Number 1 - Breath of Fresh Air

http://ionicflux.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/fresh-air-mask.jpg

The final one: Fresh Air Mask

I think this is the most useless of "Useless Japanese Inventions" because why do you need it?

Yes plants give off oxygen, but there are actually more things out there that produces more oxygen.

Plus, it is not practical because you would have to stand there or carry it around with you.

So this the number one useless Japanese invention.

Number 2 - Portable Desk

http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/useless-japanese-inventions/

For those busy Japanese, they can take their work on the go!

But the might accidentally run into things while they are walking with this.

I think they should take time and breathe when they are walking instead of working all the time. It's unhealthy.

I find this "useless" because their attention is split into 2 things: walking/ dodging things and working.

So the user will give only half of his or her attention to each activity.

So there is a greater chance of getting hurt and the work quality won't be as good.

I say stick to work in the office and walk and relax while walking.

Number 3 - All-in-one Farming Tool

http://unix.rulez.org/%7Ecalver/pictures/japanese_inventions/index.html

It's like an army swiss knife but for farming.

This would be pretty hard to carry around.

Number 4 - Shoe Umbrellas

http://officespam.chattablogs.com/archives/shoe-umbrella-thumb.jpg

So that your feet don't get wet!

But I do not see the purpose of this because when you are walking, water ends up getting on your shoes anyways from beneath the umbrella.

Number 5 - Earring Catcher

http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/useless-japanese-inventions/

Just in case your earrings fall out while you're walking, you have a convenient cup on your shoulder to catch it for you!

Number 6 - Enhance Your Hearing

http://deafjoke.tv/wp/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/humor1.jpg

Get acute hearing!

But this huge device is pretty inconvenient though.

That's why it's on my "Useless Japanese Invention" list because I don't see the great need for this. There are hearing aids that are much smaller.

Number 7 - Pedestrian's Best Friend

http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/useless-japanese-inventions/

It's portable! So that you can cross the street anywhere you want anytime!

But that would be a pain to carry around and it would be hard to set it up on a busy street.

Number 8 - 360-degree Camera

http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/strange-japanese-gadgets

The 7-camera system allows you to capture a scene from all perspectives!

I find this pretty funny because it looks odd if you walk around wearing that on your head.

But this is on my list because I don't really see the need to take a picture from all perspectives all the time.

Because when you print it, and you want to look at it, it will look like the 2nd picture.
And you can't see the back half anyways.

Number 9 - Headrest for Subways

http://www.nuffy.net/cool/articles/totally-crazy-japanese-inventions.html

Number 9 is a headrest for those long subway rides.

Just pull out this hardhat you carry around in your purse or briefcase and get instant relief and sleep!

Number 10 - Vending Machine Skirt

http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/japanese-skirt-fear-of-crime/2007/10/20/1192301096588.html

http://polizeros.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/20japanxlarge1.jpg

Tiffany guessed right!

The next one on my list is the vending-machine disguise.

This was created by Aka Tsukioka 2 years ago in hopes of easing Japan's growing crime rate.

"It is just easier for Japanese to hide," Ms Tsukioka said. "Making a scene would be too embarrassing."

She wanted to find a different form of defense besides pepper spray.

This ideas was based on the idea of a ninja hiding under a black blanket at night.

So when you are being followed/chased/bullied/harassed by anyone, just turn your skirt inside- out, stand on the corner of the street, and you will automatically blend in and no one will find you.

Number 11 - Noodle Guard

http://picdit.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/the-noodle-eater_s-hair-guard.jpg

Number 11!

Who but the Japanese would invent a noodle guard?

I find this invention pretty awesome.

It's a total asian thing and a very practical invention for asians.

But it'll be a hassle to carry around to restaurants and it looks a bit ridiculous to wear.

And I personally do not have a problem with noodle soup so I don't see a great need for this invention.

That's todays "Japanese Useless Invention"!

EDIT:
The use of this is to guard your hair and your surroundings from soup that splatters everywhere when you slurp the noodles.

Number 12 - Baby Mop

http://mypitchers.com/Baby%20mop.jpg

This is actually kind of useful.

I mean the baby is crawling anyway so why let that go to waste?

Even though this is kind of funny, it is actually useful.

That is why it is at the bottom of my "Useless Japanese Inventions" list.

I mean, come on, this is actually pretty smart.

Who else would come up with this kind of idea?

Countdown!

For the next 2 weeks, I am going to do a countdown of the top 12 most useless Japanese inventions, in my opinion.

So come and check everyday to see the day's "Useless Japanese Invention"!

Hello Kitty Contacts

http://wackyjapanese.pandemonium.de/

So I was looking through this website called "Wacky Japanese Stuff" and one of the featured things was Hello Kitty contacts.

Where else would come up with these kind of things?

I find these outrageous, cool, and questionable at the same time.

Outrageous- out of all things, Hello Kitty contacts.
Cool- Hello Kitty!
Questionable- Why and who would wear this!?

I just think that this is pretty cool but it would freak me out of I looked at somebody and 2 Hello Kitty faces were staring at me...literally.

Bizarre Ramune Flavors

http://gastronormous.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/ramune-with-marble.jpg

So there is this famous Japanese soda called Ramune.

It is famous for its unique taste and bottle design.

There is a little marble inside that stop the air from going into the soda at first. But when you push it down, it opens the soda!

It has this unique soda taste that American sodas do not have.

But they also come in flavors such as:

1) Pineapple

2) Kiwifruit

3) Melon

4) Strawberry

5) Orange

6) Lychee

7) Blue Hawaii

8) Peach

BUT

They also have these flavors:

1) Kimchi

2) Curry

3) Wasabi

4) Bubble Gum

http://www.cscoutjapan.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/curry_ramune.jpg

What other kind of sodas has these flavors?

I think these are pretty bizarre

I mean drinking sweet curry? Or fizzy wasabi or kimchi?

Bubble gum I can understand but I just find the other 3...interesting.

You can find the original fruit flavors in any Japanese produce store. But the others are kind of hard to find. They are mostly sold in Japan since Americans have not acquired that kind of taste yet. But if you go to Japan and want to try it, there is this amazingly huge 10+ story department store all around Tokyo called Tokyu Hands. Most of them are connected to the JR system (above it) so they are pretty easy to find. But I know that Tokyu Hands carry these "other" flavors.

Are you brave enough to try these?

Mitsuwa Express

http://media.photobucket.com/image/mitsuwa/doombunnie/Mitsuwa.jpg

So there's this awesome place that has a food court that you'll most likely know about: Mitsuwa.

The reasons why I love it:
1) Cheap
2) Yummy
3) Fast
4) Japanese

The noodles are my absolute favorite. When my parents ask me where I would like to eat dinner, sometimes I say Mitsuwa's food court.

The only thing I do not like from Mitsuwa is the sushi rolls and raw fish.
It's average.
I've had better, fresher, better quality fish.
Like other places like sushi boat, Miyaki, Hama Sushi, and Kiko sushi.

Raw fish is only fresh up to 1 hour from the package/fridge.
In places like this, and especially sushi boat, the fish has been sitting out there all day.
So it turns bad. And the rice turns hard and it gets soggy.
And they try to sell off the unfresh fish before making more.

That's my only complaint.

But besides the sushi, walk a little farther to the meal section.

Where you can find:

1) Udon (hot and cold)
2) Soba (hot and cold)
3) Tonkatsu (tempura fried pork)
4) Doburi (egg, meat, vegetables over rice)
5) Curry Rice
6) Tonkatsu Curry Rice
7) Ramen
8) Many more

My personal favorites: Curry udon and beef udon

The meal size is huge and the price is low.
But not overly size.
Just more than you would expect with that kind of price.

Plus, the food court is in a marketplace.
So you can do your shopping and grab dessert on your way out!

Kahoo Ramen Review

http://eat.tanspace.com/photos/Kahoo_Ramen-shoyu-ramen.jpg

http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/bSCSeuoit8uP7l1LXgst3g/l

Kahoo Ramen is a small but delicious Japanese noodle house. (but they have other food besides noodles)

It is right next to Mitsuwa (hiding in the back corner)

I went there once and I absolutely loved it.

If you are the type of person like me who hates it when the noodle soup is 90% noodles and 10% "the other stuff," you will like this restaurant.

In "the other stuff," I mean things like green onion, eggs, pork, bamboo shoot, seaweed, etc.

Kahoo Ramen's noodle soups are about 60/40.

So you are actually paying for something. Instead of paying $10 just for noodles.

The only complaint I have is that the spicy noodle soups have this huge layer of oil sitting on top of it.

Besides that, everything else is delicious, traditional Japanese, fair price, and quick. A nice fast meal.

It is perfect for if you don't really have time and you don't want to grab regular fast food or something wrapped up in Mitsuwa.

It is between fast and sit-down dining.

They have rice bowls, little appetizers, combo meals, and of course their famous large variety of noodle soups.

Store Hours:

Mon-Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m then 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Sat-Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m then 4:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

So if you want to eat dinner with your friends, instead of walking/driving to a restaurant far away or not eating a proper sit-down meal (like going to Lion market, Gloria's, Mitsuwa) I highly reccomend trying this place.

Japanese iTunes

http://www.jpopasia.com/

So I found this site which is practically the iTunes of Japan.

I don't think you can actually buy it.
But the format and gist of it is just like iTunes.

So if you like iTunes and its format, and love Japanese music, this is for you.

Plus there's Chinese and Korean music there too!

And it's not just JPop.

There's:
1) J-Rock
2) J-Rap
3) Anime
4) J-Pop
5) R&B
6) J-Trance
7) C-Pop (Chinese)
8) K-Kop (Korean)

And there's not just music. There are also music videos, news, charts, lyrics, forums, journals, photos, play lists, etc.

It's easy to follow and I just wanted to share that with other Asian music lovers.

Okayama Gakugeikan Symphonic Band

52 years ago, San Jose made a sister relationship with the city of Okayama in Japan and established the Santa Clara International Exchange Concert.

From this city, a group of middle and high school students from Japan traveled to the United States to perform.

The Harker School was one of the lucky ones who had the opportunity to see them.

During the assembly today, we got to experience this amazing band.

It was hard to explain what it was like. But it felt like you were in a Disney movie. You know the scenes where something magical/ lovely/ happy happens and you hear this whole orchestra. It was like that. And surround sound.

It was different than a regular orchestra. A group of girls put on glittery boas and started singing and dancing to a song. And there were featured musicians. And they got out of their chairs and came off of the stage and started to play in the audience.

They played from classical to popular songs.

Here is a video of one of their performances:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eI54-pOUa8&feature=channel_page

After the performance I got a chance to talk to some of the members of the band. With my limited Japanese, I was able to ask simple questions.

They say the tour is long and somewhat tiring but very fun since they get to travel with friends. They also said that they love America but it's hard since they do not know much English. They phrase they say they use a lot is "Sorry I don't know much English."

It was actually fun to use what I learned in the classroom to talk to them!

Anyways, this band is amazing and I reccomend you go see them. They perform in many different places so if you search in google, I'm sure you can find a performance.

They tour to San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Fracisco.

Kose Sofytmo Facewash

Kose Softymo is a Japanese department store face wash line.
(Kose is the brand and Softymo is the line)

In my opinion, these are amazing.

I have pretty dry skin and these products work wonders for me.
It's like a face wash and moisturizer all in one.
And it works on day 1 and stays that way.
They work better than the expensive $40 ones you find in other stores.
These range from $5-$10.

Out of all of them, this one is the best:

http://www.webichi.com/en/details/83844

This one is the best for the teenage age group but there are many more kinds.

1) Hyaluronic Acid (for anti-aging)
2) With makeup remover
3) Deep cleansing
4) Oily
5) Amino Acid
6) Etc.

The one above is for dry skin.

I have tried almost all of them and loved each one. Except for one:


It has little beads in it so it's for exfoliating. But I end up breaking out more for some reason why I use this and my skin becomes very rough. It worked really well on the first day. But it just went downhill from there.

Then again, that is just me.

It really depends on your skin type. If you have dry and sensitive skin like me, use the one in the first picture and avoid the second.

But experiment!

I just like this line because it is the line where most of the products work for me. Plus they are cheaper and better than the expensive ones!

You can find them in any asian department store like Mitsuwa.

When you first see them, it's all in Japanese. But don't worry because if you look on the back, they conveniently provided a sticker with English on it!:

I just wanted to share that with you so that you don't need to keep looking for and switching facial products to find a good one.

Hope these work for you too!

Japanese Hip Hop: M-flo

http://charmless.files.wordpress.com/2006/11/mflo_lovesong.jpg

Next featured Japanese singing group: M-flo

M-flo consists of Verbal (yes, that is a name) and Taku Takahashi.

They do JPop, Japanese Hip-hop, rap, jazz, and techno.

They have 5 studio albums, 5 remixed albums, 2 best albums, 4 compilations, and 22 singles.

Including my favorite: Miss You (single) which I have been addicted to lately
Featuring Ryohei Yamamoto, Japanese R&B singer


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-zWIsDmKQo&feature=related

Official website: http://m-flo.com/index2.html

Natural Elixir

http://brucefong.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/green-tea.jpg

What makes green tea so special?

It has something called Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which is known to be the key to its many benefits:

1) Help weight loss

2) Decrease cholesterol level

3) Increase the immune system function
4) Helps the heart and circulatory health
5) Lower risk of/ prevention against a long list of cancers and diseases
6) Helps to soothe and cure the esophagus

7) It's full of antioxidants

8) It has bacteria-destroying ability (ie. prevent tooth decay, avoid food poisoning)

Japan has been drinking this tea for centuries and is part of many traditions and holidays.

The amount of antioxidants in one cup of green tea surpasses a serving of most fruits and vegetables like broccoli, strawberries, and spinach.

Surprisingly, it also has more vitamin C than a lemon.

Many people have asked me about the dieting part of green tea. It works! Plus, water plays a role in this too since your metabolism is raised when your bodily water level is raised too.

Green tea has polyphenols which are responsible for fat-burning.

Last summer, I spent a month sitting and studying so I did not do much exercise. But everyday at my desk, I always had 2 pots of green tea which I just sipped throughout the day. After that month, I lost 6 pounds. I did not even have to move a muscle. So that is the proof that it does work.

You can try this too. But please don't treat this as an exercise substitute. Yes, I lost the pounds but exercise is always need. And don't start eating more unhealthy food as well as green tea thinking it will balance out. Green tea simply cleanses the body. It is like a sink dispenser. You throw food down there and it goes down the sink. Then you turn it on, and it gets rid of all the excess food remaining thus making it clean. But if you decide to pack it with buckets of food, that simply defeats the purpose. And the sink dispenser can only get rid of so much before clogging the whole system up.

When making green tea, remember to add boiling water for it increases the extraction of polyphenols. And don't leave it in for too long. About 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of the pot. If it is there for too long, it will become too concentrated, bitter, and caffeinated (so it's like coffee...you don't want to drink 2 pots of that...that's a bit too much)

And another thing that is great about green tea is that it can have taste and it doesn't. It is versatile. So you can always get your ECGC's from other sources besides the tea. You can find it in a solid, liquid, and powder form. You can put it in almost anything! And sometimes you dont have to taste it. There is a powder form of it which you mix into your food without ruining its taste. So you can get the nutrients that way. Or you can definitely taste it like in a Starbucks drink. Yum.

Green tea for the win.

Japanese Music（日本の音楽)- Yuna Ito

I haven't been up-to-date on Japanese music lately but I have all-time favorites.

I listen to a lot of of Japanese Pop (JPop).

I will do a post a day on my favorite artists.

Today's singer: Yuna Ito

http://desertheart.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/urban_mermaid_cddvd.jpg

Born in Los Angeles, Yuna Ito started to become interested in singing in Hawaii, where her family moved to. She originally debued as an actress in Korea. Then she moved to Japan to pursue her singing passion.

In 2005, she was casted in an acting role in the manga-based Japanese series "Nana" where she sang the theme song for: "Endless Story." This song started her whole singing career.

Since then, she has made 13 singles, 2 albums, and won 7 awards. Including 3 "best new artist" awards and MTV Video Music Awards Japan: Best Asia from Japan.

"Endless Story" is one of my favorite songs of hers.
This is a slow ballad of hers.
It showcases her amazing voice.
It was #1 and #2 for weeks and named "Best Love Song of 2005"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb49N8UZQb0

A year later, another hit-single debuted: "Stuck on You" which is my personal favorite.

This is an upbeat and happy song.

It makes me want to dance and sing along.

I play this when I am having a bad day to cheer me up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck1QhW4v71I

So those are my favorite songs of Yuna Ito and I will post more artists later!

Her official site: http://www.yunaweb.com/

Her blog: http://playlog.jp/yuna/blog/

Takara- FOOD

It is time to talk about something that everyone can relate to: food.

Yummy, scrumptious, delicious, heavenly, melt-in-your-mouth FOOD.

So there is this amazing Japanese restaurant in Capitola, Santa Cruz.

Takara.



http://takarasushi.com/

The first thing you might think of when someone mentions a Japanese restaurant is sushi. But this restaurant has so much more than that. It has food for practically every person of every age of every taste. They have cooked food, raw food, seafood, noodles, soups, etc.



Takara is not your typical Japanese restaurant.

Every week, the chefs get together and experiment to create new sushi rolls. And since they ran out of ideas with the original sushi ingredients, they have created exotic sushis. For example, rolls that have fruit, soy wrap, chili sauce, or originally made sauces.

Takara also has its own salad dressing that they make freshly everyday. It is so good that they put it in the togo menu because customers have requested to buy it by the gallon. Takara also has its own tapas menu with bite-sized original creations. They even have live bands on the weekends. How cool is that?

80% of the sushi was created by the sushi chefs and about 50% of the menu, you cannot find anywhere else because it is Takara's creations.

Here is the menu.
http://www.takarasushi.com/TakaraMenu08.pdf
But this is only about half.

Next time you go down to Santa Cruz, you should definitely eat there. It is right outside of Capitola mall (part of the mall). Outside of Sears (shares the same parking lot). It's just a few minutes from the beach, across the street from a movie theater and part of a mall. So take a trip with your friends down to Santa Cruz to hang out and eat there!

Compared to other Japanese restaurants, the price is low.

And the quality is amazing.

It has been voted by Good Times the best Japanese restaurant in Santa Cruz 16 years in a row. A running streak!

Takara is a very unique restaurant and I highly recommend eating there. I cannot even describe their creations in words because they are just different. But delicious! So you have to try it for yourself.

Phone: (831) 464-1818
http://www.takarasushi.com
Open everyday. Even on holidays.
Huge restaurant so it can accompany large parties

Yup that's mango

Another original creation. They're bugs! Not real ones...nigiri ones

And another original. It is called sweet mussels. Made with Takara's secret sauce which they will not reveal no matter how much customers beg.

Aren't those cute? They come with every kids meal

Doesn't that look delicious?

Yum

MAC Hello Kitty

(all photos from http://www.maccosmetics.com/)

(these are only a few items in this line)


2 famous names: MAC and Hello Kitty

MAC is the most professional cosmetics store in my opinion. The products are high quality, long lasting, strong color, and a fair price.

Hello Kitty is one of the most widely known name in Asia. And which I am a fan of.

They are two totally opposite companies.

But when combined, they produced a limited edition line of makeup that is not too bold yet not too subtle: bright and cute.


MAC released this in February 2009 and most of the items are already sold out.

(Here's a photo video of the collection: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Om2ADyylC1c)

The Hello Kitty line also attracts fans of both MAC and Hello Kitty (such as myself). So I think it was a advantageous partnership for both sides.

So me, being a makeup and Hello Kitty lover, I went to buy something. But when I got there I was a bit disappointed because the products were pretty small for that price. Then again the sizes are perfect for carrying around and MAC is professional. But I was happy because the colors are really bright. Not something you would wear on an everyday basis but are fun for going out. Since I desperately wanted to get something, I got this lipgloss. The color comes on really strong. A bit too strong for me since I am in highschool. But I would wear it at night or in a few years when I look more mature since lips that are not light pink do not look natural on me. I really recommend this line because it is by MAC (reliable and professional) and is Hello Kitty (fun colors).






Because these products were so successful, MAC came out with a new line this week: Hello Kitty Kouture



This line is more expensive because the products are embedded with crystals. It only consists of 2 products.

The lipgloss is $30 and the powder is $90. But the case is removable and is made out of silver and embedded with Swarvoski crystals. So the price is fair.

If you are looking for new makeup and want to create a colorful look, I definitely recommend this line. If you compare the price of MAC and other cosmetic stores, the price difference if small. And MAC is probably better so I say that going to MAC would be a better choice.

You can find MAC in almost any mall and you can order online. The price ranges a lot since there are many products. So visit the website! And have fun shopping! http://www.maccosmetics.com/

Shiseido AND MAC Eyelash Curlers

Recent Epiphany!
I found out why my Shiseido eyelash curler works better for me than my MAC one.



Left: Shiseido's Eyelash Curler (GCR)- Made in Japan
Right: MAC's Full Lash Curler- Made in America


I think that both of these eyelash curlers are equally good. It just depends on your eye shape.



As you can see, the one on the right (MAC) has a larger curve and the left (Shiseido) not so much. That is because the asian eye protrudes less than other races usually.

And the width of the left one is smaller than the right. That is because asians have smaller eyes.

They are both very good eyelash curler and I recommend both brands.

But since I am asian, I find the Shiseido one to work best for me since it fits in all the hard-to-reach-corners and targets every single eyelash unlike the MAC one.

I'm not saying the MAC one is bad. It still works for me. Just not as well as the Shiseido one due to my eye shape.

So that was a recent discovery.

So for all you asians out there, I highly recommend the Shiseido eyelash curler (the one made in Japan). For people who have larger eyes, I really recommend the MAC one because it creates a strong curl that is not a harsh line in a few clamps.

I give them both 5 out of 5

Where to get it: MAC and any cosmetic store that sells Shiseido. Maybe more luck in an asian department store.
Price: MAC- $15/ Shiseido- $17.50
Websites:http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/spp.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CAT135&PRODUCT_ID=370&QUERY=eyelash%20curler and http://www.shiseido.co/jp

IPSA Gloss Water Foundation 101 SPF 10 PA+ vs. MAC foundation

Where to get it: Japan, Taiwain, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, China (you need to order online and ship it over)
Price: $40
Website: http://www.ipsa.co.jp/en/index.htm

This is an asian brand (IPSA) of liquid foundation that is made in Japan.

It is a very light foundation that does not cake on your face. So it does not feel like you are wearing a mask. It also absorbs the light so that your face does not look like it is glowing or oily when you are in the sun.

I personally use it for performances on stage. I am not an expert on theater makeup but from the ones that I have tried, this one by far surpasses theater foundation. It does not melt off under those hot stage lights and the intensity of the stage lights does not wash out the color of your face.

But you can definitely use it for everyday use also.

This comes off easily with makeup remover and does not clog and irritate the pores. So you don't break out later. Plus, it is hydrating and also protects against UV rays.

Application is smooth and a little goes a long way. So this bottle can last for months.

It is pricey but I feel that it is worth it. $40 and 25 mL

In other cosmetics stores such as MAC, the same amount would be for around $30.

The problem with MAC foundation is that if you want a full coverage (cover up every little blemish) it cakes on and looks fake. If you want light coverage, it does not really cover much. But for IPSA, the light coverage covers mostly everything so it looks more natural.

So I think it would be worth paying that extra $10