Tag: ‘Food’

Mad cow sound check

25 Sep 2008

Sound check for mad cow disease -- As Japanese consumers become ever more "fussy" over food safety issues, there is a growing demand for technology that improves food quality. To ease the minds of health-conscious meat-eaters, researchers at Japan's National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH) have developed a convenient method for identifying cattle infected with mad cow disease, simply by measuring the brain waves they produce in response to audio stimuli.

To develop and test the new method, the researchers infected 11 healthy cows with mad cow disease and observed the onset of symptoms and changes in brain activity. Mad cow disease (a.k.a. Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or BSE) is a fatal infectious disease that affects the central nervous system of cattle (and humans), turning the brain into a sponge-like substance. Symptoms of the disease include loss of muscle control, inability to stand or walk properly, agitation, and red eyes.

Approximately 24 months after infection, the 11 test cows began to exhibit the typical physical signs of BSE. However, at around 22 months after infection -- before the physical symptoms became evident -- the researchers discovered that the brains of the infected cows had a delayed reaction to sound. In all 11 mad cows, the brain waves elicited in response to audio stimuli were a few tenths of a millisecond slower than in healthy cows.

The researchers believe the acoustic nerves responsible for transmitting sound impulses to the brain became damaged as the disease progressed, resulting in a delayed response time. By using a device that measures this delay, ranchers can identify mad cows in their herds, the researchers suggest.

While the newly developed method is still less accurate than conventional lab testing of brain samples taken from carcasses, it does make it easier to detect possible infection at an early stage, before outward signs of the disease appear.

The researchers, who plan to study the data further and improve the accuracy of the test, eventually hope to develop a portable version of the device.

[Source: Mainichi]

Rice rebranded with ‘moe’

19 Sep 2008

Moe rice bag --

Bad news for rice in Japan -- the recent tainted rice scandal has dulled the public's appetite for the staple, and kids these days are consuming less than ever. In an attempt to revive interest in the grain, agricultural cooperative JA Ugo (based in Ugo, Akita prefecture) is enlisting the help of a sweet, doe-eyed anime rice farmer girl.

Designed by eroge illustrator Aoi Nishimata, the original moe character will appear on 10,000 bags of locally grown "Akitakomachi" rice, which will go on sale September 22. Some Tokyo department stores have reportedly said the bags seem out of place on their shelves, but JA Ugo believes young people will embrace the design. The moe rice will undoubtedly sell well, provided it's free from mold and pesticide.

In recent weeks, consumers have been shocked to learn that moldy rice tainted with the pesticide methamidophos was served to thousands of people at schools, day-care centers and nursing homes and included in a variety of commercial food products. The tainted rice was originally imported from China for use as a raw material in industrial products such as glue, but was instead distributed as food. There have been no reports of people getting sick from the tainted rice.

[Source: Asahi // Image: Aoi Nishimata]

‘Anata to wa chigau n desu’

04 Sep 2008

Anata to wa chigaun desu --

Anata to wa chigau n desu ("I am different from you"). In the few short days since Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda uttered these words to a pesky reporter after his shock resignation, Japan has witnessed the birth of a new buzz phrase online.

At the end of the press conference following Fukuda's resignation, a Chugoku Shimbun reporter told the Prime Minister that many people thought he often seemed detached when he spoke, almost as if the problems facing Japan were none of his business. The reporter suggested that Fukuda also sounded distant in his resignation announcement and asked what impact he thought his sudden resignation (which comes just one year after previous Prime Minister Abe suddenly resigned) would have on the country. Seemingly perturbed, Fukuda fired back at the reporter: "You said I sounded detached, but I am able to see myself objectively. I'm different from you."

Fukuda's jarringly out-of-character words came as an awkward exclamation point to his resignation and threw some people for an extra loop. The phrase has been percolating for days on 2-channel, where dozens of popular threads with the words "anata to wa chigau n desu" (??????????) in the title have been posted, many containing Fukuda-inspired ASCII art.

Anata to ha chigau --

I'm not like you --

I'm different from you --

I'm different than you --

Anata to wa chigau --

The Asobit City otaku department store in Akihabara is cashing in on the buzz, too. A sidewalk display for what appears to be some sort of "Sayonara Fukuda Sale" features a stack of Fukuda-themed sweets. The subheading on the poster reads: "I'm different from you."

Anata to wa chigau n desu --

Anata to wa chigau n desu --

Anata to wa chigau n desu --

Club T is also jumping on the bandwagon with a line of Fukuda resignation memorabilia that includes T-shirts, coffee mugs, caps and more imprinted with the popular phrase.

Anata to wa chigau n desu --

[Sources: Akiba Blog, IT Media, FG]

Time-lapse video of rice paddy art

22 Jul 2008

This time-lapse video of the 2008 Inakadate rice crop art is composed of still images captured daily from June 1 to July 3, 2008 via the roof webcam at the adjacent town hall. The 3.7-acre work features the images of Daikoku, god of wealth (left), and Ebisu, god of fishers and merchants (right), which were created using five different colors of rice plants. On July 4, just as the crop was beginning to mature, the organizers shut down the webcam when they removed the JAL ad portion of the artwork at the request of the rice paddy owner.

Photo: JAL logo still visible in crop art

09 Jul 2008

JAL logo still visible in Inakadate rice paddy art --

This photo snapped by Aomori-based blogger Pochiko shows remnants of the JAL logo still visible in this year's Inakadate rice paddy art, several days after organizers attempted to "erase" it.

Read more: JAL logo uprooted from rice paddy art

JAL logo uprooted from rice paddy art

04 Jul 2008

Inakadate rice paddy art, 2008 --

Has Japan Airlines' crop-based advertising gone too far? For some residents of Inakadate -- a small town with a big reputation for cultivating fantastic works of multi-colored rice paddy art -- the answer is "yes."

This year's crop art, which is Inakadate's 16th work since 1993, features giant images of Daikoku (god of wealth) and Ebisu (god of fishers and merchants) alongside the corporate logo for sponsor Japan Airlines (JAL). Here are a few photos of the rice paddy taken in June from the 6th-floor roof of the adjacent town hall.

Inakadate rice paddy art, 2008 --

Inakadate rice paddy art, 2008 --

Inakadate rice paddy art, 2008 --

Inakadate rice paddy art, 2008 --

Inakadate rice paddy art, 2008 --
Daikoku (left), Ebisu (right) and JAL logo

The town committee responsible for the annual crop art project decided to incorporate advertising into this year's work to help offset rising costs associated with increased numbers of visitors. Last year more than 240,000 people came to see the crop art, and many of them used the town hall bathrooms and elevators (there is a nice view of the rice paddy from the roof), resulting in a costly utility bill.

However, the owner of the rice field, Ryuji Sato -- who also happens to be the former mayor of Inakadate and a member of the committee -- thinks the ad stinks. At the end of June he demanded the corporate logo be removed from his property.

"The idea has always been to create art that attracts lots of visitors and stimulates the economy," says Sato. "Turning it into a giant advertisement contradicts what we set out to do."

After a week of heated discussion, the committee voted to pull the ad, and on the morning of July 4, town hall employees were dispatched to the field to uproot the rice plants that make up the JAL logo. TV crews were on the scene. (Watch a Fuji TV news report.)

The video shows people removing rice plants only from the area occupied by the JAL symbol, which creates a very conspicuous negative space in the field. Ironically, this makes the logo more visible. It remains to be seen whether they can successfully remove all traces of the ad.

Workers remove JAL logo from rice paddy art --
Town hall employees remove JAL logo

Sato's critics are skeptical of his motives. Because he is on the ballot for this autumn's upcoming mayoral election, some believe he is trying to draw attention to his candidacy. Others think he may be taking revenge for the bitter 2004 mayoral election loss that removed him from office. Sato dismisses the criticism, saying that if he really wanted revenge, he would not have allowed the art to be grown in his field in the first place.

"I just can't stand the fact that they are trying to turn this into a commercial venture," says Sato, who hopes to see the rice paddy art tradition continue as it has in the past.

Meanwhile, the Aomori-based marketing agency that coordinated the advertising agreement with JAL does not know what to make of the situation. A company spokesperson says, "We obtained the committee's approval and signed a formal agreement, but yet it has come to this. We are baffled."

[Sources: Inakadate Village, To-o Nippo]

Rice paddy art in Yamagata

24 Jun 2008

Rice-growing season has only just begun, but this year's first crop of rice paddy art, which is created by planting various colors of rice in the field, has already started to emerge.

Rice paddy art in Yonezawa --

In the Yamagata prefecture town of Yonezawa, an image of 16th-17th century samurai Naoe Kanetsugu has appeared in a field near the Onogawa hot spring. The samurai, whose image is based on a portrait housed at the nearby Uesugi Museum, appears along with a pair of fireflies and the kanji characters for "Love" and "Tenchijin," the name of an NHK drama about Naoe Kanetsugu that will air next year. The rice will be harvested in October.

This year marks the third time that crop art has been grown in Yonezawa. Here are a few photos of works from the past two years.

Rice paddy art in Yonezawa --
2007

Rice paddy art in Yonezawa --
2007

Rice paddy art in Yonezawa --
2007

Rice paddy art in Yonezawa --
2006

In recent years, a growing number of local governments around Japan have started organizing rice paddy art projects as a way to attract tourists and educate people about rice farming. Look for more rice paddy art to crop up in the coming weeks.

[Photos: Asahi, chosasi_Bkyu]

Bento lunches decorated as album covers

16 Apr 2008

Food hackers at Obacchi Jacket Lunch Box cut and arrange ordinary bento lunch box ingredients to recreate famous album covers.

Obacchi Jacket Lunch Box --

Rage Against The Machine - Evil Empire: Egg, paprika, nori (seaweed sheet), kamaboko (fish sausage), carrot, potato, ham, black sesame, rice

Obacchi Jacket Lunch Box --

Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland: Nori, paprika (red & orange), egg, rice

Obacchi Jacket Lunch Box --

Aphex Twin - Richard D. James Album: Potato, umeboshi (pickled plum), fish/vegetable flakes, nori, kamaboko, rice

Obacchi Jacket Lunch Box --

KISS - Destroyer: Egg, nori, ume (Japanese plum), kamaboko, rice

Obacchi Jacket Lunch Box --

King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King: Mentaiko (cod roe), kamaboko, ham, nori, rice

Obacchi Jacket Lunch Box --

Weezer - Green Album: Cabbage, nori, ham, kamaboko, paprika, rice

Obacchi Jacket Lunch Box --

The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground: Nori, egg, rice

Obacchi Jacket Lunch Box --

Public Enemy - Muse Sick-N-Hour Mess Age: Nori, kamaboko, umeboshi, rice

See more than 25 pages of these bentos at Obacchi Jacket Lunch Box (use the "Next" link at the bottom of each page to scroll through the site).

[Via: Zaeega]

Kirichimpo: Phallic promotional mascot

26 Feb 2008

Kirichimpo --

Fresh on the Akita prefecture promotional gimmick scene is a unique and decidedly male mascot modeled after the region's famed kiritampo grilled rice cake skewers. "Kirichimpo" (kiri means "cut" and chimpo is slang for the male organ), a lovey-eyed kiritampo stick with a conspicuous protuberance dangling from its lower end, is the brainchild of Fruru Co., Ltd., an Akita-based souvenir designer and wholesaler.

Mamemokkori and Marimokkori -- The company came up with the idea for Kirichimpo last year after witnessing the far-reaching success of Marimokkori, a happy, well-endowed green monster mascot from Hokkaido, whose name is a play on the words marimo (a type of giant algae ball found in Lake Akan) and mokkori ("erection"). Marimokkori's popularity extends far beyond Hokkaido's shores, to as far away as Chiba, the home of his younger peanut-headed cousin named Mamemokkori (mame means "bean"), and Tokyo, where mounds of the popular Marimokkori can be found inside UFO Catcher claw vending machines at game centers.

While Kirichimpo has yet to rise to Marimokkori status, it appears to be enjoying a measure of success. Last year's initial shipment of 6,000 Kirichimpo keychains sold out in a matter of months. And with demand still strong, the company is rolling out a Kirichimpo ear pick and other new gimmicks, which are soon to appear at souvenir shops and train stations throughout Akita prefecture at a price of 350 yen ($3) each.

[Source: Akita Keizai Shimbun]