Categories
Technology

Kuratas

This weekend took place the Maker Faire Tokyo, a fair where one of the biggest attractions has been the Kuratas, a kind of mecha-like robots developed by Suidobashi Heavy Industry. Only one of the prototypes was shown on the fair which could be used by visitors. On their website you can even buy one (a little bit over 1 millon euros/dollars).

Kuratas

Kuratas

This video explains the concept behind the Kuratas development:

And this other video explains how to use it: drive, shoot, move arms etc. It can be controlled from the inside or remotely using a smartphone.

I can picture somebody using a Kurata to film a science fiction movie without the need to use special effects 😉

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Categories
Signs

Ladies or Gentlemen

Sign indicating the location of the toilets at Gonpachi restaurant in Nishi Azabu.

Samurai toilet

Categories
Society

Japanese Strikes – The Spanish Urban Legend

In my home country, Spain, almost everybody believes that when Japanese workers go on strike instead of not showing up for work, what they do to protest is to work even harder than on normal days. They are known as “huelgas a la japonesa” which mean Japanese-style strikes.

I think this urban legend only exists in Spain and some countries in Latinamerica! I wonder how did it originate.

In Japan there are no “huelgas a la japonesa”, but “normal” strikes do exist. They are less common than in other countries and when there are protests or manifestations they are usually very civilized.

Workers of the railway company Japan Railways JR during their strike protesting with signs at the the south exit of Shinjuku station:

Japanese strike