Tweet
Follow @asianbeat_en

This is super high level stuff! This is a field that requires funds, but also demands a great deal of skill. The focus of this installment is "CRAFT HOUSE Tenjin," a shop where you can experience anything from traditional handicrafts to the most current crafts out there. By providing customers with the chance to engage in various kinds of handicrafts, develop their skills, train with experts and buy materials in store, they truly offer an enjoyable "handmade lifestyle." Roughly speaking, this place falls somewhere between a craft shop and DIY store. And with the huge amount of materials in stock, it has a vibe somewhat similar to that of Tokyu Hands. But they don't just sell bits and pieces, they also run a kind of workshop classroom, where you can experience the joy of making things. You might be thinking what's so "super high level" about this, but there are not many stores in Fukuoka that deal with the hobby of robotics!

It looks just like a normal store, but when you go inside...
The store began to deal with hobby robots having initially offered support for handmade crafts. They still do that now, but initially they specialized in selling materials that you would need for making things. They sold all kinds of goods, such as the resin used in manufacturing. Then one day, they got a huge order for resin from a university laboratory. And after inquiring what it was being used for, they were shocked to find out that it was for a robot's outer layer/surface. It seems that from that point on they became interested in robots and selling both the exterior, as well as interior parts together. After checking around, they found out that the two legged robot "KHR-2HV" had been released from Kondo Kagaku Co.,Ltd. and decided to start dabbling in robots. When it comes to the hobby of robotics, the rules for manufacturers say that you cannot deal if you do not have some knowledge of the goods. This is to ensure that the staff can answer questions or inquiries and are able to communicate with the customers. After a great deal of effort and enthusiasm, they were able to get clear on the topics and finally deal in hobby robots.

From the outer shell, to the resin, you'll find all the essentials you need for making things!
With a cool look and gestures to boot, here is the super popular "MANOI PF01!"
The present day is a time that has seen "humanoid robot (human-shaped robots)," which we only could dream about when I was a youngster, leaping out of the world of anime and manga to actually become a part of reality. (This is easy to understand just from looking at the image of "Pepper" in the Softbank commercials.) However, it is not widely known that humanoid robots can be enjoyed on an individual level, too. Indeed, there is a great deal of fun to be had with robots, which possessing two legs, can walk, run and dance just like humans. When it comes to hobby robots, you can assemble them using your own hands, as well as create and program an an original set of movements, known as motions.

And there's so much more, by customizing the exterior and adding extra functions, you can really take your creation to the next level! A basic set is around 120,000 yen. The next step is to really go to town by spending extra on making the frame lighter, increasing the power of the motor, or applying resin to the exterior body. The price range is beyond what most younger children can afford and that's why a lot of people first get into it at around university student age. The most popular items currently on sale include items from the "KHR (Kondo Kagaku Co.,Ltd.)" series, which are ideal for beginners, easy to put together and have an abundance of sample motions, as well as the "MANOI (KYOSHO CORPORATION)" series that you will find in character suits designed by the robot creator Tomotaka Takahashi. With competitions gaining in popularity, there are lots of kinds tournaments taking place, including "ROBO-ONE," which focuses on hand-to-hand fighting between two-legged robots, as well as "Robocon," a robot competition for technical colleges across the country that puts different ideas up against each other. Each year the number of participants continues to increase and it seems that those who "graduate" from Robocon usually end up getting hooked on robots that walk on two legs!

Here's something… With regards to the movement or "walk" of two-legged robots… As soon as one foot leaves the ground, it kind of suspends in mid-air. Just try and imagine how a human walks! With one foot raised, the other starts to move off the floor, the floating foot then drops back down… The legs move in this rotary motion… And this action is then repeated again and again. This is the kind of thing that these so-called two-legged robots are capable of doing. And that's what hobby robots is all about. It might seem straight forward to walk on two legs, but it's actually pretty tricky. For a moving robot, it is very difficult to get the balance right when the center of gravity is constantly shifting! The level of technology used for hobby robots goes beyond what you would usually think of for a pastime and that's why there is a kind of understanding that the price of getting into it generally exceeds the cost of other hobbies.

We are now in an age where you can enjoy cool robots like this in your own home!
You might well have a few questions, such as "Isn't it really difficult to make a robot?," "How do you even go about enjoying this kind of thing?," or "Is it something that only people who are into science can enjoy?," but there's absolutely no need to worry. It's not more than just a shop selling hobby robots... They also work towards raising awareness and teaching people about this great activity. Providing somewhere for hobby robot enthusiasts in Kyushu to exchange information, share ideas and train their robots, the Kyushu Robot Renshu-kai (Practice Group) meets once a month at Robosquare, who also host and run several events, such as the YOKA Robo Matsuri (Festival). If you're interested in robots, be sure to visit their facebook page! (https://www.facebook.com/kyu.ren.robot)

3D printers can even make these kinds of figurines with relative ease!
Not just focusing on hobby robots, which seem to be popular with men, it seems that they have recently been putting a lot of energy into the field of digital crafts. Their 3D printing service is particularly worth checking out. Right now there are lots of free blueprints and designs for this kind of thing on the internet, so anyone can experience creating a model without too much stress. Enjoy making something from scratch, or try your hand at putting together a cutting edge robot; this is certainly a shop where you can enjoy both old and new Japanese handicrafts, so why not stop by with all the family?