Japanese graves use technology for limited space

Written by: Michael Keferl on August 18, 2008 at 1:45 am | In Technology & Gadget Trends | 15 Comments

Now that the Bon Festival week of holidays is wrapping up, millions of Japanese are returning from some much needed rest and relaxation back in their hometowns. Since O-Bon is traditionally for ancestor worship, many also take the time to visit the graves of their dead family members and tend to burial plots like the one below.

Previously we broke the story about Japanese gravestones integrating QR Codes into their burial plots, but most Japanese in the cities cannot afford the $20k (or more) it would take to buy a plot of land.

To solve this problem, Nichiryoku has created an interactive family plot that fuses technology with the traditional. The cremated remains of your loved ones are stored in a personal sealed box which is kept in an underground vault. When you wish to access the box you scan an RFID card which then tells the system to bring up your box and place it in the prayer area.

Check out the videos for a better idea. Sorry for not translating, but the visuals should give you the idea. In the video on the right, the woman is visiting her father (speaking from beyond the grave) who is surprised that she came. However, since he’s “close to the train station” she said it’s no problem!

Judging from Nichoryoku’s site, building construction is an important factor for those seeking to inter themselves for the afterlife. You can see detailed plans and photos of this concrete and steel ancestral bunker to put your mind at ease. Perhaps ironically, it’s built far stronger than most homes where the living wait for the next big earthquake!

With Japan’s aging society there are more and more funerals every day, and limited space options are bring out lots of creative solutions to this problem. As depressing as it is, death is a big business these days in Japan. Again, the innovative Japanese spirit shines, albeit in a way that only works in Japan (for now).

Tags: Aging Society, Graves, Innovations, QR Codes, RFID
Category: Technology & Gadget Trends
Other categories: Marketing & Ad Trends, Fashion & Lifestyle Trends, Press coverage

Camel Crush cigarettes tested in Japan?

Written by: Michael Keferl on April 25, 2008 at 3:55 pm | In Marketing & Ad Trends | 27 Comments

When we first blogged about the new Kool Boost cigarettes featuring an internal “powerball” infused with menthol, we though it was brilliant. Smokers can add more menthol by squeezing the filter to break the capsule, thus releasing the mentholated goodness.

Now it seems that RJ Reynolds is slowly releasing a stateside version of their Camel brand with the same capsule inside the filter. The Camel Crush are currently being tested in select markets back in the U.S.

It would be interesting to know the degree as to which this innovation was tested in Japan. The U.S. Patent application explains its origins, but Japan may just be (for better or for worse) the ideal testing ground for FMCG such as tobacco.

Back in the U.S., people will actually ask someone for a cigarette and then decline it when it’s the wrong brand, but Japanese are far more willing to switch brands for any number of reasons: Cool packaging, freebies, product modifications, limited editions, etc. Sure, the older generation of salarymen stick to their Mild Sevens, but young people treat cigarettes like they do any other FMCG. After all, who wants to drink the same brand of coffee their whole lives?

This attitude makes Japan a great testing ground for many products, but also a deceiving one. If smokers abroad aren’t open to switching brands for any type of FMCG, it’ll take more than a menthol ball to win them over.

Tags: Innovations, Marketing, Tobacco
Category: Marketing & Ad Trends
Other categories: Technology & Gadget Trends, Fashion & Lifestyle Trends, Press coverage