Latest news with #Sapporo
Irish Daily Mirror
19-07-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Fight or flight? Here's how I feel about plans to fly burgers over my house
They are the answers to the questions nobody asked. The great ideas to cater to the needs no one knew existed. And the history of invention is littered with them. There is the USB portal shaped like a fake rock. Diet Water, a creation of the Sapporo beer company in 2004. A sleeping bag you can walk around in, umbrellas for shoes and the 'Goldfish Walker' – basically a bowl on wheels. They all share one thing in common, an absurd pretence that they are here to make life somehow easier and better. When life was getting along just fine without them. Now into this hall of infamy steps Dublin's newest must have service – take away delivery by drone. Full transparency. My house may be in the catchment area where 'tech start up' firm Manna has lodged a planning application to open a new drone-port. Manna has already been fulfilling a need no one knew existed in the Dublin 15 area for over a year. The service employs a squadron of drones to parachute cups of flat white coffee, kebabs and burgers into the seemingly besieged gardens of suburbia where residents are deemed incapable of making it out as far as the chipper. It has sparked complaints from some homeowners that it is like living under the flight path of a fleet of airborne lawnmowers. The creepy invasion of privacy has also been likened in the Dail to a new kind of dystopia. And now they are coming to a patch of sky near you – or at least near me. Manna wants to open close to Dundrum shopping centre to extend the reach of its flying burgers. Now I'm happy to admit I've never been a fan of drones. Dublin ranks as Ireland's noisiest city in brand new poll I dread each St Stephen's Day when a new horde of middle-aged men emerge on the beaches and in the parks proudly controlling their new buzzing surveillance toys over the heads of helpless citizens. And it seems I'm not alone. A NASA study found people under the regular flight paths of drones believe they are more irritating than loud traffic. Noise pollution in cities is also a proven killer. That's because humans have an emotional response to sound. It is detected by the ear and passed onto the amygdala area of the brain for assessment. This becomes part of the body's 'fight-or-flight' response that has evolved to help us react quickly to sounds such as a predator crashing through the bushes. Or a drone delivering curry chips to your next-door neighbour. It causes your heart rate to go up. Your nervous system starts to kick in and you release stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline. Over time the risk of heart attack, stroke and death increases. When the source of the noise is a machine delivering the contents of a deep-fried Spice Bag those risks rise dramatically again. Across Europe excessive noise is linked to 12,000 premature deaths a year It also contributes to a condition that 22 million Europeans suffer from - 'Chronic High Annoyance.' (A figure that grew to 22 million and one as soon as I discovered this is a thing). Drones flying fast food around Dublin City Noise can lead to breeding problems in wildlife – and I dare say some human life too. In California, a drone crash-landed at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve causing 2,500 terns to abandon their nests and around 1,500 of their unborn young. There are even records of a crow attacking a delivery drone in Canberra. Now it would be one thing to accept all that in the name of technological progress that is improving lives. Drones can be used to fly medicines, monitor disasters, do scientific research… But as a nation, we have survived a famine, bankruptcy and a global pandemic without anyone needing a single of chips airdropped into their back garden. To listen to the Manna planning application it sounds like a merger between the Red Cross and Greenpeace. It is supplying a service that is both a giant leap for mankind and good for the environment. They are hoping we will all just get used to it. Much like Elwood's response to Jake in the Blues Brothers when he asked how often the bone-shaking train goes by the apartment window: 'So often you won't notice.' Dublin to become first European city to offer fast food delivery by drone But I grew up under the flight path to Dublin Airport. Both my parents are now buried under it. I know incessant noise pollution is enough to disturb the sleep of the dead. It's one reason Michael O'Leary hasn't spent some of the millions he made from charging families to bring clothes on holidays to move from his country ranch to a house on the approach path to Dublin airport's terminal one. So if there are any tech upstarts out there looking to develop a surface-to-air, anti-burger missile system, let's just say I'm interested. Years of underage hurling and camogie activity in the household have even given me a prototype built from abandoned hurls and around 150 used sliotars. Fight or Flight? You have my answer. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Japan Times
01-07-2025
- Japan Times
Cassiopeia luxury sleeper train ends final run after 25 years
East Japan Railway's iconic Cassiopeia sleeper train completed its final journey on Monday evening, marking the end of a 25-year era for the luxury service once known for connecting Tokyo to Sapporo in Hokkaido. The train pulled into Ueno Station shortly after 5:30 p.m., sounding its horn as it arrived at Platform 13 to applause and cheers from gathered railway enthusiasts. Among them was a 31-year-old office worker from Saitama Prefecture, taking her 32nd trip on the Cassiopeia. 'I loved watching the scenery and dining in the restaurant car,' she said. 'It was truly the best journey.' Originally launched in 1999, the Cassiopeia gained a loyal following for its fully double-decker design and upscale sleeper accommodations. The service ended regular operations in 2016 following the launch of the Hokkaido Shinkansen but continued running a few times a month as a chartered sightseeing train, mainly serving routes between Ueno and major cities in the Tohoku region. Its retirement was prompted by aging infrastructure and equipment. Passengers aboard the final tour, which traveled from Sendai Station, expressed gratitude and nostalgia. 'We had such a happy time,' one traveler said with a smile, as fans shouted, 'Thank you!' With the Cassiopeia's retirement, the only remaining sleeper train operated by JR East is the upscale Train Suite Shiki-shima. However, the company says it plans to launch a new overnight limited express service in spring 2027. Translated by The Japan Times
CNA
21-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Gaia Series 91: Business Hotel Wars - Assassins from different industries
From heritage sweets to hospitality success, local disruptors and industry titans wage a stylish, sauna-filled war in Japan's fiercely competitive business hotel arena. In the ever-shifting landscape of Japan's hospitality industry, where bullet train stops double as commercial goldmines, a new breed of business hotels is rewriting the rules of the game. This week's episode of Japan Hour delves into the high-stakes battlegrounds of Takasaki and Sapporo, chronicling how independent players and retail giants are taking on established titans like APA Hotel, Toyoko Inn and Marriott with flair, resilience and a distinct local touch. In Takasaki, a pivotal hub in Northern Kanto, the space directly in front of the train station is ground zero for a clash of hospitality heavyweights. Here, APA Hotel and Toyoko Inn stare each other down, while Dormy Inn, a favourite for customer satisfaction, quietly builds its own loyal base. Amidst these giants stands a surprising victor: Coco Grand Takasaki, a business hotel that has managed to surpass its heavyweight rivals in both prestige and popularity. Guest reviews are effusive. 'This hotel might match Dormy Inn or even be slightly better,' one customer says. With room rates starting at ¥14,000 (S$120), Coco Grand offers more than just a place to sleep. Guests flock not just for rest, but for rejuvenation. The in-house sauna, about twice the size of typical hotel offerings, is a major draw. Lavish rooms, an open-air bath and even a mini pool lend the hotel an indulgent atmosphere, crafted with intention. That intention is no accident. Behind Coco Grand's design is architect Yoshihiro Kuwahara, known for his bold work in a vastly different category: The 'love hotel'. He applied the same principles to Coco Grand, aiming to create 'dreamy spaces that let guests forget their daily lives.' As he puts it, 'If you create something like that, they'll turn up. And they'll come back again.' Adding to the intrigue is the hotel's backstory. Its parent company, Kimoto Seika, began life not in hospitality, but in confectionery. Known for its Western-style sweets and a legacy spanning over seven decades, the company pivoted into the hotel business in 2008 with the hope of reviving Takasaki. 'Running a hotel has also unexpectedly improved staff perks,' says Director Takamaru Kimoto, noting that even their factory's break room features furniture of hotel quality. However, success is never static. APA Hotel is planning to erect a new facility mere steps away. As major chains prepare their counterattacks, the competition intensifies and Takasaki's quiet disruptor will once again have to defend its crown. If Takasaki is a turf war, then Sapporo is a seismic shift. Here, the story follows Belluna, Japan's largest mail-order company, and its audacious leap into hospitality. Known for its catalogue empire targeting women in their 60s and 70s, Belluna's pivot into hotels is part of a larger survival strategy amidst rising printing and paper costs. President Kiyoshi Yasuno, 80, is no stranger to disruption. With more than 3,800 employees and ¥208 billion in annual sales, his decision to invest ¥10 billion in building a towering 26-storey, 605-room hotel in Sapporo speaks volumes. 'Every product has the right timing to sell,' he says, a philosophy that now applies to room bookings rather than blouses. The hotel's new manager, 34-year-old Kazuki Okamura, is thrust into a whirlwind of pressure and expectations. 'There were times I thought I might not be able to fulfil what was entrusted to me,' he admits candidly. But deliver he does, even when the hotel's opening is abruptly brought forward by more than a month. Short on towels, linen and staff, Okamura hand-delivers pleas for early delivery and helps lug mattresses himself. His perseverance pays off. On March 1, the SAPPORO HOTEL by GRANBELL opens, with room rates starting at ¥16,000. Guests are immediately captivated. The panoramic views from the grand bath, the semi-open-air hot spring, and an opulent breakfast buffet featuring 75 dishes, including an all-you-can-eat seafood bowl, become instant hits. One diner calls it 'a jewel box', while another proclaims, 'Freshly made omelettes are the best.' The food strategy, combining local flavours with operational pragmatism, is ingenious. By outsourcing fish and meat prep, the team offers variety without overwhelming staff. The hotel's live kitchen adds a dose of spectacle, turning breakfast into an event. 'We want to offer as many dishes as possible,' Okamura says, 'but we're short of staff.' Despite the odds, Belluna's gamble is paying off. Bookings pour in at twice the expected rate, buoyed by inbound tourism and school holidays. President Yasuno's gamble to leap from mail-order to morning omelettes is starting to look like a masterstroke. As the episode closes, viewers are left with a clear message: in Japan's business hotel wars, it is not just about rates or location. It is about imagination, resilience and knowing exactly what your guests did not realise they needed.
Bloomberg
11-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Bain, KKR Said to Be Among Second-Round Bidders for Sapporo Unit
Bain Capital, KKR & Co. and Lone Star are among investment firms that have advanced to the second round of bidding for the real estate unit of Sapporo Holdings Ltd., according to people familiar with the matter. Bidding will end in August and the sale price is expected to exceed ¥400 billion ($2.8 billion), said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing non-public information. The aim is to reach an agreement by the end of this year, they said.
Hype Malaysia
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
2 New Drops From Size? x BILLY'S x Adidas & PUMA x OPEN YY Give Us Life!
In the world of footwear, collaborations are the Wild West – anything and everything can happen, and we're here for it! From a sudden resurrection of a beloved classic, to an amalgamation of something entirely new and different, the possibilities are endless. Check out these out-of-this-world sneakers we've got our eyes on today. size? x BILLY'S x adidas Sapporo Japan City Series To commemorate its 25th anniversary, size? joined forces with adidas and BILLY's Tokyo for a three-way project called the 'Sapporo Collection.' The line-up reinterprets the iconic adidas Munchen silhouette, with each partner contributing their own creative direction. Each shoe is designed independently, reflecting the individual vision of its creator, even though they are presented as a collaborative effort. In homage to the UK's signature liquor, which has been widely accepted by Japanese culture, BILLY'S Tokyo takes its cues from whisky barrels. The pair's rich brown upper, textured leathers and suede accents, which draw inspiration from brick buildings, evoke the cosiness and rugged elegance of aged whisky. On the side, a Japanese engraving of 'Sapporo' lends an artisanal and cultural touch. The blend of smooth and rough textures reflects the flavour of whisky, which is strong, but elegant. On the other hand, size? employs a more symbolic strategy, alluding to the 2002 World Cup game at Sapporo Dome, where England defeated Argentina thanks to a historic goal from David Beckham. The teal and red colourway of the shoe, as well as the gold Japanese engraving of 'Sapporo,' are inspired by this instance of cultural fusion. size? x BILLY'S x adidas Sapporo Japan City Series is available in two colourways and retails for JP¥16,500 (~RM485). Check out more details or purchase a pair at size?, BILLY'S, and the adidas official website. PUMA x OPEN YY's H-Street sneaker In their second joint collection, PUMA and Seoul-based fashion brand OPEN YY have given the classic H-Street trainer a new lease of life, while also providing a selection of stylish clothing. This collaboration skilfully combines OPEN YY's unique, feminine-edged streetwear style with PUMA's athletic heritage. The redesigned PUMA H-Street sneaker, a track and field classic from 2003 with origins in the late 1990s Harambee spike, is the focal point of the partnership. With high-end nubuck overlays, open mesh underlays for breathability, and a detachable dual-branded tongue for multiple styling options, OPEN YY enhances the silhouette. Three crisp colourways – white, blue, and beige – will be offered. In addition to the shoes, the collection includes a variety of 'elevated apparel' that aims to conflate fashion and performance. Running vests, fitted shorts, and simple sleeveless tops are examples of clothing that combines practical style with a feminine touch. The campaign highlights movement, light, and self-direction, demonstrating how the collection effortlessly integrates with everyday life. PUMA ambassador Rosé attended the campaign's initial launch event in Seoul. The collection is set to hit shelves globally on 10th June, with a retail price announcement to follow. For more information or to stay up to date, check out OPEN YY's official website. What's your Reaction? +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0
