and denser too. Some people would have bled considerably.

It was documented at the time with the words, "The amount of blood loss is awful”. A document left by a Portuguese missionary also states that it, "Looks really painful".

Why did they go to such lengths?

It seems to have been meant to show the spirit of always being ready to fight for the lord, even if it hurt. Furthermore, it is said that if there was even a little bit of hair on this part of the sakayaki, the samurai was considered ill-groomed.

After hearing so much about the chonmage hairstyle, you’ll probably find it hard to laugh at it, and personally, I won’t call it “cool”. Even in times of peace, when there were no more big wars or battles, the samurai who had continued to follow these rules can still be called cool men, can't they?

Conversely, some hairy samurais did not make the sakayaki. They were mainly ronin, people who did not serve a particular lord.

Incidentally, Miyamoto Musashi is world-famous as a strong samurai, but he didn’t have a sakayaki. He had a large boil (or swelling?) on the top of his head, so if he made a sakayaki, the boil would have been visible and made him look ugly. Even if the boil healed, it would have left a scar, so he did not make a sakayaki for the rest of his life. In truth, he may have wanted to make a chonmage.

ABE KENGO

https://jp.japo.news/contents/beauty/158271.html .tab=0

25/11/2024

Soba and ramen. Between them, the Japanese language is full of dark secrets

Dear Japanese food lovers.

Which do you prefer: soba noodles or ramen? Do you know the difference between them?

There is a dark secret between the Japanese words soba and ramen that foreigners can mistake for each other. If you want to eat good food as intended, make sure you learn about them.

Basic differences between soba and ramen

Soba noodles are based on buckwheat flour. Sometimes wheat flour is added to make it easier to eat, but the base is buckwheat flour. Finally, the noodles are cut with a knife. Ramen, on the other hand, is a dish of Chinese origin and uses wheat flour. It is also stretched and made thinner. It's very simple and originally a completely different food, but, somehow, it has a dark secret.

Which one is yakisoba?

Recall that this is also a very popular dish abroad if you know it. Noodles are stir-fried on an iron plate with ingredients and seasoned with sauce or other seasoning. It is called yakisoba, but the noodles are ramen. You can see the dark secret now, can't you?

“Maze-soba” (mixed soba)

As I said at the outset, this is a type of ramen. It has no soup, and the ingredients and sauce are stirred together. It is ramen, but it is called mazesoba.

“Chuka soba” (Chinese noodles) are a cause of confusion

The cause of this confusion is the term “chuka soba”. In Japan, ramen was called chuka soba or “shina soba”. It means Chinese buckwheat noodles, which are fried, hence the name “yaki-chuka-soba. It is abbreviated to “yakisoba”. Mazesoba is a more recent dish and should originally be “mazeramen”, but the atmosphere of the word seems to suggest that “mazesoba” was better.

Incidentally, udon and spaghetti also became widespread without being called by other names, so they remained the same. For some reason, ramen was the only victim.

At any rate, if the restaurant or product says ramen, it is 100% ramen. However, if it says “soba”, be careful. It is a little strange that udon and somen are not called soba, even though they are both types of noodles.

ABE KENGO

https://jp.japo.news/contents/japanese-language/158265.html .tab=0

19/11/2024

Why aren’t nuclear shelters widely used in Japan?

Japan is the only country in the world to have been attacked by nuclear bombs. Since it is probably the country that fears nuclear weapons most in the world, it follows that the majority of the population is also against them. However, North Korea is capable of a nuclear attack on Japan, and relations with China, which also possesses nuclear weapons, are not so good.

Japan feels the threat of nuclear attack, but it is no exaggeration to say that nuclear shelters are almost unheard of in Japan. Why are they found in North America and many European countries, but almost non-existent in Japan?

Percentage of the population provided with shelters by country

Countries are increasing their implementation of nuclear shelters:

Switzerland and Israel → 100%

Norway → 98%

United States → 8

Russia → 8%

United Kingdom → 67%

In contrast, Japan has only 0.02% coverage.

Can subways be shelters?
Japan has an extensive subway system, especially in urban areas such as Tokyo and Osaka. Some people think that subway stations would provide shelter, but in reality, they would be useless. There are no reserves of water, food, or medical supplies. There are no generators, and ventilation comes directly from the outside air, making them impossible to protect people from nuclear or biological weapons.

Differences in thinking affect the diffusion rates of shelters

There is not much difference between Japan and the rest of the world in terms of the sense of urgency with which nuclear war might break out. However, it is said that Japan has a very different prediction of the outcome.

In the event of a nuclear war, countries are said to think in the following way:

Countries where shelters are widespread → “Humanity will almost be wiped out” (some will survive)

Japan → “Humanity will be wiped out” (no one will survive)

Most Japanese people think that even if they jumped into a shelter and survived for a few years, they would not be able to live on the contaminated land. Therefore, they are not really interested in the means of survival in shelters.

Although there are no more samurai in Japan, their view of life and death, the aesthetic of “dying gracefully” remains deep within the Japanese people, so they are not desperate to get just a few more years of life.

I don't know which is right, but I personally don't like the idea much of trying to survive in a nuclear shelter. Is it because I am Japanese?

It costs a lot of money to build a nuclear shelter. Furthermore, the amount of money required to protect all the people in the country is enormous. I think it would be a good idea to use that budget to aim for world peace and prevent nuclear war from happening.

What do you think?

ABE KENGO
https://jp.japo.news/contents/business/158261.html .tab=0

13/11/2024

How far can you joke around? The challenge of official identification is incredible!

I’m sure it’s true worldwide, but photos for official identification cards cannot be used if they do not resemble the person they are supposed to be. For example, if you wear too much make-up, you will be asked to remove it, and your clothes and wig will also be problematic.

These photos though. They are incredible as official driver’s license photos! In the first photo, the man has a chonmage. The license center staff can't say anything about it because he made the style with his hair and not a wig. That’s not overdoing it perhaps, but for his license renewal, he took the second picture. He no longer looks like an earthling at this point.

Naturally, he was told to remove it for the license renewal photo, but this is a tattoo that can’t be removed. He was asked again and again if it really couldn’t be removed, and he said that it couldn’t be. The license officer couldn't say anything, and the photo was taken as it was.

It would have been impossible to identify him if he had been told to wear skin-coloured make-up, wouldn't it?

He has this driver’s license and he goes about his daily life looking like this. Would you go to this extreme for a license photo? Japanese driver’s licenses are renewed every three to five years, so there is a lot of anticipation for his next photo!

ABE KENGO
https://jp.japo.news/contents/beauty/158258.html .tab=0

30/10/2024

The real meaning of "okaerinasai", the Japanese phrase used when someone comes home, are words that make you happy.

If you are learning Japanese, you may know of an expression used when someone comes home. The person who returns says "tadaima" (I'm home), while the person who welcomes you home says "okaerinasai" (welcome home). But did you know that "okaerinasai" is a very strange Japanese word? What is the true meaning behind it?

The literal translation of welcome home is "go home”?!

Don't you think this is a strange word to say to someone who has just come home? Actually, this is not a word to say to someone who has just returned.

In Japan, human feelings are called "ki". When you go outside, you meet and pass many people. Unlike at home, many people worry about what others think of them and keep their stress from work or school to themselves. Such negative ki can also attach itself to other people, causing them to think negatively. The word "welcome home" is used to get rid of such negative ki. In other words, they are not talking to the person who has returned, but to the ki that has followed them.

The ideal home is one where negative ki is not brought into the house, but where all family members bring positive ki to each other. This is what the word is for.

Japan believes that words reside in ki

The Japanese language has a word called “kotodama” (lit. word spirit/power), and "okaerinasai" is one such example. Today, most Japanese people use the word "okaerinasai" without really knowing what it means, but it was once a word with great power.

Incidentally, for kotodama to be effective, they need to be uttered aloud with intention, but they are just spoken as everyday words in the average Japanese household today. I think it’s better to say the words with true intention.

I’m not sure if the Japanese language will be effective against negative ki outside of Japan, and I believe that it is beyond human comprehension anyway, so why don't you try it at home, while believing in its effectiveness?

ABE KENGO

https://jp.japo.news/contents/japanese-language/158255.html .tab=0

23/10/2024

You can’t die in Tokyo? Why are cremation fees 15 times higher than neighboring areas?

When a person dies in Japan, their body must be cremated. In Tokyo, however, cremation costs have risen so much that it has become difficult to pay funeral fees. Why is this happening only in Tokyo?

In almost all cases in Japan, the deceased are cremated and their remains are placed in a grave. However, as it is not a legal requirement, the remains can be buried as they are, but permission is required from the local authority where the burial is to occur. There are quite a few municipalities that grant this permission, and in urban areas such as Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, cremation is mandatory in these areas as burials are prohibited.
そこで気になるのが火葬費用。
東京２３区、つまり東京の中心エリアの火葬費用は現在、90,000円。
2021年には59,000円だったことを考えると急激に値段が上がっている事がわかります。
近隣では例えば千葉県千葉市の場合、6,000円ですので、なんと１５倍。
同じ東京でも郊外の立川市や府中市などは無料。
これを見ると物価上昇とは全く違う要因で値段が上がっていることがわかります。
これ、なぜだかご存知ですか？
This is where cremation costs are of concern. The cost of cremation in the 23 wards of Tokyo, i.e. the central area of Tokyo, is currently 90,000 yen. Considering that it was 59,000 yen in 2021, it is evident that the cost has risen rapidly.
In neighboring areas, for example in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, the price is 6,000 yen, which is as much as 15 times lower. In the same Tokyo area, suburban cities such as Tachikawa and Fuchu are free. This shows that prices are rising due to a completely different factor from rising costs. Do you know why this is?

There are nine crematoriums in the 23 wards of Tokyo, seven of which are private companies, and the rule is that these companies can set the prices. This is where a Chinese company spotted the problem and bought up these crematoriums, causing the prices to rise dramatically.

Can we get a competing company?
In other industries, if you raise the prices to this level, the competition would come along and lower the prices, but crematoriums are problematic, as they are not easy to build.
It is not easy to build a new crematorium because they are prone to protests by residents in the area where it is to be built. Therefore, those who have taken the market share win. In effect, they have no choice but to do as they are told because cremation is mandatory.

The current law in Japan does not allow for price regulation, but this means that they can only do as they say if they raise prices even further. Yes, dying in Tokyo also costs big money, and Chinese companies have become the sole winners.
There is no other way but to amend the law or for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to cooperate with the residents to build a public crematorium.
This situation makes it a city where one cannot even die in peace. Even though are not breaking the law, are these companies going too far?

ABE KENGO

https://jp.japo.news/contents/business/158252.html .tab=0

20/10/2024

Taiyaki: Từ hình dáng con rùa đến bí ẩn của chiếc bánh “tự nhiên” và “nuôi trồng”

Một trong những món ăn đường phố biểu tượng của Nhật Bản chính là bánh cá Taiyaki.

Các bạn đã bao giờ thưởng thức hương vị độc đáo này chưa?

Với hình dáng đáng yêu và vị ngọt ngào mang lại cảm giác hạnh phúc, đặc biệt là khi thưởng thức bánh còn nóng hổi, mới ra lò, chỉ cần tưởng tượng thôi cũng đủ khiến ai cũng muốn ăn ngay.

Nguyên liệu chính của bánh Taiyaki rất đơn giản, chỉ gồm bột mì pha loãng và nhân đậu đỏ ngọt ngào “Anko”.

Nhân đậu đỏ được khéo léo cho vào lớp bột mịn, sau đó bánh được nướng lên, tạo ra hương vị thơm ngon khó cưỡng.

Bánh Taiyaki đã có mặt hơn 100 năm, mang theo mình cả một câu chuyện thú vị.

Khi mới ra đời, bánh từng có hình dáng của một con rùa, nhưng lại không mấy thu hút thực khách.

Dù không rõ liệu có từng được gọi là “Bánh nướng rùa” hay không, nhưng chỉ khi đổi hình dạng, món bánh này mới thực sự bùng nổ và trở thành một trong những món ăn đường phố được yêu thích nhất.

Tự nhiên vs Nuôi trồng

Khi nói về cá, chúng ta thường phân biệt giữa cá tự nhiên (bắt ở biển) và cá nuôi (nuôi trong lồng bè). Nhưng bạn có biết rằng, ngay cả bánh Taiyaki cũng có sự phân loại tương tự không?

Mặc dù bánh Taiyaki hoàn toàn được làm bởi con người, nhưng cách làm chúng lại có sự khác biệt.

Bánh Taiyaki “nuôi trồng” được nướng hàng loạt trên vỉ sắt lớn, còn bánh Taiyaki “tự nhiên” được nướng từng con hoặc từng cặp trên những vỉ sắt nhỏ.

Giống như việc cá tự nhiên thường được ưa chuộng hơn cá nuôi, bánh Taiyaki “tự nhiên” cũng được nhiều người đánh giá cao hơn.

Điều này có thể là do quy trình sản xuất thủ công, tỉ mỉ hơn, mang lại cảm giác đặc biệt cho sản phẩm.

Bánh tự nhiên được nướng rất cẩn thận, từng chiếc được quan sát kỹ để có lớp vỏ ngoài giòn rụm mà không bị cháy.

Chính vì sự tỉ mỉ trong quá trình làm bánh nên loại bánh này được xem là một đặc sản cao cấp.

Tôi thực sự muốn các bạn thử một lần bánh tự nhiên để cảm nhận được sự khác biệt.

Bạn có biết là cách ăn bánh Taiyaki có thể nói lên điều gì về tính cách của một người không?

Người ta thường nói rằng, những ai ăn bánh Taiyaki từ đầu bánh thường là người lạc quan, không quá cầu toàn và rất thẳng thắn.

Trong khi đó, những người thích ăn từ đuôi bánh lại có xu hướng cẩn trọng hơn.

Do đặc điểm hình dáng của bánh Taiyaki, không phải lúc nào phần đuôi cũng có nhân đầy như phần đầu.

Vì vậy, việc để dành phần ngon nhất cho cuối cùng cho thấy người ăn khá cẩn trọng và biết cách tận hưởng.

Cách chia bánh Taiyaki làm đôi và thứ tự ăn cũng có thể tiết lộ một phần tính cách của người ăn.

Những ai ăn phần có đuôi trước thường là những người có đầu óc tính toán, họ luôn dành thời gian để tìm hiểu kỹ trước khi hành động.

Việc thường xuyên ăn phần đầu bánh Taiyaki có thể là dấu hiệu cho thấy bạn đang cố gắng quá sức đấy. Hãy thử dành thời gian thư giãn và làm những việc mình thích nhé.

Team đuôi bánh đâu rồi điểm danh nào! Còn các bạn khác thì sao, đầu hay giữa nhỉ?

Hãy cùng bình luận và xem ai là fan ruột của phần nào của bánh Taiyaki nhé!

ABE KENGO

https://jp.japo.news/contents/cuisine/158249.html .tab=0

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