Big in Japan: Scenes from the Tokyo Motor Show

by Matthew Firestone on

What’s better than beautiful women and exotic cars?

How about beautiful women standing next to exotic cars!

For the past few weeks, the biennial Tokyo Motor Show (???????????????????????) was in full effect at Makuhari Messe in Chiba City, which is a quick one-hour train ride from central Tokyo.

Hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), and recognized by the International Organization of Automobile Constructors (IOAC), the Tokyo Motor Show is regarded as one of the world’s big five auto shows along with Detroit, Geneva, Frankfurt and Paris.

Since one of my earliest father-son bonding memories was a trip to the New York Auto Show (thanks Dad!), I’ve always had a love for cars – and the women standing next to them!

With that said, this week and next, Big in Japan will be bringing you exclusive coverage of the latest, greatest and craziest automobiles (and the most beautiful models) from the land of the Rising Sun.

For starters, let’s talk a little bit about the history of one’s of the world’s greatest automobile exhibitions.

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In 1954, the first ever ‘All Japan Motor Show’ was held in an outdoor venue in Tokyo’s Hibiya Park, and attracted over half a million visitors in ten days. Owing to its commercial success, the event was held in successive years, though it changed locations to the larger Harumi Showplace venue following the construction of Tokyo’s subway system.

Following the fuel shortage in 1973, the event was postponed, which marked the start of the motor show as a biennial event. Due to increasing public demand, in 1989 the event moved to its current location at Makuhari Messe, which hosts one of Japan’s largest exhibition centers.

For the past two decades, the Tokyo Motor Show has emphasized concept cars, which is the main reason behind its incredible mass appeal. Although the vast majority of concept cars never reach the public market, their design elements tend to appear in commercially-released products a few years after being unveiled.

This year, the theme of the Tokyo Motor Show was environmental conservation, with an emphasis on hybrids, plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles, mopeds, hydrogen cars and personal transport devices (think Segway on steroids). In response to rising oil prices and changing attitudes about the role of an automobile, this year’s concept cars are proof that you don’t have to sacrifice performance for the sake of efficiency.

For the next several days, I will be blogging about the coolest concept cars and the most innovative automotive designs. Whether you’re a raging gear head or just interested in seeing some beautiful Japanese models, tune in to Big in Japan for the coverage of the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show.

** This post is dedicated to my Dad, who was the architect behind our annual pilgrimage to the New York Auto Show. Although he has yet to get on a plane and come visit me here in Japan, perhaps the 2009 Auto Show will be the incentive he needs to take the trip! **

For photos of the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, check out the gallery below:

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Photo of the Day (11/07/07)

by Jamie Rhein on

The precision of school kids in China and Taiwan is phenomenal. Yes, the lines are that straight. I wouldn’t say all the time, but I would almost bet on it. If you ever come across a group of school kids during an assembly stop and watch awhile. What a wonderful composition of patterns and symmetry. This particular shot was taken at a school in Shanghai by gorwell48.

***To have your photo considered for Photo of the Day, head to the Gadling Pool at Flickr and post it.***

Dam it, People Move!

by Iva Skoch on

There was an interesting expose on China’s Three Gorges Dam in yesterday’s WSJ (Europe ed.). It looks like up to 4.8 million more people might have to move from the Yangtze River valley because of the dam.

The massive $25B power project, completed last May, has already displaced approximately 1.4 million people, as their land has been submerged because the area behind the dam has filled. When I was there in 2005, the water level was about 132 meters (435 ft.), and it’s now at 157m, and it’s expected to hit 175m in 2009. The reservoir is 640km (400 miles) long (about 1/10th the length of the whole river).

Obviously, the dam is important to China, which needs the power for its growing economy. The dam provides ten times the electricity of the Hoover Dam.

Some frightening stats from the article:

  • 60% of the new shoreline is too steep to farm.
  • the water is moving so slowly behind the dam that the port of Chongqing (seen at right on a “sunny” day) is expected to silt over in ten years. (This is a big deal, considering the size and economic importance of that city, with an estimated at 55 million inhabitants in that economic “municipality.”)
  • the dam is making the local weather even more foggy and humid than before. (ouch.)
  • fish populations are dwindling because of disrupted river flows. (I didn’t see a single living bird, duck, goose, swan, or fish during my days on the Yangtze, so I’m not too surprised.)

Big in Japan: Flesh-eating fish keep your fingers & toes clean

by Matthew Firestone on

Spend any amount of time in Japan, and you’ll quickly learn that the Japanese are obsessed with health and personal hygiene.

From taking dips in hot springs and frequenting local bath houses to pursuing aesthetic treatments and practicing aromatherapy, the Japanese have a very astute sense of cleanliness and physical well-being. Indeed, I make a point of visiting the masseuse once a week, spending my free nights at a nearby sauna and taking weekend trips out to rural springs whenever the chance arises.

With that said, there are still few beauty treatments here that I’m a bit hesitant to partake in, especially ones that involve live fish feasting on my extremities.

Although it’s been around for several years now, one of the strangest treatments in Japan involves placing your hands and feet into a pool containing tiny flesh eating fish known as a doctor fish (???????????????????????????). Affectionately nicknamed ‘nibble fish,’ these flesh-eating critters have a taste for dead human skin, and are fond of feasting on any problem areas that you might have.

Are you with me so far? If not, let’s take a moment and put things in perspective.

The doctor fish actually refer to a species of fish known to scientists as Garra rufa, though laymen like me prefer the term reddish log sucker. Then again, if you were named something as ridiculous as reddish log sucker, you’d probably prefer if it people called you by your Latin name.

Nomenclature aside, doctor fish are native to the rivers of the Middle East, particularly Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran. Although the latter three aren’t exactly up and coming tourist destinations, doctor fish have been bred at Turkish spas for decades.

Here, spa goers suffering from a variety of skin ailments, most notably psoriasis, come to have their problem areas picked clean by the hungry doctor fish. In case you’re wondering how the whole process works, doctor fish will pick at dead and affected areas of the skin, which allows the healthy skin to grow in its place.

Typically, patients visit the spa every few weeks, and there are numerous documented cases of skin conditions being cured by doctor fish. Of course, anecdotes can’t be substituted for scientific proof, but there is definitely some evidence to suggest that there is a therapeutic effect resulting from a doctor fish ‘feeding session.’

Since the Japanese are always keen to discover the next great thing, there has been explosion of doctor fish spas popping around Japan in recent years. On average, a 15-minute all you can eat feast (for the fish, not for you) costs about US$25 or 3000 yen.

By the way, before you chime in and ask me if you can buy doctor fish at your local pet shop, Turkish law prevents the commercial exploitation of the fish due to concerns of overharvesting for export. Apparently, aquarium conditions are also unsuitable for doctor fish as they’ll only feast on human flesh when they’re in a natural enclosure.

So, what do YOU think?

As I said previously, I’m mortified by the end of having my skin consumed in front of me, but perhaps I’m not as adventurous as all of you out there in cyberspace!

Big in Japan: Drinking pig placenta keeps Japanese women beautiful

by Matthew Firestone on

Ever wonder why it is that Japanese women are so beautiful? Ever wonder how Japanese women manage to look so young well into their golden years?

What if I told you that there was a simple and cheap remedy for turning back the clock and washing away the visible signs of aging?

What if I told you that this remedy costs less than US$10 a day, and can be started at any time no matter old you happen to be?

Although the secret is slowly spreading to the Western World, for years Japanese women have been drinking blended pig placenta in an effort to extend their youth.

Yes, you read that correctly.

Some Japanese women, on occasion, drink blended pig placenta in a bottle.

Seriously. I am not making this up.

Now, I guess at this point in the post you are probably thinking one of the following:

a) Gross.
b) Does it work?
c) What does it taste like?
d) Where can I buy some?
e) Some or all of the above.

Well, keep reading and allow me to explain the powers of pig placenta!

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For starters, the placenta is a temporary organ that develops from the same sperm and egg cells that form the fetus. In placental mammals including humans, the placenta receives nutrients, oxygen, antibodies, and hormones from the mother’s blood, passes out waste and forms a protective barrier around the fetus.

Now, here is where things get interesting.

Placentophagy is the act of mammals eating the placenta of their young after childbirth. Scientifically speaking, the placenta contains high levels of prostaglandin, which helps shrink the uterus, and small amounts of oxytocin, which eases birth stress and causes the mammary cells to contract and eject milk.

Although the placenta is revered in many traditional cultures, and has been an ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, very few modern people eat it after the newborn’s birth. Leading obstetricians and gynecologists are also quick to point out that animals ingest the placenta for nutritional reasons, though there is little nutritional benefit for well-fed humans.

However, pig placenta, blended and bottled for your consumption, is sold all across Japan. A 30 milliliter bottle costs approximately US$8.50 (1000 yen), and is available at any corner store or pharmacy here in Tokyo.

Now, I know that it’s easy to be skeptical about health and beauty products, especially since the next big thing is always being touted on late night infomercials across North America.

Also, we all know that the Japanese have incredibly healthy diets that are based on rice and fish, compared with the North America propensity for fatty foods.

And of course, I don’t want to discount their genetic predisposition, especially considering that the Japanese tend to age very well, and generally look younger than their Western counterparts.

However, although anecdotal evidence isn’t exactly the most reliable of methods, my Japanese friends swear that a bottle a day gives them energy, and has noticeably improved their appearance.

Here’s the catch.

I can’t stomach it. I’ve now tried on three separate occasions to drink the stuff, and I gag every time the bottle reaches my mouth. As you’d imagine, blended pig placenta tastes pretty much like blended pig placenta, and no amount of added sugar is going to make a difference.

If you’re still interested in trying the stuff, I’m fairly certain that import restrictions in the States prevent the international distribution of this product, though perhaps I’m wrong. With that said, please chime in if you’ve seen this stuff in a health food store near you.

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