283 Useful Ideas from Japan

I read this book a while ago and loved it. Every page is very well illustrated with hand drawings (there are no actual photographs). Though primarily intended for entrepreneurs, it is an excellent book for anyone wanting to see innovation in action. For example, have you ever seen a car garage in the form of a Ferris Wheel? This is an innovative idea in areas with minimal space (like downtown Tokyo). How about a urine solidifier? This is a great innovation. Urinate in a special bag and your urine is instantly solidified, preventing spills and taking the stench away. Great for outings! Want an easy way to keep your diary? You can call a service and record your daily diary! Call anytime and record as much as you want. The recording can be replayed back at anytime, categorized by date and time. Not enough space in your garage? How about a double-decker garage. A special lift lifts your second car on top of your first one. You will find so many innovations in this book that you will end up designing your very own breakthrough innovation! I love Japan and everything that is Japanese. This is a book I treasure in my library for it brings me many memories. A book is not only the information it contains, but the memory of you it stores within its pages! This book was published in 1988, so many of the innovations have reached the West. It still makes great reading though. Till today, many innovations available in Japan are not available in the West. Sony, for example, introduces innovative products meant solely for the Japanese market. Some get introduced in the American market years later (usually two years later), and some never do. It must be that Japanese people are more tech oriented than the rest of us.

From "capsule hotels" to "tissue paper giveaways" to "coffee shop concepts," Leonard Koren takes the reader on a fascinating, informative tour of Japan. The writing is direct and lively, and the illustrations are superb. If you're looking for a quirky, delightful insight into the Japanese culture, I highly recommend this book.