Japanese graves use technology for limited space

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

Edelpils - Sapporo Premium Beer

Now that the fallout from the happoshu invasion is settling, there are two distinct trends in the beer market: “zero calorie” and “premium“.

Sapporo’s latest brew is the most expensive we’ve seen thus far (about $2.40 per can), and is taking a distinctly German approach in both form and branding. Edelpils is a hop-crazy pilsener that is so complex that it requires visual instructions just to know how to pour it!

Of course, the infographic on the can does more than just demonstrate proper pouring. Even though most Japanese have never even held a pilsener glass (much less own one), it’s a sign that Edelpils isn’t just a regular beer. It deserves care and attention, and even provides supplementary information for those who scan its QR code.

Is Japan is entering its Golden Age of Beer? It’s true, Japanese beer hasn’t exactly been known around the world for being for ale connoisseurs, but thanks to a ridiculous tax system that hikes prices based on the percentage of hops, brewers have made a concerted effort to improve the product or face annihilation at the hands of hop-free beer substitutes.

Tags: beer, FMCG, QR Codes, Sapporo
Category: Marketing & Ad Trends
Other categories: Technology & Gadget Trends, Fashion & Lifestyle Trends, Press coverage

Kosaku Shima sponsorships, supplements for salarymen

Kosaku Shima is the new face for Suntory’s The Premium Malt’s beer. The attractive, ever-youthful Mr. Shima is not a movie star, rather he is the protagonist from the immensely popular manga “Shima Kosaku.”

Often considered the “businessman’s bible,” the manga series by Kenshi Hirokane has followed the trials of the charmed Shima from the bubble-era through the recession and into the present day. Since debuting in 1983, the hero has made his way up the ladder in the fictional Hatsushiba Electric Company, always managing somehow to come out on top of every situation.

While the story is obviously an idealized portrayal of Japanese corporate life, the details are based in real life, which accounts for a lot of the manga’s popularity. It is no surprise then that Shima would drink Premium Malts, the beer of choice served at most high class night spots.

Lest you question Shima’s cultural importance, it should be noted that when he was finally named president of the company earlier this spring, Japan’s largest newspaper, the Yomiuri, ran an article on the subject as if it were a real news story.

Meanwhile, Takara Tomy Wellness has announced plans for what might be the most clever niche supplement yet: Shima Kosaku-themed supplements intended for the ubiquitous salaryman.

Available in three varieties, designed for specific situations (receiving and entertaining clients, business negotiations, and extreme pressure) the campaign hints not so subtly that these supplements will bring out the inner Shima in the ordinary businessman. Each packet also contains one of 30 “business cards” with a printed QR code leading to additional mobile web contents.

The Shima Kosaku supplement series, available from June 23, is the first product to be released by Takara Tomy Wellness, a supplement and nutrition product subsidiary of the toy maker giant formed in December of 2007.

Tags: beer, manga, nutrition, QR Codes, Shima Kosaku, Suntory, supplements, Takara Tomy
Category: Marketing & Ad Trends
Other categories: Technology & Gadget Trends, Fashion & Lifestyle Trends, Press coverage

Ran’s Night QR code Body Rhythm monitor for women

Body health monitors, whether built into scales or even mobile phones, are quite popular in Japan. Typically these are used to keep tabs on body fat or “body age”, but Ran’s Night is an original concept made specifically for women, and uses QR codes to capture the data for analysis.

Ran’s Night is designed to keep track of a woman’s monthly cycles by monitoring subtle changes in body temperature (between 0.3 ℃ ~ 0.5 ℃), and displays the previous night’s temperature on-screen, while also saving the data from the previous week. However, the full longterm picture comes with integration online.

While some stats can be read on the device itself, the long-term summary is found by mobile or PC on Ran’s Story. Each morning the user scans the daily QR code on the screen, which then inputs that night’s data into her personal profile and creates graphs and charts along with other information (such as weight) input manually. Thus, over time, it’s possible to visualize monthly cycles and better predict future period strength, PMS, ovulation, and other events.

There’s also an SNS component, as Ran’s Night also works to create a balanced life for all days by hosting a community at Ran’s Story to provide advice and information, and share experiences between users.

Though currently sold out, Ran’s Night will be available again soon for about $125.

Tags: Mobile, QR Codes, Ran's Night, Web
Category: Fashion & Lifestyle Trends, Technology & Gadget Trends
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Marketing fun in Shibuya with Hachiko and J-Pop

Zexy, a popular bridal magazine, has co-opted Shibuya’s beloved icon Hachiko for its current elaborate marketing campaign. While the original dog statue was created to commemorate the loyalty of a dog who met his master everyday at Shibuya station, this new effigy of Hachiko has been created by Zexy to serve as a mascot for women in love.

From this week in honor of the magazine’s 15th anniversary, Zexy is launching a one-month limited-time site for PCs and mobiles, called the “Love Special Site,” that is overseen by the image of a doe-eyed, tiara-wearing, Chihuahua-esque character named Hachiko. The site features a daily love horoscope and a love message board, plus information about Hachiko’s very limited appearance this week in front of the Tsutaya media store at Shibuya crossing.

The “real” character is a surprisingly natural looking robot dog, atop a pedestal modeled after the original statue, that needless to say attracted crowds of mobile phone picture takers. While you have your mobile out, you can also scan a giant QR code poster to take you straight to the website.

Meanwhile, down the street, pop idol duo the Vanilla Beans staged an interesting publicity stunt in a truck parked in front of Shibuya 109. In promotion of their new single Nicola, the pair donned retro flight attendant ensembles and hung out (looking kind of bored) inside the window-fronted truck.

Guess which act drew the most attention (and mobile photographers)? Yup, the robot dog.

Tags: Bridal, magazines, music, QR Codes, Shibuya
Category: Marketing & Ad Trends
Other categories: Technology & Gadget Trends, Fashion & Lifestyle Trends, Press coverage