Check out the skills of the all-male Japanese cheerleading squad The Shockers! How do you think it compares to the US girls?

Via Urlesque

With Japan’s history of design, I was not surprised to read about the most minimal house in Japan, but to see it? It looks like someone drew it on top of a photo!

Perfect for an art gallery perhaps?

From Curbly via longnu

Technorati Tags: architecture, Japan, minimalism, most minimalist house

A classic, but still compelling viewing as these “pushers” attempt to squash even more people into a busy train in Japan!

Technorati Tags: culture, Japan, Japanese subway, subway squash

You can’t beat the Japanese for *good* ideas..! Lingerie maker Triumph International Japan has unveiled a new concept bra designed to appeal to the hardcore female golfing enthusiast.

Called the “Nice Cup In Bra” the lingerie consists of a grass-green top that, when removed, conveniently unfurls into a 1.5-meter-long putting mat using both cups as holes.

The bottom half of the lingerie consists of a detachable pink skirt with the words “Be Quiet” printed in bold letters on the rear. When removed, the extra-short skirt can be used as a flag to encourage onlookers to remain silent.

According to the maker, the Nice Cup In Bra was created in response to the growing popularity of nude golf among females in Japan. (We’re afraid we’re lying about the nude bit).

Via Pink Tentacle

Technorati Tags: concept bra, golf, Japan, Japanese, lingerie, products, Nice Cup In Bra, sport, Triumph International Japan

Product designer Fumie Shibata has created a new concept for a luxury capsule hotel. Opening in Kyoto next month, each capsule will have its own computerised lighting system (by Panasonic!) and high thread count sheets as well as minimalist capsules, lockers, showers and a communal lounge.

Well, we’ve never stayed in one but should have during our visit to Tokyo so we’ve no idea how the luxury compares. But do you really sleep in such tiny boxes? Worse than coffins!

From TokyoMango

Technorati Tags: capsule hotels, culture, Fumie Shibata, Japan, Kyoto, luxury capsule hotel, Panasonic

Manga artist Shigeru Mizuki created an illustrated guide featuring a superb collection of cutaway diagrams showing the anatomy of 85 traditional monsters from Japanese folklore. Here are two of them below. Click the link to see more and descriptions of what they do!

Anatomy of Japanese Folk Monsters

Technorati Tags: culture, design, illustrated guide, illustration, Japan, Japanese folklore, monsters, Shigeru Mizuki

Retro Kanban is a fascinating web site dedicated to old Kanban which means “shop sign“. This site carries a collection of enamel signboards, which were familiar from the 1930s to the 1970s and is a fantastic resource for designers, who just pure eye-candy who love the era.

Retro Kanban

Via Retro Thing

Technorati Tags: design, enamel signboards, Japan, Japanese shop signs, retro, Retro Kanban

Love Japanese dogs? Check out this lovely book featuring Japanese breeds of dogs, captured by designers Kazuya Takaoka and Sachiko Kuru. The Akita has got to be my favourite. (Second only to the Siberian Husky.)

“The Graphics of Japanese Dog” by Kazuya Takaoka and Sachiko Kuru

Via NotCot

Technorati Tags: culture, dogs, Japan, Japanese dogs, Kazuya Takaoka, Sachiko Kuru

Origami as just as hobby? You’d be surprised by the talents and acumen of a Dr. Robert Lang, who after practising the art since childhood, went on to use origami principles in the development of his scientific research, such as in creating an oversized space telescope.

Though he is one to look up to, it’s true to say he is no ordinary man. Between his efforts to earn a PhD in applied physics, his job at NASA’s Jet Propulsion laboratory, his eighty technical papers, and his forty-six patents in optoelectronics and lasers, he somehow found time to implement and evolve a number of original origami designs.

Continue reading at The Origami Resolution

Visit Lang Origami

Technorati Tags: crafts, Dr. Robert Lang, Japan, origami

Weird Asia News writes about weird Japanese inventions and the word to describe them: Chindogu. My favourite has to be the Baby Mop!

Read more on Chindogu: Weird and Useless Japanese Inventions

Technorati Tags: baby mop, Chindogu, gadgets, Japan, products, strange products, weird products