Revolutionary Industries Kyoto
Kyoto - "the heart of traditional Japan". Having escaped the
destruction waged on many of Japan's cities during WW II, Kyoto remains
testimony of a rich and vibrant cultural past. Yet while it is the city's
plethora of beautiful temples, shrines and gardens that attract millions
of visitors each year, Kyoto is working on other ways to lure the curious
and reinvent itself at the same time. The city's high-tech industries are
at the heart of this movement. They are helping transform Kyoto's image
into that of a modern historical city, and economically, are leading the
push forward in the 21st century. Life in Kyoto (LIK) previously introduced
this topic back in 1995 with the series Hi-Tech Kyoto. In a similar vain,
this new series, Revolutionary Industries Kyoto, will profile some of the
city's leading high-tech companies, both new and old, aiming to provide
a window on the city's growing technological society. Ed.
Nintendo Co. Ltd.（任天堂）
Sega, one of the leading companies in the home video game industry, last
month discontinued production of its latest video game machine, Dreamcast.
Labeled as the "next generation game machine" and featuring a
128-bit operating system, production of Dreamcast was abandoned due to
low sales. With computer software giant Microsoft entering the games market
to rival industry spearheads Nintendo and Sony, competition is set to heat
up. In a market worth an estimated trillion yen, a new era in home entertainment
is about to begin. Nintendo plans to release its latest game machine GameCube
in July this year, while Microsoft will begin selling its Xbox in autumn.
Both companies believe their respective systems can successfully compete
with Sony's popular, Play Station 2.
While most readers will be familiar with the name Nintendo, how many of
you know that Nintendo is a local company? To get the low down on it's
activities and history, LIK visited the impressive headquarters of Nintendo
built just last autumn, in Kamitoba (上鳥羽). There, we interviewed TOYODA
Ken, Deputy General Manager of the Public Relations Section, who provided
us with an interesting insight into the companies affairs.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 by YAMAUCHI Fusajiro, great-grandfather of
the current president YAMAUCHI Hiroshi, to manufacture Japanese playing
cards or hanafuda (花札). In 1902 production of Western-style playing cards
began. Although initially for export, later, as card games became popular
in Japan, the domestic market also took on importance. In 1963 various
board games were introduced, and in the 70's development of the first video
game system began in cooperation with Mitsubishi Electric. After selling
coin-operated video games and small, hand-held Game & Watch games for
several years, Nintendo started work on producing a home video game console.
In 1983 it was released in Japan as Fami-Con (Family Computer) and overseas
as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Employing a CPU (Custom Processing
Unit) and PPU (Picture Processing Unit), it revolutionized home video game
entertainment. Fami-con (NES) sold explosively in both Japan and abroad
thanks not only to it's superior hardware, but also to its entertaining
software, including the likes of Mario Brothers, Donkey Kong, and later
The Legend of Zelda. These software games underpinned Nintendo's success,
propelling the company into the world spotlight.
In 1989, Game Boy, the first portable, hand-held game system with interchangeable
game paks was introduced. It became Nintendo's highest selling product,
almost exceeding one hundred million units. You have probably heard of
Tetris and of recent times, Pokemon, popular Game Boy software. Especially
pokemon, which came to fame for its cute character Pikachu, and has seen
the Pokemon Franchise turn into a multi-billion dollar phenomenon. Nintendo's
success continued with the launch of the updated game console Super NES
(Super-Fami-Con) in 1991, consolidating its position as home game entertainment
leader.
Modern society's appetite for home entertainment technology continued
to grow in the 90's. The pursuit of increasingly sophisticated hardware
and software became the driving force behind the industry's expansion through
this period. In 1996 Nintendo released the 64-bit home video game machine
Nintendo 64, and later Sega came up with the 128 bit Dreamcast in 1998.
This was followed by Sony's Play Station 2 with DVD last year. While the
technology appears to be a never-ending race, success is not necessarily
guaranteed by high quality hardware alone. In fact, creating fun, innovative
software is of the utmost importance.
Sega's Dreamcast was arguably a quality hardware system. Unfortunately
the software produced for it has not met the same standards, ultimately
leading to its failure. In the case of Nintendo 64, the high quality hardware
actually made development of software difficult. Keeping these factors
in mind, Nintendo designed its latest game machine, GameCube. Due for release
in July 2001 in Japan, and October in North America, this system utilizes
an IBM Gekko Processor and Matsushita's unique DVD technology. Nintendo
has endeavored to produce a hardware unit compatible with software development,
while maintaining the high performance standards players have come to expect.
Ultimately, this developer-friendly next generation game machine is entertainment
for the whole family.
As for Microsoft's participation in the games industry, Nintendo is seemingly
unperturbed. When queried, Mr. Toyoda responded assertively, "Microsoft
will have no impact on our operations. Xbox is a system set up to accompany
the personal computer, it's not a home video game machine like GameCube.
Furthermore, we don't manage our company based on what other firm's are
doing. We just concentrate our efforts on creating good games."
Company Information:
Offices/Plants: 3 plants in Uji, 5 offices in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, etc.,
7 consolidated subsidiaries around the world including the U.S.A., Canada,
France, etc.
Capital: 10 billion yen
Gross Sales: 600 billion yen
Number of Employees: 1185 (av. age 37 yrs.)
Headquarters: Kamitoba, 5 min. walk to the west from Jujo station on Subway
Karasuma line
Contact: Tel. 075-662-9600 Fax. 075-662-9601 (headquarters)
Home page: http://www.nintendo.co.jp
M. Amanuma
Soroban: Counting Beads
The soroban (そろばん) or Japanese calculating device is both descendant
of the Chinese abacus and ancestor of the modern calculator. The calculating
device gained universal use in the Middle Ages (about 13th century) as
an indispensable tool for commerce throughout Europe, the Middle East,
and Asia. Nowadays, its role in business in most countries has been made
redundant, replaced by modern calculating machines and computers. Today,
however, the soroban is seen and valued not only as a mathematical instrument,
but also as a tool for teaching general skills applicable to almost any
field. Learning how to use the soroban helps develop logical thought processes
and powers of concentration.
When and where was the calculating device invented?
It is unclear as to who invented the soroban, although it is thought to
be of Babylonian origin. Humans have used the hands and feet for calculating
and counting things for as long as we have walked the earth. Counting tools
like the soroban were created as a natural response to the increasing complexity
of calculation. Countries including ancient China, India and Egypt all
had their own unique tools for calculation.
The hsuan-pan (算盤), or Chinese abacus, has been used by the Chinese
since about 500 B.C, for addition, subtraction, and division, as well as
fractions and square root. The exact period it was introduced to Japan
is unclear, but is thought to have been around the 14th or 15th century,
after trade links between Japan and China were re-established.
The traditional seven-bead abacus was given the name soroban when it was
adopted in Japan. Its usage spread after soroban schools were established,
the first one founded in Kyoto in the early 1600's by well-known mathematician,
MORI Shigeyoshi (毛利 重能).
How were sorobans designed?
The first soroban consisted of a rectangular wooden frame divided into
two parts by a beam, with two rows of beads in the upper deck and five
rows in the lower deck (2/5). Each bead in the upper deck has a value of
5, while each one in the lower deck has a value of 1. To count you moved
the beads towards the beam that separates the two decks. In general, the
right-most (middle) column was the units column, the next adjacent to the
left is the tens column, followed by the hundreds, thousands, ten thousands
column and so on.
This type of soroban was widely used during the Edo-period (江戸時代:
1600-1867) as commercial activities flourished and its study became one
of the most important subjects for children (読み、書き、そろばん:reading,
writing and soroban).
In the early Meiji Period （明治時代：1868-1912)a slightly modified version
with only one 5-bead in the upper deck (1/5), called itsutsudama-soroban
(五つ珠そろばん: five-beaded soroban), was introduced as it was considered
more efficient. By around 1880 most people had switched to using this design.
In the 1930's yet another modification was implemented, reducing the lower
deck to just four 1-beads (1/4). Consequently the name changed to yotsudama-soroban
(四つ珠そろばん: four-beaded soroban). This was because one 5-bead and
four 1-beads were considered sufficient to do all calculations. The other
reason was that the number appeared on the soroban in the same way that
we write a number. When primary school textbooks were revised in Japan
in 1935, the four-beaded soroban became standard and its usage spread further.
How do you use the soroban?
As you can only add up to 9 on one column rod, you need to use combinations
which make ten (ie. 5+5, 1+9 etc.), and the combinations which make five
(ie. 1+4, 2+3). Beginner students of soroban always start by practicing
these combinations. To calculate 2+4, however, you can not simply add four
because there are only four 1-beads on a column rod and you are already
using two 1-beads. In this case, add one 5-bead to the same column (which
has already two), and subtract one 1-bead, giving you the answer of six.
It is represented mathematically like this, (1+1)+(5-1).
Today, there are many people in Kyoto from all walks of life who are learning
how to use the soroban. A free soroban class is held once a week at the
Kyoto International Community House (Friday, 10am - 11:30am) in the volunteers'
room. ITO Yasuharu (伊藤 快治, see below), the head teacher of the volunteer
soroban class, has been practicing soroban for over 50 years. According
to him, the most difficult thing for foreign students is learning the combinations
of five and ten. Most students quickly come to understand the combinations
that are necessary to do simple calculations such as 2+4 or 3+8. However,
problems tend to arise when attempting more complicated calculations such
as 6+7, which is made up of the combination (5+1) + (10-5+2). The most
important thing is just to practice. As with learning any new skill, at
first it may be difficult, but gradually you will improve. And with diligence,
eventually become proficient.
Benefits of learning soroban
These days we can buy a calculator quite cheaply, and many people may consider
the soroban an old-fashioned tool, no longer relevant to this day and age.
However, such people are missing an important point. The purpose of learning
how to use the soroban is not only to come up with an answer to a mathematical
problem. Training your mind to seek out the way to get the answer is of
equal, if not greater importance. The benefits of learning the soroban
apply to all age levels, particularly children.
To summarize
1) The use of both visual (on the soroban) and mental calculation helps
children to quickly grasp the concepts of carrying and borrowing in arithmetic.
2) Motivates an active attitude toward study.
3) Generally develops your ability to do mental calculations.
4) In case of the elderly, it assists in keeping the fingers supple and
the mind active.
In conclusion
Using a calculator is simple, like heating up pre-prepared food in the
microwave. It requires little effort, but in the long term is not healthy
for mind or body. Why not challenge yourself?
R. Hakamada
Soft on the Ears: Kyoto Symphony Orchestra
The Kyoto symphony orchestra was established in 1956 to create a new culture
for Kyoto City and cultivate young people's aesthetic appreciation. As
the only city-sponsored orchestra in Japan, it plays some 100 concerts
a year, including 10 regular ("subscription") and 6 special concerts,
most of which are conducted in the main auditorium of the Kyoto Concert
Hall. This year the orchestra celebrates its 45th Anniversary and has OTOMO
Naoto as the 15th regular conductor and IWAKI Hiroyuki
as the chief guest conductor. The subscription concerts' for this year
are mainly compositions of the classical and the romantic school. The following
is my personal selection for 2001-2002 season.
14 April (Sat.) 19:00- The 433rd Subscription Concert
Gustav Holst /The planets, Rimskii-Korsakov/Shahrazd
Conductor: Naoto OTOMO, Chorus: Kyoto City Children's Choir
7 June (Thu.) 19:00- The 435th Subscription Concert
Paganini /The violin concerto No.1 D major, Mahler /Symphony No.1, D minor
Violin: Misa YAN, Conductor Naoto OTOMO
18 June (Mon.) 18:30- Opera by Donizetti/ "Lelisir D'amore"
Conductor: Seikyo KIM, Performed by Kansai Nikikai Opera Company
22 July (Sun.) 14:30- Summer holiday concert for parent and child
"World's famous music tour conducted by Kazuhiro KOIZUMI"
6 September (Thur.) 19:00- The 437th Subscription Concert
Dvoak / Symphony No.8, G major
Conductor: Yutaka SADO
28 September (Fri.) 19:00- Special concert Verdi / Requiem
Conductor: Hisahiro TOTSUKA, Chorus: Memorial Chorus of the Kyoto Symphony
Orchestra
26 December (Wed.) 19:00- The 440th Subscription Concert
Mozart / Flute concerto No.2, D major, Beethoven/Symphony No.9,
D minor
Flute: Nobutaka SHIMIZU, Conductor: Naoto OTOMO
10 January (Thur.) 19:00- New Year Concert "J. Strauss program"
Conductor: Yukinori TEZUKA
25 January (Fri.) 19:00- The 441st Subscription Concert
Mozart / Symphony No.25, G minor
Conductor: Hiroyuki IWAKI
23 February (Sat.) 19:00- Request Concert Program will be arranged according
to public request.
Conductor: Tatsunori NUMAJIRI
K. Kimura