Posts from — June 2007

This is an aerial view of the world’s largest corn labyrinth in Dalian, Northeast China’s Liaoning Province, called the “Travel of the Brave” :

It covers an area of 340 mu, and is set to open mid-July this year. It will take at least one hour to finish the shortest route.

It looks a little different to the much more geometric, closer knit labyrinths I’ve seen before. Looking at the size and possible options, this might soon turn out to be the world’s most frustrating labyrinth.

From WeirdAsiaNews

Technorati Tags: China, labyrinth, Travel of the Brave

This short clip demonstrates the teamwork essential in Chinese acrobatics, but the star of the show is obviously this kid, who, whilst doing a headstand, is able to kick his legs for some momentum in order to hop up these poles with his head! It has to be seen to be believed!

Check out the amazing clip here:

Technorati Tags: China, Chinese acrobatics

This “China dragon fossil” has a pair of horns above its head and its shape resembles the legendary animal often described in books and stories. It was recently exhibited in the Xinwei Ancient Life Fossils Museum in Anshun, Guizhou.

Dragons have often appeared in Chinese legends and apparently, Chinese people are often called the “descendents of the dragon”. For a long time, scientists (and me) thought that the dragon was a fictional animal existing only in stories.

The China dragon was a reptile animal living in the ocean in the Triassic Period about 200 million years ago. It was an amphibian. It spent most of its time living in water, although sometimes it walked on land. In which case, it sounds like it didn’t fly and couldn’t breathe fire. Not the same - never mind.

Read more on WeirdAsiaNews

Technorati Tags: China dragon fossil, Chinese legends, dragon

Here’s a way to relieve yourself if you’re addicted to popping bubble wrap from fragile, newly purchased items. Bandai, the Japanese game gurus, have created the PuchiPuchi Bubble Wrap Simulator. Designed in consultation with an actual Japanese bubble wrap manufacturer (!), the PuchiPuchi is a small, keychain-ready square of entertainment ready to finger-pop.

Available in several colors, the PuchiPuchi goes beyond standard-fare bubble wrap and will surprise you on every hundredth pop with one of several unexpected sound effects, such as a door chime, dog bark, fart, or sexy voice. Every thousandth toy features a lucky heart-shaped bubble.

The PuchiPuchi debut yesterday at the Tokyo Toy Show 2007.

Via PopGadget.net

Technorati Tags: Bandai, ideas, Japanese, products, PuchiPuchi Bubble Wrap Simulator, Tokyo Toy Show 2007, toys

The Froggetmee combines chopsticks and spoons into the perfect two-in-one utensil for you to enjoy your ramen noodles and soup, and other things no doubt. (Serving suggestion below I assume.)

“Froggetmee frees you to enjoy with one hand while you go on doing other things with the other.” Its made out of plastic, is 11” long and has been awarded “good design 2006” from the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.

Get it from Shopmodi. Via Gizmodo.

Technorati Tags: chopsticks, cuisine, Froggetmee, spoon

Japanese designer Toshiyuki Kuwabara has a stylish 3D animation piece created with a rather friendly-looking but hapless burglar.

Check out his Flash website where you can’t really miss the character and view a showreel of the animation.

Toshiyuki Kuwabara

Technorati Tags: 3D, animation, Japan, Toshiyuki Kuwabara

This radiator sports a nice manga character, which I assume, will be hidden while being used. Never mind, the product is still useful to place under your chosen device in order to radiate the heat away from it and also prevent it passing too easily to the surface its on.

Buy it from Himeyashop.com

Via JoshSpear

Technorati Tags: characters, console accessories, heat radiator, manga

These little burger snacks from Japan are great engineering feats of accuracy, micro-sizing every detail of a full-size burger down into a button-sized snack!

Ok, that description might be a little over the top, but these snacks still look good. They sometimes apparently have “cheese” realistically running down the side of the burger as well.

From SasuraiSamurai via BoingBoing

Technorati Tags: cuisine, Japan, mini burgers, snacks

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