Gadget files: specialty digital cameras
We’re all armed with our standard point-and-shoots, and our cell phone cameras certainly do well in a pinch. But for some situations – extreme sports, extreme close-ups and yes, spywork – there is no substitute for a uni-tasking digital camera. We’ve listed some of our favorites from Japan below…
Watch camera
Undercover reporting, James Bond-style antics, a little corporate espionage – a nice digital watch/video camera opens up a whole load of possibilities. While this camera + more
Typhoon Songda in video: before, during and after
We had a rainy weekend in Tokyo and a very windy Monday, all courtesy of Typhoon #2 (Songda). But as unpleasant as the weekend was here, Okinawa had a really rough go of it.
Of course, the run up wasn’t all that bad…
Fast forward to Saturday, and this is what Miyakojima was looking like…
And here was the scene back on Okinawa proper, after the typhoon had finished moving through.
Q&A: Japanese foods that won us over
This post has been tooled up and submitted to the August J-Festa. The theme is, you guessed it, food!
Another day, another chance to promote some niche Japanese industry… Yesterday (5/29) was Konnyaku Day – 5 (‘kon’) + 2 (‘nya’) + 9 (‘ku’). Konnyaku goes by many other names – Devil’s Tongue Jelly being my favorite – but it’s basically a chewy hunk of konjac starch. If you’re not familiar, here’s what it looks like…
It doesn’t look like much. And to be sure, I spent a long time avoiding it. But once I finally gave it a go, I found that I actually enjoyed it. You’ll now find plenty of konnyaku in my winter hot pots.
Konnyaku got me thinking about other foods that won me over, despite my initial skepticism. I also polled my office mates, and some of their picks surprised me. My favorite of their food tales below… + more
Weekend reading list for May 27th
Many of this week’s pick are a little shorter than usual – think photos and short gossip items – so I’m including a few extras. We’ve got Japan’s newest airline, its oldest cultural treasures, fashion eye candy and more…
Understanding why Japan’s recent quake defied expectations
Ars Technica did a good job of breaking down some of the recent scientific analysis on the Tohoku-Oki earthquake (this is now the accepted name for the event, it seems). If you’re interested in quake science + more
Video: the ultimate udon restaurant
JapanScene’s look at the Marukame udon shop in Aichi Prefecture. That’s some serious production, and some seriously good-looking noodles…
Finally, an Android app that puts the guesswork *in* trip planning
Once you’ve seen Japan’s major cities and sights, coming up with new weekend destination ideas starts getting hard. But now, there’s an Android app for that – “Japanese archipelago darts journey.”
The idea comes from the hit TV show The Big Questions of 100 Million People, which has a segment where the hosts throw a dart at a map of Japan (or occasionally, the world) and then visit whichever village they happen to hit. So to get started, you can flick your touchscreen to throw the dart…
The app then opens up + more
Tokyo Bounce photo #70 – Keio University
While it may not look it, this shot was actually taken in Tokyo. It’s a shot of the old library at venerable Keio University’s Mita campus, taken by guest photog Kei.
Avoiding heat stroke, the gadgety way
Way back in December we poked a little fun at the Skin Moisture Meter, a device that monitors the ambient temperature and humidity, sounding the alarm when it’s time to moisturize. Just as a reminder, here’s what the device looked like…
And here’s the brand new Heat Stroke Warning Meter from the same collaborative crew (Design Factory and the Japan Weather Association). Look familiar?
Not surprisingly, this device also measures the ambient temperature and humidity. But this version sounds the alarm when conditions put you at greater risk of heat stroke. And after last summer’s record-breaking temperatures, a device like this doesn’t seem so silly after all. And at just 2310 yen ($28), I have a feeling they’ll be moving quite a few units. Of course, they will be competing with yet another just-released heat stroke alarm. What can I say? We love our gadgets (and our good health) here in Japan…
Video: Conductor Sado getting ready for Berlin debut
Noted Japanese conductor Yutaka Sado fulfilled his childhood dream this week, helming the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra for the first time (an honor that had previously been given to the late, great Seiji Ozawa). Here is in rehearsal, preparing a Takemitsu piece for prime time…
We’re happy to report that Sado got an overwhelmingly positive reception, according to the Mainichi Shimbun
