Latest news with #Osakan
SoraNews24
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Lock that opens when Osaka dialect is spoken unveiled at Expo 2025
Ore no Osakaben hetakusotte iitain? Hooooooonmaaaaaaniiiiii! One of the more impressive pavilions at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo is the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion. The overarching theme of having your future self digitally generated is cool, but along the way is a series of technological works in progress that changes over the course of the entire Expo. One such exhibit briefly displayed from 27 May to 2 June is the Key Voice: Open Sesame World by Advanced Media and West Inx. Advanced Media is the developer of the AmiVoice Japanese voice recognition software and West Inx is one of the oldest lock makers in the country. Noticing that the waveform of a voice recording looks a lot like the cuts of a key, they got the idea to develop a lock that opens with a specific vocal pattern. But in honor of the Expo, they didn't use just any vocal pattern, they used the Osakan dialect, known as Osakaben. I always liken Osakaben to something like the way English is spoken in Staten Island, New York, not in any grammatical or specific linguistic way. It's more the feel of it, in that it can superficially come across as a little dopey and blunt sounding, but it has a lot of charm and character too. When using Key Voice, visitors will be given the choice of three difficulty levels and then must recite one of 25 Osakaben phrases. If spoken in the proper Osakan style, a small model door will open. It's deceptively hard though, because when speaking Osakaben intonation can be very important. A good example is the classic ' nandeyanen ' which means something like 'What the hell?' and has a lot of the same nuances as 'oh, come on' in that it can be used to express frustration when your Internet cuts out, playful modesty when someone flatters you, or indignation when you get cut off on the highway. The good news for English speakers is that saying ' nandeyanen ' with pretty much the same intonation as 'oh, come on' in any of the three scenarios would be a pretty good fit. Another phrase is ' maido ookini ' which is a rather folksy way of saying something along the lines of 'thanks again, much obliged' and commonly heard from the staff in shops. This has more of a sing-songy intonation, going down two steps on mai-do , up one step on oo (pronounced like 'oh') and down two again on ki-ni . ▼ Just saying 'ookini' ('おおきに') straight won't open any doors for you here. Although not mentioned, I have to assume ' honma ' and/or ' honmani ' would be included as well. These literally translate to 'Really?' and are used in the same way to express surprise at hearing something or confirming something is true, again with a similar intonation to English. However, one additional use is sort of like 'Why I oughta…' again with a very similar intonation to the English phrase where you stretch it out on the vowel sounds to express anger comedically while shaking your fist, like ' Hooooooonmaaaaaniiiii… ' If you can get those, that's a good start but you'll also have to use them in context. In the video above, one of the intermediate-level phrases is ' Ke, bossabosa yakara kukurana akanwa. ' which means 'My hair's all kinds of messed up, so I oughta tie it up.' Unfortunately, its time at the Expo was very limited, but as luck would have it, Key Voice can still be tried out at West Inx's showroom in the Imabashi area of Osaka. There's still lots of cool things to be seen in the Osaka Health Pavilion though, and I also got word that Glico has just started handing out their new rice candies at the nearby Earth Mart pavilion, so be sure to check out both of those places if you go. Source: Kyodo via Livedoor News, PR Times, My Game News Flash Images: PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Asahi Shimbun
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Asahi Shimbun
Gaudy grannies of Japan's ‘most elderly idol group' are back
Obachaaan members with iconic sights from the group's home base, Osaka's Shin-Sekai district, in the background (Provided by Dadan Inc.) OSAKA—The Osakan 'obachan' are back with their first new song in six years, showing off more leopard print than fans can shake a cane at. Obachaaan, whose 14 members average 72.5 years of age, bills itself as the most elderly idol group in the country. Some members are also itching to perform at the Osaka Kansai Expo, a stone's throw from the group's home turf. The group's name derives from the word obachan, meaning a middle-aged woman. Obachan of Osaka have a particular reputation for being brazen and meddlesome and rocking gaudy clothing. Obachaaan was formed in 2011 as a seven-member group on a mission to liven up the world with the unique power of Osaka's fabulous obachan. The group's seventh single, 'Overpower,' was released in March and rose to the 21st spot in the 'Weekly Usen Hit SNS Ranking' on April 2. The music video, which is available on YouTube, shows the tireless grannies dancing up a storm, many clad in leopard-print tops, a signature outfit for Osaka's obachan. To commemorate the single's release, a live performance was held in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward in late March and in Osaka's Shin-Sekai district, the group's home base, in early April. The choreographer 'akane,' who staged the prize-winning 'Bubbly Dance' routine performed by high school students in 2017, took 'Overpower' under her direction. '(Meeting her requirements) was tough, but I now feel 10 years younger,' said Eiko Funai, 77, who has regularly performed at the center of the stage since the group's founding. Hisako Uko, 78, another founding member, said, 'It's important to 'take it easy' as it says in the song's lyrics.' Obachaan also released its first album to global audiences on May 1. Producer Yusuke Hiza said Osakan obachan may be nosy and nagging, but they are needed in this day and age when people increasingly communicate through smartphones. 'I am hoping to see more cheerful obachan directly connecting people together,' Hiza said. Currently, the group's members range in age from 63 to 82. Its YouTube videos have been viewed more than 3 million times. Funai said her dream is to participate in 'Kohaku Uta Gassen,' the annual song contest broadcast on New Year's Eve on Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK). She added that she wants to perform at the Osaka Kansai Expo, which opened on April 13 and runs through Oct. 13, since 'Overpower' was released in time for the event. 'We have not been invited yet, but we might be because the expo will be open for a while,' Funai said.
SoraNews24
02-05-2025
- Health
- SoraNews24
Pocky maker Glico talk about their cellular regeneration breakthrough and new candy at Expo 2025
Keep your cells healthy and young so you can eat more candy. There is perhaps no more iconic Osakan company than Ezaki Glico. Even if you've never heard of the name, it's almost certain you've heard of their globally famous snack Pocky, and if you've seen any image of Osaka it probably contains their giant illuminated sign towering over the Dotonbori River. So, it's only natural that they too would take part in the Osaka-Kanasi World Expo, and I was able to head over and see what they were cooking up for the future of food and candy. Glico doesn't have their own pavilion there but have teamed up with several other companies for the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion: Nest for Reborn and Earth Mart Pavilion. The Osaka Healthcare Pavilion is certainly worth making a reservation for if you head out to the Expo. It has a neat concept where you get a personal health report from sensors which also generate a look at yourself 50 years in the future. The specific exhibits change over time and when I went there was a collab with The Game of Life where your 50-years-older self can become a player in the game. ▼ The Osaka Healthcare Pavilion One such exhibit you'll see along the way was set up by Glico to announce their recently patented ingredient that they believe can curb the aging process better than any before it. To accomplish this, they looked at ways to deal with senescent cells, which are cells that have damaged DNA by factors like stress, poor lifestyle, or UV rays and can't reproduce. When we're younger, our immune systems are able to completely destroy senescent cells and make room for healthier ones. However, as we age our immune systems weaken and senescent cells are produced at a higher rate, which is why I always go 'oooourgh…' when I stand up now. To put it more simply, the effects of aging such as poor memory, eyesight, strength, and just about everything else are caused by an increasing excess of senescent cells, so researchers with Glico set out to find substances that would assist our immune system in destroying these cells to slow down, and potentially even reverse, the aging process. They tested some 6,000 ingredients on senescent cells and found the Persian silk tree ( Albizia julibrissin ), a plant sometimes used in Japanese and Chinese teas, as the most effective. In testing, they found that extract of the Persian silk tree flower caused an additional 20-percent decrease in a sample of senescent cells over 52 hours while having no adverse effects on normal cells. ▼ A sample of Persian silk tree powder was on display at a press conference held by Glico at the Expo. ▼ The exhibit showcases some of the ingredients tested, the process of extracting active compounds, and an animated simulation of their effect on senescent cells. From here, human trials will be conducted to confirm its effectiveness and further understand the mechanisms at play. If successful, development of this substance as a food ingredient will begin and hopefully will be introduced as a part of commercial products before too long. By the way, these results are expected to apply to all kinds of cells from brain to skin and muscles, you name it. The Earth Mart Pavilion takes guests on a tour of food and its connection with our lives with a lot of multimedia exhibits like an eerily lifelike 3D CGI sushi chef that's almost holographic and serves up digital nigiri. In Glico's area, there's a display of foods they gave official mock-ups of based on the imaginations of 5th and 6th graders. It's a very Wonka-esque experiment in pure imagination, but unfortunately, many of these concepts will never come to fruition because they rely heavily on magic, such as Angel Chocolate that has wings and makes people who eat it do good things like pick up trash on the street. I do rather like the Watermelon of the Future which has candy instead of seeds and is fortified with nutrients. Right next to this is the Earth Foods 25 exhibit, which showcases the same number of quintessential Japanese foods that could be used to improve the future of food worldwide. Go ahead and challenge your knowledge of Japanese food by seeing if you can name them all. We'll put the answers at the end of this article. All along the walls surrounding this dinner-table-like display is more information about these 25 ingredients and how they can be used in delicious, healthy, and convenient foods. And in the theme of Earth Foods 25, Glico took it upon themselves to craft a soft candy made almost entirely from Earth Food #1: Rice. It's about as perfect an example of 'easier said than done' as you can find though, since creating that same texture and sweetness of a chewy candy using only rice-based ingredients is a gigantic handicap. In the end, they came up with a candy made of only five ingredients: rice syrup, sugar, rice flour, rice protein, and rice bran oil. At the moment, these candies are only on display but are planned to be handed out at Earth Mart around the middle of May. However, I was lucky enough to have gotten a sneak taste of these things courtesy of Glico. In Japanese, it's called a 'caramel' but that's more in comparison to the soft and chewy texture of typical caramel candies rather than the flavor. In English, they will be called 'soft candies' to avoid any confusion. That being said, it does taste a lot like a caramel, only with a milder sweetness that's also a little cleaner tasting. The texture is almost exactly the same but it doesn't have the slight sharp flavor that caramel has. I'd probably describe it as a cereal-flavored caramel, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that. Unfortunately, it seems that this is a concept candy with no plans for a commercial release as of this writing. This means that the only way you'll be able to try it is by going to the Earth Mart pavilion at Expo 2025 from late May and while supplies last. Luckily, because this is a relatively smaller pavilion, it doesn't have any of the crazy lineups that other places at the expo do, making it a great quick stop with some free candy to boot. Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! Answers to the 25 foods: Rice flour, mochi, soy milk, Koya-dofu (freeze-dried tofu), anko, daikon, wasabi, Japanese pepper, kanpyo, konnyaku, matcha, citrus (yuzu, daidai, kabosu, sudachi), umeboshi, shiitake & dried shiitake, kombu (kelp), seaweed, agar, fugu (pufferfish), surimi (fish paste), dried bonito, koji, sake & mirin, soy sauce & miso, tsukemono (pickled vegetables)
Japan Times
22-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
At Osaka's Haraiso Sparkle, curry with a side of city pop
A proud Osakan tradition, spice curry in Japan is often known as magari (rental room) curry, a term that refers to its origins under the hands of pop-up chefs who rented temporary kitchens in bars and restaurants to dabble in the curry business. Amateur vendors of magari curry have been liberating the dish from the limits of convention, with ingredients ranging from the exotic to the downright bizarre. One such practitioner, now celebrating his 10th year in operation, has pushed the practice one step further, infusing his food with a particularly odd and imaginative style in this not-so-quiet corner of Japan's kitchen. Within a nondescript office building near Higobashi Station, a wave of magenta light floods the second-floor entryway. Above a front door obstructed by an overflowing chest of cabbage and rice, a neon sign welcomes you in an odd union of hiragana and English: Haraiso Sparkle .
