| RSS |
on 2009-12-28 (172 reads)
Lens-ready surfing sunglasses (Yamamoto Kogaku)
This eyewear, originally designed to shield the eyes of surfers, can also be fitted with corrective lenses and used comfortably as ordinary glasses. It protects the eyes from long periods of exposure to strong UV rays and glare reflected from the ocean surface, as well as serving to absorb physical impacts. By removing the strap, the eyewear can be used as ordinary glasses or sunglasses.
www.yamamoto-kogaku.co.jp/ident/index.html
Cabin (Artechnic)
This distinctive as-cast concrete cabin, found in Karuizawa, consists of an original external aspect formed from two differently-sized ovals lined up and cut in free curves according to various conditions, contrasted with a calm, comfortable internal space. The building can be used for many years without deterioration, melding into the natural landscape and producing a spectacle at which one could quite happily gaze all day long.
www.artechnic.jp
Shoe Socks (Sunayama)
Take off your shoes and you have - more shoes. These "shoe socks" embody the unique Japanese cultural practice of removing one's shoes when entering a house, a custom that is indispensable for Japanese people, relaxing and refreshing them. The kind of product that perhaps only a Japanese mind could conceive, these playful socks are sure to garnish a smile from others and are a great souvenir of Japan.
www.sunayama-socks.net
Online clock (Bijin Tokei)
"I give you a minute of my love." "Bijin Tokei" is an original online application that refreshes every minute with photos of beautiful Japanese women. The approximately 360 women who appear are real people photographed in the streets of areas like Shibuya and Harajuku. Not just content, not just format, this site enables the two to complement each other's appeal.
www.bijint.com
Morisawa Fontpark (Morisawa)
This site enables users to produce their own graphical creations using Japanese characters. Pictures can be made through various combinations, and even the individual steps taken by creators can be seen by looking over previous submissions. Users are able to appreciate the intrigue and beauty of Japanese characters and deepen their awareness of those characters and typography.
http://fontpark.morisawa.co.jp
on 2009-12-06 (204 reads)
The underlying vitality of Japanese design shines bright for the future
The Good Design Award is a comprehensive program for the evaluation and encouragement of design and is organised by the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization (JIDPO).The Award began in 1957, at a time when people in Japan were struggling just to put food on the table, from the notion that design was essential in breaking out of such poverty.
For the 50 years since, the Good Design Award has been given to outstanding designs, with the number of awards made having now reached around 35,000.
The Good Design Award is a program that aims to channel the eminent powers of these outstanding designs to build prosperous living and encourage sound industrial development; to enrich and brighten society through the medium of design.
In 2009, 1,034 of the 2,952 entries received Good Design Awards. Featured this month are the Grand Award and other designs of note as selected by JA NEWS.
Good Design Grand AwardIwamizawa Compound Station Building
The design of the Iwamizawa Compound Station Building demonstrates a level of quality never before seen in a JR station building. While maintaining simple, clean spaces characteristic of its location in Hokkaido, the building also manages to evoke a warmth. The glass facade is masterful, employing old tracks to take full advantage of the land's past as a kind of sacred ground of rail. Perhaps the best vindication of the design is the fact that so many local residents interact fondly with the station space.
www.love-brick.com
Massage sofa (Panasonic)
Gold Award
With a full range of massage functions, this massage machine has a compact and simple design able to fit all sorts of interiors. Care has been taken to pack these functions into the size of an ordinary sofa such that, while losing nothing in the way of performance, the final product would not appear to be a bulky massage sofa.
This design realises both a simple form in which the user can sit freely and a full range of massage functions.
http://ctlg.panasonic.jp/product/info.do?pg=04&hb=EP-MS40
Fractal shad
e (LOSFEE)Gold Award
A fractal is a geometric concept in which the individual parts resemble one another as well as the whole of the design itself. Fractals are seen in phenomena such as leaf patterns and tree branches. The natural accumulation of tree leaves dissipates heat without storing it, cooling the surrounding area by creating gentle rays of sunshine filtering through. This shade, employing the fractal concept to reproduce natural conditions using simple forms, is a design that represents a "new nature".
www.losfee.jp
Walking Assist Devices (Honda) Frontier Design Award
Honda developed these Walking Assist Devices based on ASIMO. There are two types: the
Stride Management Assist, which adjusts its user's pace and stride by providing assistance in leg movement; and the Bodyweight Support Assist, which reduces the load on its user's legs by providing assistance in supporting body weight. Despite its humble appearance, these devices give support by instantaneously obtaining information on changes in pace and posture.
http://world.honda.com/Walking-Assist
i-REAL small three-wheeled personal mobility vehicle (Toyota)Frontier Design Award
This is a single-passenger mobility solution aiming to realise both the essential human desire to go anywhere freely and coexistence of society and the Earth's environment. It makes it possible to move seamlessly from the domain of pedestrians to that of vehicles, simply by changing the vehicle's configuration. In addition, the vehicle can shift automatically to the optimal angle, enabling stable mobility. With its axle length kept to 700 mm - the same as that of a wheelchair - it can be used in wheelchair slopes and elevators.
www2.toyota.co.jp/jp/tech/p_mobility/i-real
on 2009-10-28 (266 reads)
 Miso is one of the indispensible flavourings in Japanese cuisine. To Japanese people, it evokes such familiarity that even many of those travelling overseas yearn desperately for it. Some even suggest that the haccho miso widely used in the Nagoya region tastes something like Vegemite itself. In this modern era of slow food, a new importance has been placed on hand preparation. Many Japanese are now relying on recipe books in attempts to make their own miso. This month we feature this intriguing ingredient. |
| The origins of miso |
| The main ingredient in miso is soy beans, into which are mixed koji (mould for fermentation) and salt. Through fermentation, the protein in the soy beans is broken down for easy digestion and large amounts of amino acids, the source of the characteristic Japanese umami taste, are released. |
| Miso & health |
| As suggested by the Edo period proverb "Pay your miso dealer, not your doctor", miso is an essential daily item. Eating soy beans was said to relax the body, promote digestion and prevent constipation, and miso thought to be effective in giving energy and improving blood circulation. Today, miso is said to have the following various properties and effects. |
| Protein | cholesterol reduction; maintained elasticity of blood vessels |
| Vitamin B12 | blood formation; prevention of neural fatigue |
| Vitamin E | prevention of aging |
| Enzymes | digestion assistance |
| Isoflavone | antioxidant effect; relief from shoulder stiffness |
| Choline | prevention of aging; fatty liver prevention |
| Lecithin | cholesterol reduction; prevention of dementia |
| That's not all!: miso's other powers |
| Even more surprising is that miso is not only effective in maintaining day-to-day health; research has revealed that it is rich in substances that serve as powerful allies in the fight against so-called "lifestyle diseases", working to prevent cancer, high blood pressure, strokes, diabetes, fatty liver, dementia, high cholesterol, and other such ailments that afflict modern people. |
| Red miso and white miso |
 There are many different types of miso, divided by region and variety broadly into red, white and awase (mixed).The difference between red and white miso lies in the Maillard reaction between the protein and sugar of the soy beans and koji mould, and mainly depends upon the fermentation period. As red miso is fermented for at least a year, its salt concentration is high. Because its fermentation period is long, the procession of the Maillard reaction results in a browny colour and richer taste. White miso is low in salt concentration, with a shorter fermentation period of several months. Due to this short fermentation, the colour is pale, and in some types grains of wheat and other ingredients remain. |
| Miso soup: low in salt? |
| A lot of people seem to mistakenly consider miso soup to be high in salt. While it is true that around 10% of the base miso is salt, as you are not actually eating the paste itself, the salt in miso soup is not as much as you would think. Various other ingredients also go into miso soup, and the glutamates produced in the fermentation of soy beans allow cooking with low salt levels. |
| Miso recipes |
| Miso is an all-purpose flavouring that can be used in all cuisines, including Japanese, Western and Chinese. Miso soup is also capable of infinite variation simply by changing the ingredients you add. This month we feature some simple miso recipes. |
Japanese and Australian ingredients in harmony Lamb with spring onion and miso |
 Ingredients (serves 2)4 lamb chops salt & pepper to taste awase miso: 3 tbsp miso paste 15 cm white spring onion stalk, finely chopped 1/2 clove grated garlic 2 tsp sake 2 tsp sugar 2 tsp vegetable oil ichimi (chilli flakes) to taste Method 1. Season the lamb chops with salt and pepper. 2. After heating two teaspoons of vegetable oil in a frying pan, first cook lengthways along each lamb chop and then briefly brown both sides. 3. Cover in mixed awase miso and cook for around 7 minutes in a 220( oven or until the miso is browned and fragrant. 4. Serve immediately with ichimi to taste. |
A super-simple dressing free of additives and low in calories Miso dressing |
 Ingredients2 tbsp miso paste dash of karashi (Japanese mustard) 3 tbsp fresh citrus juice or vinegar 3 tbsp olive oil pinch of sugar dash of soy sauce Method Just mix everything together. Apart from salad, this dressing is also perfect with cold tofu, somen noodles and rice paper spring rolls. |
Don't boil it after adding the miso or the flavour will escape! Miso soup with tofu and wakame |
 Ingredients (serves 2)100 g tofu 20 g wakame seaweed (rehydrated in water) 300 mL water 1/2 tsp dashi powder 1 1/2 tbsp miso touch of spring onion Method 1. Cut the tofu and wakame into easy-to-eat pieces. 2. Chop the spring onion into small circles. 3. Warm the water and dashi powder in a pot and dissolve in the miso. If the mixture boils over, the miso flavour will escape and spoil the soup, so be sure not to boil it. 4. Add the tofu and wakame and simmer. 5. Serve in a bowl sprinkled with spring onion. |
on 2009-08-01 (901 reads)
| In recent years more and more municipalities in Japan have been amalgamating. The survival of villages with wonderful regional resources and the conservation of beautiful scenery have become difficult. Against this backdrop, a federation called "Nihon de mottomo utsukushii mura" ("The most beautiful villages in Japan") is conducting activities to protect the scenery and culture of Japan's rural villages. Its model is "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France", which carefully selects and publicises the beautiful, rustic villages of that country. The Federation started in 2005 with seven villages and now features 17 towns and villages and one region. |
 Fortunately, some rural villages left largely untouched by development, thanks to the Japan's unique and unforgiving topography, are now proud to stand up and be active in maintaining their status as beautiful regions well into the future.Remaining in these places is not only the beauty of the scenery that, once lost, can never be replaced. It is also the small parts of a truly beautiful Japan formed by long years of human endeavour. |
 |
Tsurui - Hokkaido The habitat and breeding ground for the Red-crowned Crane, a special natural treasure, it is moving forward with the creation of an environment in which the cranes and humans can coexist. |
 |
Biei - Hokkaido This village has beautiful rural scenery, with a landscape formed by the gentle slope of cropland. The headquarters of "The most beautiful villages in Japan" is based here. |
 |
Kyogoku - Hokkaido The rural scenery stretching out at the foot of Mount Y_tei, also known as the "Ezo Fuji", evokes a power and calm in its vastness. |
 |
Akaigawa - Hokkaido Set in a caldera and surrounded in all directions by mountains, this village also features the refreshing Ban'nosawa Waterfall. The red leaves of autumn are particularly beautiful. |
 |
Shibetsu - Hokkaido Located in eastern Hokkaido, on the shores of the Nemuro Strait, this area of scenic beauty includes the secluded Shiretoko Peninsula, Genseikaen and its treasure trove of wild birds, and large dairy farms. |
 |
I'ide - Yamagata Prefecture The I'ide Ranges boast magnificent peaks of up to 2,000 metres. Steeped in pristine nature, the sparkling water flowing from the mountains enriches the earth. |
| Photos supplied by the most beautiful villages in Japan federation www.utsukushii-mura.jp |
on 2009-07-31 (439 reads)
 |
Okura – Yamagata This region has one of the heaviest snowfalls in Japan, sometimes reaching up to 4 metres. The terraced rice-fields, often covered in snow, reveal their scenic beauty across the four seasons. |
 |
Shirakawa – Gifu This area has one of the heaviest snowfalls in Japan. When its sloped rooves, covered in white, are lit up, it invites the observer to a magical world. It is also a world heritage site. |
 |
Kiso / Kaida Highlands – Nagano This village, at an altitude of 1,100 metres, is blessed with abundant natural beauty. The view from Mount Mitake, changing with the four seasons, remains a richly-coloured and unspoilt rural landscape. |
 |
Gero / Maze – Gifu The broadleaf trees with their vivid colours throughout the four seasons; the scenery of the Maze River, changing with pools and shallows; the farmland stretching across the river basin; and the old-style homes all reach a perfect harmony. |
 |
Nakagawa – Nagano The terraced rice-fields here boast a scenic view from the Central Alps to the Tenry«é River. Local volunteers have launched a study group to retain this valuable asset for later generations. |
 |
Nagiso – Nagano The streetscape retains rich Edo-period lodgings, to preserve which a conservation movement is conducted vowing not to “sell, lease or demolish” houses or land. |
| With cooperation from “The most beautiful villages in Japan” Federation. |