Japan 2013: Looking into the future...

...and even experiencing some of it! Where else but at The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation or simply, Miraikan. The name may sound intimidating but if you're a fan of museums and new technology, you'll definitely enjoy this place just like I did.

Miraikan is a museum in Odaiba that showcases a lot of new technology that is being developed in Japan. If Kyoto is my favorite Japanese city because of its rich cultural heritage and overall traditional feel, Odaiba comes next because of its advance technology and all the geekiness in it. Just the island itself is pure genius as it's a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Japan initially built for defensive purposes which now serves as a major commercial, residential and leisure area.

The first thing that caught our eyes upon arriving at Odaiba were the bicycle stations. We wanted to rent some but we couldn't figure out how. So Nee-chan and I went back to the train station and asked one of the personnel to which he responded politely by inquiring if we were residents. HAHAHA It turns out, free bicycle use is one of the perks of being an Odaiba resident. Residential ID cards allow them them to access the bikes. How cool is that!

Konnichiwa!

Good thing we got there early as Miraikan is composed of seven floors of awesomeness. Pretty big huh? The main exhibits can be seen on the 1st, 3rd and 5th levels while the 6th level housed the Dome Theater and the 7th level housed the conference rooms and halls.

Our first stop was the InterRobot display where visitors can speak through pipes and the robots will respond to you. I failed to make it work the first time but after realizing my mistake (of speaking in English), I tried speaking in Japanese and the robots came to life. Sugoi!

Songs of Anagura

Then we went to Songs of Anagura where all kinds of recognition (eye, voice, fingerprint, movement, etc) were utilized. Imagine my excitement upon realizing this! It's like seeing all different kinds of SPs at work in the form of a human-sized board game where the computer keeps track of your movements by giving you your own avatar or circle underneath your feet. An arrow will appear to point you where you need to go next. Be careful not to get too close to other people though or you'll lose your avatar. But you can re-register any time in case that happens. I won't spoil the fun for you but this is definitely a must-try!

FYI, I think it's called Songs of Anagura because there's one station where the computer will compose an original song for you based on the data it gathered from you while being there. Amazing and creepy at the same time. Haha

Roger that!

Then we went up to the 6th level for the Dome Theater where you need to get tickets in advance. Being foreigners, we got these cool lapel-like headsets so we can hear the English audio. Feeling special! Too bad, we all fell asleep during the show. Fail! Haha

Lost in a sea of faces.

After our short nap, we went back to explore the other exhibits like this one. I didn't get this but it was fun seeing myself with all the other previous visitors or whatever.

I don't know about you but I'm feeling 22.

Then I traveled to the year 2050 thanks to the the Itookashi-City exhibit. Notice how I interacted with the machine using only hand movements. Pretty cool! I had a boo-boo selecting the year of my birth but that's okay. Haha

Way better than Google Earth.

Remember how I pointed out that the main exhibits can be visited on the 1st, 3rd and 5th levels? Well, this is the reason why there's no 2nd level. A real-time globe display hangs suspended from the 3rd level and guests could actually look around it as there's a spiral staircase connecting the 1st and 3rd levels.

Paro-chan!

Meet Paro-chan! He's an artificial baby seal that responds to human touch like a live seal probably would. Aww too cute! If you play Minion Rush, you've probably poked your minion several times and laughed at it's cute reactions. Well, same goes for Paro-chan, only you can actual feel him. He closes his eyes when you stroke his head, wags his tail when you rub his back, shake his head when you touch his nose, etc.

Weirdos.

We then took obligatory weird photos with the globe like tourists naturally would. Lol

Walking is so yesterday.

While exploring the museum, you'd come across Science Communicators roaming the place in white vests while riding a bicycle without handle bars. I love how they'll come up to anyone interested enough to listen to them explaining about their little gadget. We learned from this Oniisan that the thing he's riding will replace walking in the future. Whoa! Of course, we're not immediately sold but he gladly demonstrated how easy it is to operate it. So how do you control it anyway? Exactly like how you would control your body when walking - like a natural reflex. If you want to go forward, you put your weight in front and the machine will go with you. If you want to go backwards, you just have to put your weight at the back and it will go backwards. Totally hands-free. What if you want to turn? You just lean towards where you want to go and it will follow. Totally awesome. It also comes with a touch-screen control in case you want to control it with the touch of your fingers.

Currently, only Honda is in participation with the development but they're looking at expanding to other brands as well. It'll take a while before this gadget hits the market. FYI, this Oniisan talked to us in fluent English. How convenient!

What a nerd!

Next, we went to a computing machine where you'd select a letter you want to send and then the computer will give you the ASCII code in binary. The lights will light up to serve as a guide in placing the black and white balls that stand for 0's and 1's. Then your message will travel across that complicated machine and then arrive at the destination displaying the correct letter. Believe it or not, I truly found this experience enjoyable! Talk about low-level. Haha

Geeking out.

Other parts of the exhibit dealt with all sorts of geekiness. Some areas I didn't quite enjoy because it involved Math. Haha But the others were still amazing like the optical illusions and the sound-producing experiments where different programming books were used. Lol

Favorite Japanese fast food.

What's great about Miraikan is re-entry is allowed. So you can go out anytime to eat or whatever and come back to explore the rest of the museum. Good thing, there was a Lotteria nearby. What a lifesaver!

Hello, Asimo!

We came back after lunch to watch Asimo's show. I know Asimo's been around for years but it was still amazing to see him in action. He moves flawlessly for a machine. He walked, waved, clapped his hands, danced a little, and even kicked a soccer ball! I also love how Miraikan handles the children efficiently. They have their own section in front so everyone can see properly. No kids running around at all. How disciplined!

Who needs spacesuits?

After the Asimo demo, we crossed the spiral staircase to the 3rd level. It was a bit terrifying but exhilarating at the same time. Ariel couldn't do it so we just met up with him at the 3rd floor as he took the alternate route. Haha

Shake your skeletons!

The 3rd level exhibits are mostly about space. And because we're in Japan, it was fascinating to see the technology they use in their space travels. I was particularly interested in their space food where they even have Kewpie mayonnaise for the Japanese astronauts! Haha

No audition needed.

We even got to be astronauts for a day (without auditioning) as we explored one of their space cabins. Sugoi! We even saw photographs and autographs of the people (and dogs) who were able to go to space. Being an astronaut never crossed my mind but I've always been fascinated by the universe so it was a really good experience for me.

There was also a section for new scientific discoveries in Medicine where I learned more about stem cell research and all other advances in technology. I even got to try being a surgeon for a day as I successfully removed a tumor from a patient's brain using only the latest in computer-aided surgery. Haha I love how the Japanese visitors cheered along with me as if I were operating on a real human being. May future pala ko sa Medicine after all!

Too bad, we couldn't stay in Miraikan all day as we have other places to explore. So, Odaiba, I'll definitely be back for my much needed dose of geekiness!


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Traveling party: Daddy, Karly, Nee-chan (organizer), Sera, and Ariel
Travel date: April 14, 2013 [Day 5]
Photo credits: Karl