We’ve had another fun week here at SD, doing our best to bring you interesting tech stories going down in Japan. But in case you missed any of it, here’s a wrap up below. If you’d like to get this weekly summary plus other bonus content, we hope you’ll check out our shiny new newsletter here.
See original story in Japanese. Base is a Tokyo startup that provides an easy-to-implement e-commerce platform. It was born from Project Liverty, a tech savvy team led by serial entrepreneur Kazuma Ieiri. On Friday, the service added a new feature called BASE apps, allowing users to set up a shop under their own domain name. it also includes SEO (search engine optimization), and packaging material that merchants can use when shipping. With the exception of credit card surcharges, the service is provided completely free, and that includes these new features. The company’s CEO Yuta Tsuruoka explains that they will gradually add new features week by week, such as logo design, the ability to offer limited time discounts to customers, and even photo shoots for merchandise. Following Shopify’s successful ‘plug-in strategy’ Base was inspired by Shopify, the third-ranked e-commerce platform behind Amazon and eBay in terms of transaction volume (about $1 billion) in the US. In contrast to competitors, Shopify generates its revenue partially from plug-in usage. Essentially this means that when you add features or services to your e-shop, you will be requested to pay extra. Yuta adds: In the US, many merchants who have their e-shops on multi-tenant e-commerce…
Base is a Tokyo startup that provides an easy-to-implement e-commerce platform. It was born from Project Liverty, a tech savvy team led by serial entrepreneur Kazuma Ieiri. On Friday, the service added a new feature called BASE apps, allowing users to set up a shop under their own domain name. it also includes SEO (search engine optimization), and packaging material that merchants can use when shipping.
With the exception of credit card surcharges, the service is provided completely free, and that includes these new features. The company’s CEO Yuta Tsuruoka explains that they will gradually add new features week by week, such as logo design, the ability to offer limited time discounts to customers, and even photo shoots for merchandise.
Following Shopify’s successful ‘plug-in strategy’
Base was inspired by Shopify, the third-ranked e-commerce platform behind Amazon and eBay in terms of transaction volume (about $1 billion) in the US. In contrast to competitors, Shopify generates its revenue partially from plug-in usage. Essentially this means that when you add features or services to your e-shop, you will be requested to pay extra. Yuta adds:
In the US, many merchants who have their e-shops on multi-tenant e-commerce platforms have [not been doing well], and they are now moving to marketplace platforms. I really want this shift to come to Japan.
The startup’s plug-ins motivate small merchants and even individuals to open shops online. They also provide outsourced logistics service for merchants, and plan to provide vendor-managed inventory services. You can order logo design or a website template from partnering crowdsourced services via the Base platform.
Among the available plug-ins, some allow goods producers to even offer to develop merchandise for you. See apps.thebase.in to learn more about what features they provide.
Monetizing the payment process
Does the Base platform fully drive its business only with these plug-ins? Yuta says the answer is no:
During the testing period, we’ve seen merchants were using our platform in many different ways. Some merchants were selling web services, digital content, or other non-tangible services on the platform. It shows us there’s e-commerce potential far beyond just merchandise distribution. That’s the key for making our business successful, I believe.
He aspires to make this into another Paypal, as opposed to the next Rakuten or Amazon. The Base platform aspires to handle not only merchandise logistics but also monetary transactions between merchants and shoppers which may generate a huge volume of commission.
The e-commerce platform has acquired more than 23,000 merchants in the four months since its launch, where a variety of items ranging from luxury furniture to show tickets are being sold. The average price per customer reaches around 3,500 yen (around $35).
In January, the startup fundraised 23 million yen ($230,000) from Partyfactory, East Ventures, and several angel investors. We’ll keep you updated about how their business further grows from here.
I started playing Puzzle & Dragons a few months back. Or at least, that was my first serious look at it [1]. Prior to that, I had picked it up for a few plays only to put it down just as fast. It’s a game that takes a little bit of time to get into, and in the English version the help menu isn’t really an adequate primer for what the game has in store. And while I’ve come to really love the game, I think it can be tricky for newcomers. What follows is a short explanation of what I’ve learned about the game so far, as well as what I wish I knew when I first picked it up. The mechanics of the puzzle is not immediately apparent to start. If you haven’t tried the game yet, I’ve included a short video explainer above to help you get the gist of how to recognize basic orb patterns that can quickly be solved, and once you master those, you can move on to more advanced techniques [2]. Looking ahead to possible combinations makes the game feel somewhat chess-like sometimes, in that you need to plan ahead to execute your…
I started playing Puzzle & Dragons a few months back. Or at least, that was my first serious look at it [1]. Prior to that, I had picked it up for a few plays only to put it down just as fast. It’s a game that takes a little bit of time to get into, and in the English version the help menu isn’t really an adequate primer for what the game has in store. And while I’ve come to really love the game, I think it can be tricky for newcomers. What follows is a short explanation of what I’ve learned about the game so far, as well as what I wish I knew when I first picked it up.
The mechanics of the puzzle is not immediately apparent to start. If you haven’t tried the game yet, I’ve included a short video explainer above to help you get the gist of how to recognize basic orb patterns that can quickly be solved, and once you master those, you can move on to more advanced techniques [2]. Looking ahead to possible combinations makes the game feel somewhat chess-like sometimes, in that you need to plan ahead to execute your moves within the limited time you have. I used to be a chess fanatic, and perhaps that’s why this game appeals to me so much.
It’s also not at all obvious for a beginner how to best power up and evolve your monsters. While it’s important to save magic stones to try to get rare eggs from the machine, you’ll find in later levels that in order to acquire evolution material for specific cards, you need to find out in which dungeons you can acquire it. You could keep playing until you stumble across it, or you could check one of online databases for the game that are out there.
I still don’t fully understand evolving monsters and building teams, and there are lots of other resources out there that you might want to check out to learn more about that. But I do like that the depth of the game and the fact that I’ve been casually playing for months and there’s still so much more to learn.
Everybody must get stones
Spend a magic stone to continue?
Why Puzzle & Dragons has been such a money-maker for GungHo Entertainment? It’s all about the magic stones, the games currency. You’re occasionally awarded a stone, or simply given one as a gift upon login – but no matter how you get them, you probably ought to save them to either expand your monster box (in early stages especially) or to take a shot at the rare egg machine.
But the game draws on the same money-making principle of video game arcades back in the 70s and 80s: insert coin to continue. And sometimes after you’ve played a long round only to lose to a tough boss, you’ll be tempted to spend a magic stone to continue. Or, if you have no magic stones, you’ll be very tempted to buy one.
As a personal rule, I try not to spend any money on any virtual goods in games [3], and I’m really glad that the game isn’t crippled as a result. Game play isn’t really hampered at all, in fact. I don’t think I’m a hardcore fan of the game, but I do pick up the game daily, which is more frequent than any other mobile game.
What day is it, anyway?
Puzzle & Dragons has special dungeons available on certain days of the week. On the weekend for example, you earn more coins than usual, which can then be used to pay for power ups later on. Thursday is a fun day for me as it awards wood monsters, and I’m working on building a wood team. But this pattern of recurring in-game events is a pretty brilliant strategy from GungHo. Gamers look forward to the weekend when they can rack up lots of coins, or to special events during the week when there might be an increased chance of finding a rare monster. There are events on special occasions too, like a recent easter event, or the current spring event which just started.
No doubt gamers who take Puzzles & Dragons more seriously may find the information above somewhat trivial or obvious. But I think since the English version of the game still hasn’t come close to being popular on the US app charts, I thought I’d pass on a little information about why I like it so much. Besides the fun of the puzzles alone, there’s a lot of enjoyment to be had in collecting rare monsters and building a team. I enjoy the card battle genre, and P&D has all the right elements of that, I think.
Anyway, if you’d like to learn more about the game, I’ve included some more resources below. Some of them are deeper than you’ll need starting out, but keep them on hand for when you start to get hooked. If you have any advice to give I’d be delighted to hear it, so don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.
Note that I’m referring to the US/English version of Puzzle & Dragons, as opposed to the Japanese version. ↩
Some of the tutorials that exist on the net seem to indicate tactics that are far more complex than my simple video demo. I look forward to diving deeper and learning more. ↩
The money I spend in the Apple Store is usually on text editors or, more recently, on the very expensive Dragon Dictate, which I used to write this post. ↩
What is the major difference between Japan’s wildly popular Line chat app and Facebook Messenger? It’s stamps. But not anymore, thanks to a Tokyo-based company called Pickles. The company just released a chat app called Stamp Messenger which brings stamps into your Facebook chat — provided you use their app. Users can simply log into Stamp Messenger using their Facebook credentials, and then send messages and stamps to Facebook friends. Of course, the recipient must also have the app to view the stamps — but if they don’t, they’ll simply see a link to the stamp image (along with a link to the app!) instead of the stamp itself. There are over 88 kinds of free stamps available. And over on the stamp store, there have been some stamps created in collaboration with companies, like the Kanpai stamps that were created with Asahi Beer. Considering that many Facebook users in Japan are working professionals, I’m sure they’ll find these Kanpai stamps convenient as they finish up their work day! This first version of the app seems decent, although we did run into some issues with duplicate messages. But it’s a pretty great idea, one that perhaps Facebook should have tried…
What is the major difference between Japan’s wildly popular Line chat app and Facebook Messenger? It’s stamps. But not anymore, thanks to a Tokyo-based company called Pickles. The company just released a chat app called Stamp Messenger which brings stamps into your Facebook chat — provided you use their app.
Users can simply log into Stamp Messenger using their Facebook credentials, and then send messages and stamps to Facebook friends. Of course, the recipient must also have the app to view the stamps — but if they don’t, they’ll simply see a link to the stamp image (along with a link to the app!) instead of the stamp itself.
There are over 88 kinds of free stamps available. And over on the stamp store, there have been some stamps created in collaboration with companies, like the Kanpai stamps that were created with Asahi Beer. Considering that many Facebook users in Japan are working professionals, I’m sure they’ll find these Kanpai stamps convenient as they finish up their work day!
This first version of the app seems decent, although we did run into some issues with duplicate messages. But it’s a pretty great idea, one that perhaps Facebook should have tried itself. Check out our video demo below to get a better idea of how the app works.
Stamp Messenger is currently available on iOS, and will soon be released on Android as well.
Typically graduating students in Japan begin their job-hunting process in the fall in their junior year, and spend around six months to a year searching for the best employer. The state of economy certainly has has impact on the job market too. According to Nikkei, the job openings to applications ratio for big companies with over 5,000 employees is as small as 0.60. But an interesting student recruiting service is trying to lend them a hand. It’s called Wild Card, and it just recently launched in beta. With this new service, which is integrated with Facebook, students and employers can find a better match faster and easier. Students can start by connecting to their Facebook account and upload proof of the job offers they have received, such as an email or some sort of document. After careful screening, other companies using Wild Card can search for promising students, and seeing that they have already passed one screening process, they can reach out to them knowing the student has already met the initial criteria. In this way, talented students can skip the hassle of filling out endless application forms, taking recruiting tests, and doing group interviews. The founder of Wild Card,…
Typically graduating students in Japan begin their job-hunting process in the fall in their junior year, and spend around six months to a year searching for the best employer. The state of economy certainly has has impact on the job market too. According to Nikkei, the job openings to applications ratio for big companies with over 5,000 employees is as small as 0.60.
But an interesting student recruiting service is trying to lend them a hand. It’s called Wild Card, and it just recently launched in beta.
With this new service, which is integrated with Facebook, students and employers can find a better match faster and easier. Students can start by connecting to their Facebook account and upload proof of the job offers they have received, such as an email or some sort of document. After careful screening, other companies using Wild Card can search for promising students, and seeing that they have already passed one screening process, they can reach out to them knowing the student has already met the initial criteria. In this way, talented students can skip the hassle of filling out endless application forms, taking recruiting tests, and doing group interviews.
The founder of Wild Card, Tairo Moriyama, further elaborates:
From my experience in HR, I thought it would be great if competent students with job offers from one company could skip the early recruiting process with other companies. Because the recruiting of brilliant new graduates is very competitive, some students feel pressured to commit to one company after receiving a job offer. But students should be allowed to see other options and figure out what’s best for them.
The site plans to go public in May and has already seen 500 students register in the first week. Wild Card is a great idea, in my view, because one job offer opens many doors to other potential jobs, and for students who live in the suburbs it will save them a lot of time and money.
Wild Card is convenient for companies too, because students on the site have already passed screening by other companies, making the recruiting process more efficient. The service uses a performance-based fee model, charging the company if the prospect is hired.
Wild Card has plans to release a mid-career version in the near future, so stay tuned for that as well.
Japanese sake is enjoying great popularity at restaurants and bars all around the world. I was surprised to watch a recent TV documentary showing a sommelier in France explaining to his customers the difference between ordinary Japanese sake and specially brewed types such as Kijoshu or Daiginjou. For sake professionals like him, it’s not so hard to remember sake brands, where in Japan a sake is produced, or even what specific ingredients are used. However, for those who love Japanese sake, but don’t have such encyclopedic knowledge, is there any way to keep track of specific kinds of sake so you can remember it next time? Sake Lover is a new service that can fill that role. Tokyo-based startup Sonic Garden recently introduced its iOS app, which allows you to record which restaurant or bar you’ve visited (it’s GPS-enabled), and what sake you’ve had. The app is available in both Japanese and English, allowing you to easily find a specific sake brand just by entering the first one or two letters into the app. As for why the startup developed this app, CEO Yoshihito Kuranuki says that they hope to encourage consumers to have more sake and enjoy this particular…
Japanese sake is enjoying great popularity at restaurants and bars all around the world. I was surprised to watch a recent TV documentary showing a sommelier in France explaining to his customers the difference between ordinary Japanese sake and specially brewed types such as Kijoshu or Daiginjou. For sake professionals like him, it’s not so hard to remember sake brands, where in Japan a sake is produced, or even what specific ingredients are used.
However, for those who love Japanese sake, but don’t have such encyclopedic knowledge, is there any way to keep track of specific kinds of sake so you can remember it next time?
Sake Lover is a new service that can fill that role. Tokyo-based startup Sonic Garden recently introduced its iOS app, which allows you to record which restaurant or bar you’ve visited (it’s GPS-enabled), and what sake you’ve had. The app is available in both Japanese and English, allowing you to easily find a specific sake brand just by entering the first one or two letters into the app.
As for why the startup developed this app, CEO Yoshihito Kuranuki says that they hope to encourage consumers to have more sake and enjoy this particular aspect of Japanese traditional culture, and in the process maybe it can help local distilleries and breweries survive in this mass production era.
Sonic Garden was launched in 2009 following the management buyout of Japanese system integration company TiS Inc., where Mr. Kuranuki used to work. The startup is also known as a provider of business communication tools like Skip (social network platform for business), YourRoom (task management tool), and Message Leaf (a contact form plug-in).
Rick Martin
Takeshi Hirano
Yukari Mitsuhashi
Masaru Ikeda
As for why the startup developed this app, 
