News on Japan | News.3Yen.com

Raise the Space-Battleship Musashi!

The Japanese battleship Musashi was the sister ship to the battleship Yamato and…

Microsoft co-founder @PaulGAllen reports discovering WWII battleship "Musashi" near Philippines.
pic.twitter.com/8pEEAfJlhL— Nippon.com (@nippon_en) March 3, 2015

…the Musashi and Yamato were the heaviest and most powerfully armed battleships ever constructed the history of man (Wiki), thus making them “ideal” for space battleship (Wiki).

Imperial Japanese Navy’s Superbattleship Musashi as she appeared in mid-1944
By Alexpl, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Previous reports on the Space Battleship Yamato on the 3Yen include:
   • Capt. of Space Battleship Yamato drowns (3Yen / 2010-11-08)
   • Space-Battleship Steven Tyler ‘big in Japan’ (3Yen / 2010-09-23/)
   • Kitty Battleship Yamato! (3Yen / 2010-06-26)

Wanna be a ‘Hime-sama’—princess for a day?

Himesama by zlok

Today, March third, is Hina Matsuri–the “Doll Festival.”
Also called “Girls’ Day,” it is an unofficial holiday in Japan that offers a blessing for health and long life of girls (and gives them a once-a-year chance at playing with a very elaborate set of dolls).

Translation of main lyrics of the “ひな祭り/Hinamatsuri” song in the video above:

Let’s light the lanterns
Let’s see peach flowers
Five court musicians are playing flutes and drums
Today is a joyful Dolls’ Festival

The dolls displayed on a tiered stage for Hinamatsuri represent O-hime-sama—the Empress and O-dairi-sama—the the Emperor. The imperial couple is followed by lower ranks of courtiers, attendants, and musicians who all decked out in traditional court dress of Japan’s Heian period. The dolls are talismans to bring luck, or amulets to absorb evil spirits and protect. For more information, refer to Wikipedia.

‘HinaSet’ by user:Michaelbuddy – Copy from en.wikipedia. Licensed under Copyrighted free use via Wikimedia Commons.

Divisive dangers of Tokyo

The “divisive” sign below warns to: Watch your step / It is dangerous.

これは相当危険だ pic.twitter.com/MF3ZnTOmqW— 巻尾ちりみ♪ (@karakosachiri) February 28, 2015

From beyond Pluto they came via the Oort Cloud

From beyond Pluto deep in the Öpik–Oort Cloud, AyaBambi* came for a new LUMINE†.

*The dance of the AyaBambi aliens has been matched by: Japanese schoolgirl robot, Strongmachine (3Yen 2007-01-02)

† LUMINE (lumine.ne.jp) is a Japanese fashion chain focused on selling bleeding-edge styles for the young and the wannabe younger.

1,000 Ninja Wanted

Help wanted:
1,000 Ninja Wanted by the Hilton Odawara Hotel
HiltonOdawara.jp | 2015Feb22
…We will recruit 1,000 ninja who can join us for an event for both adults and children—Take part in a ninja experience on April 25 (Saturday) in Odawara”…

Hilton Odawara is looking for 1,000 ninja. Apply here: http://t.co/lfDSTFGNpp pic.twitter.com/mdC65jGLB8

— Mulboyne (@Mulboyne) February 26, 2015

If you meet the Buddha in the road, screw him…

If you meet the Buddha in the road, screw him in.

hitachi-buddha_640

(1950s advertisement for Buddha bulbs by Hitachi Lamp)

If you meet the Buddha in the road, kill him.
— dailybuddhism

(A classic “koan” in Zen practice used to provoke
the “great doubt” and to test a student’s insight.)

Choices… Japan style

Choices, in Harajuku style…

Why choose pink or blue hair when you can have both? RT @rkmaroyaka pic.twitter.com/BUQcrgFdio

— Tokyo Fashion (@TokyoFashion) February 24, 2015

Note the compromise on her eye color.

Japan’s newest ‘image characters’

Here are Japan Post’s new mascots, TEGAMI BOT and his sidekick SMOKE DETECTOR-kun. (-‿◦☀)

tegami-bot SMOKE-DETECTOR-kun

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Pedo-Bear is back, and now he wants granny!

bear-bot in japan robot Look out granny!
Japanese scientists of the RIKEN research institute have released a new experimental nursing care robot, “ROBEAR.”

According to RIKEN’s press release of February 23rd, the ROBEAR can performing tasks such as lifting a patient from a bed or wheelchair and, will provide impetus for research on the creation of robots that can supplement Japan’s need for new approaches to care-giving
Ri-i-i-ight—Granny is gonna love this. ᶘ ᵒᴥᵒᶅ

Sadly, these nursing care robots of the RIKEN Institute have been around forever. RIBA-II, the care-giving Teddy Bear (3Yen.com / 2011-08-03) shown above has been in development for a long time without any the bear-bots going into practical use in nursing homes and hospitals.

The 3Yen first reported years ago about the predecessor of the RIBA, the RI-MAN robot in: Stroke my soft machine (3Yen / 2006-03-01)
Other Bear-bot reports on the 3Yen have included:
. . . —Care-bots for elderly…again (3Yen.com / 2013-06-22)
. . . —Bear-bot that reads your tweets (3Yen.com / 2011-01-26)
. . . —Robo-teddy vs Alzheimer’s (3Yen.com / 2010-10-08 )

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Bitter green pretzels … only in Japan

The newest Pocky was released on February 10th: the Pocky Kasane Maccha™. This pretzel has layered dark chocolate and bitter green tea, and it will only be available for a limited time.

Standing in a supermarket, wondering if it is too early to be buying Christmas stockings fillers. pic.twitter.com/KZGRHR7YhY

— Mulboyne (@Mulboyne) February 23, 2015

(More details at the official Pocky Street website.)

Previous pervy puerile Pocky posts on the 3Yen include:
   • Get POCKYed! (3Yen / 2011-11-12)
   • Getting poked, Japanese style (3Yen / 2009-07-25)
   • Pocky dance (3Yen / 2007-11-03)

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