Tag Archives: japan

This tiny Japanese Sakura puzzle provides a difficult challenge with its 0.004mm precision design

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There are different kinds of puzzles for different purposes. Some exercise the mind by challenging our mental faculties, while others are meant to help while away the time in a relaxing manner. There are also puzzles that reward their players with interesting art pieces that they can exhibit with pride on walls or on shelves. Of course, a puzzle can be all of those, providing good exercise for the brain while promising a beautiful display in the end. This hit puzzle from Japan does that and more because not only is the final result a stunning piece of art, each puzzle piece itself is a beautiful testament to creative design and quality craftsmanship.

Designer: Iwai Press

Click Here to Buy Now: $269 $299 ($30 off at checkout). Hurry, deal ends Oct 27th.

There are many things that people will immediately associate with Japan and its culture, a long list that includes sushi, manga and anime, giant robots, samurai, and ninjas. There are, however, also things in nature that call to mind the Japanese spirit, like the smooth slopes of Mt. Fuji or the gentle curves of flowers like cherry and plum blossoms. The latter, especially sakura or cherry blossoms, have become almost representative of Japan, and now you can keep such a beautiful flower on your desk without worrying about it ever wilting away.

ZIREL is a new kind of puzzle hailing from Japan that will really test your patience but reward your tenacity. Unlike a typical puzzle where each piece is visually unique and has clear marks on what it’s connected to, many pieces of this puzzle look almost so identical that you might presume you can simply interchange them. You might be shocked or even frustrated to learn that each part actually has minute differences and has its own specific place, and the discovery of its position might almost feel like reaching enlightenment.

Some people say good things come to those who wait, and that’s definitely the case for this puzzle. Presuming, of course, you’re actually solving it rather than expecting it to magically solve itself after staring at it for hours. Once all the metal pieces slide into place, you are left with a beautiful Sakura (cherry blossom) or Ume (plum blossom) cast in stainless steel with a mirror finish. Thanks to extremely small gaps of 0.004mm, you won’t even see lines that will mar the beauty of these floral art pieces. Feel free to place them on your desk as a gorgeous paperweight or make them stand proudly atop a table or shelf. After hours of hard work, you definitely deserve the gloat.

Beyond the charm of the finished puzzle, each piece is designed with Japanese ingenuity and craftsmanship. Despite their hard metal surfaces, the pieces effortlessly slide into each other when you have discovered their correct place. Acute attention to detail and disciplined quality control ensures that each piece has the highest quality, resulting in a whole that is just as great as the sum of its parts. Challenging, satisfying, and rewarding, this all-metal puzzle can help keep your mind sharp while also providing a feast for the eyes on your desk or shelf.

Click Here to Buy Now: $269 $299 ($30 off at checkout). Hurry, deal ends Oct 27th.

The post This tiny Japanese Sakura puzzle provides a difficult challenge with its 0.004mm precision design first appeared on Yanko Design.

Feel like a ninja master in the kitchen with these black kitchen knives

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When you’re cutting and slicing through ingredients for your next dish, what your knife looks like might be the least of your concerns as long as it’s sharp and effective. Expert (and not to mention well-funded) chefs might have their favorite set of knives that are almost always on display because of their looks, but most people probably don’t have access to such exquisite tools, mostly because most kitchen knives aren’t exactly designed to look elegant. It’s almost as if there was a dichotomy between function and design, and you only had to choose one or the other. That isn’t the case, of course, and these handsome kitchen knives prove that you can have a sharp cutting edge with sharp looks to go along with it.

Click Here to Buy Now: $79 $99 (20% off at checkout). Hurry, deal ends Oct 20th.

Since kitchen knives always get stained and dirty, some people probably don’t care about how they look as long as they get the job done. That kind of mentality has been pervasive in many industries but is also slowly changing to become more conscious about design and aesthetics. With many tools for office and crafts becoming more visually appealing, it’s really only a matter of time before the humble kitchen knife gets its time in the spotlight.

NiNJA’s fashionable kitchen knives are definitely attention-grabbing, particularly because of their black blades. A color that has always been associated with looking smart and sophisticated, it gives the knives a simple yet effective upgrade when it comes to looking cool and modern. There is almost no other embellishment on the blade other than the discreet “i” logo, removing any potential distraction. Like a ninja hiding in the shadows or a secret agent in a black suit, these knives stealthily move in for the kill, cutting ingredients with precision and grace.

The dark knives aren’t just for show, of course. The blades are made of molybdenum vanadium steel, known for its highly durable sharpness, and is coated with titanium for increased wear resistance. The knives are made in Seki in Japan, a city steeped in Japanese sword crafting tradition and is one of the world’s knife manufacturers. Unlike mass-produced kitchen knives, however, each blade from this collection is made one by one by an experienced craftsman, delivering a higher level of quality than what you’d see and experience from dull-looking knives.

Whether you’re cutting meat with the Santoku, rock chopping with the Gyuto, or peeling vegetables with the Petty, these dark knives will allow you to slice through food prep like a master swordsman. And whether you’re still in the middle of your fancy hand movements or have finished cleaning up and setting aside your weapons, these stylish blades will definitely make you the center of attention and envy of others with sharp but boring cutting tools.

Click Here to Buy Now: $79 $99 (20% off at checkout). Hurry, deal ends Oct 20th.

The post Feel like a ninja master in the kitchen with these black kitchen knives first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Japanese rack attaches to your bed, putting your clothes in easy reach for couch potatoes

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All that the gamers are left to do is, get up to take a dump; for everything else, Bauhutte has all the bases covered. After giving gamers a reason to laze around doing nothing with the Electric Gaming Bed, the Japanese company is now making sure you can have your wardrobe around the bed. That’s like a miraculous intervention, not just for the gaming side of things, but for everyday office/school goers, who can get back home and drape their wear on the hangers retrofitted to the bed.

The interesting concept brought to light is the Bed Hanger Rack, which as the name suggests, is an extension of the open cupboard concept. It attaches to the bed and offers space to hang clothes and racks to stuff smartphones, remotes, game consoles, and other accessories you’d want handy while in bed.

Designer: Bauhutte

Click Here to Buy Now!

In addition to the hanging storage and shelving extensions, the hanger rack gets slightly more interesting with its assembly: possible to match the layout of your room. The rack can be installed alongside the shorter front or the longer side of the bed; so that it can attach without having to change the placement of the existing bed. The effective usage of the space above the bed permits you to effortlessly store everyday wear on hangers around the bed; so you skip the trouble of folding and sorting the clothes in a regular cupboard.

For someone like me, this option to keep the room neat and tidy without having clothes lying everywhere works as a miracle. It would definitely make the whole process of clothes management efficient and convenient. My chairs and couches can breathe in some fresh air!

Provided with an adjuster to install the rack horizontally, if you may; the rack can be assembled in two ways. You can assemble it on three legs to manage up to 5kg payload, or choose to add in the fourth leg to bear up to 8kgs of clothes weight. The Bed Hanger Rack from Bauhutte can even adjust its height to suit the size of the bed, the length to accommodate your need, and the height at which you want to hang your clothes. Fascinating!

The post This Japanese rack attaches to your bed, putting your clothes in easy reach for couch potatoes first appeared on Yanko Design.

Google Japan Makes 5-Foot Long Keyboard with All Its Keys in a Single Row

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Because when it comes to computing, there’s always room for unimprovement, Google Japan has created a 5.4-foot long keyboard with all the keys in a single row. Presumably inspired by the dancing piano keyboard scene from Big, its creators say the keyboard prevents having to look in every direction for the key you need since it can only be left or right and not up or down. Of course, you may still need a yardstick to reach it.

I learned how to touch type in high school, and it’s hands-down been one of the most useful skills I ever learned. As a matter of fact, it may be the only useful skill I learned in high school. I mean, besides, how to entertain myself in detention. Now I’m never bored.

I don’t think Google is actually going to produce the keyboard for sale, presumably because it’s a ridiculously bad idea. You need any more bad ideas, Google? Hire me; I’m full of them. Here’s a freebie: a 12-pound computer mouse that can only be moved incrementally for extreme precision.

[via PCMag]

This Mount Fuji cutlery rest will have you thinking of Japan at every meal

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You have the perfect spread for a fine lunch or dinner with your fine tableware and luxurious silverware. Your linens are clean and carefully pressed, and the scrumptious meal is proceeding perfectly. But then a moment comes when you or your guests have to put down their knives or forks. Maybe you just need a break, or maybe you need to switch to a spoon or other cutlery. Putting down this used cutlery, especially when they’ve been used on sauces or oils, could ruin the atmosphere or, at the very least, your tablecloth. That’s when you’d probably wish you had a way to keep that from happening, and this beautiful cutlery rest is such a solution that not only preserves your table but even adds elegance to your setting.

Designer: Takebayashi Design

Click Here to Buy Now: Two for $165 $219 (25% off). Hurry, deal ends Sept 24th!

Cutlery rests are admittedly not that common in many cultures, but they are also critical in others, albeit going by different names. A knife rest is probably better known in Europe, while chopstick rests are in wide use in East Asian countries. Whatever incarnation or name they come in, their purpose remains the same. They elevate cutlery so that they don’t touch the table, preventing ugly stains as well as keeping the cutlery clean.

These rests come in all forms and designs, and they can be as simple as a block of wood or as ornate as fine metalwork. These Itadaki cutlery rests combines those two elements, presenting a lavish metal accessory that embodies both simple forms and elaborate engravings. The rests don’t merely stand as luxurious tableware accents but also as a testament to fine craftsmanship.

Rather than just a flat block of metal, this Japanese-inspired cutlery rest slopes upward toward the middle, ending in a flat stump at the peak. Although the actual mountaintop doesn’t end that way, this form is largely inspired by the country’s most iconic summit, Mt. Fuji. It’s also not by coincidence that the curves produced by these slopes are perfect for laying forks, chopsticks, knives, or spoons to rest.

Carved in incredible detail at the micrometer (1/1,000 mm) level, and shifts in appearance ever so slightly depending on how the light hits it.

The association of the rest’s shape with Mt. Fuji might be lost on all but the most discerning observer, but patterns engraved on its surface will definitely call to mind some of the country’s symbolic flora. From the well-known sakura or cherry blossoms to plum blossoms and chrysanthemum flowers, the cutlery rests represent Japan’s seasons that yield these beautiful flowers. They also give the etched surfaces a bit of texture so that silverware don’t simply slide off, making the rests pointless.

The cutlery rest is an homage to Japanese craftsmanship in more than just its design. Each piece is cut from a stainless steel block by changing the thickness of the blade at different parts of the process. Each rest is then carefully polished by hand to give it its sheen. Just like the word “itadaki” itself, this cutlery rest represents the summit of tableware, made with care to also take care of your cutlery, your table, and your guests.

Click Here to Buy Now: 2 for $165 $219 (25% off). Hurry, deal ends Sept 24th!

The post This Mount Fuji cutlery rest will have you thinking of Japan at every meal first appeared on Yanko Design.

Lay’s Potato Chips Creates Finger-Washing Machine to Clean Oily Fingers

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Potato chip giant Lay’s has created the Finger Washer, a tiny USB-C chargeable device that cleans your fingers after eating chips to keep them oil free. I like how it looks like a little washing machine; that was a nice touch. Me? I never actually touch the chips with my fingers; I just tilt the bag into my mouth. And I guarantee Cookie Monster would do the same thing if he were into chips instead of cookies.

The machine measures 15 cm x 11 cm (6″ x 4.3″) and sprays an ultra-fine mist of atomized alcohol inside when a finger is detected. Although I doubt it can differentiate between a finger and anything else, so don’t get any ideas. Unfortunately for anybody seriously interested in one, only five are being made, and they’re all being awarded through a lottery held by Lay’s in Japan. I’m already applying for residency.

Alternatively, clean your fingers with a travel-size bottle of hand sanitizer after chipping like a normal person who doesn’t have an automated Finger Washer. That’s what I would do if I ever touched the chips instead of just pouring them into my mouth from the bag. I’ve actually saved myself time and money, if you think about it. Those seconds and pennies add up.

[via OddityCentral]

Shell House is an organic-looking timber cabin in the woods of Japan

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Having a house in the middle of the forest, away from all civilization, seems to be more and more appealing these days. But for a city girl like me, having my creature comforts is still important as I wouldn’t be able to just live in a tent or something similar to that. Good thing there are cabins and houses that are created specifically for those who want to escape living in the city but still want to live in an actual and beautiful house.

Designer: Tono Mirai

Japanese architect Tono Mirai is known as the pioneer of something called “earth architecture,” and his latest creation, Shell House, is a cabin in the middle of the forest that seems to have sprouted out of the ground. The 625-square-foot cabin is in the forested mountains of Karuizawa, Nagano, with a view of Mount Asana, Honshu’s most active volcano. It is a shell-shaped structure with the west and north elevations closed while the east and south sides are open. The house is elevated four feet above the ground so moisture won’t seep in and over the years, the materials used will develop a rich patina.

Mirai used timber and earth to create the cabin from within 93 miles, including local timbers like Japanese red pine, cypress, and cedar. He also refused to use laminated wood or plywood and instead used only natural materials to match not just the surroundings but the organic form of the structure itself, which “evokes the life force of nature”. The door is made from timber and is set into the shell, opening up to the ground-floor living space and the timber deck with the sliding door.

The asymmetric wooden roof structure did not use any nails and used traditional Japanese carpentry technique that uses seven beams to connect to one central round beam. The ground floor has a living and kitchen space that opens up to a timber deck. There is also a raised platform where you can eat, sleep, or just lounge and there is storage underneath for a futon bed. At the back there is a timber door leading to the bathroom and storage space.

The second floor is a multipurpose living and sleeping space which also includes storage for bedding. The previously discussed roof has curved beams and natural light is able to enter to the room through small apertures integrated. The entire house is able to adjust or respond to weather conditions, whether it’s the humid summers or the freezing winters. I wouldn’t mind living in something like that obviously, although how long I can stay there is another question.

The post Shell House is an organic-looking timber cabin in the woods of Japan first appeared on Yanko Design.

An enigmatic cloud floats above Tokyo streets in this mesmerizing art installation concept

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Clouds are supposed to be ephemeral, gentle, and dreamy, but an art installation wants to literally bring those lofty concepts down to the ground in a way that boggles the eyes and the mind.

The “cloud” has long been the buzzword in tech, at least before the “metaverse” came to unseat it. Just as amorphous as its namesake, this cloud virtually looms over every facet of modern life, from our houses to our offices to even the streets we walk on. Clouds are intangible by nature, but one designer wants to turn clouds into something we can see and even touch, provoking our senses and our minds with a structure that looks both heavenly from a distance yet also a bit unnerving up close.

Designer: Vincent Leroy

It is almost fortuitous that its designer would call this tangible cloud a “Metacloud,” though it has little to do with the much-hyped metaverse. True to the original meaning of the phrase, this cloud is both a cloud and not at the same time. Made up of thin curved blades, the cloud-shaped sculpture would levitate over streets, flying low enough to be touched, unlike a real cloud.

The Metacloud seems to be built on a series of opposites, looking light and airy yet tangible and confining. It hovers ever so slightly above the ground, moving freely yet unable to break free of the pull of reality. The moire pattern is both enchanting and dizzying, playing with our perceptions as well as our emotions. It is set in the heart of one of the busiest cities in Japan while moving slowly with nary a care in the world.

The overlapping blades create a moire effect that creates something like a visual illusion. You can see through the Metacloud, and yet parts of the image are occluded by the blades, forcing your mind to fill in the gaps. It’s almost as if you’re stuck in the Twilight Zone, constantly alternating between what is and what isn’t. It is both unsettling yet mystifying at the same time.

It turns out that those are exactly the emotions that designer Vincent Leroy wants to evoke, plunging viewers into what he calls a waking dream. In the past years, cities like Tokyo have “dozed off with confinement,” and the Metacloud wants to poke our minds awake while still alternating between the real world and dreamland. Whether you’d call it a dream or a nightmare is a personal judgment call, and it’s exactly the kind of thought-provoking process that the art installation wants to trigger.

The post An enigmatic cloud floats above Tokyo streets in this mesmerizing art installation concept first appeared on Yanko Design.

Mystery Karaoke Singing Pills Help You Belt Out Your Favorite Tunes

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Presumably sold alongside the plethora of sexual enhancement pills at gas station checkouts, Mystery Karaoke Singing Pills allegedly help their swallower sing better karaoke by “loosening your vocal cords and relaxing you so you can sing for longer periods of time.” Unfortunately, singing for long periods of my time isn’t my issue; it’s being able to sing well, even for very short periods of time. Or at all.

Available to those living outside of Japan through the Sugoi Mart by Japan Crate, $10 will get you four pills. Are you supposed to take all four at once? No clue, but I’d double up and take eight just to be on the safe side and make sure you win that talent show you entered.

@sugoimart

kareyokey in jpn ft main ingredient: magnesium 🎤 #kareoke #sing #japanlife #japanthings #foryoupage #fyp #traveltiktok #tokyo #japan #sugoimart

♬ original sound – sugoimart

What are the ingredients in Mystery Karaoke Singing Pills? Your guess is as good as mine unless you guessed “probably nothing approved by the FDA,” in which case your guess was better. I just took a handful for research purposes, and now I can’t tell if I’m about to breathe fire or pass out. Recommended!

Desktop Hand Massager for Gamers: Keep Your Trigger Finger Nimble

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It’s important to keep your hands at peak performance for gaming sessions, otherwise, you might misclick and kill a teammate instead of an enemy. Trust me – it happens, and I’ve been kicked out my fair share of guilds and clans to prove it. So to help alleviate muscle strain and fatigue, Japanese gaming furniture manufacturer Bauhutte has released the cleverly named Hand Massager, a desktop hand massager to keep your hands at optimal gaming readiness.

Available from Amazon Japan, the Hand Massager features fifteen individual air cushions “to remove fatigue and weariness from the palm and each finger one by one.” It has the option to massage your entire hand or just the fingers and has three different massage settings of increasing pressure. It also has a hand-warming option (I assume operated by the crispy bacon button) to help keep your muscles loose and your trigger finger nimble. Am I going to blame it for not doing a good enough job every time I lose a game? Otherwise, what’s the point of buying one?

So, will the Hand Massager actually give you a competitive gaming edge? That’s debatable. I mean it’s not going to make up for lack of skill, that’s for sure, which is a shame because that’s definitely what I’m lacking. I’ve never even finished in the top 90 of a 100 person battle royale before. The kids in those chatrooms – they say horrible things to me.

[via Kotaku]