make your photos look like they’re from Google Streetview with just a little tape, cardboard and acrylic. That’s how these Japanese dudes did it and it looks kick-ass. Those of you familiar with Streetview will see the photos these boys made look just like the real thing. Head over to the original source if you want to learn exactly how they did it.
via Daily Portal
They look delicious, but no, they’re not edible.
Before you run down to your nearest sports shop, asking for a pair of Asics Gettry Procourt AR sneakers, you should know they have only been released in Japan. This fast-food-inspired line of footwear is a collaboration between Asics and Japanese retailer Gettry. It comes in all the colors associated with hamburger ingredients (meat, cheese, ketchup, lettuce, mustard), has french-fries printed on the insoles, and the perforated front resembles a fresh bun.
The Asics Hamburger Sneakers retail at 14,700 Yen ($155).
via Eat Me Daily
Japanese lingerie maker Triumph seeks to raise awareness to Japan’s failing marriage rate, with its ‘husband-hunting bra‘.
Yes, I know it’s the ugliest bra you’ve ever seen, but don’t worry, you’ll never get to see your girlfriend/wife wearing one, since it will never hit the stores. This bizarre piece of underwear, presented by lingerie model Hiromi Nishiuchi, features a timer between the cups. This represents the wearer’s biological clock, and should be set to count down to the deadline set for marriage. When the woman finds that special someone and is proposed to, she should take the ring and insert it into the slot above the clock. The countdown stops and a wedding march tune begins.
Don’t worry, it’s not like you blow up if you don’t get married until the set time runs out, the husband-hunting bra is just a nice way to pressure you into getting married until it’s too late. Statistics say the age of the average Japanese bride is 28 or over.
Photos by Getty Images
via Zimbio
How long would the legendary Japanese Warship Yamato be, built out of LEGO bricks?
That’s the question Jumpei Mitsui asked himself since he was a young boy. Now a third year student, Jumpei has answered his own question by building a LEGO model of the Yamato. It took the young Japanese 6 years and 4 months to finish his masterpiece, using 200,000 LEGO bricks.
The LEGO warship is built at a scale of 1/40, weighs over 150 kilograms, measures 6.6 meters from bow to stern and is 1 meter wide at the widest point of the ship.
Jumpei Mitsui finished the LEGO Yamato on April 9, 2009 and he deserves our congratulations. Well done my friend.
Check the link at the bottom for more photos.
via geocities.jp
It might sound like a futuristic invention, but Sanyo presented its washing-machine for humans way back in 1970.
Officially named Ultrasonic Bath, this human washing machine was introduced as a concept at the 1970 World Expo in Osaka. It was about 2 meters tall and the bather had to use a ladder to get in. After the desired water temperature was set, the 15-minutes-washing process would begin. First a 5-minutes pre-rinse cycle, spraying the baither with jets of hot water. After that the pod-shaped washing-machine filled up with water and a 3-minute massage-bath began. The soothing massage was supposed to stimulate blood circulation while cleaning your body. A 2-minutes rinse process followerd, and finally a 5-minutes drying program, in which warm air blasted the user, while infrared and ultraviolet light killed any remaining bacteria.
Unfortunately the Sanyo Ultrasonic Bath never made it into our homes, but the Japanese company did release HIRB (Human In Roll-lo Bathing), a compact washing machine for humans, used in elderly homes.
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People love sex and zodiac predictions, so why not mix the two?
Unfortunately the funny-looking Astrology Condoms are the product of a very small Japanese company called Yamashita Latex, and can only be found in some shops around Japan. The company doesn’t even have a website where you can order their products. You won’t find Astrology Condoms in any Western country, so if you have friends in Japan call them and ask them to send you some.
I have to admit this is a great way to market your condoms.
via Condomunity
Some people love anime heroes that much.
We all know how popular anime are worldwide, but especially in the coutry that invented them, Japan. Known as Itasha, the art of covering the body of a car with fictional anime characters, is very popular in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Gatherings to show off the coolest Itasha cars are held regularly, and the latest was organized in Nagara town, just north of Tokyo. Called “Winter 2009 Itasha Collection“, it was held on January 25 and brought together over 150 cool cars. A 20 million-yen Itasha car was reportedly also presented there.
Source [Mainichi via Bouncing Red Ball]
T-34, known as robocop, was developed by two Japanese tech firms, Tmsuk Co. and Alacom Co.
This smaller version of the popular 90s robotic super-hero travels with a speed of up to 10km/h and can be controlled by someone who sees real-time images through a cell-phone. The small robot is equipped with motion sensors that detect movement, and can hurl a net to trap the intruders.
The T-34 robocop is an improves on the common security sensors that often trigger false alarms. With the use of the built-in camera, anyone can examine the location from anywhere, via there mobile phones.
Obama-mania obviously hit Japan as well, as they rush to buy the best Obama action-figure ever.
Barack Obama is already a hero not only for Americans, but also for the Japanese. The Obama action-figure can be found on the shelves of many japanese toy-stores, together with patriotic accessories, like the American flag and changeable palms, to better express himself.
Obama-san also has some damn cool weapons to fight terrorism, political opponents and maybe even the economic crysis. The new American president comes equipped with a katana (Japanese sword) and wakizashi (long knife), a gun and a rifle, but also with a very cool light-saber, to help him fight his nemesis, Darth Vader(?!?).
The Obama action-figure was created by Hong Kong-based toy company DID Corporation and can be bought online here
After the disaster caused by the huge earthquake in May 2008, China is looking for safer schools for its children.
And a possible solution is the temporary schools proposed by Japanese architect, Shigeru Ban. After the terrible earthquake that hit China and caused over 69,000 casualties, Ban brought his ingenious idea to the attention of the authorities, who approved the project. He and a team of Chinese students started building safe schools out of cardboard pillars, plywood roofs and polycarbonate as insulation.
The cardboard and plywood schools are temporary, but in case of an earthquake, should the structures collapse, the materials are nowhere near heavy enough to cause serious injury. The materials used are fireproof and waterproof. Shigeru Ban hopes soon he will be able to build multi-storied buildings out of cardboard.
via TreeHugger
No, electronics are not recycled the same way as ordinary trash. Electronics have their own graveyard, and it’s called Guiyu.
Guiyu is a town in China that is known as the largest electronic waste site on the planet. One million tons of electronics waste are shipped here every year, mostly from North America, Japan and South Korea. Since 1995, Guiyu has been attracting peasants from the area to work as electronics processors. They only receive about $1,50 for a sixteen hours work-day collecting valuable metals and usable parts from broken devices.
Guiyu is a very dangerous work environment, with some of the highest levels of dioxin ever recorded. The soil is saturated with led and other heavy metals while the water from the area is undrinkable. People that visit Guiyu experience strange headaches and metallic taste in their mouths.
Despite this, Guiyu’s electronic waste business is very profitable, each year producing more than$75 million.
The Eliica prototype created quite a lot of hype when it was unveilled in 2003, both because of its incredible specifications and ugly looks. Eliica is a fully electric super-car created by a team of engineers from Keio University, Japan. The eight-wheeled vehicle is powered by a pack of large lithium-ion batteries that help it go from 0 to 100 km. per hour in just 4 seconds and reach a top speed of 402 km/h.
Each of Eliica‘s eight wheels produce 80 horsepower and its batteries provide power for a 321 km ride. Hiroshi Shimizu, head of the Eliica project, is considering producing a limited series. The exclusive super-car costs &320,000.
Everyone loves relaxing at the spa, even monkeys. The Japanese Macaques of Jigokudani hotsprings in Nagano have become famous for their visits here every winter. they love bathing in the hot water of the volcanic spa. Although they can whithstand temperatures of up-to -15 degrees Celsius thet are most known for the ridiculous amount of time they spend at the spa.
Developed by Kyoto University Venture Business Laboratory, Bambgoo is a fully functional vehicle that runs for 50 kilometers on a single charge. This ecological concept car is 270 cm long, 130 cm wide, 165 cm high and only 60 kg heavy. That’s what’s so special about Bambgoo, its body is made out of bamboo. If you happen to pass through Japan these days, you might want to check it out and maybe even take it for a short drive-test.
Standard churches don’t usually look like this, but then again, Leaf Chapel isn’t an ordinary church. Designed by Klein-Dytham Architecture, at the special request of a Japanese hotel-owner, the Leaf Chapel is located inside a very popular resort in the Japanese Alps.
Its unusual design was cleverly thought through, because this chapel is as as much a business as it is a sacred place. People of all faiths come here to get married so the Leaf Chapel had to have an ecumenical design, with no identifying iconographies.
Risonare mountain resort has become even more popular after the addition of the 550-square foot Leaf Chapel.
