By fading back and forth between scenes of pre- and post-quake Tokyo, this time-lapse video by YouTube user darwinfish105 shows how the metropolitan nightscape has been affected by Japan's ongoing power shortages and conservation efforts.

Everyone save electricity

Please cooperate in conserving electricity

Save power and carry on

Let's conserve electricity! Switch OFF!

Turn OFF the power. Now anybody can be Santa.

Power saving!

The amount you turn off will light someone else up.

Please conserve electricity.

Save electricity. Save somebody.

Save electricity. Switch off.

The light you turn off will light up a smile.

Now conserving power

The quickest aid you can provide now is electricity.

Saving energy & open for business

Open for business in power saving mode!

Conserve electricity to prevent massive power failures!

Tentacled one [Photo by: Fuzz and Fur]

Usavich and Darth Vader [Photo by: jimgris]

Doraemon [Photo by: urasimaru]

Kappa [Photo by: jimgris]

Jesus [Photo by: jimgris]

Kinnikuman [Photo by: Jet Daisuke]

Frog [Photo by: Fuzz and Fur]

Rabbits [Photo by: Long]

Alien Baltan [Iza!] // Kyushu Shinkansen mascot [Asahi]

Hikonyan [Photo by: jimgris]

Kaminarimon lantern [Photo by: Jet Daisuke]

Spider-Man [Photo by: jimgris]

Costumed runners [Photos by: Long]

Cheburashka [Photo by: eri_chan]

Cosplay runner [Photo by: jimgris]

Alien Baltan [Photo by: Long]

Captain America [Photo by: jimgris]

Anpanman [Photo by: urasimaru]

Costumed runners [Photos by: Long]

Cuiadore [Photo by: Jet Daisuke]

Costumed runner [Photo by: jimgris]

Kappa [Photo by: Fuzz and Fur]

* * * * *

ADDED: More photos by hashiee (via Buzzfeed)

[Photo by: hashiee]

[Photo by: hashiee]

[Photo by: hashiee]

[Photo by: hashiee]

[Photo by: hashiee]

+ Video

Yesterday's dramatic simulation involved a Siberian tiger that escaped its pen following an earthquake. The mock animal wandered freely through the park, attacking zoo workers and visitors before it was surrounded with nets, shot with a tranquilizer dart, and transported back to its cage.

Theatrical exercises involving people in animal costumes are conducted each year in Tokyo at either Tama Zoo or Ueno Zoo. In addition to providing hands-on experience with capturing escaped animals, the drills force zookeepers to administer first aid, usher visitors to safety, and coordinate with local emergency services. Here are a few videos of past exercises.

+ Rhinoceros - Ueno Zoo, 2004

+ Polar bear - Ueno Zoo, 2002

+ Orangutan - Tama Zoo, 2007

+ Tiger - Ueno Zoo, 2010

+ Zebra - Ueno Zoo, 2008

+ Video

[More]

The ad -- entitled "Geee / Harajuku Love Story" -- makes use of wirelessly-controlled Mouth LED technology developed by artists Daito Manabe and Motoi Ishibashi.

+ Video

Here is a rough translation of the dialogue that takes place as the smiling mob approaches.

[Man]: We can make it work. I'll do my best.
[Woman]: Will you come to see me if I get lonely at night, no matter what?
[Man]: I will go immediately. I'll fly.
[Woman]: Will you come and pick me up if I call you from Mt. Everest?
[Man]: I'll fly there right away.
[Woman]: Will you bring me hot nabe soup if I ask for it?
[Man]: I will. I'll bring a year's worth.
[Woman]: What if I asked you to take me to the moon?
[Man]: That might be difficult...
[Woman]: That's not good enough.
[Man]: But I can make you happy.

The commercial appears to have been inspired by an earlier project by Manabe and Ishibashi entitled "Party in the Mouth," which featured a mob of women with glowing LED smiles wandering the streets of Tokyo at night.

+ Video

Here is some video from the Laforet website:

+ Video

+ Video

Here are a few highlights of the trip.

1:00 - The boat approaches the tunnel entrance, located on the Kanda River next to Mansei-bashi Bridge near Akihabara. The drainage tunnel -- known as the Ochanomizu Diversion Channel -- runs 1.3 kilometers and rejoins the river upstream near JR Suidobashi station. The tunnel is not designed for boat traffic.

2:10 - Tamori tests the echo inside the tunnel.

2:25 - The painted numbers indicate the distance in meters from the entrance.

2:35 - The tunnel measures about 8 meters from floor to ceiling. The water level easily reaches the ceiling after a heavy rain.

3:00 - The boat approaches a round section of tunnel dug with a shield machine. This portion of the tunnel is 8.8 meters in diameter and 760 meters long.

3:50 - The passengers view the rails of a ceiling-mounted crane system used during construction. The crane was used to erect a water barrier to keep the construction area dry.

4:00 - The boat passes a floodgate tunnel on the left.

5:00 - The boat passes a sign reading "Eidan Ochanomizu Station." This type of sign was placed in the tunnel during construction to indicate the nearby infrastructure. Due to its proximity to the subway station, this part of the tunnel is built with extra reinforcements.

5:30 - The boat passes a similar sign for Ochanomizu-bashi Bridge.

5:55 - The boat passes a similar sign for Century Tower, a 19-floor office building.

6:00 - A smaller tunnel branches off to the right. The tunnel is too small for a boat, and the guide is not sure where it leads.

6:50 - The round section of tunnel opens up into a large chamber. During construction, this was a vertical shaft used to lower the shield machine underground. The rails of a ceiling-mounted crane system are visible overhead. A ladder leads up to a manhole on the street.

7:50 - The exit comes into view. Another tunnel continues past the exit for another 1.6 kilometers.

8:30 - The boat exits the tunnel and continues up the Kanda River.

9:30 - The boat passes a pipe pumping water out of the leaky Suidobashi subway station (Mita line).

11:00 - The boat enters another tunnel (Suidobashi Diversion Channel No.2), which runs for 500 meters.

Inter // States is the latest Tokyo time-lapse piece by photographer Samuel Cockedey. The soundtrack is "Paradigm Flux (Tokyo Cut)" by Woob, from the new "Paradigm Flux" EP (listen).

This year's Good Design Expo, which took place at Tokyo Big Sight over the weekend (Aug 27-29), showcased over 2,000 design-conscious items under consideration for the 2010 Good Design Award. Here are photos of a few items that were on display.

Goya de Goya: Goya (a.k.a. bitter melon) planter bag that resembles a giant goya (Protoleaf)

Tomato ni Tomato: Tomato planter bag that resembles a giant tomato (Protoleaf)

Sola Cube: Botanical materials encased in cubes of acrylic (Sola)

GreenMarker: Grassy page markers (yuruliku DESIGN)

Nature LED bulb (Advanced-Connectek) // QLD-104 coral-inspired LED table lamp (Qisda)

X-Frame Folding Vehicle alters shape to suit driving style (Nagoya Institute of Technology)

USB Clip: Tiny USB flash drive that doubles as paper clip (Emami Design)

Tongue cleaners (Green Bell)

Kinpachi-Mikan mandarin orange boxes (Kadoya Keshouhin)

Centry outdoor security robot (Dongbu)

Pebble salt and pepper shaker set (Kyung Ran Choi)

Itamimai rice bags (Itami Sangyo Co., Ltd.)

Itamimai rice bags (Itami Sangyo Co., Ltd.)

Metaphys Cortina humidifier (Gourmandise Inc.)

LOVE packing peanuts (minna + TooR Inc.)

Lightweight milk bottles (Toyo Glass)

Tread-Walk: Treadmill-controlled personal mobility robot (Waseda University)

Underwater camera housing (Sigma)

Cartoon Box: Trixi Box - Sushi (Grupo BdeB)

Zou-san cutter: Elephant-shaped tape dispenser (Nichiban)

Bags made from recycled brewer malt waste (Kouhei Okamoto)

Rainbow-colored toilet paper made from 100% recycled paper (Felissimo)

Candles modeled after traditional Japanese confectioneries (Pegasus Candle)

Candles modeled after traditional Japanese confectioneries (Pegasus Candle)

Docomo SH-02B Marimekko mobile phone (Sharp, NTT)

Bone Float: Bone-shaped pens that balance/rotate on stand (Zero Seiko)

Kaori honey wine (Minenoyuki Ltd. + Miyagi University)

Sony Vaio

t-pod

Angled drinking glass to minimize neck movement

Wooden bicycle (Sano Magic)

Wooden bicycle (Sano Magic)

Wooden bicycle (Sano Magic)

Art Setouchi publicity fans

TOFU DX professional makeup sponge (CrossMarket Inc.)