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domingo, 31 de enero de 2021

PS5 chaos at Akihabara as customers rush to grab new consoles【Videos】

https://ift.tt/3rkc8NB Oona McGee

Police called due to out-of-control crowd, sparking a heated debate on resellers in Japan. 

Ever since Sony’s PlayStation 5 was released in November, gamers around the world have been struggling to get their hands on one of the long-awaited next-gen consoles.

So when people in Japan heard news of a retailer in Akihabara possibly releasing a batch in a surprise “guerilla sale”, word soon spread around the Internet, and scenes of chaos ensued on sale day.

▼ On the morning of 30 January, hopeful customers lined up outside electronics retail giant Yodobashi Camera well before it opened.

This video shows people milling about the store before the release, on standby to race forward as soon as the PS5s became available.

As soon as staff appeared, with a sign often used at events to mark the end of the line in a queue, everyone sprang to action.

Photos showed people shoulder-to-shoulder, forming a crowd that eventually ended up surging forward dangerously.

▼ Witnesses say the crowd surge was so strong it pushed the registers back.

Twitter user Dave Gibson got caught up in the crowd, and he says the store gave no clear instructions to customers about a possible PS5 release, so as soon as about 15 new staff arrived and a large area was cleared, customers gathered in anticipation of PS5 stock appearing.

Gibson says one staff member then appeared, holding a stack of what looked to be about 300 numbered PS5 purchase tickets, and that’s when customers surged forward, to the point where displays were ruined, the cash registers and main sales counter were pushed back into the storage area, customers paying for other goods were pushed out of the way, and staff had to climb onto tables.

▼ Gibson recorded this footage of the scene below.

Gibson was hoping to avoid being in such close proximity to others and is now self-isolating after being caught up in the crush. He also went home empty-handed, as about 15 seconds after the crowd surge, staff began yelling for everyone to go home and the sale was cancelled.

▼ About 10 minutes later police arrived to help disperse anyone still loitering about.

When news of the incident spread around Japan, people wondered how such scenes of chaos could be allowed to occur, especially when so many sought-after items in Japan are often sold by lottery or with special systems in place to protect customers from uncontrollable crowds.

Other branches of Yodobashi, like this one at Umeda in Osaka, limited sales of the PS5 to Visa Gold Point Card Plus holders. This card is only available to customers who have purchased more than 200,000 yen (US$1,910) worth of products from the chain, which helps to ensure the valuable PS5s only go out to loyal customers.

This Yodobashi branch at Chiba also limited sales to Gold Point Card Plus holders, with a one-item-per-household policy.

According to reports, the Yodobashi branch at Akihabara, one of the biggest in the country, had no such restrictions in place, leading many to believe that it became a prime target for resellers.

One week earlier, the same store sold limited stock of PS5s, which sold out straight away. However, that same day, resellers were seen at Akihabara Station with bags of PS5s in their possession. 

People online were less than amused at the scenes of chaos at Akihabara, or “Akiba” as it’s commonly known, saying:

“By not taking measures to prevent resales, Yodobashi Akiba is making it even more difficult for real fans to get a PS5.”
“Are they catering to resellers or customers?”
“Reports from people there say they could hear Chinese dialects in the crowd.”
“It’s not just Chinese people who resell, Japanese people do it too.”
“This makes me wonder if Yodobashi is connected to resellers behind the scenes in some way.”
“Definitely not shopping at Yodobashi anymore.”

Reselling has become such a problem in Japan that the Japanese government had to pass a law to prevent the practice in relation to face masks when demand for them was at an all-time high during the initial stages of the pandemic.

The government would do well to consider enacting a blanket law to prevent resellers of all sorts of products, as it’s a problem that persists in all areas, even creating chaos over limited-edition collections at Uniqlo.

However, businesses really need to step up and shoulder some of the responsibility to help honest customers in the fight against resellers before everyone loses faith in big chains, and big names like Sony, forever.

Sources: Jin, Net Lab, Yahoo! Japan
Top image: Twitter/@AJapaneseDream
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sábado, 30 de enero de 2021

Subway rivals a traditional Japanese sushi roll with its own traditional Japanese BLT

https://ift.tt/3pB17H9 Master Blaster

Jared out, luck in!

The Japanese holiday of Setsubun is upon us again! This year it takes place one day earlier than usual which just means we can get our hands on some fully loaded ehomaki sushi rolls even sooner.

For those unfamiliar with Setsubun, it’s a sort of early spring holiday with numerous customs depending on the region but an overarching theme of driving out bad luck and starting anew with good luck.

Stemming from the Kansai region is the custom of eating large sushi rolls called ehomaki which loosely translates to “lucky direction rolls.” This is because custom dictates that they should be eaten while jutting out of the mouth in a certain lucky direction.

It was basically a PR stunt by merchants for Osaka and the surrounding area to help sell their sushi full of “lucky ingredients” during this auspicious time. It wasn’t until fairly recently that the concept spread outside of Kansai, to the point that older Japanese people in the father reaches of the country may have no experience with it.

▼ Our writer from Kansai (left) feeding an ehomaki to an unsuspecting writer from Tokyo (right).

However, being the great business gimmick it is, it’s been catching on really quickly. Now some non-sushi restaurant have even tried to get in on the action with eho-roll-cakes and eho-pizza, which is just a regular pizza folded in two.

Normally such blatant co-opting of a holiday tradition might seem a little gauche, but since the whole point of ehomaki was a marketing ploy to begin with, it’s actually pretty much in tune with the true spirit of the custom.

So it’s also great that Subway has decided to join in on the fun with their eho-subs. These are actually just regular footlong BLT and roast chicken subs, but with a different name and a little cheaper!

They’re only available from 29 January to 3 February, so our writer Saya Togashi hurried down on the first day to try one out for 650 yen (US$6.20). At her local Subway, there were some pre-made eho-subs all wrapped and ready to go, but it’s also okay to have one custom made in true Subway fashion.

In Japan, six-inch subs are by far the standard, so Saya was rather alarmed by the size of this footlong. As tradition dictates, the sushi roll — or submarine sandwich in this case — must be eaten in its entirety while pointing in the lucky direction without cutting or breaking and without uttering a word.

This was beginning to look like a daunting task for our writer who decided to measure and weigh the sandwich for posterity.

The sandwich weighed in at just over 300 grams (2/3 of a pound) and was buckling under its own weight. This made it a little unwieldy to consume in proper Setsubun fashion, but she got ready to give it her best.

Fortunately, the package had this year’s lucky direction of south by southeast printed on it, and because of the ongoing state of emergency she was home alone which made it easy to do so without speaking.

There isn’t much to report on the taste, since this is after all just a regular Subway BLT. The bread was nice and fresh with salty, crispy bacon and firm, spicy ham. Since much of the BLT’s fillings were vegetables, the sandwich wasn’t too heavy on her stomach, and she could just manage to polish it all off.

With her eho-sub out of the way, there was still plenty of time to take on a sushi roll wrapped in gold or maybe even a Devil’s Ehomaki.

Also, for anyone who can’t make it to a Japanese Subway during this period, it’s easy to recreate the magic of Setsubun by ordering a regular footlong. All you’d really be missing is the discount and instructional wrapper.

Photos: ©SoraNews24
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Minimalist Japanese Street Fashion w/ Long Black Hair Style, Vintage Linen Coat, Uniqlo, Muji & Dr. Martens Boots

https://ift.tt/2YwkgOk

While walking along the streets of Tokyo’s Harajuku neighborhood after dark, we ran into Kana, a 20-year-old Japanese student.

Kana was wearing a long grey linen vintage coat, which she styled with a black Uniqlo top and black wide leg pants from Muji. Black Dr. Martens lace-up leather boots rounded out her minimalist style.

Legendary Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto is Kana’s favorite and she is active on Instagram.

Click on any photo to enlarge it.

Tokyo Street Style
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2021 Salaryman Poetry Battle showcases some dark but hilarious poems

https://ift.tt/2Mi5PLs Katie Pask

Giving insight into the life of a Japanese office worker.

You’re likely familiar with haiku, poems are written in a 5-7-5 syllable format. You may be less familiar with haiku’s cousin, senryu. While senryu have the same structure as haiku, the main difference is that senryu focus more on people and society, whereas haiku are usually about nature and the seasons. Senryu also tend to have a comedic edge, although sometimes the comedy is dark.

The Salaryman Senryu Contest, run by Dai-ichi Life Insurance, showcases the best poems written by office workers all over the country. Even though salarymen have a reputation for working insane hours, that doesn’t stop them from being creative in the little free time they have. In fact, for this year’s contest, over 62,500 entries were received, which were whittled down to the top 100.

Overwhelmingly, a common theme in this year’s entries was the coronavirus. Yuka Kakimi, a representative from Dai-ichi Life, commented: “A lot of these poems were representative of real life. These are unprecedented times, and everyone’s feeling a little lost and confused. These poems are relatable for everyone.”

Here are a couple of our favourites from the top 100. (Note that we’ve taken some liberties with the translation to try and keep with the 5-7-5 format.)

Some entries were about adjusting to the new normal of working from home.

#24

No need for name stamps
No need to come into work
Oh no… am I next?

#42

Commute once a week
And completely out of breath
I’m so out of shape

Masks are not a new or unusual concept in Japan, but the frequency that people are wearing them since the start of the pandemic inspired some poets with their entries.

#21

All of the restaurants
No matter where you’re going
Dress code: wear a mask

#35

New make-up routine
Mascara and eyeshadow
Put on a mask. Done

#75

When they wear a mask
I just can’t figure it out
My boss’ feelings

▼ Is he happy with my work? Is he disappointed? Am I fired???

Other entries commented on the perils of using online conferencing for work.

#32

At remote meetings
They see that I’ve put on weight
“Who on earth are you?!”

#83

Work parties online
“Last train” excuse replaced by
“Battery’s running out”

▼ That’s certainly an effective way to leave an online party quickly.

Finally, a theme that is sure to be common throughout the world — the toll that working from home may be taking on families.

#2

I start to feel it
“When will you next go to work?”
Pressure from my wife

#6

My stimulus check
That I never got to see
Belongs to my wife

#17

Our relationship
Is at its best when we play
Animal Crossing

#96

During dinner time
“Daughter has left the meeting”
And wife is on mute

Although it’s not all doom and gloom, as demonstrated in this lovely senryu here.

#99

When I work from home
I’m more thankful than ever
For my lovely wife

The top ten entries will be decided through a public vote, and will be announced at the end of May. If you want to vote for your favourite entry, you can do so by clicking here (Japanese only).

If reading some of these poems has got you interested in the art of senryu, check out these otaku senryu contest entries for perhaps the most relatable poems ever written.

Source: NHK News, サラリーマン川柳コンクール
Images: Pakutaso (1, 2, 3)
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Uniqlo and Nissin team up to bring us HeatTech instant noodles

https://ift.tt/3r5Gqn4 Shannon

HeatTech for your food? It’s not quite what you think, but it’s still genius.

Many of us have come to rely on Uniqlo’s HeatTech clothing to get through the cold winter months. It seals in heat almost like magic, even for your face. So naturally, what did Japanese instant noodle maker Nissin Foods decide to do? Replicate the effect!

Nissin has collaborated with Uniqlo to create two flavors of HeatTech Donbei noodles, which were released nationwide in Japan on January 25.

They come with a HeatTech label on the package, and they include a packet of ginger, red pepper, and other spices to create a HeatTech-like effect that warms you from the inside. And they’re only 193 yen (US$1.85) each!

The first flavor is Mentai Ankake Udon, a spicy, fishy, chewy mixture that will comfort and warm you.

This flavor has thick, chewy udon noodles as a base. In Japan, many people believe that ginger helps keep the body warm during winter, so the thick broth here is a mixture of ginger and mentaiko (spicy cod roe), with the other ingredients including mentaiko-enhanced fish cakes, egg, and green onions.

If you’re not in an udon mood, the second offering is Pork Broth Ankake Soba.

This is a different mix of extra-savory flavors chosen to take the edge off the cold. Once again the broth is the thick style known as ankake, here flavored with a pork and ginger. You also get roast chashu pork and green onions, with the nutty taste of the buckwheat noodles making for a slightly lighter and more complex flavor than you’d get with the ramen noodles that chashu usually accompanies.

And if you’re wondering, “Hey, where’s the actual HeatTech?” Well, Nissin is holding a Twitter promotion until February 8 where you can win one of 100 HeatTech long-sleeved shirts. You just need to follow the Donbei account on Twitter, comment the size of shirt you want should you win, and retweet this campaign Tweet.

Sources: Entabe, Nissin
Top image: Nissin
Insert images: Nissin
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viernes, 29 de enero de 2021

How much do Japanese men and women pay on dates? Survey finds large gap

https://ift.tt/36poStX Casey Baseel

Big spenders bump up one gender’s average.

It’s true that you can’t buy love, but it’s also true that it’s hard to get someone to open their heart if you’re never willing to open your wallet for them. Assuming you and your sweetheart don’t spend all your time together scavenging for nuts and berries in the forest and composing poetry to one another, at some point you’re going to accrue some dating expenses.

Japanese research organization LeadingTech took a look at how much Japanese people spend on their dates, and the recently released results show a pretty big gap between men and women. Collecting data from 1,200 respondents showed that men spend and average of 6,805 yen (US$66) on a date, while for women the amount is less than half of that, at 2,612 yen.

However, a closer look at the response breakdown shows that the men’s average is pumped up by some especially big spenders, as the largest group is actually guys paying somewhere in the 5,000-6,000 yen range.

● Amount spent by men per date
1. 5,000-6,000 yen (35.7 percent)
2. 10,000-11,000 yen (22 percent)
3. 3,000-4,000 yen (11 percent)
4. More than 15,000 yen (7.1 percent)
5. 2,000-3,000 yen (6.6 percent)

Women’s date spending, on the other hand, was clustered much more closely at the lower end of the spectrum, with only three percent in the 10,000-11,000 range and 0.6 percent in the over-15,000 club.

● Amount spent by women per date
1. Under 1,000 yen (25.7 percent)
2. 3,000-4,000 yen (20 percent)
3. 2,000-3,000 yen (18.6 percent)
4. 5,000-6,000 yen (15.5 percent)
5. 1,000-2,000 yen (10.5 percent)

The designation for the largest female demographic might have you wondering what sort of extra thrifty dates they’re planning. Odds are, though, that the members of that group who’re paying more than nothing but less than 1,000 yen are sharing the cost of the date with their boyfriend. As a matter of fact, that’s likely the case for almost all of the respondents, both men and women, since 81.3 percent said both they and their partner chip in, though often with the guy paying a larger proportion.

● Who pays for your dates?
1. Man pays most, but not all, of the cost a date (50.4 percent)
2. We split the cost evenly (30.1 percent)
3. Man pays all of the cost (17.8 percent)
4. Woman pays all of the cost (0.9 percent)
5. Woman pays most, but not all, of the cost (0.8 percent)

Of course, as mentioned above, there’s no price tag for romance, and part of forming a long-lasting relationship is a couple deciding how to collectively manage their spending a way that makes the two of them specifically, happy. But if you’re looking for a baseline as you enter the dating world in Japan, the survey results are a good guide to know how much cash to have on hand early on in the relationship.

Source: LeadingTech via Career Connection via Hachima Kiko
Top image: Pakutaso
Insert images: Pakutaso (1, 2)
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Anime pancakes from Poupelle of Chimney Town require magic before eating

https://ift.tt/2MFS4G1 Oona McGee

We try the interactive dessert that’s melting hearts in Tokyo.

We love a good anime-themed dessert, and living in Tokyo means we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to tasting sweet collaborations. One of the latest to catch everyone’s attention is extra special, though, as it’s based on an anime feature film recently released on Christmas Day, called Poupelle of Chimney Town.

This touching CG family film–based on a bestselling children’s picture book by Nishino Akihiro, a member of the comedy duo King Kong–comes from Japanese animation company Studio 4°C, and is scheduled for worldwide release later this year.

Take a look at the stars of the movie, Lubicchi and Poupelle, in this clip below:

Lubicchi and Poupelle spend their days beneath the smoke and haze of Chimney Town, which is said to be based on real-life Shibuya in Tokyo. And it’s this fantasy world that’s now being recreated as an eye-catching sweet dish, in a tie-up with Colonial Garden in Kichijoji and Milk, Japan’s first fresh cream specialty store.

We were keen to find out what the new dessert would look like in real life, so we headed out to the cafe, and said hello to Poupelle, who was waiting to greet us at the entrance.

The cafe specialises in desserts containing milk and cream, and while there were a lot of tasty looking items to choose from on the menu, we had eyes for only one thing that day: the Poupelle Pancake, which retails for 880 yen (US$8.44).

After we ordered the pancake, we received a sheet of exclusive stickers from the film, which is limited to the first 100 customers.

▼ And then the true star of the show arrived, turning the heads of other diners as it was delivered to the table.

It looked absolutely gorgeous, with a brown chocolate base representing the sludge of the town, and a huge mound of cotton candy recreating the towering plume of smoke that hangs above it. And for a final flourish, a sprinkling of stars and Lubicchi’s top hat could be seen poking through it all to remind us of the characters’ star-seeking adventure.

In between the sludge and smoke is a mound of pancakes covered in cream. To get to them, though, you have to perform a bit of magic, and that’s where the berry sauce on the side steps in.

Following the advice given to us by staff, we picked up the little bowl and slowly poured the berry sauce over the cotton candy.

Ta daaaa! The smoke parted and a hole big enough for Lubicchi and Poupelle to fly through on their airborne ship appeared! This is a memorable moment from the film, and being able to take part in it all made our hearts melt as quickly as the cotton candy.

Peering inside was like peering down into the city from the sky, and we decided to remove the remainder of the cotton candy to get a good look at the sweet chimney stacks.

After playing with our food, the time had come to finally eat it, so we cut a big slice of the pancake stack, ensuring we had plenty of cream, sauce and chocolate to go with it, and delicately laid the plump serving on the tongue.

It was decadently sweet, yet tart at the same time thanks to the berry sauce. The pancakes were thick and cooked to perfection, but what really blew us away was the taste and freshness of the cream. It was rich, yet not at all heavy, imparting flavours that shone both individually and when combined with other ingredients.

If this is what cream from a cream specialist is like, then we, like Oliver Twist, who reminds us a little of chimney sweep Lubicchi, will be holding our bowls out again and bravely asking for more.

Another serving of these would definitely be delightful, and we may just have to make another visit for them before they disappear from the menu at the end of February.

Cafe information
 Kichijoji Colonial Garden (Fresh Cream Specialty Store Milk) / 吉祥寺コロニアルガーデン（生クリーム専門店ミルク）
Address: Tokyo-to, Musashino-shi, Kichijoji Honcho 1-11-5, Kopisu Kichijoji 3F, inside Kaikuchu Garden
東京都武蔵野市吉祥寺本町1-11-5 コピス吉祥寺3階空中庭園内
Hours: 11:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.（last order 7:30 p.m.) *
*These are shortened business hours due to the current state of emergency
Sales period: 23 January-end of February
Website

Photos © SoraNews24
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Why are some people in Japan paying big money for an old cassette tape?

https://ift.tt/3oyOMBM Katy Kelly

Cassettes are back in style in Japan in a big way, with new releases and people paying premiums for discontinued tapes.

Recently you might find a strange sight if you step inside a thrift store or resales shop inside Japan. You may spot cases of recordable cassette tapes, the ones frequently used from the late 1980s to the early 2000s, lined up on the shelves. Curiously, some of these cases are labeled with price tags that outstrip the cost of an overnight ferry trip across the country. So what’s the deal?

▼ “All the metal particle tapes are wiped out! Social media is incredible!”

The “metal particle” part refers to the kind of tape used in these Type IV recordable tapes and produces the best quality sound. They were the more expensive option even at the peak of the cassette’s popularity, but back then only fetched a few hundred or maybe a thousand yen for a case. Now people will readily hand over 1,000 yen (US$9.59) for a single unused tape.

▼ A Twitter user shows off a collection of blank tapes. (translation below)

“Here are the cassette tapes everyone’s been talking about. I’ve managed to buy about 170 unused tapes since last year.
The metal particle tapes are particularly precious, so I’ve only been able to find single tapes sold for 1,000 yen. Right now I only have about seven of those.
The scary thing is that even though they’re blank tapes, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re still fit to be recorded on…
So I’ve left them unopened and they’ve become a kind of collection.”

Cassette tapes first began manufacture in Japan in 1966, spearheaded by Maxell. They became hugely popular for their ease-of-use and portability– it was common to spot boombox-toting young people out on the streets with cases of cassettes to play. In 1979, they got another boost in popularity when Sony began selling its portable cassette-player, the Walkman.

▼ From the dark times before we all listened to music on our phones.

Cassette tapes’ biggest commercial year was in 1989 where they saw sales of over five hundred million!

As previously mentioned, the highest-grade of cassette tape was the metal-particle variety. Sadly, this production of this kind was discontinued in 2001. Maxell is now the sole surviving distributor of cassettes within Japan, shifting around 8,000,000 tapes (exclusively Type I/Ferric/normal tapes) per year.

Recently, though, and perhaps partly because of their scarcity, cassette tapes have become more popular with young people. The tactile aspect of holding a physical release in your hands and the slightly imperfect warmth of the sound recorded onto these tapes all result in a quiet legion of devoted fans, both young and old. Some new songs are even being released specifically in a cassette format.

▼ Ai Furihata, a singer and voice actress, released her new album on cassette format.

▼ One of the Girls und Panzer movies came with this bonus tape of a song sung by one of the characters.

But the appeal of cassettes isn’t just limited to its practicality. They’ve joined VHS tapes to become something of a style symbol in themselves, representing 20th-century vibes and nostalgia with their chunky plastic cases, small ridged “eye” holes, and spools of clear tape.

▼ These BanG Dream! train pass cases are fashioned to resemble cassette tapes.

In an increasingly digital world, it’s little surprise that some dedicated fans of music want to hold on to these little relics of the past — both metaphorically and literally. Maybe in 20 years or so we’ll see a dramatic resurgence of classic iPods? We’ll just have to wait and see!

Source: NHK News Web
Top image: Wikimedia Commons/stuart.childs
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Fatherland India Sari Street Style in Harajuku w/ Shaved Hairstyle, Henna Body Art, ACDC Rag, Gugu Kokura Sling Bag & Dr. Martens

https://ift.tt/3ormk4J

We snapped Yoritam, a Japanese PHD student who caught our eye with their stylish kanji print Indian street style, on the street in Harajuku. Yoritam is known for wearing Indian sari fashion most of the time.

Sporting a short, shaved hairstyle, Yoritam is clad in a black cropped top with white kanji prints from ACDC Rag, which they styled with a Fatherland India monochrome kanji print sari and matching skirt panel. Black Dr. Martens lace-up leather boots, a Gugu Kokura silica gel pack sling bag and accessories such as a tie-dye face mask with safety pin and chain embellishments, a chained leather choker, a beaded bracelet, henna/mehndi body art, and a Yin-Yang knuckle ring rounded out their monochrome style. Most of their accessories are from Mercari.

Yoritam lists Iris Van Herpen and Rahul Mishra as their favorite fashion designers and they enjoy listening to dangdut music. Yoritam is active on Instagram and Twitter, follow them!

Click on any photo to enlarge it.

Tokyo Street Style
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Why are some people in Japan paying big money for an old cassette tape?

https://ift.tt/3oyOMBM Katy Kelly

Cassettes are back in style in Japan in a big way, with new releases and people paying premiums for discontinued tapes.

Recently you might find a strange sight if you step inside a thrift store or resales shop inside Japan. You may spot cases of recordable cassette tapes, the ones frequently used from the late 1980s to the early 2000s, lined up on the shelves. Curiously, some of these cases are labeled with price tags that outstrip the cost of an overnight ferry trip across the country. So what’s the deal?

▼ “All the metal particle tapes are wiped out! Social media is incredible!”

The “metal particle” part refers to the kind of tape used in these Type IV recordable tapes and produces the best quality sound. They were the more expensive option even at the peak of the cassette’s popularity, but back then only fetched a few hundred or maybe a thousand yen for a case. Now people will readily hand over 1,000 yen (US$9.59) for a single unused tape.

▼ A Twitter user shows off a collection of blank tapes. (translation below)

“Here are the cassette tapes everyone’s been talking about. I’ve managed to buy about 170 unused tapes since last year.
The metal particle tapes are particularly precious, so I’ve only been able to find single tapes sold for 1,000 yen. Right now I only have about seven of those.
The scary thing is that even though they’re blank tapes, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re still fit to be recorded on…
So I’ve left them unopened and they’ve become a kind of collection.”

Cassette tapes first began manufacture in Japan in 1966, spearheaded by Maxell. They became hugely popular for their ease-of-use and portability– it was common to spot boombox-toting young people out on the streets with cases of cassettes to play. In 1979, they got another boost in popularity when Sony began selling its portable cassette-player, the Walkman.

▼ From the dark times before we all listened to music on our phones.

Cassette tapes’ biggest commercial year was in 1989 where they saw sales of over five hundred million!

As previously mentioned, the highest-grade of cassette tape was the metal-particle variety. Sadly, this production of this kind was discontinued in 2001. Maxell is now the sole surviving distributor of cassettes within Japan, shifting around 8,000,000 tapes (exclusively Type I/Ferric/normal tapes) per year.

Recently, though, and perhaps partly because of their scarcity, cassette tapes have become more popular with young people. The tactile aspect of holding a physical release in your hands and the slightly imperfect warmth of the sound recorded onto these tapes all result in a quiet legion of devoted fans, both young and old. Some new songs are even being released specifically in a cassette format.

▼ Ai Furihata, a singer and voice actress, released her new album on cassette format.

▼ One of the Girls und Panzer movies came with this bonus tape of a song sung by one of the characters.

But the appeal of cassettes isn’t just limited to its practicality. They’ve joined VHS tapes to become something of a style symbol in themselves, representing 20th-century vibes and nostalgia with their chunky plastic cases, small ridged “eye” holes, and spools of clear tape.

▼ These BanG Dream! train pass cases are fashioned to resemble cassette tapes.

In an increasingly digital world, it’s little surprise that some dedicated fans of music want to hold on to these little relics of the past — both metaphorically and literally. Maybe in 20 years or so we’ll see a dramatic resurgence of classic iPods? We’ll just have to wait and see!

Source: NHK News Web
Top image: Wikimedia Commons/stuart.childs
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