Students seeking to pass the rigid entrance exams of top universities in Tokyo and Osaka now take studying to the next– and better– level, thanks to Dojuku, an online “cram school”.
Tokyo
Gaga for Heels without Heels
Chihiro | March 6th, 2012
Have you seen Lady Gaga strut around in her infamous “heels without heels”? I wonder how she’s able to walk in them!
Defining the New Housekeeping
Chihiro | February 21st, 2012
Keeping your room neat may be a challenge for most-- but not for Marie Kondo!
When asked about her occupation, Marie Kondo calls herself a “tidy-things-up consultant”. You may raise your eyebrows and ask, “So…what exactly does she do?” Read More
Calories Across Continents
Chihiro | February 9th, 2012
It takes one healthy meal to feed an African child for lunch, thanks to Table for Two
While the obesity rate is getting worse by the day across most developed countries, an estimated 925 million people in the world are suffering from hunger. Is there anything that can be done to bridge this great divide? Read More
Only Free Paper– and That’s It!
Chihiro | January 31st, 2012
Curious to know what's inside?
I was wandering around Shibuya, also known as Tokyo’s birthplace of trends, and stumbled upon one quirky shop called Only Free Paper. So does this mean that they don’t sell anything at all?!
Defying Gravity, One Shot at a Time
Chihiro | January 20th, 2012
Natsumi Hayashi's "levitating" self-portraits breathe fresh air into the blogosphere.
She calls her blog Yowa Yowa Camera Woman Diary– which literally translates to ” a feeble woman’s camera diary”. The online journal features Natsumi Hayashi’s self-portraits as she looks serenely trapped in a moment, “levitating” across city streets, an open field, a train station, a telephone booth, among many other quirky locations. I think the impact she has made through this series of photos would be anything but weak.
Nude Jewelry: Where 2 cross-cultural traditions meet
Asia Scout | July 1st, 2010
If is often said that when something new meets something old, something unique happens. But Nude Jewelry also proves that when you combine two different old things, we get something really unique too.
What is Design?: Part 2
Asia Scout | May 17th, 2010
During my train of thought from part 1, I had an idea: defining what design is, is also like peeling an onion. Let’s pretend we see an onion for the first time! While trying to to find the core of the onion, we peel off the layers, but eventually the onion is gone. However, we know what the onion is by its layers, and the totality of those layers. Read More
What is Design?: Part 1
Asia Scout | March 12th, 2010
Yes, yes, I know — I am supposed to hunt down the designs that the youth in Tokyo dig! But let me ask a basic question, “What is design?” Yes, it’s all around us and we are all familiar with it, yet this question does not seem so easy to answer. Indeed, the question invites profound thinking. The fundamental essence of what “design” is should be universal beyond age or generation, so I think I am going to start here. Read More
smart.fm – an English learning SNS in Japan
Asia Scout | August 4th, 2009
English learning has been one of the most popular interests among Japanese people. There are plenty of English schools, chat-cafes, and digital learning kits, so it wasn’t surprising to see the launch and rapid growth of an English-learning based SNS, Smart.fm.
Want a Secret Boyfriend in Virtual Reality?
Asia Scout | August 4th, 2009
Do you want another boyfriend? Even if you are married, don’t worry! You don’t have to feel guilty for your beloved husband, because your new boyfriend is not a real person but a character in virtual reality, Web-Kare (Web-He, i.e. Web-Boyfriend). Read More
Chixi – a New SNS for Illustration and Design
Asia Scout | August 4th, 2009
Japan International Contents Festival
Asia Scout | August 4th, 2009
Japan International Contents Festival, or CoFesta, is probably the world’s largest integrated content festival. It consolidates a series of separate events into one big festival. Read More
Herbivorous Men – just another extreme sign
Asia Scout | August 3rd, 2009
It’s been mentioned here and there, and it’s even been featured in news programs. Oh, yes, the rise of a new generation, “herbivorous men”! They are less interested in money and sex, but more keen on personal pleasures and conform. And to give them a little credit, they are likely to appear more eco-conscious.
Have You Got Your Poup’e Girl Yet?
Asia Scout | August 2nd, 2009
Poup’e Girl, a fashion community site developed by Poup’e Girl, Inc. of Cyber Agent Groups, is extremely popular among young girls not only in Japan, but also in other countries. Approximately 80% of the users are females in their 10′s or 20′s, and about 22% are from outside of the country, despite the fact that the service is offered mainly in Japanese. Read More