Maneki Neko "Customer-come-in Cat" is a patron pet no Japanese small business can survive without. This small, white cat made of either papier-mache or clay diligently raises its paw to catch and drag in promising customers. Nobody knows who started this feline talisman.

Globalization has also attacked this cat image, born and raised from peculiar Japanese folklore. These days, Maneki Neko is seen working in shops and restaurants all over Asia. Some, installed with a motor and batteries, wave their paw to-and-fro without taking any rest. I suspect this machinization of Maneki Neko is the work of some Chinese toymakers who have no respect for feline characteristics.

Maneki Neko mouse from Actbrise Company. This cat surrenders to mouse. Red zabuton cushion is a must for Maneki Neko.

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Brother Industries Ltd. of Nagoya, Japan, is one of the largest players of machine/electronics field, especially copiers, printers and fax machines. It started its life as a sewing machine merchant almost 100 years ago. Your Mobile Ojisan has a special affection for this firm because his first typewriter carried the Brother nameplate.

Amazingly, Brother still maintains the biggest share of sewing machine market, both home and industrial models, in Japan. Chinese rag imports have annihilated almost all sewing activities on Japanese isles, but quite a few diehard women (no males, except your Mobile Ojisan, operate sewing machines these days!) still keep their machine well-oiled and polished.

Inevitably, the sewing machines, too, has had to go through an electronic and digital transformation. Some even incorporate graphics functions. Yes, graphics for embroidery.

The entry model of Brother Innovis Series, N80alpha. 105,000 yen (US$913). Upper left (with black cover) is the upper thread slot. Automatic loading and threading.

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Nihon Hoso Kyokai NHK, "Japan Broadcasting Corporation", is one eyesore behemoth you can't ignore. Because if you operate a TV (analog, digital, terrestrial or satelitic, no matter whatever), surely one of the NHK tax collectors will descend on your doorstep immediately and demand the blood money. Oh yeah, you protest that you have never watched silly NHK TV shows in your life? Forget it. Those NHK sharks have no ears.

NHK's radio programs are somewhat marginally more useful to your life. Especially its educational and cultural programs. One of the most beneficial shows is, undoubtedly, its language teaching program. NHK radio broadcasts hundreds of daily language lessons all over Japan. Starting from Arabic down to Zulu... no, they don't have Zulu, nor Xhosa course yet.

Sanseido-Olympus' Radio Server VJ-10. A hidden bestseller in Japan.

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Wow, You finally managed to invite Kaori-chan for dinner at your place. She is the Britney Spears of your office... well, just a little watered-down version, nevertheless. You vacuumed your tiny apartment thrice already, dumped all smelly unwashed socks into garbage bin.

Bought several Shanghai crabs, pedigreed and IC tagged with full authentication, from super-expensive speciality shop. It cost more than 10 bucks each, but you had to sacrifice something in this horror show age of Chinese foodstuff.

A couple of fragrance candles, too. Would be handy at the dinner table to hide the shabby wall that needs a couple of fresh coats for some time. And that huge stain on the ceiling which your upstairs neighbor left when she caused the mother of all toilet floods.

Four Fuwarito are mellowing down harsh Tokyo skyline. The leftmost one is supposed to be a jellyfish, though it has no tentacles.

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Of course, you can't survive even a single day without your silly silicon player, right? Life would be totally dull and tasteless if your media player did not pollute the environment with loud muzak. Fortunately, your Mobile Ojisan is spared from this fate because he belongs to the generation that does not need any noise in his daily
life.

By the way, can your clever player perform a stunt? Like, say, jumping up and -down to the tune of music? Or somersaulting and going into spin with a hip-hop chant? Catching a Frisbie in midair?

Sony's Rolly the Silly Silicon Player. This egg is equipped with more superior intelligence than an Escherichia coli.

At least, Sony tried to push forward an intelligent(?) player. Rolly the Sound Entertainment Player is an egg-shaped player. What else can it do?
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