unevolutionification: Toto Washlet – and cleaner bottoms in the USA

Toto Washlet makes prime time debut in USA after more than 27 years.

“The toilet seat itself has more in common with your laptop computer than your…toilet.”

“Too new wave for you? Since 1980, millions of people around the world have used the Washlet.” (i.e. all 127,433,494 Japanese)

Last year I had houseguests, an urbane couple from NYC stay at my house in Kyoto for about 6 months. They live in Europe and have traveled the world. It was very revealing to chat with them most evenings and hear about what they had found to be amazing and fascinating in their adventures and discoveries in Japan.

Their all time favorites were the Japanese bathtub and the Japanese toilet. They desperately wanted to take both back with them, for their own home.

Bath culture in Japan is a ritual and an art and a science in itself. An entire blog could be dedicated to the subject.

I came across some welcome news on the subject of Japanese toilets yesterday. A promotional website about the Toto Washlet at cleanishappy.com.

A little context first, an entry level toilet in Japan includes (at least) the following features and functions.

– wall mounted wireless control
– ‘S’ and ‘L’ sized flush
– heated seat (a must for winter)
– warm water stream cleanses ‘front’ (gals)
– warm water stream cleanses ‘rear’ (gals and guys)
– blow dry when done
– mechanically removes odors from air
– mini flush or simulated moving water sound to relax the user and mask embarrassing sounds

Luxury models are available with heaps more features.

Of course the Washlet is a much better way of going potty, but the point of this post is not so much about the Toto Washlet and its amazing (no, make that common sense) features and functions.

Why did it take SOOOOOO long for the Washlet (or a similar product) to make a prime time appearance in the US market?

Moreover, why couldn’t a US company develop a product that accomplishes what the Toto Washlet does?

Is there something cultural going on here? Do Japanese prefer clean bottoms and Americans don’t? Now I haven’t researched or focus-grouped this one, but surely the answer is ‘NO’.

Is the concept of a clean bottom something exotic for Americans, something difficult to grasp? Most of us now ‘grasp’ sushi just fine. In our culture, raw fish is surely more exotic and harder to grasp than a clean bottom.

Compared to the Toto Washlet we have far more technologically advanced toilets flying on the U.S. Space Shuttle.

Generally I think that the case could be made that Americans do ‘systems’ well and don’t make ‘things’ quite as well, but I don’t think that this is the reason.

Still pondering this morning, on the train, while listening to Madonna on my iPod I came across a term that I would like to apply to this phenomenon; “stupider than stupid.”

Or my own, “unevolutionification” (slightly inspired by Bushisms). Why? Because I think that there is just no ‘smart’ answer or reason. So, in this case, the stupider the better.

Smart observations may be made though. This suggests several things to me.

– No one is really very good at entrepreneurialism. For example, understanding market needs and opportunities, and in relation to developing products.

– In our perspective of our own world, massive and numerous blind spots abound.

– There are huge, undiscovered regions of the marketplace available to entrepreneurs — not really all that hidden or camouflaged, they are in plain sight.

– Opportunity abounds and is probably endless.

+ The opportunity to ‘knock off’ Japanese toilet technology and undersell Toto in the U.S. market exists.

It does remind me a bit of Rohit Bhargava’s blog post yesterday. He discusses how Virgin America is intending to reinvent air travel in the U.S.

In an air travel market as competitive as the U.S., how can it still be possible to ‘reinvent’ anything? Yet, it is.

If you can say that you have reinvented air travel in the U.S. and people don’t laugh, that in itself is quite an incitement of the established players.

Opportunity abounds, life is good! (especially if you are not being “stupider than stupid.”)

By the way, the Washlet site and message are quite interesting. The subject matter is a bit tricky but the concept is conveyed with tact and a bit of humor.

Charlie Rockwave
Rockwave Development Team
This thing IS GONNA ROCK!
Skype me!: charlie.rockwave
www.aiping.jp

Twitter and the Attack of the Twitter mash-ups — What are you =^..^=ing? — necoったー

What are you =^..^=ing?
I am telling you the story of 「necoったー」.

Well, if you have brainwaves you will know that twitter is ‘raging full-on‘, the story is the same here in Japan too. Crank up twittervision and watch the world-wide ‘tweet’-fest, live. Lots of tweets popping up from Japan and a lot from all over the world, popping up in Japanese.

Twitter is not only exploding all over the world among retail users, developers are piling on, making a so far endless stream of super funky mash-ups apps utilizing twitter‘s API. This openness is of course is not only cool, it is going to be an integral part of communications and business — probably forever.

The only twitter mash-up app that I had seen from Japan was one that helps people automate adultery. Yeah, as sad as that maybe, not a first in Japan. The best twitter mash-up Japan could come up with so far. It ‘tweets’ predefined tweets at a predefined time. So, when you come home from a tryst and your spouse asks you if you were at a love hotel you can say, ‘Who me? No, no. I was…(alibi)’. Then, ‘See, look. Look at my twitter page.’ Spouse looks at the tweets and tweet times. Does that math. Feels relieved.

Today I ran into a something a whole lot nicer. It’s called neco.tter (JPN: necoったー) and I am still trying grasp it. ‘neko’ (猫) means, ‘cat’. たー is the not quite right pronunciation of the English …’ter’.

Instead of folks answering the question, What are you doing? It is for cat owners to answer the question, What are you =^..^=ing?

Cute! & Fun!

‘=^..^=‘ is a cat’s face. There are multiple variations; Happy cat. Sleeping cat. Angry cat, you cat owners get the idea. Someone will probably, or more likely, already has wikied the glossary.

And this mash-up is fresh. Officially release on June 19, according to their blog.

The developers have done a very clever job of branding on this. There are dozens of cat face icons to choose from. All very nicely drawn. Even though there are dozens of variations, anyone smart enough to be on twitter can easily recognize the iconic connection. They are branding the mothership. Any why not?

The ranking gallery shows the icons.

I spent a few minutes on the home page of twitter, hitting the reload button and there was usually a necoったー icon on the page (in the top 9, it looks like. twitter must be too cool for something as pedestrian as a ‘top 10’、笑).

So that is a little about how folks in Japan are mashing up twitter.

OK, now I have to get back to my own mash-up project…

necoったー

the twitter page

the company

Charlie Rockwave
Rockwave Development Team
This thing IS GONNA ROCK!
Skype me!: charlie.rockwave
www.aiping.jp

White, Beige, Yellow, Pink, Vivid Pink, Red, Purple, Orange, Green, Mint Green, Light Blue, Blue, Navy, Brown, Grey, Black, Gold, Silver, Metal Blue, Pearl Pink — T-W-E-N-T-Y colors courtesy of Pantone

Softbank + Pantone = Softbank 812SH — another US/Japan mashup!

This is the story of some very imaginative and unprecedented co-branding — out of Japan…and America. The likes of which I am unaware of. This is generating a lot of vivid, multi-colored buzz here.

Pantone, yes, Pantone teams up with a mobile phone company.

First a little about my experience in Japan with the limited palette of mobile phone colors.

Now, I am a J-Phone… I mean, Vodafone… I mean Softbank mobile phone subscriber.

My first ever mobile phone was a Nokia model something or another. Get this, the color was called, Mysteric Purple! It was this sparkly deep purple.
(One maybe two colors to choose from on this model.)

I loved that phone! Still have it in a box!

Then I got this Made in Japan, metallic clunker. In the end, I set it down on a street in Kyoto. In the bus lane. Literally flattened like a … senbei (rice cracker). Still have ‘it’ in a box.
(One ‘color’ to choose from.)

Then, a totally kickin Nokia flip-phone. Kind of femmy shade of light blue, but a real sweet phone. Still have it in a box!
(Two colors to choose from.)

Then I got this totally rad bright orange Made in Japan flip phone, circa J-Phone bought out by Vodafone. Nice phone. Still have it. The color turns heads. It’s the phone to take deer hunting with you — blaze orange.
(A couple colors to choose from.)

Then, the phone I waited for, for like months, the Nokia N70-1. What a dog!
(One ‘color’ to choose from.)

I was able to get it hacked to Bluetooth sync with my Macs and install an OSX theme to the interface.

I truly hate this phone! And I love Nokia!

Now Vodafone has become Softbank — surely the world’s most retarded name for a major company. I sometimes give my office mates the literal translation in Japanese and they are like… yuck! What a dumb name!

But, never-the-less, Masayoshi Sung has pulled a major rabbit out of his hat!

Lots of folks, not just me here are totally goovin on the SoftBank 812SH.

Softbank teamed up with Pantone… Pantone? Hello? Yes, Pantone for some super funky co-branding.

Now I know what you might be thinking if you are a creative type. Pantone, as in The Pantone Color Matching System. Yes.

So Pantone goes mobile in Japan? Yep.

Pretty clever!

They have hit a homerun with this one!

And the television commercial:

Charlie Rockwave
Rockwave Development Team
This thing IS GONNA ROCK!
Skype me!: charlie.rockwave
www.aiping.jp

Azuki Frappuccino — Coming Soon (5/30)

Starbuck’s Azuki Frappuccino

Azuki is that ubiquitous Japanese (Asian) bean that is used in traditional sweets, even contemporary, popular ice cream flavors. Häagen-Dazs has had Azuki ice cream here for many years now. Any over there?

Somehow that venerable Azuki just fails to move my tastebuds.

But Japanese love the Azuki, always have. Like for millennia. And Japanese love Starbucks. And Japanese are going to be head-over-heels in love the Azuki Frappuccino.

I suppose I will try one, out of respect to the venerable little red bean.

The Azuki Frappuccino is a mashup, the likes of which Rockwave is building, minus the tech, of course.

Charlie Rockwave
Rockwave Development Team
This thing IS GONNA ROCK!
Skype me!: charlie.rockwave
www.aiping.jp

The End of a 1,400-Year-Old (family) Business

Kongo Gumi (‘construction company’)
Since Asuka Era, 6th Year of the Reign of Emperor Bidatsu
— Out of Business —

Family businesses here in Japan, were I am currently on duty, are very prominent. Back home in Minnesota, I am quite sure that I never met anyone who was the 15th CEO in the family enterprise. I have a number of acquaintances like that here though.

Well, this family business, builder of temples and shrine — and a few palaces and castles, Kongo Gumi, in Japan for 1428 years goes out of business. 1428 years! Now, to me, this is a major bummer!

As a ‘family business’, Kongo Gumi is ‘out of business’. They are not out of existence though, Kongo Gumi is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Takamatsu Corporation. It could be worse, I guess. Call me old fashioned, but I would rather a 1428 year old company not be a cog in the big wheel of just another publicly traded corporation. But, who knows, Takamatsu Corporation is an above average company.

Now, I am all for private business being private and all, but I think that someone should have bailed this company out. Like maybe in the government, or something like that.

Oh! Or, how about the Emperor? Maybe the Emperor should have bailed out the company? Ah, but he’s a cream-puff sissy. Not going to happen.

If the Emperor can’t do the honor, then I think I would like to nominate Mickey Mouse over at Tokyo Disneyland to do the job.

Come’on, the oldest continually operated family business in the world! There’s only one of these!

A little about the history of Kongo Gumi (and and ancient Japan):
Now this is one cool company, started by some Koreans brought over (not by force — this time) by none other than Prince Shotoku (Shotoku Taishi). Shotoku Taishi is the founder of ancient Japan. He was, by all acounts, a real poet warrior (in the classic sense). He’d order underlings to do things that had never been thought of before. Like, hey, you guys over there, you write down the history of our country while I sit over here and write our constitution. Constitution? They were like, this dude is nuts! Then after some time passed, they were like, this guy rules!! What’s more, he was the boss of Ono-no-Imoko* (wikipedia | Tokyo Gas TV CM).

I really love their company introduction page on their site:
Established: Asuka Era, 6th Year of the Reign of Emperor Bidatsu (578AD)

578: By order of Crown Prince Shotoku…(our company came into existence) our ancestors came of over from Korea and built, Shitenno-ji and Horyu-ji.
…

2006: Became a member of the GWA Group (A.K.A. wholly owned subsidiary of Takamatsu Corporation)

This is actually a really great article. Especially, the last paragraph, it’s got the outline for the secret sauce recipe gleaned with the wisdom of James Olan Hutcheson. Jimmy, over at Regeneration Partners, tells how the Kongo family managed to keep it together for more than 1400 years and outlast 11 historical periods of Japanese history.

the article is right this way:
BusinessWeek

*This dude, he was from the Country of Omi too. Here at RW, I can see his ‘hood right from my desk.

Charlie Rockwave
Rockwave Development Team
This thing IS GONNA ROCK!
Skype me!: charlie.rockwave
www.aiping.jp

aiship/aidrop service release

PRESS RELEASE
Otsu, Japan
April 2, 2007

Today Rockwave, Inc. announced the beta release of aiship and aidrop (Japanese language service).

www.aiship.jp, www.aidrop.jp

The aiship/aidrop service, packed with first-ever and ground breaking features, auto-generates language independent shopping sites for not only PCs, but all mobile services in Japan. aiship/aidrop provide an unprecedented and complete solution for both vendors and resellers.

Resellers gain instant access to a massive and constantly growing catalog of varied products to resell without need to stock inventory, manage shipping, handling and etc. Within immediate access to Rockwave’s aimew mobile community, currently with over 40,000 members and 300,000,000 accesses per month, resellers have the opportunity to promote their business and acquire customers – pronto.

Vendors gain access to not only a new and world-wide distribution channel, but a dedicated and passionate network resellers.

aiship/aidrop is a one-stop destination for next-generation e-commerce and product distribution.

Functionality and Features:
tanpin kanri function (demand chain management), inventory prediction function, order management function, sales analysis function and etc.

Online payment processing, convenience store payment processing and mobile telephone payment.

JAN code ASP
Rockwave, Inc. in partnership with The Distribution Systems Research Institute developed and delivered the world’s first JAN code (Japan Article Number) barcode ASP, provided free to all aiship/aidrop users. Resellers can add a product (text description, image, etc) to their store simply by inputting the JAN code number. JAN code is the Japanese product database with more than 20,000 manufactures participating.

Order-to-Ship:
In partnership with Yamato Transport Co., Ltd. and Yamato System Development Co., Ltd., Rockwave, Inc. delivers Order-to-Ship system. Upon order placement by the customer, the reseller receives electronic notification, the packing slips, delivery statement, receipt and so on are automatically printed for the vendor, and electronic pick-up notifications are sent to Yamato Transport Co. drivers in the field.

Partners:
Yamato Transport Co., Ltd.: www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp
Yamato System Development Co., Ltd.: www.nekonet.co.jp
The Distribution Systems Research Institute: www.dsri.jp

Charlie Rockwave
Rockwave Development Team
This thing IS GONNA ROCK!
Skype me!: charlie.rockwave
www.aiping.jp

Japan’s Pop Power

While developing aidrop/aiship, I listen to a lot of podcasts, I get some incredible information from them. Podcasts are, of course, those radio program-like dealies that you can download off the net to your iPod, Japanese mobile phone, etc and listen to them offline, when you please — while jogging, on the train, taking a bath, etc.

I came across this one from American RadioWorks recently. This is HOT, check it out! It’s all about how Japan has become a pop culture super power. Did you know that there are 2 anime conventions a week in the US? Do you even know what anime is?

I was listening to it at home today and thought that I would tell you all about it. Be sure to check out the site at the link below.

an excerpt:

“Ah, Japan.

That ancient Buddhist country. Home to the kimono, the tea ceremony, and kabuki. Westerns have long been fascinated by Japan’s rich, and very old cultural traditions.

But in the 21st century, JAPAN IS COOL!

Kids are gobbling up Japanese animation, comic books, toys and video games.

These pop culture products now bring in bigger sales that Japanese automakers, and make up the nation’s fastest-growing export industry.”

Fastest-growing export industry?

Bigger sales than Japanese automakers?

Whoa!!

Here at RW, the team of course knows that Japanese anime, manga and games are big, big business all over the world and we are very aware that these products, especially used, are BIG, BIG, BIG on eBay and other online outlets.

We will be focusing a lot of energy on providing our resellers abroad with the best catalogue of products in these hot and dynamic categories. Drop us a line and tell us what you would like!

Here is the link to the program. Great! DL the podcast and have a listen!
http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/japan/

Charlie Rockwave
aidrop Development Team

Get plugged straight into the HOT info:
info@rockwave.co.jp
www.aidrop.jp/en/

keywords:
Japanese anime, Japanese manga, Astro Boy, Speed Racer, Hello Kitty, Transformers, Robotech, Nintendo, Sailor Moon, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Pokémon, Sony Playstation, Studio Ghibli

Just a peek… and a taste…

This is Futaba, a popular mochi shop in Kyoto. This is what commerce looks like in Japan. Take a good look, ’cause this is what’s coming your way.

Mochi is a ‘rice cake’ (not really any resemblance to ‘cake’) made of sticky rice. Japanese cuisine, even snack terminology doesn’t translate very well.

Mochi is often eaten in association with celebrations. And, the Rockwave daredevil development team has lots to celebrate — the release of our domestic service. More news on this front in the coming days… This is gonna rock!

Anyway, I was out doing sales calls on my bicycle — looking for fantastic products for all you folks overseas to resell direct from Japan — and I thought I would grab a few pieces of mochi and chomp them down for lunch on the riverbank.

OMG… it looked like an hour wait in line! That is the most popular I have ever seen this shop. The cherry blossom season is upon us so lots of folks are out taking in the beauty. And, I was out working, so I just kept on riding on past…

On my way back in the evening, the line was a bit shorter and I had rounded up a few more incredible vendors for you all, so I stopped and got in line.

I only had to wait like 20 minutes. The mochi that I wanted to buy was all sold out, but I did get some mochi with beans and some green medicinal grass mochi, and two sticks of I’m not at all sure what to call it.

I got home, made some Morita-en tea and enjoyed my mochi. Yummy!

Another fine day building out a bit of aidrop/aiship.

Charlie Rockwave
Rockwave Development Team
This thing IS GONNA ROCK!
Skype me!: charlie.rockwave
www.aiping.jp

Just a taste…

Here at Rockwave, Charlie Rockwave and the dev team are hard at work — as promised — building out THE next generation of e-com/m-com (and with a Goddamn vengeance, I might add). Service release for Japan is just days away. You look around the office, at the sleep deprived zombie faces on the dev team members and you know that it’s close, real close!

But, ya know, the boss just can’t be satisfied.

The sales and marketing dudes were like, we don’t need our world-wide service to start business. Hell NO! We’ve got vendors here now and America loves aidrop — so get sellin, Charlie!

The boss is like, yeah! Yeah! He was running around the office (atop desks), ranting and raving, beating his chest a’la Tarzan barking in English, “We are the Omi-shonin!”

I’m like, … DUDE, intense!… Plus, I was kind of hoping to actually get a few hours of sleep tonight. However, sleep ain’t an item included in the dev team’s benefits package here at RW at this time.

With aidrop/aiship, Rockwave will deliver a plethora of very unique and high quality products from Japan to the world — most of them still undiscovered abroad. We’re not talkin fermented raw fish here, either.

So here is a taste. Just a taste…

Morita-en, located in Kyoto, Uji, is a purveyor of the highest quality Japanese teas. We have listed several of Morita-en’s fine products on eBay for the short-term. And, there will be more to come in the near future.

There is Hojicha (roasted tea)…
Hojicha is a traditional Kyoto tea. Morita-en hand-roasts fine Uji green tea leaves over charcoal to produce this special Hojicha. This tea has a dark reddish color and retains its roasted aroma even after brewing.

…Genmaicha (brown rice tea)…
Genmaicha is a pleasant and novel combination of Sencha (fine Japanese green tea) and roasted brown rice. It was traditionally drunk by peasants, but is now enjoyed by all Japanese.

…And some Yokan (sweet jellied dessert)
Morita-en Maccha Yokan is made with generous amounts of special select Uji maccha personally chosen by the uncompromising Master Morita Haruhide. Morita-en’s highly fragrant maccha is a deep and full bodied, slightly bitter flavor, leading to a yokan with a refined and elegant sweetness. This yokan is a perfect companion to our premium teas.

Charlie Rockwave’s eBay selections are right this way..

Have a look and give them a try if you like!

Charlie Rockwave
Rockwave Development Team
This thing IS GONNA ROCK!
Skype me!: charlie.rockwave
www.aiping.jp

Crash, bang, smash’em up!: Massive Disruptive Change in Distribution Channel in Japan

Crash, bang, mash’em up! Sure is fun to do!

– Japan is a country with more than 4000 years of history, product and service distribution retains influences of past eras.
– Japan readily adopts best technologies from abroad.
– Japan has the most advanced mobile technology and wide-spread use of it in the world (the ubiquitous keitai).
– World-wide information technology and e-commerce revolution.
– Poor performance of the economy in recent years.
– Establishment of venture capitalism and maturing of the ‘venture spirit’ in Japan.

All have contributed to the old system being demolished, most spaces in the market in massive flux — everything up-for-grabs!

So, what happened?

Well, to start with…

1.) Traditional Channel (shikitari)
Between manufacturer and end user/customer there were multiple layers of complexity and middlemen. The result was not the most efficient system but it served the Japanese people well for 100s of years. It led to high prices but also high quality products.

We might call it the M – LMS – R System.

It goes something like this;
Maker/Manufacturer –> Large Wholesaler –> Medium Wholesaler –> Small Wholesaler –> Retailer

And then…

2.) The Toys “R” Us Era (Black Ships II): Rumblings of Massive Change
With the maturing of the global economy it became possible for large scale retailers to source products directly from manufacturers, both domestic and abroad.

This trend began before George H. W. Bush (the modern-day Commodore Perry) brought Toys “R” Us ashore in lil’ol Kashihara, Japan in 1992, but that became the media event that defined a period of massive, disruptive change.

Of course the incumbent and entrenched market players were scared $#!+less, but it’s wasn’t like the Japanese consumers were manning the barricades against Free Trade. No, they were lining up, waiting for hours to get in and do some shopping.

Plus, ‘big’ stores in Japan weren’t even all that big, Toys “R” Us, on the other hand was American style big — enormous!

The Japanese, like consumers all over the world were becoming more sophisticated and had already had a good taste of quality products at a reasonable price that the global economy was starting to deliver. In addition, years of meek economic performance by Japan, Inc. transformed this desire for change and economy into a need.

The Japanese consumer was like, BRING IT ON!

The non-incumbent, upstart players and entrepreneurs in the market were also like, BRING IT ON!

What’s coming next?

3.) Commerce Everywhere, Opportunity Everywhere

Charlie Rockwave
Rockwave Development Team
This thing IS GONNA ROCK!
Skype me!: charlie.rockwave
www.aiping.jp

keywords:
keitai, keitai denwa, Japanese mobile phone, mobile technology in Japan, drop ship Japan, drop shipping Japan, distribution channel in Japan, product sourcing revolution in Japan, Toys “R” Us Era (Black Ships II), Japanese consumer: BRING IT ON!, Crash, bang, smash’em up!, commerce everywhere, opportunity everywhere, shikitari