More Wacky Japanese Stuff

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Just as she conceals herself, her pursuer arrives.

Looking around... pant pant, "Damn!", sweat sweat, "I've lost her", gasp gasp, "I need a Coke", sweat sweat.

I wonder if you knew that one of the top selling sports drinks is called Pocari Sweat...

I sometimes wonder what a pocari is, and why they are so sweaty.

[ZenGum]

Meanwhile, the next installment of wacky Japanese junk is ... heart shaped bubble wrap!
(See picture)

But it doesn't end there. Popping the stuff is so much fun you can buy ...

... Pucchin Sukatto, a 10 x 10-cm bubble-wrap sheet developed purely for popping purposes. Pucchin is the description in Japanese of the sound made when you pop bubble wrap, and sukatto means to feel refreshed.

To make users feel the latter, the bubble-wrap sheets are made of special polyethylene that creates a sharper sound than your standard bubble wrap when the bubbles are burst.

Worried about the environment? take heart:

... toy maker Bandai put a key chain called Mugen Putiputi (meaning Unlimited Putiputi) on the market ..... Dangling off the key chain are eight bubbles made with a special plastic material that users can pop as many times as they wish — after being popped, they inflate, ready to go again.

But there is a serious side to all this:

"Putiputi sleeping bags are therefore very convenient when you have to stay in the office at night," Sugiyma explains. "Also, these sleeping bags can be emergency items, such as when we have earthquakes. In fact, we sent 300 bubble-wrap sleeping bags to Niigata Prefecture in 2003 when the area was struck by a big earthquake."

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

I wonder if you knew that one of the top selling sports drinks is called Pocari Sweat...

I sometimes wonder what a pocari is, and why they are so sweaty.

Maybe pocari means replacement.

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Maybe pocari means replacement.

I've checked three dictionaries, and none show pocari. In fact you can't even write that in Japanese script - there is no "ca" syllable (use "ka" instead).
Mind you, "poka poka suru" means to feel warm, or be warm... hmmmm warm sweat .... yummy yummy yummy.

[ZenGum]

Japan uses about 25 billion sets of disposable chopsticks per year (which is about four per person per week). Some green-minded folks prefer to carry their own reusable chopsticks, but when a girl goes out on the town, what's she supposed to do? This....

A model wearing a 'My Chopsticks' bra. Japanese women with green issues close to their hearts may soon be able to wear a bra which can carry their own chopsticks in a bid to reduce waste. The bra, created by Triumph Japan, sports cups styled like a bowl of rice and a bowl of miso soup and side pouches for the chopsticks.(AFP/Yoshikazu Tsuno)