+ Video

Spotted at the International Stationery and Office Supply Fair, this eye-catching digital signage system consists of a 0.3-millimeter-thick high-luminance rear-projection film (Vikuiti Rear Projection Film developed by 3M) applied to a 3-millimeter-thick glass substrate cut into the shape of a woman. A rear projector beams video onto the film, whose microbead-arrayed surface produces a crisp, brilliant image viewable from any angle, even in brightly lit environments.

[Source: Robot Watch]

As summer progresses, crops of rice paddy art are beginning to emerge in Japan. The crop art — created by strategically arranging and growing different colors of rice plants — can be seen in farming communities across the country. The largest and finest work is grown in the Aomori prefecture village of Inakadate, which has earned a reputation for its agricultural artistry. This year the enormous pictures of Napoleon and a Sengoku-period warrior, both on horseback, are visible in a pair of fields adjacent to the town hall there.

View from roof of Inakadate town hall [Photo]

Warrior [Photo]

Napoleon [Photo]

View from top of warrior’s head [Photo]

Warrior’s arm [Photo]

Close-up of rice plants [Photo]

* * * * *

Another relatively famous rice paddy art venue is located in the town of Yonezawa in Yamagata prefecture. This year’s work depicts the 16th-century samurai Naoe Kanetsugu and his wife, Osen, whose lives are chronicled in Tenchijin, the popular, year-long historical fiction television series now airing on NHK.

Naoe Kanetsugu and Osen [Photo: contri]

Osen [Photo]

Naoe Kanetsugu [Photo]

View from top of Naoe Kanetsugu’s head [Photo]

* * * * *

Smaller works of crop art can be seen in other rice-farming areas of Japan. Here are a few more examples.

Doraemon and deer dancers (shishi-odori), location unknown [Photo]

Ladybug, Nishio, Aichi prefecture [Photo]

Cow, Omi-Hachiman, Shiga prefecture [Photo]

Ducks, near Fukushimagata Lagoon Water Park, Niigata prefecture [Photo]

Marine surveys conducted in late June have revealed alarming numbers of Nomura’s jellyfish — massive creatures that grow up to 2 meters (6 ft 7 in) in diameter and weigh as much as to 220 kilograms (about 450 lbs) — lurking in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea. The researchers warn that ocean currents may bring swarms of the monster jellies to Japan, which has been plagued by similar invasions in recent years.

Nomura’s jellyfish, 2007 (Photo: Sankei)

Based on what they have seen so far, the researchers warn this year’s onslaught of Nomura’s jellyfish (Nemopilema nomurai, or Echizen kurage in Japanese) could deliver a massive blow to Japan’s fishing industry, rivaling even the devastating 2005 deluge that caused tens of billions of yen (hundreds of millions of dollars) in damage nationwide.

The surveys are being conducted by a team led by Shinichi Ue, a professor of biological oceanography at Hiroshima University who also chairs a government research committee tasked with developing technology to predict and control jellyfish explosions. Ue has been monitoring the population density of Nomura’s jellyfish in the southern Yellow Sea and northern East China Sea since 2006.

Between June 20 and 24, 2009, Ue’s team observed numerous specimens with umbrellas measuring 10 to 50 centimeters across, and they calculated an average distribution of 2.14 jellyfish per 100 square meters. This figure is more than 200 times higher than the 0.01 jellyfish per 100 square meters observed in the same region in 2008. It is also nearly triple the 0.77 jellyfish per 100 square meters observed in 2007, when the fishing industry in the Sea of Japan suffered widespread damage.

Nomura’s jellyfish, 2007 (Photo: Sankei)

To make matters worse, this year’s swarms appear to be taking a more direct and southerly route to Japan, unlike in 2007 when the jellyfish appeared to take a more northerly route, approaching the Sea of Japan coast from the direction of Korea. According to the researchers, the ocean currents could bring unprecedented numbers of Nomura’s jellyfish to Japan’s Pacific coast, which typically sees far fewer of the monster blobs than the Sea of Japan coast.

Nomura’s jellyfish typically bloom in Chinese waters in spring, and they mature into adults as ocean currents slowly carry them north. By July, when the first swarms reach Tsushima (just north of the southern island of Kyushu), many jellyfish are as large as sumo wrestlers. At this size, it only takes about 5 or 10 of them to destroy a commercial fishing net.

In addition to damaging nets, the giant jellyfish are blamed for killing other fish with their venom, lowering the quality and quantity of catches, increasing the risk of capsizing trawlers, and stinging fishermen.

In 2005, the fishing industry reported over 100,000 cases of jellyfish-related damage nationwide. At the peak of the invasion that year, an estimated 300 to 500 million monster jellyfish passed through the Tsushima Strait into the Sea of Japan each day.

[Source: Asahi]

The Fiat Cinque Tank, a dream bulldozer custom-built by ironsmith Kogoro Kurata, consists of an old Fiat 500 body mounted on the caterpillar tracks of a cheap secondhand tractor. The farm machine can only reach a speed of 3 kilometers per hour, turning a trip to the nearest convenience store into a 2-hour adventure, according to Kurata. But the classic look of the cabin no doubt impresses the neighbors, and the working power shovel comes in handy when obstacles block the way.

See Kurata’s site for photos documenting the construction process: 1, 2, 3, 4.

[Link: Monkey Farm]

Sunglassed Geisha

Boss Batter

Onsen Ping Pong Geisha

Gurgling Heart

Extermination of Giant Carp

Portrait of a Far East Hoodlum - #1

Okiku Doll

SM Geisha

See Shohei Otomo’s website for much more. (Many images NSFW.)

[Via: Bouncing Red Ball]

[Via Gigazine]

A vandalized toilet at Kitashikahama Park in Tokyo’s Adachi ward is raising questions about the effectiveness of the park’s controversial new “Mosquito” alarm — a device designed to repel teenagers by emitting an obnoxious high-frequency tone that only they can hear.

The Mosquito, which was installed at the park on May 21 to discourage teens from hanging out there after hours, now operates every night from 11:00 PM to 4:00 AM. The device produces a high-pitched tone of around 17 kHz, which is unbearable to teen ears. The sound has no effect on older people, as the ability to hear high frequencies declines naturally with age.

The broken toilet, which was discovered on the morning of June 21, appears to have been smashed with a baseball bat. Spent bottle rockets were also found at the site.

Surveillance camera footage showed what appeared to be as many as seven teenagers hanging out in the park in the early morning hours of June 21, while the Mosquito was in operation. Authorities were unable to determine whether the teens in the video were responsible for the vandalism.

According to Adachi ward officials, teen vandals inflicted 700,000 yen ($7,400) worth of damage in the park last year. Unable to solve the problem with extra patrols, the authorities began searching for new measures. They eventually turned their attention to the Mosquito, which is already in use at some Tokyo-area convenience stores plagued by loitering teens.

The prospect of using the Mosquito has been controversial, and critics question whether it is in the city’s interest to use such a device that discriminates against young people as a group, even if they are responsible for causing problems. In the end, the officials decided to test the device at the park until March 2010.

The smashed toilet is first case of vandalism at the park since the Mosquito was installed.

[Source: MBS]

[Links: YouTube, Vimeo]

River fishing

Shelter from evening showers

Rokurokubi (long-necked monster) disguise

Net fishing

Making dashi (soup stock)

Weightlifting

Catfish mallet

Coming and going

Making mochi

Visiting Konpira, the guardian deity of seafaring

Boy’s festival

Cause of chronic abdominal pain

Shichifukujin (the Seven Lucky Gods) disguise

Fortune-telling tent

Shop signs

River crossing

Towboat

Seine fishing

See more of Kuniyoshi’s tanuki images at Kuniyoshi Project (1, 2).

+ Video

The 3D movie was created based on observation data captured about 12 minutes prior to the controlled crash, as the probe headed toward its final destination near the Gill crater. The video goes black at the end as Kaguya moves into the dark area of the moon.

JAXA has also released a few still images of the view during the final approach:

[Source: JAXA]

Over the past few weeks, people in Japan have been witnessing tadpoles, fish and frogs fall from the sky. Ever since the strange phenomenon was first observed in Ishikawa prefecture on June 4, reports of animal rain have been pouring in from prefectures across the country.

So far, nobody has come up with a plausible explanation for the animal rain. Although some people believe the tadpole showers may be the result of weather disturbances such as waterspouts, no meteorological agencies have observed strong wind or unstable weather conditions in any of the areas where the rain has occurred. Others believe birds may be spitting up large quantities of tadpoles, although many ornithologists dispute this claim. Still others have suggested it may be the work of human pranksters, or even extraterrestrials.

Here is a brief timeline of the occurrences reported so far. This page will be updated as new reports emerge.

* * * * *

June 4, Ishikawa prefecture — At 4:30 PM in the town of Nanao, witnesses discovered approximately 100 dead tadpoles in a 300 square meter area in and around the parking lot outside the Nakajima Civic Center. Witnesses described hearing a strange sound outside before finding the tadpoles.

Tadpoles on car windshield, Ishikawa prefecture, June 4

June 6, Ishikawa prefecture — At 7:00 AM in the town of Hakusan, a 75-year-old resident found a handful of tadpole carcasses on the hood of her car. More were found scattered in nearby yards and parking lots.

June 9, Ishikawa prefecture — In the town of Nakanoto, a number of small fish were found scattered over a residential area. About 10 fish recovered from roadsides and the tops of cars appeared to be Crucian carp measuring 3 to 5 centimeters long.

Crucian carp, Ishikawa prefecture, June 9

June 13, Iwate prefecture — At about 6:00 PM in the town of Shiwa, a 67-year-old farmer was tending her field when she heard what sounded like hailstones hitting the ground around her. She found 15 tadpole carcasses. The local meteorological agency reported the weather was calm at the time, and a local ornithologist said he found it improbable that birds dropped them.

June 15, Nagano prefecture — In the morning, about 40 tadpole carcasses were found on the premises of an elementary school in the town of Suzaka.

June 15, Hiroshima prefecture — At 8:30 AM in the town of Miyoshi, a 60-year-old resident found the carcasses of 13 tadpoles and one frog scattered in the yard and on the roof of her home. (See photo above.)

June 15, Miyagi prefecture — At about 5:00 PM in the town of Taiwa, a 74-year-old resident heard what sounded like rain outside her home. She stepped outside to find about 50 tadpoles scattered in the yard and on the roof. The tadpoles were wet, but none of them were alive. According to the woman, the sky was clear and there was no wind. She saw no birds in the sky.

Left: Miyagi prefecture, June 15 // Right: Iwate prefecture, June 17

June 16, Aichi prefecture — At around 8:00 AM, a 45-year-old company employee was driving through the town of Chiryu on his way to work, when he heard the sound of something pelting the roof of his car. When he arrived at work, he found 25 tadpole carcasses, each about 5 centimeters long, splattered on the top and sides of his vehicle.

Aichi prefecture, June 16

Some of the tadpoles were bloody and looked as if they had fallen from a great height. According to the man, there were no tall buildings nearby and the sky was clear. “At first I though birds had crapped on my car,” he said. “I was surprised to find tadpoles.”

June 16, Saitama prefecture — At 1:00 PM in the town of Kuki, a 77-year-old man reportedly found over 20 carcasses of tadpoles and small fish in his yard. The man lives about 1 kilometer away from a patch of woods where crows roost. He believes the birds dropped the tadpoles and fish in his yard.

Saitama prefecture, June 16

June 16, Miyagi prefecture — At around 4:00 PM in the town of Osaki, a 54-year-old resident reportedly found about 20 carcasses of tadpoles and small fish in her yard.

June 17, Iwate prefecture — At 5:00 AM, while walking to his rice field, a 66-year-old farmer in the town of Yahaba heard what sounded like large raindrops hitting the ground around him. He found about 30 tadpole carcasses, each about 3 to 4 centimeters long, on the road. Most of them appeared crushed, as if they had fallen a great distance. He spotted a crow flying in the sky above, but he doubts the bird dropped the tadpoles. He said there was no wind at the time. (See photo above.)

June 17, Fukui prefecture — A 67-year-old resident of the town of Sabae found about 40 tadpole carcasses outside her home in the morning. The tadpoles, which measured about 3 to 4 centimeters long, were moist. Some of them were crushed and bleeding. The weather had been fine, and the woman reportedly heard nothing strange the night before.

Fukui prefecture, June 17

June 17, Toyama prefecture — At 8:40 AM in the town of Asahi, a 59-year-old company worker found about 30 tadpoles scattered on the road in front of his home. The tadpoles measured about 3 centimeters long and had begun to develop legs. The weather was calm and partly cloudy, making it unlikely they were swept up in a gust of wind. A local biologist says that the tadpoles may have died from dehydration after venturing out from a nearby rice field. The man believes they may have been dropped by crows.

Toyama prefecture, June 17

June 17, Akita prefecture — At 10:30 AM in the town of Ugo, a 37-year-old candy shop manager found about 70 tadpole carcasses in yards and on the streets near her store. Most of the tadpoles, which measured about 2 to 3 centimeters long, appeared crushed. The shop is located in a residential area near rice fields and a river. She blames birds.

Akita prefecture, June 17

June 17, Kagoshima prefecture — While taking an evening walk, a 58-year-old company employee in the town of Isa came across about 20 tadpole carcasses in the street. According to the man, there were rice paddies nearby, but the road was dry.

* * * * *

Saitama prefecture, late May — In a loosely related story, an employee at a nursing home in the town of Sakado found a mummified snake on a wooden deck outside the facility one morning. The mummy, which measures about 30 centimeters long and appears to be the dried remains of a baby Japanese striped snake or Japanese rat snake, is coiled up in a strike pose.

Mysterious mummified snake, Saitama prefecture

It is unclear where the snake came from and how it made its way to the nursing home, although it appears to have fallen from the sky (perhaps it was dropped by a bird). The employee, who believes the unusual find is a sign of good luck, put the snake mummy on display in a glass case in the lobby. However, he was forced to remove it after some residents complained.

* * * * *

June 17, Niigata prefecture — In the city of Niigata, a 14-year-old student returning home from school in the evening found 25 dead tadpoles on a residential street, not far from an irrigation channel and rice fields. The carcasses, which were dry and flat, measured 2 to 5 centimeters long.

Left: Tadpole rain in Niigata (June 17) // Right: Tottori (June 18)

June 18, Tottori prefecture — Early in the morning in the town of Yonago, a 48-year-old resident found 30 tadpole carcasses scattered atop a section of a 5-meter-wide seaside retaining wall. The tadpoles, some of which had begun to develop legs, measured 2 to 4 centimeters long. According to the local weather agency, the maximum wind speed at the time was 3 meters/sec (6.7 mph) and conditions were not favorable for the development of waterspouts. A local biologist claimed it was unlikely that a bird scattered that many tadpoles along the wall.

June 18, Niigata prefecture — At around 2:00 PM, a 63-year-old resident of the town of Nagaoka found about 50 carcasses of tadpoles, frogs, dragonfly nymphs and small fish in the street in front of his apartment building. The tadpoles were described as being in a half-dried state. One tadpole was also found on the roof of the apartment building, which is located in the center of town.

* * * * *

June 23, Fukushima prefecture — At 10:30 AM on a clear, windless morning in the town of Aizu-Wakamatsu, two bicycle shop employees heard a loud thud outside their store. When they stepped out to investigate, they found a 35-centimeter-long catfish on the ground next to a parked minivan. The catfish appeared to have struck the vehicle, leaving a smear of mucus and mud on its left-hand side. The witnesses, whose shop is located nowhere near a catfish-populated river, do not believe it is the work of a human prankster. They suspect a bird may have dropped the catfish.

* * * * *

June 24, Yamaguchi prefecture — At 6:00 AM, a 68-year-old resident of the town of Shunan heard the sound of something striking the roof of her home. When she stepped outside to investigate, she found about 20 wet tadpole carcasses on the ground and on the roof. The tadpoles each measured 3 to 4 centimeters long and were beginning to develop legs.

June 24, Yamagata prefecture — At 4:30 PM, a 34-year-old piano instructor in the town of Shinjo discovered about 40 wet tadpole carcasses in her yard, just as she was leaving to walk her dog. The woman noticed the tadpoles after the dog started sniffing excitedly at the ground outside. She found a wet tadpole stuck to the dog’s nose. The tadpoles, many of which appeared crushed, had not been in her yard two hours earlier.

Left: Yamaguchi prefecture, June 24 // Right: Aomori prefecture, July 1

July 1, Aomori prefecture — A 29-year-old resident of the town of Rokunohe found about 40 tadpole carcasses scattered in the parking lot next to her apartment building. The tadpoles measured 2 to 5 centimeters long, and many of them appeared squashed. Several more were later found on the roof of the building.

* * * * *

Froglets scattered on rural road, Oita prefecture, July 7

July 7, Oita prefecture — The bodies of more than 600 tadpoles and froglets were found scattered along a 100-meter stretch of rural road near the town of Kusu. A 69-year-old farmer discovered the carcasses while on the way to check his rice fields in the morning. According to the farmer, who noticed nothing unusual on the road the night before, the irrigation channels and rice paddies near the road contain no water, implying that the froglets may have come from elsewhere.

[Compiled from multiple sources via Google News]

* Last update: July 9, 2009. More updates to follow.

+ Video

The fleshy robot hand, which weighs 340 grams and consists of soft silicone skin stretched over a polycarbonate skeleton, has 22 pneumatically-powered artificial muscles that enable it to bend its fingers like a human hand. The robot can perform 20 different moves, ranging from a delicate two-finger pinch to a full-hand squeeze.

According to Squse, the robot’s delicate grip makes it suitable for a variety of manual labor jobs that require a human touch, such as handling parts in the factory, packing food, or even harvesting crops on the farm. The hand might also be used as a prosthetic limb, say the developers.

+ We love music, we love peace: Epic food label battle in the kitchen. Directed by Kōki Tange (Yellow Brain).

+ Guitar: Snapshot of family time in a curious household. Directed by Koichiro Tsujikawa.