Culture Japan - Your portal to Japan - Posts

International Tokyo Toy Show

2013-06-18T17:58:41+09:00

The International Tokyo Toy Show 2013 took place last weekend and we went down to take a gander at the various toys that they had on display. Unlike the Wonfes, TAF or ACE, the Tokyo Toy Show is largely mainstream toys aimed at the younger audience.

We take a lookie at goodies by Bandai, Takara Tomy, Sega Toys, Bushiroad, Lego, Happinet, Fisher Price, Line, Nintendo (Pokemon), Nerf and more. The overall target age for this event is low compared to other otaku-related events such as Wonfes, ACE or TAF.

First up - life-size Precure figures. How many of you fancy having these around your garden?

Entrance fee for Buyer's Days for most events are free - just bring a copy of your business card.

Heading to the Tokyo Big Site East Hall 1-4.

An area set aside for wheeling n dealing.

My official LINE account is now up to 243,600 followers ^o^
My ID is "@DannyChoo" (dont forget the "@" mark)

Up n coming toy products by Takara Tomy Marketing.

Megatron from "Transformers : Dark of The Moon".

The new Pokemon X and Y launching worldwide on October 12th.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

Loadsa pokemon plushie up for grabs.

Terebi de Pokemon Getto! Poké Ball [テレビでポケモンゲット！モンスターボール] - for those aspiring to become a pokemon master.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

Even more goodies at the pokemon corner.

The new Furby Japanese edition works with iPhone and Android.

Protect your family with Nerf.

Mr. Potato Head is turning Japanese.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

Dancing Face-Stand makes your phone more..."interesting."

Loads of Pretty Rhytym goodies. In Japan many anime targeted at little girls are cleverly crafted to be enjoyed by adults too.

Some of the Pretty Rhythm girls in action below.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

Hatsune Miku X Licca-chan.

This post contains a poll, click here to view.

More 1/6 scale dolls.

Huge plarail [プラレール] diorama.

Madoka Magica movie The Rebellion Story [叛逆の物語] soon.

Bored of Transformers, Takara Tomy now do Madoka and Homura with their new doll brand "liccarize."

Hungry?

Rubie's Japan Iron Man Mark 42 costume will be available for 1,800,000 yen from mid-September. Any takers?

Hot Toy's Tony Stark Workshop Version 1/6 scale figure.

Variant Play Arts "DC Comics" Batman by Square Enix.

Char Aznable x Auris collaboration - the Zeonic Toyota for all Gundam Fans.

Morinaga & Company's booth with a load of noms.

Checking out Drecom's social game "Furusato Jieitai" [ふるさと自衛隊] - illustrated by Mibu Natsuki-sensei who brought you the Tetsudou Musume series.

Tis officially approved by Japan's Self Defense Force too.

The new Mutant Ninja Turtles will begin airing in Japan next spring. How many of you have seen the original anime?

At the Bushiroad booth, big boss Kidani-san gives a presentation on their upcoming title Buddy Fight. More info due to be released in October.

From left to right - CoroCoro Comic Chief Editor Murakami-san, Big Boss Kidani-san and O.L.M CEO Okuno-san.

Bushiroad have the rights to My Little Pony in Japan - I hear the series is popular among American adults? Is it horses having hanky panky?

Huge lego crafts of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader at the Lego booth.

More Star Wars Lego goodies.

Evangelion jigsaw puzzle in many different shapes and sizes.

This post contains a poll, click here to view.

4D City Scape Time Puzzle Tokyo - for those interested in learning how Tokyo looked like in the past and present.

3D puzzle of famous architectures by Heart Art Collection.

Spongebob Squarepants instrument and plushies.

All kinds of R/C cars and helicopters.

Gintama, Naruto, One Piece and Precure mini-posters.

Shingeki no Jigsaw Puzzle.

Now entering the Bandai booth.

Soft vinyl kaiju figures.

Sentai series - Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger.

How many of you played Bandai's arcade card game Aikatsu! [アイカツ!]?

Life-size Monsters, Inc.

HG build Gunplas on display.

Space Battleship Yamato 2199 booth featuring a huge replica of Yamato.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

Smart pants for your smart phones...

Wide assortment of Peko-chan goodies at the Fujiya booth.

Exhibitors from outside Japan also gathered for the event - many being OEM.

Macross Sheryl jigsaw puzzle illustrated by HIRONOX-sensei.

Zuttomo Candy-ful Nail - DIY nail art kit for kids.

I've always thought that Sylvanian Families were cute but never ended getting any ^^;

As Tokyo Toy Show is targeted for younger audiences, products like baby strollers were also on display.

Fisher Price also had a booth.

Hello-kitty stuff for the wee lads.

Anpanman face bread at the Anpanman Garden booth.

The Sega Toys booth.

Jewelpod Diamond Premium - a smart phone toy for the young girls.

Anpanman inspired bento boxes.

Plushies from the Nyanko Daisenso game [にゃんこ大戦争] - available on iTunes and Google Play.

Big Sight!

Read more about Mirai Suenaga >>>

Tokyo Olympics 2020

2013-06-17T14:35:00+09:00

Show your support for Japan!

On September 7th 2013, the next Host City of the 2020 Olympic Games will be chosen from either Istanbul (Turkey), Tokyo (Japan) or Madrid (Spain).
As a foreigner from the UK living in Japan for 14 years, I think that Tokyo should be chosen as the host city which is why I created a petition to raise awareness of Japan's effort.

Below are just some of the reasons why I think that Tokyo should be chosen.

Rich in tradition while being advanced in technology

Through the centuries, Japan has managed to preserve its rich culture which is visible though the traditional events held through the year (such as matsuri) and the customs which are strongly rooted in society such as Seijin-shiki.

At the same time, Japan is advanced in technology enough to bring us mobile suits like the one in Odaiba.

Enchanting country and culture

As mentioned above, Japan has managed to maintain traditional culture even through modern times which can be experienced by visiting the varied amount of places of interest in Japan. Here is just a small example of what awaits you.

Japanese culture is a uniting culture

There is no other culture that unites people from all over the world and this is proven by the amount of Japan related (Anime, fashion, food, manga, cosplay etc) events that are held worldwide. Examples are Anime Festival Asia and Anime Expo.
Holding the 2020 olympics in Tokyo will further unite people together from around the world and thats what the olympics should be about.

This photo taken at Musashikoyama with comrades from all over the world who all love Japanese culture.

Transportation

Trains, busses run frequently and on time - you can set your watch by the train arrival times! When you are over for the olympic games - you can rest assured that the transportation system will ensure that you wont waste time waiting around so that you can spend every moment absorbing the culture.

Tokyo is also filled with facilities for the disabled too.

Non tipping country

Japan is a non tipping culture which means you can spend less on tips and more on shopping at places like Akihabara ^o^

Safety

Tokyo is ranked as the safest city in the world. If you are going to travel anywhere for the olympics then it may as well be the safest place on earth!

As for this photo, while in some countries folks leave a pack of tissue paper to reserve their seat in a restaurant, in Japan people leave their entire bag filled with their belongings! This is absolutely normal over here though as nobody is going to take it.

Food

Tokyo is filled with not only Japanese food but also a huge variety of international cuisine too. Take a look at this photo post to see an example of what nomnoms await you.

More Japan

I know there are many folks around the world who love Japan - if you are one of them then show your support by signing this petition - it does not cost anything to help. With the 2020 Olympics being held in Japan, you will be able to see more coverage of the land that you love on TV too!

Click here to vote for Japan!

Why am I doing this?

Japan changed my life and I explain exactly how in the How Discovering Japan Changed My Life post. I believe that the discovery of Japan can change the life of many others too due to its rich culture that unites us for the reasons that I described above.

While I dont expect the petition to gain zillions of signatures, I hope that through this petition, we can raise awareness of Japan's bid for the 2020 Olympics - besides, the official website is in serious lack of Moe-some ^^;

But I'm not going to pull wool over your eyes - Japan does have its issues in society just like any other country in the world. But when a man sticking ice-cream in a postbox makes prime time news, you know that Japan is a place where one can focus on going about their daily lives without having to look behind them at night all the time.

This cause is supported by the Tokyo 2020 Candidate City Petition Mascots which are all available as high res illustrations in wallpapers for you to enjoy - all of these free HD wallpapers are illustrated by Ikkyuu-sensei below!
The image above can be found here.

Our mascot character Mirai Suenaga participating in the Javelin event.
High-res wallpaper here.

High-res wallpaper here.

Our mascot character Haruka Suenaga participating in the Figure Skating event.
High-res wallpaper here.

High-res wallpaper here.

Our mascot character Kanata Hoshikawa participating in the Archery event
High-res wallpaper here.

High-res wallpaper here.

Our mascot character Eiji Seiun participating in the Shot put event
High-res wallpaper here.

High-res wallpaper here.

Our mascot character Kizuna Yumeno participating in the Fencing event
High-res wallpaper here.

High-res wallpaper here.

Dont forget to vote for Japan!

If you too think that the 2020 olympics should be held in Tokyo then list your reasons below. On the other hand, if you think it would be a bad idea then feel free to list your concerns too!

Ukishima-cho Factories

2013-06-16T17:10:13+09:00

There is another very cool place in Japan that photographers may want to visit thats hardly documented - the factories of Ukishima-cho in Tokyo.
I've always known that there was a place filled with factories but never knew where it was until we just happened to drive past it last night.

Ukishima-cho [浮島町] is located in Kawasaki in a landfill area that is covered with factories as far as the eye can see.
View location with Google Maps
However, as its not really a tourist or residential area (2 registered people live on the island), if you want to visit then you need a car or long walk from Kojima Shinden station [小島新田] on the Keikyu Daishi-line. Would be better if you can take a rental bicycle as the area is huge.

If you go on a clear night that would be best as the plumes of smoke look clearer - if you go on a windy night then your timelapse videos would look awesome.

There is a Japanese term to describe the appreciation of factories through photography and is actually called "Koujo-moe" [工場萌え] or "Factory Moe!"

This search result for Koujo Moe shows you how big this is in Japan.

I was driving on the highway at the time so could only stop in rest pits thus I was only able to get a few photos. Will be going back there in the Summer to spend more time in the area though. Maybe a bunch of us can go together!

Uploaded a couple of these as wallpapers to my Flickr Stream. I left the ISO settings etc in there too. The Sony NEX series handles low light well with minimum noise levels. Although I did tweak these a bit in Lightroom.

Didn't have a tripod with me and even if I did, it was too dangerous to use from the top of the highway ><
If you are going to Ukishima-cho to take photos from ground level then take a tripod - you should be able to get less grainy shots than these.

View from the car as we zoom back to base.

Read more about Mirai Suenaga >>>

Akihabara Shops 8

2013-06-14T10:46:00+09:00

Akihabara - the worlds largest concentrated area dedicated to anime, games, manga, cosplay, robot, hobby and computing shops. Today we take our regular gander around the otaku haven in this weeks instalment of Akihabara Shops.

Today we take a lookie at places including Yodobashi Camera, Traders, Dospara, Sofmap, Koubu Inari Shrine [講武稲荷神社], Akihabara Crane Lab, K-books, Kotobukiya, Animate and other small stores located in the back streets of Akihabara.

First photo - huge poster for the up n coming eroge title Amairo Islenauts - my team makes the official mobile app that helps you learn Japanese ^o^

Checking out the back streets of Akihabara is always important as thats where most of the gems are.

Akihabara is also for the health conscious too, filled with software and products to keep in "tip" top shape.

Shingeki fever taking Japan by storm.

Shingeki no Kyojin Manga.

The main street in Akihabara is called Chuo Dori.

Cuties in the eroge Magical Charming.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

No doubt that the cutest girls in Japan are in Akihabara - more of them in eroge Berrys.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

Haruhi and Shana DVD's.

Where do you watch your anime watch list?

This post contains a poll, click here to view.

Nagashi Soumen in the comfort of your own home - for only 1,500 yen.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

Akihabara - where you can find both useful and maybe not so useful gadgets.

Katana brollies for the ninja inside of you. Next is to learn how to become a Ninja.

Quite a few small shrines hidden in the back streets of Akihabara.

If Mirai Millennium becomes a game it will have a very retro look and feel about it.

Cutie overload in ALIA'S CARVIVAL

Japanese eroge culture means no more roneriness.

Even more (more?!) cuties in Koi Saku Miyako ni Ai no Yakusoku wo ~Annaffiare~.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

Otome Riron to Sono Shuuhen -Ecole de Paris- - illustrated by Nishimata Aoi-sensei.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

Madousho no Shisho - Librarian of Grimoire out at the end of this month.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

Natsukumo Yururu also out at the end of this month.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

Akiba Rangers - Robots in Disguise.

Akihabara - something for all tastes...

Load of Eroge available at Sofmap.

The latest figure releases - Figma and Nendoroids.

Gunpla Galore. Me not in touch with the Gunpla scene of late. Are MG builds up to the same quality as PG?

Review of these two cuties in the Cu-Poche category.

Anime characters being shop assistants is all the rage ^o^

Sleeves for your trading card games, Moekana and Moekanji.
And if you want Mirai Suenaga sleeves then we got you covered.

Dollfie Dream Sakuya Izayoi up for grabs.

Dakimakura brides.

Light novels - many of which have been or will become anime titles.

Senran Kagura goodies.

Turn your brolley into a cat with these handle covers.

More lovely brides to keep you company at home.

Solar powered spinning figure display.

Gatcha gatcha.

Lovely Cation 2 by Iizuki Tasuku-sensei!

Are you an eroge player? How many you have in your collection?

The traditional Japanese souvenirs.

Steins Gate apparel.

TK421 X 20.

Whenever I get CD's, I usually rip them to MP3 and end up sticking the physical CD on the shelf which I never touch again.
How do you get your music?

This post contains a poll, click here to view.

Loads of Anime merchandise at the Kotobukiya store.

K-ON cushion covers.

The chap at the urinal looks like he got 2 dolphins.

Railgun Girlies.

I love these figures! Check out my review of these lovely ladies - Yui Takamura Off Style Ver and Cryska Barchenowa UN Force Easy Jacket.

Haganai figures.

Kotobukiya Inia Sestina - Muv-Luv.

One day Mirai-chan will grace one of those billboards.

Mirai X Tetsujin.

I'm going to use my one to scare off cats that keep leaving their poo on my doorstep.

More Shingeki goodies.

Which is your fave Tennis Prince?

Two really nice GSC and Max Factory figures soon.

Mikazuki Yozora Nendoroid.

Anime stickers. Looking forward to the Girls & Panzer movie.

You been watching Date A Live?

Be one of the Haiyore! Nyaruko-san characters.

Tried the trial version of Soul Sacrifice but didn't quite tickle my fancy.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

009 RE:CYBORG - if you watched and waited until the end of the credits then you would have seen me in it ^o^

Akihabara Electric Town exit - this is the exit you want to get off to see all the hustle and bustle.

Together with one of my comrades at publishing company Enterbrain after noms at Akihabara Negishi. Enterbrain do titles like Famitsu and Tech Gian.

Previous installments of Akihabara Shops listed up below.

And all Akihabara related posts listed up below.

And if you are visiting Japan then check out some of the places to visit listed up below.

Read more about Mirai Suenaga >>>

Japan Underground Bicycle Parking Systems

2013-06-11T07:55:00+09:00

While we do have a load of cars and public transport all over the place - the bicycle is still very much a common way to get around in Japan.
So much so that finding a place to park ones two wheeler can be a problem - its even more of a problem when folks start to park illegally.

To remedy this problem, construction company Giken have come up with a solution which stores hundreds of bicycles underground using a system called Eco Cycle - a robot system which stores bicycles underground in a 11 meter deep well.

Check out the video below to see the underground bicycle parking systems in action. The video is a snippet from my TV show Culture Japan.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

And this is what a cross section of Eco Cycle looks like.

This diagram shows how the bicycles are arranged so that its able to store 204 units.

This is how the construction is done for those of you who are considering having one in your back yard which will take only 2 months to stick in place.
If this looks impressive then the one that stores cars should impress you more.

If you want to take a look at Eco Cycle in action, you need to first get off at Shinagawa station and head towards Kounanhoshi Park [こうなん星の公園] at the location on the map below.
Or copy paste the following into your mobile device maps app.
東京都港区港南1丁目9
View location with Google Maps

Shinagawa is full of offices meaning that you will encounter a load of Japanese salarymen.

If you go during lunch then you will see a load of them queue up for food.

Setting up camera equipment. This footage was shot for Season 1. For Season 2 we switched to using Sony - one of the reasons is because of the better noise reduction.

I'm terrible at remembering my lines which is why from Season 2, I got rid of the script and we done everything ad-lib.

This was taken at a time when I used to spike my hair upwards - but that wasn't too good at hiding my baldness which is why my hair is now always flat ><

Warning signs asking owners to remove things like valuables and pets from the basket before stowing their bicycle away.

There is a little chip inside this black attachment which will open the door of the loading bays when you push the bicycle near it.

My wife also appears in the short snippet too ^o^
There is a yellow line that boxes off the loading bay and for safety purposes, the speed of the arm that grabs the bicycle will either slow down or stop if you step inside the yellow lines.

The machine then pulls in the bicycle and finds and empty slot for it by whizzing around and downwards.

This whole process takes about 8 seconds - same for retrieval too.

If you watched the video you can see the footage taken from this camera we strapped to the seat.

And you also see me taking a photo of this bicycle as its pulled into the docking bay.

This payment unit is available for owners of the bicycle parking systems to charge passers-by for stowing their bicycle away.

For these ones in Shinagawa however, all folks need to have an account.
Folks who are considering to park their two wheeler here should call up the facilities first.

For students it costs 1,300 yen to park for a month and 1,800 yen for the rest of the folks.
Folks can park and retrieve their bicycles an unlimited amount of times for this price.

We get to take a peek at the security systems in place too which have cameras not only facing the door but also looking down on the silo and at many locations dotted around inside of the well.

These camera's are not only for security but for safety too.

We also interview the man in charge of everything too. He said off camera that while they are rolling more of these out in Japan, they are looking into taking this technology overseas too.
If you are interested then let me know and I'll hook you up with him!

Here are a few screencaps for folks who dont have time to watch the video now which got 240,000 views in a day on YouTube and nearly a million views on Facebook ><

The green button tells the machine that you are ready to have your bicycle stowed away.

A robotic arm comes to grab the front wheel and pulls it into the machine.

To retrieve my bicycle, I use my member card.

All I do is touch my card to the panel like so...

The robotic arm inside the well goes to the location of your bicycle...

Grabs the front wheel...

There is a window on the other side of the silo which enables you to look inside.

An within 8 seconds I have my bicycle.

Taking stuff to put underground and out of sight.

Freeing up space above ground for those who need it.

Each well can hold 200 bicycles as long as the length of the bicycle is more than 1400mm and less than 1900mm long and weighs less than 30Kg.

And I'm off!

A couple more photos taken during filming.

After filming we are back to Shinagawa station to head to the next filming location...

Which is at a high school to cover the archery club activities called Kyudo which you can read all about in this photo post.

I know where I would want to be parking my Itachari bicycle when I'm out n about ^^

Read more about Mirai Suenaga >>>

Shingeki no Kyojin Thai

2013-06-08T10:53:00+09:00

Spotted this most awesome piece of Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) Thai style artwork over on SquidMan.EXE's Facebook.

Speaking of which, from my last post on Attack on Titan, you will know that my comrade Wada-san just happens to be the producer of Attack on Titan and I'm bringing him Along to Anime Expo that takes place next month. I'll be moderating his panel and prepping slides and a video of something...
Keep your eye on the programming to see when our panel is and see you soon!

Speaking of Thai, took a ton of photos when I was there earlier this year for the Thailand Game Show but still not managed to upload ><
Will try to sort and upload soon. I think I take too many photos on my trips ToT

Culture Japan Convention 2013

2013-06-06T11:02:07+09:00

The first ever Culture Japan Convention (CJC) 2013 comes to Penang this year, aiming to bring fans and celebrities of the Japanese pop culture industry closer together as a community over an exciting weekend of activities and showcases.

Following the concept of Culture Japan Night (CJN), a quarterly event hosted in various countries by blogger and TV presenter Danny Choo, CJC will attempt to break barriers between fans, celebrities, and retailers. Fans can look forward to a relaxed environment where they can interact freely with cosplayers, illustrators, retailers, card gamers, and guests from Japan and around the world.

Jointly organized by Penang Global Tourism and Culture Japan, CJC will take place on the 17th and 18th of August 2013 at Straits Quay Convention Centre in Penang, Malaysia.

Photo by Lim Khoon Weng

The Ideal Getaway

Regional and international fans of Japanese animation and popular culture are encouraged to take this great opportunity to gather, mingle and meet with comrades that they’ve gotten to know online, and enjoy various activities including cosplay contests, Japanese traditional arts, doll displays, card game tournaments, itasha showcases, doujin booths, anime merchandise and more.

Penang is home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with historical buildings from the British Colonial era. It also possesses beautiful beaches, and is known around the world for it’s great food. An enchanting tropical island, Penang is a haven for photography with many breathtaking sights, making it an ideal holiday destination for visitors who decide to stay a few extra days.

International Guest Line-up

CJC is proud to announce the attendance of the following guests from around the world:

Asakawa Yuu // Voice actress and singer

Asakawa Yuu is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with the talent agency Arts Vision. Well known for being the voice behind Megurine Luka in VOCALOID2, her other notable works include voicing for Fate/stay night (Rider), Love Hina (Aoyama Motoko) and Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai! (Kawakami Momoyo).

Twitter: @Julia320
Facebook: www.facebook.com/yuu.asakawa.320

vividblaze // Band

vividblaze is the Japanese duo comprising of singer Miho Tezuka and keyboardist Yasunari Okano. The group plays an eclectic mix of Jazz, Latin music, Pop and House in their songs and have worked together with Danny Choo to perform the Opening and Ending Themes for Culture Japan.

Twitter: @vividblazemiho , @vividblazeokano
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/vividblaze/185605606304

Shirahane Nao // Illustrator

Shirahane Nao (also known as DMYO) is a Tokyo-based illustrator who is known for her many artworks of Mirai Suenaga. She has drawn for many media companies in Tokyo such as Konami, Gainax and ASCII Media Works. She also manages the circle “Snow Ring”.

Website: http://dmyo.com
Blog: http://ameblo.jp/d-myo/
Twitter: @dmyomyo

Maridah // Cosplayer

Maridah is an anime fan and cosplayer of more than 12 years. Her cosplay has been featured in a number of print publications worldwide, as well as on TV and online. Maridah is a show host and correspondent for EX Studio which produces programmes about anime and gaming. She is also a Brand Ambassador for Crunchyroll, the leading online anime streaming service in America. In addition to cosplay, she is an avid anime figure, Dollfie Dream, and ball jointed doll collector. This visit to Penang marks Maridah's first international event appearance.

Website: www.maridah.com
Twitter: @maridahcosplay
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MaridahCosplay

Angie // Cosplayer

Angie is a passionate, up and coming cosplayer from Malaysia. Also known as Ringo at the popular Moe-Moe Kyun Maid Café, she has captured the hearts of a rapidly growing fanbase in the region with her high quality and wide variety of cosplays. Her love for anime and manga inspired her to start cosplaying 5 years ago, and her cosplays have been featured on various popular pages and blogs. In addition, she is also an illustrator.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Angie7099

Ikkyuu // Illustrator

Ikkyuu is a Japanese illustrator who specialises in cute "chibi" character artwork. He is best known for his work on the popular Moekana Japanese Learning Series, for which he has completed almost 200 illustrations. His illustrations have been used as featured artwork for collaborations with Kinokuniya, AmiAmi, Nitroplus, Yuzusoft, Anime Expo, Comic Fiesta, AirAsia, Touch N' Go, Penang Global Tourism, Sony and more. Culture Japan Con will mark his first ever international event appearance, where he will hold a panel sharing his illustration techniques, and provide tips and tricks to aspiring illustrators.

Twitter: @ikkyu019

Danny Choo // Host

Born in the UK to Chinese Malaysian parents and currently based in Tokyo, Danny Choo is the producer of the Culture Japan brand which shares Japanese culture through a series of terrestrial TV shows, characters, products and events. Danny has also been recognized for his work by the Japanese government and was appointed as a member of their Creative Industries Internationalization Committee.
Danny will return to his hometown to host the inaugural Culture Japan Convention.
Read more about Danny on his profile page.

Website: www.dannychoo.com
Twitter: @dannychoo
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dannychoodotcom

Good Smile Company is the worldwide leader in Japanese hobby products and service, including the design, manufacture and marketing of Japanese character figures. Not only will they be showcasing some of their upcoming figures and works-in-progress, their popular figures and merchandise will also be available for sale at CJC.

Figure collectors and collectors-to-be, this is your chance to grab all the figures you've always wanted without bothering about shipping fees!

The same team that brought Culture Japan Shop: Mirai Kopitiam to Comic Fiesta Kuala Lumpur last year is back to bring you more Mirai Suenaga and Culture Japan goodies, this time to Penang! New and upgraded versions of the popular Moekana T-shirts will be on sale, along with other exclusive Mirai Suenaga merchandise.

The highly anticipated sequel to the Moekana Japanese Learning Series: Moekanji, will also be available at the feature booth.

Little Akiba is well known among players of various anime-related trading card games for its card databases. It also specialises in the sales of anime merchandise. Little Akiba will be hosting trading card game tournaments at CJC!

VBG Network Sdn Bhd (VBG) is one of the leading companies specializing in marketing and distribution of local and overseas home entertainment products in Malaysia. In recent years, they have expanded their catalogue to include a wide variety of licensed anime merchandise and goods which will be available at the event.

Cosplay Competition: Win a trip to Tokyo!

Details coming soon!

Art Competition

Details coming soon!

Cosplay Photography Competition

Details coming soon!

A Wonderful Experience Awaits

If you like what you see, hurry now and get your tickets to secure your place in the very first Culture Japan Convention! There will be 2 kinds of tickets: Pre-order Tickets and Walk-in Tickets. Pre-order your tickets to get a discount, as well as a chance to win tickets to Tokyo!

Pre-order Tickets are 2-day tickets and come with the following goodies:

Ticket Wristbands for 2 days
Free Comrade Lanyard
Free Mirai Suenaga Uchiwa (Hand Fan)
CJC Event Guide
Automatic entry into Grand Lucky Draw for a pair of tickets to Japan!

Just bring along the tickets you've purchased to the event and redeem your full set of goodies at the redemption counter!

Pre-order Ticket Now

Walk-in tickets are tickets that are bought on the event day itself at SQCC. They are only valid for 1 day and will not be part of the Grand Lucky Draw to win tickets to Tokyo. Walk-in tickets will come with the following goodies:

Ticket Wristbands for 1 day
Free Comrade Lanyard
Free Mirai Suenaga Uchiwa (Hand Fan)
CJC Event Guide

You may purchase walk-in tickets at SQCC on both event days.

Being held for the first time, we are anticipating many visitors to participate in this event over the two days. If you can’t get enough of Japan, attendees who have pre-ordered their tickets also stand a chance to win a pair of tickets to Tokyo! Remember, only pre-order ticket holders will be registered into the Grand Lucky Draw. If you buy a walk-in ticket, you will not be able to participate in this lucky draw.

Pre-Order Ticket Now

Getting There

Straits Quay Convention Centre is located at Straits Quay, Penang.
Road map available here.

Address
Straits Quay, Jalan Seri Tanjung Pinang, Tanjung Tokong
10470 Penang, Malaysia

By Car
15 minutes from the city centre of George Town, 20 minutes from Batu Feringghi (Holiday Inn Resort Penang is located there), 35 minutes from the Penang Bridge, 45 minutes from the Penang International Airport.

By Bus
Rapid Penang No. 101 & 103
View location with Google Maps

Be a part of the event!

Booth applications are now open to artists, doujin circles and vendors alike!* We aim to create a platform for artists to get their works recognised, and have decided to heavily subsidise the costs of booth space to allow artists to focus more on their work and less on the money.

Interested participants can find more details in the application package.
All booth applications will be screened and we may request for information about the items applicants wish to display or sell to ensure that they comply with the venue rules.
*Rules and regulations apply, booth spaces are subject to availability.

Booth Application Package

For further enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Jason Sim, Assistant Manager of Penang Global Tourism at +6016-422 8200 or jasonsim@penangglobaltourism.com

Trusted Partners

Culture Japan Convention would not have been possible without the support of our trusted partners listed below!

AirAsia // Event Partner

Asia's leading airline was established with the dream of making flying possible for everyone. Since 2001, AirAsia has swiftly broken travel norms around the globe and has risen to become the world's best. With a route network that spans through to over 20 countries, AirAsia continues to pave the way for low-cost aviation through our innovative solutions, efficient processes and a passionate approach to business. Together with our associate companies, AirAsia X, Thai AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia, Philippines' AirAsia Inc and AirAsia Japan , AirAsia is set to take low-cost flying to an all new high with our belief, "Now Everyone Can Fly".

AirAsia X // Event Partner

Focusing on the low-cost, long-haul segment - AirAsia X was established in 2007 to provide high-frequency and point-to-point networks to the long-haul business. AirAsia X's cost efficiencies are derived from maintaining a simple aircraft fleet and a route network based on low-cost airports, without complex code-sharing and other legacy overheads that weigh down traditional airlines without compromising on safety. Guests continue to enjoy low fares, through cost savings that we pass on to our guests.

AirAsia X's efficient and reliable operations are fully licensed and monitored by Malaysian and international regulators, and adhere to full international standards. AirAsia X is committed in offering X-citing low fares, X-emplary levels of safety and care, and an X-traordinary in-flight and service experience to all our guests - spreading the amazing AirAsia experience to X-citing destinations in Australia and Greater Asia.

Holiday Inn Resort Penang // Official Hotel

The official hotel for this event is Holiday Inn Resort Penang, located in the heart of Batu Ferringhi. The resort is comprised of the 7-floor Beach Wing and 23-storey Ferringhi Tower that are connected by a sky-bridge, and all 350 recently refurbished guest rooms come with stunning views - overlooking lush and tropical hills on one, and the beautiful blue ocean on the other side. Whether for leisure or business, a wedding or a corporate outing, Holiday Inn Resort Penang has it all to deliver a memorable experience that will last long after your check-out.

Japan Rainy Season

2013-06-06T10:00:00+09:00

The annual rainy season in Japan known as "Tsuyu" [梅雨] usually takes place in June and lasts for about a month. Its usually hot n muggy at the same time too.
While we did get a bout of rain when the season started, its been really dry with only 3.5 mm of rain so far. I'm sure we will eventually get our rainy season though as I'm eager to continue to test my new umbrella a wee bit more ^o^

Will post more details about the Mirai Suenaga Itagasa but for now you can get more info at Seasonal Plants.

Do you have rainy seasons in your neck of the woods too?

And here is the late-as-usual MoeCalendar wallpaper for this month which you can download from here for free.
Previous MoeCalendar month wallpapers can be found in the posts listed up below.

Smart Doll

2013-06-04T16:35:11+09:00

I'm most excited to be able to give you an update on the latest and greatest on my new product Smart Doll modeled after my mascot character Mirai Suenaga.
Looks like its going to be the first ever interactive robotic 60cm doll ^^;

There are many folks in the robot community who have been building robot dolls but Smart Doll is different in two major areas - the robotics are completely hidden underneath the soft vinyl skin and the unit is interactive.

None of the photos in this post is CG - its the actual progress that we have made so far.

Before continuing to read this post however, you may want to take a look at the posts listed up below which explain how I got to this stage. I talk about the 3D production, electro forming, molding processes and how you can use 3D printers to start to develop your own products.

It also looks like this post has been picked up in the Western world who seem confused. My profile and this post should shed some light as to why I'm working on this project.

The rest of the photos are not censored and some of you wondered why its worth having a couple of censored versions - its because many folks who wrote about Smart Doll wanted some censored ones to put on their blogs ^^;

I never thought that I'd end up in the robotics field ^^; Its great though as there is so much to learn.
Am glad to see that many seem to be excited about this project. I've seen folks refer to this project as "Real life Chobits" ^o^

This post contains a video, click here to view.

The design of Smart Doll is about 70% complete - then comes the development of the software which not only controls all 24 servomotors, but also get feedback from the multiple sensors which include touch, ultrasound, visual, acoustic and location sensors.

This is just a prototype and will look slightly different from the mass produced version.
To save on development costs, we are currently using CNC Turning techniques to cut special parts using a lathe which are usually plain colors like black or white.

Once we have figured out all the sizes, we will make parts using injection moulding which is more suitable for mass production.

The video below will give you an idea of the process involved.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

This is the AeonFrame [イオンフレーム] which holds the servomotors and control circuits that power the legs, torso, neck and shoulders.
"Aeon" is latin for "Eternal" and "Life" - the AeonFrame will harness life for eternity ^^;

The shoulder and elbow joints are currently black because they are CNC Turned parts but they will be matt and the same color as the skin for the final production version.

Many folks think that these dolls are creepy. I personally think that folks giving up on their hobbies and interests just because of what others think is way more creepy ^^;

I plan to put a speaker in the frame and it will most likely be placed in the oppai which seem big enough ^^;

Speech will be required to work with sensors which detect movement so that the Smart Doll can say things like "welcome back home!" [おかえり！]. Eyes and mouth will *not* move! Only cute head motions.

If I do licensed anime characters, I can ask the original voice actress to provide recordings too. For now however I'm focusing 100% on Mirai which will be voiced by UTACO who sings Sukirai.

Ah, nearly forgot to mention the DLC (Downloadable Content) which will comprise of speech phrases and motions.

Also plan to have her let you know about Twitter and Facebook notifications too via movement.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

There is no wiring at this moment which will come next week - will probably end up looking like C3PO ^^;

The arm even contains sensors which detect their current location. The small circuit that you see at the side of the photo controls the servomotors - each motor needs its own controller.
To minimize wiring all over the place, we are going to attempt to place the circuits on the motors and cover it in a sleeve.

We have wracked our brains to come up with a design that not only fits inside the limbs but also had to choose existing components on the market to help reduce our costs so that we can pass on the savings to our consumer.

Metal parts are used to ensure that the AeonFrame is robust enough to withstand the repeated movements that will be expected of it.

While the whole frame can be moved without an electric current, we recommend that you pose her with the power on and use the controls on your Bluetooth paired Android Smart Phone instead.

The soft vinyl parts are heated up with a hairdryer before the frame is inserted inside the skin. We also designed it so that the arms are removable so that the doll can be dressed properly.
Limbs may also need to be replaced for maintenance purposes too.

The AeonFrame is designed to allow free axis movements that enable dynamic poses.

The "Cool Factor" is important too and the colors and material will change to something that looks aesthetically pleasing for those who want to display the AeonFrame on its own.
Again, this has not been wired up at all yet. We could even put LED's to indicate motor movement - but will make sure the light is not visible through the skin.

The elbow has been painstakingly designed to bend enough so that the doll can do the traditional Oppai Squash.

The AeonFrame is designed to fit the vinyl parts of my Mirai Doll which is shaped different to other 60CM tall dolls.

The AeonFrame *may* fit inside a Volks Dollfie Dream body - but not one that uses an Obitsu frame.
Mirai Doll was designed with a bit more space inside so I wont know until the construction is complete - the arms and legs are a little longer than a DD too.

It would be awesome to collaborate with Volks!

At this moment in time, the AeonFrame is not that heavy. It makes really nice whirring sounds when the motors are in action though. I wont be supressing the sound either as I think they are kinda cool.

Cant wait to have Mirai sitting on the edge of my desk in Idle mode swinging her legs back n forth looking around the room ><

As mentioned before, the power will be external to keep a nice form. You can plug her into the mains and we plan to make her so that you can power her using a USB mobile battery.

Mirai is not designed to walk but she will be able to balance and shift her hips left n right, back n forth.

While we have made special parts for the AeonFrame, most of it is made up of stuff available on the market.
The CPU unit (called MiraiCore [ミライコア)] however is completely custom built and will be installed in the removable head.

I need to "test run" Mirai before she goes on sale to see if the design withstands everyday doll ownership - does she tip over when placed on shoulder, does she fall over easily, is it easy to change clothes etc.

I'll be doing this for the next few months as I want to make sure that we release a solid product onto the market.

As part of the test run, I've been taking Mirai to visit many folks including Volks, Nitroplus and Good Smile Company. The following photos taken at the GSC office recently.

Not as cute as Volks dolls but good enough for a first attempt I think ><

And these are photos that I showed you before - all the robotics fit inside the body without a single trace.

Just like the outer skin design, the robotics is also being designed using CAD software.

Having everything in 3D not only means that we can make modifications easily, we can use the data to make interesting video sequences too.

Soon we will need a doll production team as I dont think I will last too long doing all this on my own ><
This lady is RONRONSHUKA-san who looks after the makeup for Mirai Doll. I'll be needing project planners and what I'm calling "construction engineers" who will be cutting flash away from the vinyl and putting the dolls together. I'll be posting job position soon.

Ah and yes - folks on the doll production team do get free dolls from now ^^;

We are in the process of making the paint masks right now and in order to do so we need painted samples which are going to be electroplated just like the molds for the body.
In the process of making the face masks, these painted heads will end up being destroyed through the electroplating process - they sacrifice themselves for the next generation ><

The mass production process is in motion. Its still very new territory for me to be producing my own dolls and am constantly encountering a load of hurdles. Some of the obstacles I encounter are like WTF?! but I always take them as being an opportunity to learn. And I always have a special sensei to help me - Google Sensei.

The mass production project name is called "Skynet." ^^;

And Mirai Smart Doll has already been featured on National TV - a show hosted by Sakurai Sho from Arashi on TBS called "Ima Kono Kao Ga Sugoi" [今、この顔が凄い].

Thats it for today - will be posting another update before I head to the US for Anime Expo. The next update should be a video of her moving.
Keep an eye on my Twitter or Facebook for updates.

Many folks have mentioned that they love Mirai's eyes which are based on the illustration of her by Iizuki Tasuku-sensei ^o^

Read more about Mirai Suenaga >>>

Japan Coffee Culture

2013-06-03T12:06:00+09:00

I get asked a lot by visitors who come to Japan - "How come there are so many coffee shops?!"
Today I'd like to share some history on coffee in Japan and talk about Japanese coffee culture and why I'm drinking more of it of late.

History

The first coffee that was consumed in Japan was done so at the end of the 18th century by Dutch folk who were resident at Nagasaki at the time but it wasn't until the end of the 19th century when coffee bagan to be imported in bulk.

The first coffee shop opened in Tokyo in 1888 and while coffee culture started to spread, import restrictions during and after World War II meant that the culture didn't really take off.

After import restrictions were lifted in the 1960's, coffee imports started to increase - a significant increase being in the 1970's.
In 1980, the Coffee shop franchise Doutor opened its first branch in Harajuku and since then have grown to have 1490 shops across Japan.

Canned coffee (hot or cold) can also be bought at many of the 5 million vending machines across Japan - and you know coffee is big business when they have Tommy Lee Jones advertising it in Japan.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

The Tokyo Ginza branch of Starbucks which opened in 1996 was their first step out of the US and thanks to the success of that, Starbucks then started to roll out their brand worldwide.

Japan is traditionally a smoking culture and one is always hard pushed to find an establishment with a non-smoking area.
Starbucks decided to do it the American style and kept Starbucks in Japan a non-smoking environment and is one of the few places I can go without having the pleasure of breathing in smoke which aggravates my asthma ><

The interior design of Starbucks was very different to what Japan has had up until then. These variables and their lovely tasting coffee contributed to their success in Japan and in just a short time, they now have 1000 shops across Japan.

Starbucks was very clever choosing this spot at the Shibuya crossing - not only is it easily accessible, folks can easily identify it and even if folks are not interested in having a coffee, the branding space alone is probably worth the unthinkable amount of rent they are paying for that spot ^^;

Shibuya crossing by night with the prominent Starbucks branding.

Shibuya back in 1994 during one of my first trips to Japan - used to be a bank where Starbucks is now.

Shibuya crossing in 1952 just a few years after World War II.

Back to present day - this is the view of the Shibuya Hachiko crossing from Starbucks.

Less than a year after Starbucks entered the Japanese market, Dotour launched a new chain of coffee shops called Excelsior Cafe.
At the time, the font of their shop was all green and looked exactly like Starbucks - and so did their round logo too.
Neededless to say they got sued by Starbucks.

Just like the way the iPhone changed the Smart Phone market in Japan, Starbucks changed the coffee drinking habits of the Japanese who instead of using a coffee shop as a place to do business, they now use it as a place for recreation, relaxation and doing "stuff" on their macs.

One other recent example of how Western brands have changed the Japanese market is Dyson and their cyclone vacuum - since they entered the Japanese market, Japanese brands have been bringing out cyclone technology vacuum cleaners too.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

And here is the Hitachi version of their Cyclone vacuum cleaner.

This post contains a video, click here to view.

I've spoken to many manufacturers in the Japanese industry and they too agree that Japan these days tends to be a follower rather than a leader when it comes to global brands - something that we need to fix.

While there are a load of coffee shops in Japan right now which have sprung up to meet the huge demand (Japan is the 3rd largest importer of coffee), I always prefer Starbucks where possible.

Starbucks with Wifey in Asakusa.

Starbucks with wifey in Harajuku.

We dont have Starbucks in this neck of the woods - I need to go out to Meguro station or Gotanda. There is Tully's at our station but its not the same ><

Decided to get into coffee making as the instant powder coffee started to taste decidedly weak.
Picked up this DeLonghi EC200N-B from Amazon for 13,000 yen so that we can make coffee in the office. Makes great cappuccino but I still want to know how to make coffee that tastes like Starbucks at home ><

And this is what the actual machine looks like. Apart from making coffee, its got this spout thingy which makes steamed milk too. Very noisy though ^^;

Muv-Luv Yui having a cuppa coffee in the morning. This figure by Skytube - photo review recently posted here.

Wanted to grind our own coffee beans too so got this Melitta MJ-516 grinder from Amazon for 2,500 yen.

The wife and I are still newbies to the coffee world and have no idea what beans taste good. We usually go to Kaldi and take a recommendation from the staff.
Are you a coffee guru? What type of beans do you recommend?

My wife makes a lovely cuppa and this is what it looks like.

When I make coffee however, it turns out looking like poo ><

Love having a cuppa coffee with snacks once a day to take a break from being fixated on the computer.

Serving up coffee for our guests.

And these are the type of sweets that we have - not every day though ^^;

Takatsuki Ichika joins me for today's coffee.

Ebisen!

I do still love my cuppa tea though - was brought up drinking tea back in the UK.

And this is the brand of tea that I usually go for - PG Tips. They used to sell it in Japan in some stores but cant find it anymore so need to fill up stock when I'm overseas.

Find out more about the Culture Japan girls >>>