{"id":98,"date":"2012-12-11T04:47:52","date_gmt":"2012-12-11T04:47:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/?p=98"},"modified":"2016-02-28T00:06:03","modified_gmt":"2016-02-28T00:06:03","slug":"thoughts-on-design-in-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/2012\/12\/11\/thoughts-on-design-in-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"Thoughts on design in Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As many of you may know, we recently spent a few weeks in Japan on our honeymoon.  Amongst many other things, we were struck by the attention to detail in design of many otherwise quotidian objects. <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_136\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-136\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0078_1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0078_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0078_\" width=\"816\" height=\"612\" class=\"size-full wp-image-136\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-136\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sewer covering, 04:51:2F:09<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_134\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-134\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0080_.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0080_.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0080_\" width=\"816\" height=\"612\" class=\"size-full wp-image-134\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-134\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sewer covering 03:51:2F:09<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_131\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-131\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0087_1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0087_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0087_\" width=\"816\" height=\"612\" class=\"size-full wp-image-131\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-131\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Walking to the subway, it tells you how far you have to go.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_130\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-130\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0093_1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0093_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0093_\" width=\"816\" height=\"612\" class=\"size-full wp-image-130\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-130\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Inside the subway station, they number the stations to tell you where you are, where you&#8217;re going, and in what direction that is.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_129\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-129\" style=\"width: 612px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0097_1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0097_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0097_\" width=\"612\" height=\"816\" class=\"size-full wp-image-129\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-129\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Turning around, you can check which car you should get into to disembark at the optimal place at your destination.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_125\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-125\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0256_1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0256_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0256_\" width=\"816\" height=\"612\" class=\"size-full wp-image-125\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-125\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">They also show you which lines are delayed&#8230;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_124\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-124\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0261_1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0261_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0261_\" width=\"816\" height=\"612\" class=\"size-full wp-image-124\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-124\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">And even the difference between trains that are late and those that are stopped!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_128\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-128\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0102_1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0102_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0102_\" width=\"816\" height=\"612\" class=\"size-full wp-image-128\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-128\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Disembarking at your station, you see a side-view map of where the station layout can take you, along with a list of attractions at each of the (many) station exits.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_133\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-133\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0084_1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0084_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0084_\" width=\"816\" height=\"612\" class=\"size-full wp-image-133\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-133\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">You can also see the exits in overhead view.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_132\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-132\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0085_1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0085_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0085_\" width=\"816\" height=\"612\" class=\"size-full wp-image-132\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-132\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A close up, complete with &#8220;You are here.&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_127\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-127\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0171_1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0171_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0171_\" width=\"816\" height=\"612\" class=\"size-full wp-image-127\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-127\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">It was difficult to capture in pictures, but outside the elevators, they chimed once to tell you which one was going to pick you up, and then chimed twice to say the elevator was arriving.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_126\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0172_1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0172_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0172_\" width=\"816\" height=\"612\" class=\"size-full wp-image-126\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-126\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">This particular elevator animated the direction of travel on the inside.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_123\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-123\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0369_1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0369_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0369_\" width=\"816\" height=\"612\" class=\"size-full wp-image-123\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-123\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">This was one of the cooler exhibits at the science museum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_122\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-122\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0373_1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0373_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0373_\" width=\"816\" height=\"612\" class=\"size-full wp-image-122\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-122\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">It rotates!  You can see all the skeleton form (almost) all angles.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_135\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-135\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0393_1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0393_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0393_\" width=\"1632\" height=\"1224\" class=\"size-full wp-image-135\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-135\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Near and dear to my heart, can you guess what this one is?  (Note that it&#8217;s in 3-D for extra intuitiveness on the topic.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_120\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-120\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0444_1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0444_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0444_\" width=\"816\" height=\"612\" class=\"size-full wp-image-120\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-120\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">This is also a topic that is difficult to convey, and where 3-D helps a lot.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_121\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-121\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0420_1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0420_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0420_\" width=\"816\" height=\"612\" class=\"size-full wp-image-121\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-121\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">It&#8217;s the whole family!  (That we know of, so far.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_119\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-119\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0452_1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/IMG_0452_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"IMG_0452_\" width=\"816\" height=\"612\" class=\"size-full wp-image-119\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-119\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yes, they did have a live, working spectrographic demo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As many of you may know, we recently spent a few weeks in Japan on our honeymoon. Amongst many other things, we were struck by the attention to detail in design of many otherwise quotidian objects.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11,15,14],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1033,"href":"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98\/revisions\/1033"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/nayrb.org\/~blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}