Jelly Fish Noodles

Every year we get giant jellies in Japan sea. Because they look like noodles, I thought of new presentation for noodles which is very popular dish in Japan. Make plastic bowls that look like shell of jelly fish and arrange noodles like jelly fish tentacles. Call it Nomura's Noodles.

http://www.thinkaloo.com

Invest in weight-loss businesses in Asia

Why I think it's a great investment. Asians incorporate more Western food into their daily diet. This makes millions of them gain fat and become more obese every year. I read in Japan 27 million people already suffer from obesity. There are more than a billion Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Thais and Malaysians and thus the growth potential for weight-loss businesses is huge. I think it's smart to invest in Asian fat!

http://thinkaloo.com

Passenger-phone interactive screens for subway ads

Japan is the country of long train commutes. I commute 2 hours every day to my work. The trains have print ads hanging on the walls and TV screens above the sliding doors that display animated ads. I watch them all the time when I'm not sitting down. I thought it would be interesting to make them interactive with passenger phones. Allow phones within a certain radius to be used as remote controls to send instructions to the TV screen.

The commercial could ask questions relevant to the product advertised and then collect and display the answers given by the passengers who will press buttons on their phones or send text messages. It can turn into a fun game. For people on long commutes it can add some excitement to the train ride.

http://thinkaloo.com

Japan and shoe-care

During my time in Japan I learned to take extra good care of my shoes and always carried a small shoe-polish with me. Why? Notice how the Japanese don't shake hands but bow when they greet each other. That means they always look straight into each other's shoes. If you ever go to Japan to work that's a good little tip to know!

http://thinkaloo.com

Opera Geishas

I would be interested to see famous operas like Madama Butterfly performed by real geishas trained in opera. When a story centers around the life of a geisha why not have real ones perform it? Geishas are supposed to be trained in all the arts. I read that they are in decline in Japan so demand for a new genre of opera-trained geishas could help revive the tradition!

http://www.thinkaloo.com

Why is Japan the land of the rising sun?

I have always known my country as the land from which the sun rises. But today I was wondering why this is true only for Japan. If you ignore clock and compass, any point in the world is where the sun rises from. The sun was always worshiped by people everywhere in the world so why didn't any peoples in the West ever call their country the land of the rising sun?

http://www.thinkaloo.com

China, Japan, Korea...

Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, etc...or as I like to call them: "Hey, can I get a fork?" countries. Hand2mouth feeding would be better in this case >>>

http://www.thinkaloo.com

Kit-Kat in Japan

Today I learned that when Nestle rolled out Kit Kat in Japan, the Japanese couldn't help but notice how close the words "Kit-Kat" were to "Kitto-Katsu" which roughly translates "win without fail". Students began to believe that eating a Kit Kat before they took their exams would result in a higher grade, which was a major reason the Kit Kat brand is doing so well in Japan's overcrowded retail market. Interesting how we can be tricked into consuming a product for its name than its taste. It wouldn't surprise me if for Nestle "Kitto-Katsu" now translates "win without trying" :)

http://www.thinkaloo.com

Smoking Elephant

I stumbled upon this sign at a restaurant in Tokyo. First I wondered what it might mean. No smoking, sneezing and drinking elephants allowed in the restaurant? No blowing cylindrical items in here? Imaginative and cute for a "No Smoking" sign you will probably only see in Japan.

http://www.thinkaloo.com

Fridge and juicer built-in

What you think of fridge design with juicer built-in? Very convenient idea for small kitchen, good for Japan house that is usually very small. Must also design garbage disposal system or garbage bag inside fridge to collect fruit debris.

www.thinkaloo.com

Height - Adjustable! Ramen Tables

This thought was posted on Thinkaloo on 28 March 2008 by member james85

Visit www.thinkaloo.com, our new online community where you can share your thoughts and knowledge, discuss your ideas, ask questions and meet smart people

---

Ramen is a type of noodle dish that is very popular in Japan and Asia. In Japan there are many noodle shops where people eat standing. Everyone has to bend up and down all the time in order to eat, those who are tall obviously have to bend more. Since the Japanese are so proud and good about designing every day products that make life more comfortable (eg super-toilet seats) why don't they design height-adjustable ramen tables or benches so people don't have to bend all the time while they eat?

Just to give you an idea of how easy it is for Japanese industry and engineers to come up with such a patent let me tell you what a Japanese super-toilet seat has been designed to do.

Sometimes dubbed "super-thrones," these top-of-the-line high-tech toilet seats come with wall-mounted control panels as sleek and complex as those of stereo systems. Their manifold buttons allow adjustment of the nozzle position, water pressure and type of spray, plus blow-drying, air purification and seat warming for those cold winter mornings. Water and seat temperatures are also adjustable. Did I mention you can even choose the sound the water makes flushing down?

It then strikes me that a society and a culture who is so advanced in the design of super-toilets will allow people to eat in the most inconvenient posture! What an amazing contradiction, don't you think?

Maybe the intake of the food is supposed to be a little inconvenient so that it balances out with the comfortable outtake process later! I wouldn't be surprised if some of these ramen shops which are very small and narrow actually had super-toilet seats in the bathroom. But after I finished eating my very delicious ramen, I was too tired to go check it...

Bag stools for hotel reception desk

This thought was posted on Thinkaloo on 14 March 2008 by member james85

Visit www.thinkaloo.com, our new online community where you can share your thoughts and knowledge, discuss your ideas, ask questions and meet smart people

---

This is a photo I took at the ANA hotel in Tokyo, Japan. I had not seen bag stools in any other hotel I have been to in Europe or in the US. Instead of placing your bag on the reception desk or on the floor you can place it on the stool. It's nicely designed and also very handy and practical!

Pasta in a sandwich?

This thought was posted on Thinkaloo on 7 March 2008 by member andy

Visit www.thinkaloo.com, our new online community where you can share your thoughts and knowledge, discuss your ideas, ask questions and meet smart people

---

Apparently yes! Seems to be popular in Japan. Have you seen it in other countries? Not sure I would eat plain pasta in bread. Adding some pasta sauce might taste better. I've been told it's fast food sold in convenience stores and people eat it as a snack. I think if they put pasta sauce in it, the taste would improve a lot. Pasta sauce companies could advertise their products this way!

Fight allergy with air-condition

This thought was posted on Thinkaloo on 29 February 2008 by member atamaga

Visit www.thinkaloo.com, our new online community where you can share your thoughts and knowledge, discuss your ideas, ask questions and meet smart people

---

The allergy season is around the corner in Japan. Hay fever allergy affects millions of people every year. It is caused by cedar pollen and pollen from the Japanese cypress or the white birch trees. What if air-condition systems in every building could spray anti-allergy medicine especially during the allergy season?

Masks, goggles, and even pollen-repellent coats can help a bit but once you get hay fever for the first time, it is hard to cure. If everywhere you go the space is sprayed with anti-allergy medication you will not have to worry if you forgot to take the allergy medication with you.