قامت شركة كاوادا اليابانية للصناعات بتطوير روبوتات يمكن إستخدامها في المصانع ذات الأعمال المتكررة، مثل تركيب أجزاء الأجهزة الإلكترونية الدقيقة أو المعدات الميكانيكية الصغيرة. تسمى تلك الروبوتات ب NEXTAGE.  

يستطيع NEXTAGE القيام بوظائف أكثر تعقيداً من تلك التي يقوم بها الروبوت التقليدي في المصانع لما لديه من قدرة لتصحيح مساره أثناء العمل بتلك المعدات الدقيقة حيث أنه مجهز بكاميرات يستطيع من خلالها التعرف على إحداثيات وأبعاد القطع التي يعمل على تركيبها.

القصد من تطوير تلك الروبوتات ليس لإستبدال الإنسان في المصانع، بل القصد هو توظيف الإنسان في أعمال تحتاج إلى إبداع وتفكير أكثر من تلك الأعمال النمطية.

/http://nextage.kawada.jp/en

رغم قسوة هذا الشتاء ورغم غزارة الثلوج المتساقطة في اليابان في هذه السنة كان سكان مدينة نيغاتا في هونشو يستمتعون في وقتهم!

أقيم في مدينة نيغاتا اليابانية مسابقة للقتال في كرات الثلج. تتميز ميدنة نيغاتا في تلك الرياضة حول العالم حيث أنها تعتبر الأكثر إضحاكاًً ومتعة من بين المسابقات الأخرى التي تجرى في القتال بكرات الثلج في مناطق أخرى من العالم.    

المنافسة تكون بين فريقين حيث يخرج المتسابق من اللعبة عند رميه بعدد معين من كرات الثلج (في الغالب ٣ كرات). لأن للمسابقة هذه قوانين و قواعد فقد تم تصنيفها من ضمن الألعاب الرياضية الشتوية الدولية.

على هامش المنافسة تقام مسابقة أخرى، في هذه المسابقة يرتدي المتسابقون ملابس غريبة وسخيفة أثناء ممارسة رياضة القتال بكرات الثلج كأقنعة وملابس مضحكة للفت الأنظار. الفريق الفائز هنا هو الفريق الأكثر غرابة وإضحاكاًً للجمهور!

الرحلة من طوكيو إلى مدينة نيغاتا تستغرق حوالي الساعة ونصف الساعة عن طريق القطار السريع (الشنكانسين).

While staying in Osaka, I’ve decided visiting Kobe and Awaji island. In Kobe, I’ve visited Kobe Mosque and saw the Kobe Port Tower. Kobe Mosque is the first mosque in Japan (1935) and it was built with a beautiful Turkish design.  

The aim of my visit to Awaji island was to see the longest central span suspension bridge “Akashi Kaikyo/Pearl Bridge“. The view of the bridge and Kobe (Honshu) on the background was printed into my memory as one of the most beautiful sceneries of Japan.
My trip to Japan was concluded in Osaka where I caught a plane and flew back to Kuwait. It was to the last minute of my winter break!

Moving from Nagoya to Osaka was a very special trip for me. Why? Back in 2003, I’ve watched a documentary on TV about Japan and that was before my first visit to Japan in Summer 2003. On that documentary, they’ve showed how convenient and enjoyable is riding a shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka and the shinkansen on the documentary was “のぞみ” (Hope – الأمل). In 2012, I’ve booked my ticket on “のぞみ” shinkansen toward Osaka!  

In Osaka, I’ve visited places that I didn’t get the chance to see during my previous visits, except for Dotonbori and a couple of other major areas in Osaka! Osaka is more lively! Although it was winter, but in Osaka I’ve really felt the liveliness of summer vacations.

After spending a wonderful time in Tokyo and Yokohama I’ve moved to Nagoya on a Shinkansen. It was my first time visiting Nagoya. Once I’ve arrived, I’ve observed two main things about the people of Nagoya. First, they are more welcoming and friendly compared to Tokyo.  Second, they barely speak English! I don’t care about the latter when I have the earlier! I’ve visited Nagoya Castle, Nagoya TV Tower area “Sakae”, a museum and other major sightseeing places in Nagoya. I think that I’m visiting Nagoya again inshaAllah in the future! I liked it!!

       After spending sometime in Tokyo, I’ve moved to YOKOHAMA! It’s only 30 minutes away by train but I’ve decided to move there so I can go look around the area conveniently. In Yokohama, I’ve visited many great places, one of which is “Minato Mirai 21″. It’s an urban area in Yokohama and it’s  just off the Tokyo Bay. Since that I’ve already visited “Minato Mirari 21″ in the afternoon in 2007, I’ve decided to visit it this time in the evening.  I went up into the Yokohama Landmark Tower. The picture I’m posting here was taken from the observation deck of the Landmark Tower. In taking this picture, I was trying to take a similar picture of one of those that I’ve found on the web long time back. It’s one of the great views of Japan that I’ve always wanted to see in real!

One day, while I was in Japan, a Japanese friend of mine invited me to join their Shotokan Karate class in one of the Secondary schools in Tokyo! I did accept the invitation as I have some experience in Shotokan Karate before when I was a student in the United States. Anyway, I didn’t have my Karate uniform with me “Karate gi” so I wore a sweat pant and a white T-shirt instead!!  

I went there and it was really a great experience to practice Karate in a Japanese dojo in Tokyo with a famous Japanese Shotokan Karate Sensei (Naka Tatsuya – Sensei). Naka Sensei also appeared in one of the Japanese martial art movies “Kuro Obi” as “Taikan”. Entering the Secondary school was like a dream came true as well! The interior looked exactly like what we see in anime/manga! HAHAHAHAHA~!! AlhamduliAllah, it was really よかった。

I made a stop at Akihabara ( Akihabara Electric Town). It’s a major city in TOKYO for electronics, video games, manga and anime. This time I didn’t stay long at Akihabara as I was mainly focusing on visiting places that I’ve never seen before in Tokyo.  

Akihabara’s neons make me feel like being inside a video game! My favorite stores there are those selling second-hand stuff.

Shibuya is one of the major metropolitan cities in Tokyo. Two major things, if I do, I feel like I’m really in TOKYO. Seeing TOKYO TOWER and being in Shibuya! I’m not a big fan of Shibuya stores though and I rarely do shopping there but the surrounding buildings, the big screens, the neons, the crowd, the traffic lights, the pedestrians and Shibuya Station all makes me feel TOKYO!  

Almost every time I visit Shibuya I get lost! It’s very difficult to walk around and it’s hilly. Probably this what makes Shibuya even more special.

In addition, in Shibuya is one of my favorite spots in Tokyo. It’s where I usually sit and relax after a long busy day. No, it’s not in this picture, it’s only in my memory!!

Finally, it’s my “Part II” post  about my latest trip to Japan!

Here I’m talking about Tokyo Sky Tree Tower “東京スカイツリ”! In my earlier entries I’ve already posted something about Tokyo Sky Tree Tower and about its establishment & the overall construction, but this time it’s different! I’ve experienced seeing  Tokyo Sky Tree Tower in real! YES I DID!! It’s off the Sumida river. Sumida river has always meant something special to me. Back in 2007 I had the chance to see Sakura in full bloom off the Sumida river and it has left an exceptional memory for me. This year, when I knew that Tokyo Sky Tree Tower can be seen right off the Sumida river, I’ve decided to see it right from the same spot where I’ve walked by back in 2007. I did, and it was just a amazing view of the Tower! I was totally speechless!! All what I did was taking pictures and staring at its beauty!

P.S.: For me, Tokyo Tower will always be the only national Tower of Japan.