Washing Machines - Japanology Plus

[Applause] [Music] hello and welcome to japanology plus I'm Peter barakan our theme for today is washing machines laundromats and dry cleaners are ubiquitous in Japan but almost every household has a washing machine and many people make use of theirs on a practically daily basis this has led to the development of really high tech washing machines with a multitude of functions and some 5 million of them are sold just in Japan every year you can see some of the latest models behind me here and on today's program we'll take a look at the evolution of Japanese washing machines from the very early days all the way up to the state-of-the-art [Music] washing machines seem to have evolved in different ways in different parts of the world depending on History customs and household [Music] conditions in Europe frontload washing machines are common a spinning drum repeatedly lifts and drops the laundry with a thumb and it seems that a striking action has been part of laundry culture in Europe since Roman [Music] times frontload washers are a modern take on that tradition a different technique was widely adopted in the USA a tub of water was heated over a fire and laundry was swirled around with a stick the modern equivalent of that is the agitator washing machine with a rod in the middle in Japan meanwhile impeller washing machines are common a rotating device at the bottom of the drum creates a strong flow of [Music] water this Echoes the old practice in Japan of washing clothes in a river Japanese washing machines recreate that tradition Japanese washing machines are now among the most technologically advanced in the world hello something tells me you must be Fuji yes I'm fujiama Hello nice to meet you nice to meet you our guest is fujiama a household appliance expert he professionally reviews them describing their functionality ease of use and even shortcomings first he takes us to a major electronics store not all that long ago we bought a new washing machine and you come to these big shops and there is so many different types just navig navigating your way through this Jungle of machines takes forever don't worry I'll be your guide in Japan we have top loaders yeah Nationwide they account for 70% of all washing machines that many yes so let's say you've made up your mind you're going to go for a top loader there are all these different types so how are you going to choose there are lots of functions you should look for the ones that suit you okay shall we look at some examples yep first this one ultra fine bubbles what's that let me exp laain detergents produce foam that gets the laundry clean but this machine produces exceptionally small bubbles these tiny Nano bubbles can get rid of dirt or oil lurking deep in the fibers you know how a white shirt will go yellowish if you don't use it for a while I don't wear very many white shirts but I know what you're talking about yeah this function helps to keep shirts White ultra fine bubbles get right between fibers to remove dirt and grease so a white shirt will not turn yellow even if it's set aside for a year this technique was developed in Japan and Japanese machines have various other unique functions like a bathwater feature for example you probably won't see this anywhere else in Japan a bther gets clean outside the bathtub then simply soaks in the bath water which stays clean the bathwater feature lets you reuse that water top loading machines use 70 to 80 L of water quite a lot but that's roughly how much you need to fill a Japanese bathtub this feature Echoes when people used to conserve water by pouring water into early washing machines so these new machines inherit that tradition front loaders are a popular choice worldwide they too feature various Japanese Innovations these ones incorporate AI technology they weigh the laundry you put inside right they automatically add detergent mhm then they detect how dirty the laundry is and adjust the washing time how do they sense how dirty or not the clothes are they measure the water's transparency wow and then let's say the dirt is stubborn it isn't washing away and the water isn't turning clear the machines will add more time and keep washing H they're really smart the machines can be connected to your phone that way you can check on progress and see when the laundry will be [Music] done Japanese front loaders take care of everything from washing to drying the highlights include a special feature that makes the laundry itself look great with a regular front loader shirts end up with lots of wrinkles yeah of course with these machines they look iron and how do they do that by applying a large volume of air that's how they do it imagine pulling your wet clothes tort with your bare hands okay that's what the machine can do huh moving on some clothes are waterproof ski wear and some so on oh yes eventually they stop repelling water it starts to soak in right the ability to repel water is called the Lotus effect a Lotus Leaf is covered in countless protrusions water cannot seep in droplets just roll off the surface with water repellent clothing tiny hairs function in the same way but their condition deteriorates over time this washing machine restores the water repellent qualities of the clothing surface do you know how it does that well it heats the clothes at a certain temperature the hairs are restored to their former position and once again they can repel water that's how it works we asked a salesperson which features are in demand in Japan this automatic input system is quite popular you fill the containers with detergent and fabric softener then the machine itself decides how much to use depending on the amount of laundry around the world the history of laundry is as long as the history of clothing itself in Japan an in the centuries before detergent clothes were mainly Washed by hand in a river in the 8th Century people began using Bean Pots and berries as a rudimentary detergent these ingredients generated foam that had a cleaning effect in the 16th century soap arrived on ships from Portugal it was a luxury commodity though available only to the ruling Elite most people back then were washing their clothes using plant extracts Li and the water left over from washing [Music] rice in modern times washing machines evolved quickly in the west they made a significant impact on everyday routines in 1908 the world's first electric washing machine was launched in the USA here it is 14 years later it was imported to Japan its advantages were noted and research began in 1930 Japan's first electric washing machine went on sale but it cost the equivalent of six months wages for an office worker it was far too expensive for most people in the west laundry habits were changing rapidly but in Japan most people still washed clothes by hand using a washboard and a tub of water that was hard work it wasn't until the 1950s that Japanese companies began focusing in Earnest on electric models they tried to outdo each other and competition was fierce prices dropped dramatically and more people could now afford a washing machine the hard work of washing clothes by hand finally started to become a thing of the past rectangular machines were both effective and compact perfect for Japan's relatively small homes they were a huge hit the washing machine joined the television and the refrigerator in a trio of must-have household items for the whole nation to find out how modern Japanese washing machines are made we're off to a state-of-the-art factory tree let's dive into the drum these Factory assembly lines are really fascinating to watch aren't they yeah so this is the drum from the front loading washing machine yeah right it's the drum they're actually made over there oh shall we have a look sure here comes a drum the surface is flat right uhhuh it's then pressed to generate a diamond pattern yeah you see it that strengthens the drum and makes the washing process much more effective why does the diamond pattern make the washing more effective it rubs against the laundry oh many people living in Japanese apartments and Condominiums strive to be good neighbors and noise can be a source of complaints this is the base of the machine oh right okay in Japan many washing machines are used in apartment blocks they need to operate quietly and so they're equipped with a suspension system like in a car oh that's what these things are so when it's doing the spin drying and it shakes a lot that's where these things kick in the drum we saw earlier is attached here it hangs down on two Springs it's just like a car suspension it's the same idea as a shock absorber wow the factory showroom traces the evolution of Japanese washing machines over the years let's start with this one wow a real antique it really is oh wow it's a washing machine from 1951 you put in your laundry and a liquid detergent then the central agitator turns back and forth to wash your clothes okay at the time it cost 53,000 yen in today's terms that would be around million yen who okay so you'd have to work several months in order to be able to buy one of these back in 1951 which was when I was born okay here's the next phase the first washing machine I can remember having in our family was one pretty much like this you can turn this handle to squeeze the laundry through these rollers oh they come out the side oh okay so that's actually more advanced than the one we had next a more developed model this is 1970s there's a part for washing and a part for spinning oh the spin dryers okay yeah it's a twin tub washer so you can be washing this side and spinning on this side at the same time so if you need to do multiple washes during the day now let's move on to a later washing machine this one is from the 1980s the two functions have been combined you can wash and spin dry your clothes in the same compartment you adjust it using this style H you can select what you're washing oh I see blouses and sweaters gloves and socks wow it's almost like working a radio in fact wow so this is the 1980s and 10 years on we're getting ah this is looking when we get to this stage we start to see digital displays with lights for different settings okay at that time the fuzzy setting was quite popular yeah I never understood fuzzy it's kind of a whatever setting sensors would identify different stains and adjust accordingly AI if you like okay I don't think people were talking about AI yet in the 1990s perhaps but okay yeah next this one it's from the 2000s a washing machine combined with a dryer that generates Heat this was the world's first top loading washer dryer ah yeah in the 2000s we finally get to this okay when you look back starting from the9 1950s the evolution of these machines is really quite remarkable isn't it and these days most Japanese people do their washing almost every day I would say Japan can be hot and humid very sweaty ah in the summer yes definitely clothing can feel very uncomfortable and it doesn't smell nice so we do a lot of laundry also a lot of people suffer from pollen allergies in the 1950s huge numbers of Japanese Cedars were planted it said that in Japan around 30 million people are allergic to the pollen it's a serious problem pollen gets into your clothes and it can disperse through the rooms of your home so soon after they get home many people wash their clothes it's interesting I mean there's nobody in our family has pollen allergies so that's something I just hadn't thought of of course if you have that problem and millions of people in Japan do then then it's a serious thing you have to deal with h here's one more Factor there's a cultural aspect to washing in Japan bad behavior is seen as something that sticks to you it's like dirt an unclean body is regarded as inappropriate if you intend to pray at a shrine and so on there's a long tradition in Japan of spiritual and physical cleansing in many forms I think that custom led to the tendency in Japan to wash clothes frequently all right okay [Music] hello everyone and welcome to plus one I'm Kyle card when one thinks of washing machines clothing often comes to mind but here in Japan they've invented a very special washing machine that washes people let's go check it out hello hello how do you do I'm great and yourself I'm Kyle hi I heard that you have a washing machine for people here is that correct yes please take a look all right thank you the human washing machine this is the human washing machine yes wow looks like something out of a science fiction movie This is actually a mockup for display purposes development is still underway the completed device will be showcased in 202 at the World Expo in Oraka I can have a seat yes okay it's like a spaceship you get inside oh okay shut the door and it fills with fine bubbles fine bubbles from head to toe it cleans you it's entirely automatic really at the same time it assesses your condition using AI it could do all of that by just sitting in this in this washing machine W and images will be displayed on the screens around you you don't simply get clean it's also mentally refreshing so just by sitting in this machine I can cleanse my my body heart and mind yes wow the device has many eco-friendly Hightech features think of this as a bath okay it looks like you're blowing in a Mist these are actually micro bubbles micro bubbles okay microbubbles have a diameter of no more than 0.1 mm they can remove dirt from pores in the skin no soap is required you permanent marker oh permanent marker okay oh put out your hand uh no oh keep your fist closed okay this worries me let's begin Kyle's hand is washed with micro bubbles for 20 seconds without soap yeah wow done well I have to say with just a little bit of a water rinse it uh the majority has gone away that's very impressive wow so I have to ask why did you decide to create a washing machine for people well in 1970 a World Expo was held in Osaka and one of the exhibits was in fact a human washing machine I was in my fourth year at elementary school I thought the future is amazing a human washing machine that thought has stayed with me ever since my whole life and now 55 years later Another World Expo is scheduled to take place in Osaka so I decided to Mark the occasion with a futuristic human washing machine that's the story Ah that's wonderful to hear something you experienced when you were young and you wanted to update it for the future right okay [Music] the psychological aspect of the machine is being studied at Osaka University Kyle is going to experience it firsthand just this way all right is the water warm enough yeah nice temp oh okay let's turn it okay micro bubbles begin filling the tub I've turned into a nice uh White soup here it's hard to believe these are all like micro bubbles turning the water white this is amazing it feels a bit tingly too so what is this video I'm watching here in this video you're moving through a Forest our software is keeping track of your autonomic nervous system in the future AI will use that data to select different visuals sounds and vibrations all tailored to the individual user ah so it just takes all of your personal data and just kind of like it creates your own personalized experience essentially so where are you getting all this data from it's collected through the seat you're sitting on so what is my data showing right now your heart rate is currently about 70 to 80 beats per minute so you're very relaxed the system uses your pulse to assess stress and fatigue then presents an appropriate video and this this video here is like going through a a forest is like I can only imagine like what this is going to grow into with AI and just have that personalized relaxation experience like I have so much hope and excitement for the future of this technology this just if this is this relaxing now I can't wait for the [Applause] [Music] future as we've seen with these washing machines Japanese products tend to come with all kinds of different features and I think most Japanese consumers just take them for granted which consumers in other countries perhaps wouldn't to a great extent I wonder how much demand there is for these products outside Japan in China the Philippines the Middle East and so on models exported from Japan are available but so are other Japanese models made locally Al so they the models are different from the domestic ones they're different from the sold in Japan for example in India they eat a lot of Curry turmeric stains are really difficult to remove so Indian washing machines have a function just for that they put these features in just for India they do also in the Middle East many women wear a garment called an Abaya oh it's made from very thin Fabric and often features a stylish decorative hem in a washing machine a buyers are very easily damaged so there's a special mode that emulates a gentle hand wash well I had no idea that they're thinking up all these different features for different countries huh interesting looking at all these models Through The Years every time a new one comes out it's kind of state-ofthe-art for its time today we've seen washing machines with all sorts of different features they can make clothing water repellent again stylish garments that you'd previously take to the dry cleaners can now be washed at home that's true yes yeah one characteristic of Japanese washing machines is attention to detail I think the devices produced here can compete with anything made anywhere else I'm sure that eventually we'll reach the point where the laundry comes out folded well I'm sure if it did that there would be plenty of people that would welcome it thank you very much thank you it was my pleasure

Channel: NHK WORLD-JAPAN

Views: 139,402

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Id: DFBhbsXpiXE

Length: 28min 5sec (1685 seconds)

Published: Tue Jun 04 2024