Big in Japan: The future of motorcycles is awesome

by Matthew Firestone on

This week and next, Big in Japan will be bringing you scenes from the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show (???????????????????????) at Makuhari Messe in Chiba City. For an overview of this biennial event, see the previous posting Scenes from the Tokyo Motor Show.

Do you love motorcycles? So do I.

In case you’re wondering about the future of motorcycles, check out some of the latest Yamaha designs to come out of the Land of the Rising Sun.

One of the coolest concept bikes on display at the Tokyo Motor Show was a 4-wheeled hybrid motorcycle known as the Tesseract (??????????????????). This truly wicked looking quad features a unique dual scythe suspension system that allows the vehicle to turn like a motorcycle. The hybrid power comes from a liquid cooled V-Twin engine as well as an electric motor.

Have I peaked your interest yet? Keep reading because I’m just getting started.

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The Gadget (ガジェット) is an electric moped with a collapsible design that can be easily stored with minimal fuss. Other unique features include a power source that can be turned on via your cell phone or through the internet.

A fierce-looking custom built street bike, the WR250X offers a revolutionary ultra-high rpm single-cylinder engine (10,000 revolutions per minute).

The entire frame is also constructed of aluminum, which makes for quick, aggressive handling and the perfect balance for busting out some truly sick tricks – just don’t wipe out!

The XS-V1 Sakura (XS-V1 桜) is aimed at mature riders looking for a blend of retro-design and modern efficiency.

Lightweight and slim, this deceptively simple looking chassis hides a 1,000cc V-Twin engine.

The chic racing machine straight out of the bizarre realm of Japanese anime, the LUXAIR is both a hybrid motorcycle and an incredible piece of eye candy.

The LUXAIR is powered by a liquid-cooled engine and an electric motor that are joined by a YIPU (Yamaha Integrated Power Unit).

During acceleration, the gas engine provides the bulk of the power, though idling and cruising is driven by the electric motor.

And finally, one of the most exciting products for the environmentally conscious consumer, the FC-Dii is an incredible fuel cell-powered motorcycle.

Featuring the Yamaha Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC), the FC-Dii is driven by a 54% methanol solution with an efficiency of over 30%.

The bike also features a removable second battery that can be recharged from an external power source.

Since all of these models are concept bikes, it is very unlikely that any of these products will be available for purchase.

However, there is a good chance that some of the design elements described above will start to appear on the market in the near future.

With that said, I think you will all agree with me in saying that the future of motorcycles is awesome.

For more scenes from the Tokyo Motor Show, tune in next Monday for another installment of Big in Japan.

And of course, to all of the riders out there in the world, here’s to open roads, blue skies, cool breezes and the journey ahead.

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

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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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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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Big in Japan: How to cure a hangover

by Matthew Firestone on

Did you know that the scientific name for a hangover is veisalgia?

Veisalgia describes the headache, stomach sick, sensitivity to light and sound, weakness and depression that comes the morning after you’ve hit the bottle a bit too hard.

Although scientists might disagree, veisalgia also describes the feeling you get when you roll over and realize you’re sleeping next to someone significantly less attractive than you.

Veisalgia also describes the feeling of waking up naked on the side of the road without your wallet or your keys and only the vaguest recollection of what happened the night before.

(If you’re reading this mom, I swear that happened to someone else!).

In Japanese, the word for hangover is futsukayoi (??????????), which directly translates as ‘two-day drunk.’ Sounds pretty bad, though my hardcore Japanese friends assure me that you haven’t truly partied until you’ve experienced a mitsukayoi (??????????) or ‘three-day drunk.’

Let’s start with what we do know about the commonly experienced but rarely understood phenomenon that is a hangover.

Scientists who spend most of their days drinking vodka shots from beakers and separating the layers of their vomit in centrifuges have identified reasons why humans experience hangovers.

Although I’m convinced that the true cause of hangovers is simply drinking too much, people much smarter than me point to the following culprits: hypoglycemia, dehydration, acetaldehyde intoxication, and vitamin B12 deficiency.

For those of us without PhDs, the previous sentence translates to ‘not enough sugar, not enough water and more alcohol than blood in your veins.’

Of course, most of us are more interested in preventing hangovers than curing them, which is why all of us raging alchies have our own tricks of the trade.

For me, I try to guzzle a few pints glasses of water and slurp down a huge bowl of noodle soup before I pass out in a violent fit of shame and self-loathing. For one of my friends, it‘s the tried and true ‘pull the trigger’ method, which also has the unintended side effect of keeping her super skinny.

As you may have imagined, the Japanese love their drink, which is why the hangover cure market over here in East Asia is a multi-million dollar industry.

With Japanese salarymen prone to long-night binge drinking sessions with their colleagues, it’s only natural that the convenience stores and vending machines here in Japan stock hangover cures.

Although every Japanese drinker has their own favorite brew, I’m partial to リポビタンD (Lipovitamin D), a tasty energy drink chockfull o’ vitamins and minerals that always puts an extra spring in my step.

Truth be told, I have no idea what’s in the stuff (or even if it works), but it’s comforting to know that this little bottle may have the cure for what ails me, even if it only works as a placebo.

Anyway, I guess this blog entry brings about one simple question: what do YOU do to prevent a hangover?

(And yes, I know the answer is simply not to drink, but if you’ve figured out a way not to, please share the secret with the rest of us!)

** Special thanks to CollegeHumor for the amazing picture entitled ‘Ummm you have some stomach in your hair. **