silver – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today. Mon, 07 Oct 2024 15:00:44 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/05/en_rocket_1024.png?w=32 silver – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com 32 32 176746664 Studio Ghibli releases new insect whistle necklace from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind https://soranews24.com/2024/10/08/studio-ghibli-releases-new-insect-whistle-necklace-from-nausicaa-of-the-valley-of-the-wind/ https://soranews24.com/2024/10/08/studio-ghibli-releases-new-insect-whistle-necklace-from-nausicaa-of-the-valley-of-the-wind/#comments Mon, 07 Oct 2024 15:00:21 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=680416 
Pacify insects like the heroine from the anime movie.
Studio Ghibli’s magical storylines often blur the boundaries between fantasy and reality by blending fantastical objects with ones that have a basis in real-world Japanese traditions. One such item is the Mushi-bue (“Insect Whistle“) from Ghibli’s 1984 film, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, which is now in the spotlight as a stunning new necklace.
Called the “Mushi-bue Kubizakari” (“Insect Whistle Necklace“), this new piece of jewellery is based on the Mushi-bue used by Nausicaä to placate the rampaging insects in the movie. The way the whistle works is unconventional — instead of bringing it to your mouth to blow through it, the whistle is spun on the end of a cord, essentially working with the air to create the whistling sound.
▼ Nausicaä’s Mushi-bue.
Image: Studio Ghibli
While foreign viewers might think this is some sort of fictional item born from the creative mind of director Hayao Miyazaki, it’s actually based on the real-world Mushi-bue, which has a long history in Japan. Some reports refer to it as the oldest instrument in the world, tracing its history back 25,000 years to the Stone Age, where a thin bone fragment was twirled overhead to create the sound. These days, it’s commonly made from bamboo in rural areas, with many people having fond childhood memories of twirling them, although in the real world they’re designed to sound like an insect, instead of magically calming them.
▼ Thankfully, our insects aren’t as big as the ones in Nausicaä.
Image: Studio Ghibli
Whether you grew up with a Mushi-bue or were introduced to it through Nausicaä, Studio Ghibli has now come up with an elegant way of adding it to our everyday lives, by reproducing it in sterling silver.
The elongated shape, carved-square details, and hollow centre replicate the look of Nausicaä’s Mushi-bue in miniature form.
The 45-centimetre (17.7-inch) chain allows the whistle to sit subtly on the chest, and though the studio doesn’t make any comment about the pendant’s ability to make sound, it’s so beautifully made that we’ll feel at one with the insect kingdom just by wearing it.
The sterling silver chain and pendant come beautifully packaged in a box bearing the Japanese title of the movie, 風の谷のナウシカ (“Kaze no Tani no Naushika“).
Priced at 13,200 yen (US$88.80), the necklace was released on 4 October, and can be purchased at Donguri Kyowakoku stores in Japan and online. With so many of the studio’s recent merchandise releases centring on Totoro and Jiji, it’s nice to see Nausicaä in the spotlight again, as it’s been half a year since we last saw her, when she appeared as an eye-catching action figurine.
Source, images: Donguri Kyowakoku
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2024/10/08/studio-ghibli-releases-new-insect-whistle-necklace-from-nausicaa-of-the-valley-of-the-wind/feed/ 0 680416 Studio Ghibli Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Insect Flute Necklace anime shop news merchandise Japan fashion jewelry 1 Osaka Expo 1,000-yen coins go on sale for the low price of 13,800 yen https://soranews24.com/2023/08/12/osaka-expo-1000-yen-coins-go-on-sale-for-the-low-price-of-13800-yen/ https://soranews24.com/2023/08/12/osaka-expo-1000-yen-coins-go-on-sale-for-the-low-price-of-13800-yen/#comments Sat, 12 Aug 2023 05:00:55 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=632668 
It’s a steal any way you look at it.
On August 7 the Osaka City Mint kicked off the production of commemorative 1,000-yen coins for the upcoming Osaka-Kansai World Expo in 2025.
One side of the coin has a full-color image of the man-made island Yumeshima, where the event will take place. On the flip side is the somewhat intestinal logo for Expo 2025 embossed with tiny grooves so that it reflects light in an array of colors.
The mint will produce 50,000 of these coins, each assigned a value of 1,000 yen (US$6.94). They will sell for 13,800 yen (US$96) including tax.
▼ The front of the coin featuring Yumeshima
Paying 13,800 yen for something with a value of 1,000 yen printed right on it is an understandable cause for alarm, as expressed in the following online comments.
“13,800 yen for a 10,000-yen coin is a reasonable price, but not for a 1,000-yen coin.”
“Maybe the price is set so high because they’re expecting the Expo to be canceled, which would drive up its value.”
“It’s kind of ugly.”
“That’s a rip-off for a commemorative coin.”
“If the Expo fails, it would be worth a lot.”
“At least their mascot is cute.”
“I think they’re worried about ticket sales and are trying to find other avenues to make money.”
“A rip-off coin for a rip-off Expo.”
Before we go calling this a “rip-off”, let’s break down what this coin is really potentially worth. First off, the 1,000-yen designation is pretty much meaningless. Most store clerks would just give you a weird look if you tried to spend it and good luck trying to use it in a vending machine.
It is, however, made of sterling silver, and since it weighs 31.1 grams (1.1 ounces) it’d be worth about 3,100 yen ($22) from that alone. While that puts it firmly above the 1,000-yen designated value, it’s still a far cry from 13,800 yen.
▼ The back side of the coin with the logo given a spectral effect
Next, we’d need to consider its value as a collectable. It’s naturally impossible to see the future but we do have examples from the past to work off.
The last time the World Expo came to Japan was 2005 in Aichi. Back then gold 10,000-yen coins was minted and sold for 40,000 yen ($278) each. Despite that considerable mark-up, they now sell for upwards of 100,000 yen ($695), but that’s largely because the value of gold happened to skyrocket shortly after they were made.
More recently, a gold 1,000-yen coin was minted in honor of the Rugby World Cup coming to Japan and sold for 120,000 yen ($833) each, in keeping with the price of gold at the time. However, immediately after the tournament in which Japan historically advanced to the quarter-finals for the first time ever, the coin’s price more than doubled, showing that the significance of the event can also be a major factor.
So, a silver Osaka-Kansai World Expo 2025 commemorative coin will very likely rise in value in the long-run due to the silver alone. But that being said, you’d be better off just buying regular silver at market value. Instead, the real return on this investment will rely on how memorable an event the Expo turns out to be – or possibly even not be, like some of the comments mentioned.
Another option is to simply buy the coin, enjoy it for its aesthetic craftsmanship, and keep it as a personal souvenir of this moment in time…if you’re into that kind of thing.
Source: Expo 2025, NHK News Web, Tsuki no Kinka, Ginza Coins, My Game News Flash
Images: Expo 2025
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2023/08/12/osaka-expo-1000-yen-coins-go-on-sale-for-the-low-price-of-13800-yen/feed/ 0 632668 Real Fullmetal Alchemists: Kyoto University team fuses all 8 precious metals into single alloy https://soranews24.com/2022/04/04/real-fullmetal-alchemists-kyoto-university-team-fuses-all-8-precious-metals-into-single-alloy/ https://soranews24.com/2022/04/04/real-fullmetal-alchemists-kyoto-university-team-fuses-all-8-precious-metals-into-single-alloy/#comments Sun, 03 Apr 2022 15:00:17 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=582561 
Giving them a gold medal for it would probably be rude.
Most people are probably aware of the precious metals gold, silver, and platinum, but in fact there are eight in the world which are considered worth of the title “precious” because of their rarity, brilliance, and practical use. The other five are palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, and osmium.
The properties of these metals are often enhanced by creating alloys, in which they are mixed with other metals or substances to create materials like white gold and sterling silver.
But now, a team of researchers at Kyoto University have made an alloy that no one has ever accomplished in human history by combining all eight precious metals into a single alloy.
▼ A lot of people just kind of gave up on that and started using precious metals as food toppings instead.
It’s a extremely difficult task, and comparable to attempting to mix water, oil, yogurt, tabasco sauce, orange juice, vodka, maple syrup, grape Kool-Aid, and green tea in to a unified substance. You might be able to get a couple of those ingredients to mix, but not all of them at once.
To accomplish this unprecedented alloy, the researchers created a solution with ions of all eight metals in equal measure and added them to a reducing agent at a temperature of 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit). The reducing agent donates the necessary electrons for the different ions to bond and the alloy can be successfully made.
That is of course way easier said than done, and something that humankind has dreamed of but been unable to do in the past 5,000 years since the Bronze Age began. Needless to say, readers of the news in Japan were quite jazzed about it.
“Does this mean we can finally make a Gundam?”
“This could mean a Nobel Prize!”
“Wow! A real chogokin (super alloy)!”
“Is this alchemy?”
“Time to make a legendary sword!”
“Is it the gundanium alloy?”
“What color will it be if you mix them all together? I want to see it!”
Unfortunately there isn’t much to see at the moment. The successful experiment has yielded an amount only measurable in nano-meters which is around the scale of DNA strands. However, with the technique they developed, the team says that mass production of this alloy is possible with the right funding.
That’s great because even though the feat itself is impressive, it also has the potential for life-changing applications. Up until now, platinum has been the go-to catalyst for hydrogen fuel cells, but in 2020 this team discovered that an alloy of platinum and five precious metals was twice as efficient. Now, the eight-metal alloy showed a 10-fold increase in catalytic activity in hydrogen fuel cells.
This was also achieved only when making an alloy of the eight metals in equal amount. By adjusting the relative quantities in different ways, an even more efficient catalyst could be found to help power hydrogen fuel cells, making their widespread use more of a realistic alternative to current energy sources.
And if we can do that, then maybe we finally can get that Gundam we’ve always wanted.
Source: Mainichi Shimbun, My Game News Flash
Top image: Pakutaso
Insert image: ©SoraNews24
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2022/04/04/real-fullmetal-alchemists-kyoto-university-team-fuses-all-8-precious-metals-into-single-alloy/feed/ 0 582561 If you love Psyduck, you’ll love U-Treasure’s newest Pokémon necklace https://soranews24.com/2021/02/13/if-you-love-psyduck-youll-love-u-treasures-newest-pokemon-necklace/ https://soranews24.com/2021/02/13/if-you-love-psyduck-youll-love-u-treasures-newest-pokemon-necklace/#comments Sat, 13 Feb 2021 13:00:09 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=531929 
Keep the headache-ridden duck Pokémon close to your heart every day!
Jewelry company U-Treasure is known for making gorgeous otaku jewelry that lets people express their love of anime, video games, and popular characters in subtle and stylish ways. In fact, they’ve been busy making a whole Pokédex worth of Pokémon rings and necklaces over the last few years, featuring the likes of Pikachu, Eevee, and even Ditto. Now they’ve released new necklaces featuring one more Pokémon to add to your jewelry Pokédex, and it’s none other than Psyduck!
Fans of the headache-plagued Water-type Pokémon will love these new necklaces, which come in four different metal types: yellow-gold, pink-gold, platinum, and a limited-edition silver. Each comes with a 45-centimeter (17.7-inch) chain of the same color, from which Psyduck hangs as a pendant, sitting in his customary pose of holding his head. A two-millimeter (0.8-inch) quartz stone in the same yellow color that Psyduck is known for also rests between its head and the chain.
The gold varieties are both 18 karats, the silver is sterling silver, and the platinum is 95 percent-pure platinum in the pendant and 85 percent in the chain, so these are quality metals with beautiful finishes, but that means they also sell for a pretty hefty sum: 99,000 yen (US$945.88), 15,400 yen, and 110,000 yen respectively.
The silver version is only available for pre-order until March 9, while the other metals are available now for a seemingly unlimited time from the U-Treasure Concept Store in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, and the U-Treasure online shop, which ships worldwide. If you love Psyduck and have the money to spare, you won’t want to pass these lovely necklaces up.
And don’t forget…you can also buy a giant Psyduck plushie at the Pokémon Center, too. There’s plenty of merch for Psyduck fans to enjoy!
Source: PR Times, U-Treasure
Top image: U-Treasure
Insert images: PR Times
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2021/02/13/if-you-love-psyduck-youll-love-u-treasures-newest-pokemon-necklace/feed/ 0 531929 pc_lp_01main Glam out with Pokémon Vulpix and Ninetails necklace by Japanese jewelry designer U-Treasure https://soranews24.com/2020/11/22/glam-out-with-pokemon-vulpix-and-ninetails-necklace-by-japanese-jewelry-designer-u-treasure/ https://soranews24.com/2020/11/22/glam-out-with-pokemon-vulpix-and-ninetails-necklace-by-japanese-jewelry-designer-u-treasure/#comments Sat, 21 Nov 2020 23:30:45 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=523346 
A limited-edition release only for this winter.
U-Treasure is a Japanese jewelry designer that has consistently wowed anime and video game fans alike with their elegant jewelry collaborations. From wedding rings to Ditto-themed necklaces, there is a wide variety to select from, and fans of the jeweler will be excited to learn of a new limited-edition item. For this upcoming winter, U-Treasure will release a necklace incorporating the enchanting silhouettes of Alolan Vulpix and Ninetails.
The necklace features an outline of Alolan Ninetails set to the background of a snowflake while an Alolan Vulpix clambers onto one of the snowflake’s corners. Alternating resin shards of aquamarine and sky blue provide a colorful yet sophisticated look. For those who are fans of Ice-type Pokémon, the necklace is the perfect addition to any jewelry collection.
Furthermore, interested buyers can choose from three options for the necklace’s metal: silver, 18K white gold, and platinum. The metals are respectively priced at 17,600 yen (US$170), 132,000 yen, and 143,000 yen. Regardless of the chosen metal, this chic necklace will no doubt make a wonderful holiday gift.
Pre-orders for the necklace will begin from November 23 noon and end at 11:59 p.m. on December 25. Necklaces can be purchased from both U-Treasure’s Shinjuku and Ikebukuro stores as well as online here. To complement the look, consider also pairing it with a Pokémon Shirt Vulpix or Ninetails button-down!
Source, images: U-Treasure via PR Times
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2020/11/22/glam-out-with-pokemon-vulpix-and-ninetails-necklace-by-japanese-jewelry-designer-u-treasure/feed/ 0 523346 main Transform yourself with U-Treasure’s new solid gold or platinum Ditto necklaces https://soranews24.com/2020/06/26/transform-yourself-with-u-treasures-new-solid-gold-or-platinum-ditto-necklaces/ https://soranews24.com/2020/06/26/transform-yourself-with-u-treasures-new-solid-gold-or-platinum-ditto-necklaces/#comments Fri, 26 Jun 2020 05:00:28 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=506850 
Ditto fans rejoice! Fan jewelry just for you.
Jewelry maker U-Treasure has been a fashion-loving otaku’s dream in recent years, releasing countless varieties of beautiful anime and game-based jewelry. With gorgeous engagement and wedding rings featuring fan-favorites like Kirby and Card Captor Sakura, and fabulous necklaces decorated with all of our favorite Pokémon, they offer stylish, understated ways to rep the things you love.
U-Treasure has added another Pokémon to the list of wearables: the transforming Ditto! The iconic purple blob, which can transform into any Pokémon it sees, is now featured on U-Treasure necklaces.
While the chain is 45 centimeters long (17 inches), the little Ditto figure is much smaller than it looks in pictures, at just 10.8 milimeters tall and 14.5 milimeters long (0.43 by 0.57 inches), making it a subtle, but stylish, full 3-D pendant. The design is pretty cute in that it looks like it’s hanging off the end of the necklace. It’s got a big smile on its face, too, so you know it’s having a good time.
Ditto comes in silver (13,200 yen/US$123.39), 18 karat pink, white, or yellow gold (all 60,500 yen each), and platinum (71,500 yen), so you can wear Ditto in whichever jewelry color you like best.
The silver necklace was available by reservation only up until June 23, but the other varieties are all available for sale on U-Treasure’s online shop or at the physical U-Treasure shop in Shinjuku. And while you’re shopping, make sure you check out their other fabulous Pokémon jewelry, like the Master Ball engagement ring. Your Pokémon-loving special someone–or you–will adore them!
Source: PR Times
Top image: U-Treasure
Insert images: PR Times, U-Treasure
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2020/06/26/transform-yourself-with-u-treasures-new-solid-gold-or-platinum-ditto-necklaces/feed/ 0 506850 ditto necklace1 Head to Tokyo or Nagoya to make your own custom Pokémon jewelry from 87 cute designs https://soranews24.com/2018/10/02/head-to-tokyo-or-nagoya-to-make-your-own-custom-pokemon-jewelry-from-87-cute-designs/ https://soranews24.com/2018/10/02/head-to-tokyo-or-nagoya-to-make-your-own-custom-pokemon-jewelry-from-87-cute-designs/#comments Tue, 02 Oct 2018 01:00:26 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=427644 
Jeweler U-Treasure is joining forces with all your favorite pocket monsters so that you can brand them into cool accessories – by hand!
Lately it feels like we truly are living in a Pokémon world, with all the cute creatures sprouting up in our daily lives and doing cute dances at us. While you can head down to your local Pokémon Center to stock your house full of cute critter goods, jeweler U-Treasure is going the extra mile for fans who’d like their monster apparel edged with a touch of class.
From September 15 to October 14, both the U-Treasure store in Shinjuku, Tokyo and the Keiuno Order-made Salon in Nagoya will be running a special event where you can handcraft your own rings, bangles and pendants and finish them off with one of 87 adorable Pokémon engravings.
▼ This chunky bangle comes in widths of 3 milimeters (0.1 inches) or 5 milimeters (0.2 inches) and features a tiny cute Pikachu print
The process will take around two hours, throughout which you’ll be accompanied by an experienced member of staff to instruct you on all the ins-and-outs of crafting your perfect Pokémon piece. The store will also lend you aprons and tools, though they do note that it might be worth coming in older clothes – making monster merch can get messy, after all.
▼ Thankfully, you have expert help every step of the way
These are real silver accessories, and their prices reflect that. The menu for the event consists of a ring (available in thicknesses of 3, 5 and 8 milimeters) priced at 20,520 yen (US$180), the aforementioned bangle priced at 23,760 yen or a pendant priced at 21,600 yen. The ring can also be purchased in K12 yellow gold, pink gold, white gold or platinum, though the prices will alter depending by store. After you’ve finished crafting your jewelry the store staff will take it for finishing, and you will receive the final product after three weeks time.
As an added bonus, attending the D.I.Y jewelry workshop will net you a special present – each attendee gets a special U-Treasure Pokéball coaster.
▼ Make yourself a necklace to wear when hunting for Ghost-types!
▼ This sample from the 87 possible designs covers a bunch of cute Pika-poses, along with cute series staples like Magikarp and Mimikyu
If you have a taste for silver and charming creatures, why not reserve a slot at one of the stores to fashion your own special decoration? And hey, one of those classy rings could make for a perfect proposal for the special Pokefanatic in your life – though if you really wanted to splash out, we recommend choosing Mew’s impressive offering instead.
Store information
U-TREASURE Shinjuku Branch / U-TREASURE 新宿店
Address: Tokyo-to, Shinjuku-ku, Nishi-shinjuku 3-1-3, Nishi Shinjuku Koide Building 2F
東京都新宿区西新宿3-1-3西新宿小出ビル2F
Open 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Closed Wednesdays and Thursdays
Reservations
Keiuno Order-made Salon at Meitetsu Department Store/ ケイウノ オーダーメイドサロン名鉄店
Address: Aichi-ken, Nagoya-shi, Nakamura-ku, Meieki 1-chome 2-1, Meitetsu Department Store Main Hall 1F
愛知県 名古屋市 中村区名駅1丁目2-1 名鉄百貨店本店本館1F
Open 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Website
Source: PR Times, U-Treasure
Featured image: PR Times
Insert images: PR Times (1, 2, 3, 5) and U-Treasure (4)
]]> https://soranews24.com/2018/10/02/head-to-tokyo-or-nagoya-to-make-your-own-custom-pokemon-jewelry-from-87-cute-designs/feed/ 0 427644 d8670-296-438289-0 Japan government asking for our old electronics so scrap metal can be used in Olympic medals https://soranews24.com/2018/08/24/japan-government-asking-for-our-old-electronics-so-scrap-metal-can-be-used-in-olympic-medals/ https://soranews24.com/2018/08/24/japan-government-asking-for-our-old-electronics-so-scrap-metal-can-be-used-in-olympic-medals/#comments Fri, 24 Aug 2018 01:00:10 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=423537 
As the saying goes: One man’s trash is another man’s reward for devoting his life to excellence in sport.
Remember that bread-maker you got a couple years ago because you were really getting into baking and planned to be completely self-sufficient with all bread-related matters? Sure, you didn’t do anything with it in the end, but you might be comforted to know that that cumbersome appliance can now be used to fulfill the dreams and aspirations of a young athlete who beat the odds and climbed their way to the world stage of athletics.
That’s right! Japan’s Ministry of Environment is currently teaming up with local governments to collect used appliances and electronics so that any gold, silver, or copper can be used to forge the medals for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
▼ 2020 medal designs
【はてブ】 東京五輪メダル「銀」まだ足りない、小中学校でも回収へ （写真＝共同） ：日本経済新聞 https://t.co/aTDX4BOTiQ pic.twitter.com/mHcYi5w8gT
— ニュース速報 (@news_sokuhou) August 20, 2018
Until recently, the ministry had set up collection spots at places such as post offices and NTT Docomo stores gathering people’s old electronic goods with an eye for smartphones in particular. However, according to their haul up until June, there won’t be enough silver to fill the quota of roughly 5,000 medals needed for the Olympic and Paralympic games.
The silver situation is especially severe because it is the most required metal and found in very small quantities in electronics such as phones. The total amount of raw metal to produce all the medals is as follows:
The reason so much silver is needed is because the gold medals are actually silver on the inside. So whenever you talk about the games two years from now, remember to annoy those around you by always referring to the “gold medals” as “gold-plated silver medals.”
The ministry’s goal of obtaining all the necessary metal by 2019 is on track for both gold and copper, but in order to step up the silver collection they are expanding collection sites to include public schools across the country. In addition to getting the necessary materials, it is hoped that this move will help get students and parents excited for the coming games.
It certainly worked with people on the Internet, where the excitement was palpable.
“LOL!”
“Hahahaha!”
“Bwahahaha!
At least, I’m assuming all that laughter is a product of unbridled enthusiasm for the 2020 Olympics. Others, however, were more cynical about the Environment Ministry’s strategy.
“Buy it, ya cheapskates!”
“Maybe they can make the medals out of origami.”
“With the money they’re spending on collecting the silver, can’t they just buy it?”
“Guess they’re trying to reign in that out-of-control budget.”
“We have to donate scrap metal? Are we at war now?”
Perhaps thinking outside the box is needed to solve this dilly of a pickle. First, we should ask ourselves if those three medals are really needed, especially since we already established the gold isn’t even gold.
I’m not saying aluminum, or even the slightly fancier aluminium, as that would still be clinging to the past, and appear as though we are admitting defeat. No, we need to come at these winners with something completely unexpected and unique like 3,500 pieces of hard candy with their faces on it or giant robots.
Who wouldn’t want a giant robot?
Source: Nikkei Shimbun, Kinisoku
Top image: Pakutaso
Insert image: SoraNews24