Here's a video of an awesomely horrifying robot dog from Japan that is being tested. If anyone has anymore info on this prototype please comment and let me know.

Restroom Sound Maker for Privacy

"The Magical Water Princess" is in fact not a princess at all. It is a Japanese restroom accessory that is placed in toilet stalls in Japan in order to make it impossible to hear others using the restroom. The device emits a chirping sound for privacy. It is apparently a major fear of Japanese women to have others hearing them use the restroom. In the 80's women used to flush the toilet multiple times while they were using it in order to cover up the sounds involved. This ended up wasting an insane amount of water and costing restaurants and other public places insane amounts of money. Check out the video below and the link below that for more info on this strange device.


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Gameboy Shoes

These cool shoes have an integrated Gameboy Color system that clicks in and out of the shoe and is totally functional. The shoes have become increasingly popular in Japan but I don't hink we'll see them anytime soon in the U.S. There are several different types that are available and showcased over at syberpunk.com. Check them out through the link below the picture.

UPDATE: Apparently the shoes were designed by shoe designer, Helen Red Richards. The shoes have been exhibited since the end of 2000 in some U.K. art galleries. The shoes are available to order through Nintendo only but I'm not sure how to order them. SOURCE

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Tokyo Freeway Interchanges

Ken Ohyama's Flickr account has some of the coolest pics I've seen on Japanese freeway interchanges. I guess these ones are from Tokyo. Here's one modest example from a really phenomenal photoset. Check it out at the link below.LINK

Japanese "Evil" Snack Marketing

Tohato, A Japanese food producer, has launched an intersting new marketing campaign to get the word out on some new spicy snacks they're making. The two products are awesomely named "Tyrant Habanero Burning Hell Hot" and "Satan Jorquia Bazooka Deadly Hot." Customers can use their mobile phone camera to scan in a barcode on the snack and join an army for an online multiplayer game. You can either join the Habanero Evil Army or the Satan Jorquia Evil Army. The awesomest thing about the game seems to be that both armies are "evil!" Click the link below for more info on this over at the MobHappy blog.LINK