Why do the Japanese still have video recorders when the rest of the world has switched to Panasonic and Sony DVD players?
Due to the way the video rental shops work, their shelves are still full of videos and you might not be able to get want you want on DVD- especially as reissues are still quite rare.
Why were Minidisks so popular in Japan?
The main reason was that they coincided with a big consumer boom in Japan, the time when you could find 2 year old working TVs and stereos on the street and people would buy almost anything that was new. They did serve a function, however. For one thing, it is taboo to wear a backpack inside a train due to overcrowding, so a walkman needs to be compact enough to fit in a pocket. The small size can also be a help in Japanese homes. As tapes disappeared much quicker in Japan than elsewhere, it was also the only way most people had of recording music.
Why do the Japanese still use upright washing machines with cold water?
Uprights take up a lot less space- you don’t need room to open a door or crouch down in front of it. Not sure about the cold water- expensive heating bills?
