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400th anniversary of the company’s founding Castella Honke Fukusaya

  • May 10, 2024
#trademark

　I often see companies that are celebrating their “100th anniversary”, but I rarely see companies that are celebrating their “200th” or “300th anniversary”. The company I would like to introduce this time, Castella Honke Fukusaya, will celebrate its 400th anniversary in 2024.

　In 1624, the year of the company’s foundation, the Tokugawa Shogunate banned the arrival of Spanish ships and broke off diplomatic relations with Spain. That was a long time ago.
　At the time of its foundation, the company was dealing in sugar and rice, but it started making castella and other Nanban confectionery, which was handed down from the Portuguese. At present, it mainly sells castella cake.

　The other day I bought a lovely castella cake called ‘Fukusaya Cube’. The small cube-shaped box contains two slices of castella cake and is just the right size to eat up in one sitting. The box pattern is seasonally adapted to match the season, making it a limited edition seasonal product.

Fukusaya Cube

　According to my research, these castella cakes are made from start to finish by a one baker and are additive-free. The taste is elegantly sweet and it is ideal for giving away individually.

　Since the 12th generation of Seitaro in the Meiji era, the company has held an annual ‘egg memorial service’ in May every year to thank the eggs and make an offering to them, as well as to teach them to treat things with care and to pray for the health of their employees and the development of the company’s business. I felt that the company has continued to be a long-established business for 400 years because it has always maintained this kind of sincere attitude.
(Time)

Registered trademark: フクサヤキューブ＼FUKUSAYACUBE
Japanese Registration number: No. 5385297
Date of registration: 21 January 2011
Right Holder: Castella Honke Fukusaya Co.
(J-PlatPat)
https://www.j-platpat.inpit.go.jp/c1801/TR/JP-2010-051409/40/en

Heating oil, Jet Fuel and Rocket Fuel ~Kerosene~

  • May 2, 2024
#Inventions of the Day

　I would like to introduce an invention related to today(May 2). May 2 is the date of birth of Abraham Pineo Gesner (1797.5.2-1864.4.29), a Canadian inventor and geologist.

　Abraham Gesner was an inventor and geologist who, in 1842, discovered the first fossils in the Miguasha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

　And in 1846, Abraham Gessner, later called the father of the petroleum industry, refined a new oil for lighting by dry distillation of coal on Prince Edward Island, which he named kerosene. Also in the 1850s, Abraham Gessner invented a treatment process to distill kerosene from petroleum.

Abraham Pineo Gesner
(Photo taken from University of Toronto, Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 9)
Loris S. Russell, “GESNER, ABRAHAM,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 9, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed April 11, 2024, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/gesner_abraham_9E.html.

　Petroleum products made primarily from kerosene include heating oil, jet fuel, and kerosene-based rocket fuel. Kerosene is a purer and less watery version of heating oil, so even at 10,000 meters above the ground, it appears to be able to be used as fuel for airplanes without freezing.

　I have seen my grandparents use heating oil stoves in the 1990s and 2000s. heating oil stoves are powerful and can boil water in a kettle or bake rice cakes, in addition to the heating function. Electric stoves are also good, but heating oil stoves, which do not use electricity, offer high thermal efficiency and can also be used during power outages. In the long history of mankind, we are grateful to our predecessors for their inventions that have enriched people’s lives with the times. (Raspberry)

Oil Pioneers”, author Katsutoshi Murakami, Ronsosha, 1996
JAXA official community site (Japanese only): https://fanfun.jaxa.jp

Hakata Amaou

  • April 24, 2024
#trademark

　The other day, I received a tax return gift from a municipality in Fukuoka Prefecture to which I donated last year. They are “Hakata Amaou” strawberries.

Hakata Amaou

　My children were delighted with the bright red, large strawberries. They ate them in no time.
　The name “Amaou” is said to stand for the initial letters of the words “red, round, large, and delicious,” which represent the characteristics of this strawberry (variety), as well as a wish that it will become the king of sweet strawberries.

Hakata Amaou

　“Hakata Amaou” is the brand name used by the JA Group in Fukuoka Prefecture for sales, and is registered as a trademark (Japanese Trademark Registration No. 5042710) for “fruits” and other designated products. “Amaou” was also registered as a trademark for the designated goods such as fruits before “Hakata Amaou” (Japanese Trademark Registration No. 4615573).
　Under the Trademark Law, the name of the variety cannot be registered as a trademark, but in the case of “Amaou,” the application for variety registration was filed before the product name was decided, so the variety name (“Fukuoka S6”) and the product name (“Amaou”) were different, and as a result, “Amaou” could be registered as a trademark and the brand could be improved. This resulted in the registration of “Amaou” as a trademark, and also led to brand enhancement (Hiro).

Hakata Amaou website
Amaou (Wikipedia: Japanese only)

Nice cookie can

  • April 19, 2024
#design

It’s me, Swimmer.
I got cookies from a popular confectionery store.

cookie can

I knew there was a line at the department store in Nagoya station in the morning, but I was very happy when I got them because they were an item that I couldn’t buy until much further in advance even if I made a reservation.

The tin cans seem to be very popular these days, and there are websites that sell only the cans, as well as people who buy the goods for the cans that hold them. The cookie can I got from a store this time also has a very elegant design using letters, and the cookies are delicious. I am thinking about what I will use it for after I finish eating them.

The tinplate often used for cookie can is made by covering the surface of a steel plate with tin. Tin has long been used for toys and food products because it is less susceptible to corrosion than iron.
We are happy to be able to eat delicious sweets thanks to the wisdom of our ancestors.

Café Tanaka Website (Japanese only)
Tinning – Wikipedia

Iiyokan shika shinai! (Translation: I have only a good feeling about this!)

  • April 10, 2024
#trademark

The other day, I received some sweets with a rather unusual name. It is a souvenir from Ehime　Prefecture, and its name is “I~yokan shika shinai!”.

Iiyokan shika shinai! (I have only a good feeling about this!)

I~yokan shika shinai! is a flavorful madeleine filled with the peel and juice of Iyokan citrus produced in Ehime Prefecture, and is a product of Ichiroku Co., Ltd, a well-known confectionery in Shikoku and Ehime known for its Ichiroku Tart. I don’t think an explanation is necessary, but it is a combination of “Iyokan” and “iiyokan” which meaning good feeling.

Iiyokan shika shinai! (I have only a good feeling about this!)

Actually, I had known about this product for a long time and thought it was a bright and bold name. The fact that it is limited and emphasized with “shika(only)” is also good.

I was definitely going to buy it when I go on a trip to Ehime, but I realized that this is a great name for a souvenir that makes you feel happy when you receive it. Because I have only a good feeling about it!
Naming is very important. I have a feeling that something good will happen. (Syszo)

I~yokan shika shinai! is a registered trademark (J-PlatPat).
Would you like to protect your company’s important product or service name by registering it as a trademark?
Please feel free to contact us for further information and consultation.

Shisa Day

  • April 3, 2024
#design #trademark

April 3 is Shisa Day because of the Japanese syllabary that reads “Shi” (4) and “Sa” (3).
The name “Shisa” is pronounced “shishi(lion)” in Okinawan dialect, and it is said that Shisa has the meaning of driving away evil spirits.

When I visited Okinawa last year on a family vacation, I saw Shisa in many places.
The most impressive shisa was the “Tsuboya Ufu Shisa” near our hotel. “Ufu” means “big” or “large” in Okinawan dialect.

Tsuboya Ufu Shisa (Tsuboya Big Shisa)

A search of J-Plat Pat for items related to the Shisa in the intellectual property field yielded 33 hits for designs related to Shisa figurines and 12 hits for the trademark “Shisa”.(Rabbit)

The Tale of Genji and copyright

  • March 27, 2024
#copyright

　This year’s 2024 Japanese historical drama ‘Dear Radiance, Hikaru Kimi e’ features Murasaki Shikibu, known for her Tale of Genji and other works. Murasaki Shikibu was a poet and writer from the mid-Heian period, whose actual name and exact date of birth and death are not known. However, the term of copyright protection is 70 years after her death, so enough time has passed since the Heian period, and literary works from the Heian period, such as The Tale of Genji, are not copyrighted and are in the public domain. Therefore, they can be adapted into manga form, such as ‘Dreams at Dawn, Asakiyumemishi’ by Waki Yamato. Of course, even though the copyright on The Tale of Genji has expired, the copyright on ‘Asakiyumemishi’ exists.

The Tale of Genji Asakiyumemishi

　The Tale of Genji has also been translated into many modern Japanese versions. Recently, it has been probably best known for its translations by Jakucho Setouchi and Mitsuyo Kakuta. The translator holds the copyright to the modern translations. On the other hand, the translations of The Tale of Genji by Yosano Akiko and Tanizaki Junichiro, both of whom died over 70 years ago, are in the public domain and can be read at the Aozora Bunko. The Tanizaki Junichiro translation is listed as a ‘work in progress’ and could not yet be read.
　I think it would be interesting to take this opportunity to read and compare various modern Japanese translations of The Tale of Genji, but I would like to start by trying again to read ‘Asakayumemishi’, which I failed to finish when I was a student. (Marron)

Guinomi and Masu

  • March 26, 2024
#patent

　We would like to introduce a product related to a patent obtained at our firm (Hattori & Partners) on behalf of our client. They are “Guinomi” ,a sake cup and “Masu” , a square wooden container or measure.　The “Masu” can be used to measure the mass of sake or rice, and can also be used as a sake container.

Guinomi and Masu

　Furthermore, if a lid is attached, it can be used as a wooden box for storing the sake cup as a sake container. Sake drinkers can choose to use the Masu as a container for holding sake, or they can choose to use the sake cups taken out of the Masu box as a sake drinking container. Full of good things !(^^)!

Guinomi and Masu

　You can also enjoy choosing the Masu or the Guinomi according to your mood at the time. To give a gift, you can change the shape and design of the Guinomi to match the taste of the person giving or receiving it.
　This is a thoughtful, elegant, and chic gift for those who are interested in sake. How about this versatile and multifunctional souvenir?

Guinomi and Masu

　In these days of the sake boom, this is a collection of ideas for promoting sake. Japanese Patent Registration No. 7190194 is an example of how a simple, everyday idea can be patented. Furthermore, this product was produced to support Tanegashima pottery. (rice ball)

Braille blocks

  • March 18, 2024
#Inventions of the Day

　I introduce an invention closely associated with today, 18 March. This time I would like to introduce Braille blocks. 18 March is designated as ‘Braille Block Day’, in honor of the world’s first Braille block, which was installed in 1967.

Braille blocks

　Although we often see Braille blocks, they have become part of our everyday scenery and we may not be particularly aware of them. At a time when social awareness is changing, with the Japan Patent Attorneys Association declaring its commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion(PDF), I did a little research, as a matter of self-discipline.

　It seems that Braille blocks are officially called blocks for guiding the visually impaired, tactile paving. Needless to say, they provide the visually impaired with the information they need to walk, and are laid on pavements and floors.

　Braille blocks were invented in 1965 by Seiichi Miyake, the first chairman of the Traffic Safety Research Center. On 18 March 1967, Braille blocks were installed for the first time in the world near the pedestrian crossing at the Haraoshima intersection on the old national Route 2 near the Okayama School for the Blind, leading to the establishment of ‘Braille Block Day’, which was introduced at the beginning of this article.

　Due to their usefulness, Braille blocks have been adopted and installed in many countries. In 2012, the first international standard for Braille blocks, ISO 23599, seems to have been developed.

　I thank our ancestors for inventions like the Braille block and hope that many more such inventions will be created in the future to make the world a better place to live for everyone. (blink)

Echizen Railway

  • March 13, 2024
#trademark

Last year I travelled to Fukui Prefecture.
Fukui is called the Dinosaur Kingdom. I saw many things about dinosaurs both inside and outside JR Fukui Station.

During my trip, I had the opportunity to ride on the “Echizen Railway”, a regional railway that runs through Fukui Prefecture.
The exterior of Fukui Station on the Echizen Railway is a soothing red color, and the interior of the station building is made from lots of wood, making it a very nice station building.

Echizen Railway

IC cards are not accepted, so I bought a ticket and boarded the train.

Echizen Railway Echizen Railway

I rode only two stations this time, but the “Echizen Railway” has the Katsuyama Eiheiji Line heading towards Eiheiji and Katsuyama and the Mikuni Awara Line heading towards Awara Onsen, which seems convenient for sightseeing. Next time, I would like to take the “Echizen Railway” and tour around Fukui Prefecture at a leisurely pace.

“Echizen Railway” and the mark, which appears to be a graphic representation of the letter E, were registered as a trademark on 5 September 2003 for the designated services, including “transport by rail” (Japanese Registration No. 4706690, Registration No. 4706691).
(Sakuramochi)

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