Asahi Electric Corporation’s ELPA division will be releasing (this week!) the latest in their line of funky LED ambiance lights. The Balloon Light “Dancing Balloons” react to sound and change their colors and patterns accordingly. Made of a smooth plastic material which makes them ideal for handling, they are easily charged and activated on a variety of docks and displays (see pic). Perfect for a soft, subtle color touch for any room to create a perfect mood.
Also from ELPA are the Candle Bar LED mood lights (in blue, green, yellow, and rainbow colors), and the Dancing Cubes which function much like the Dancing Balloons above.
LED products like these aim to change the ideas about lighting in Japan, as evident by the tons of lifestyle products we’ve already covered. The “Palette” series has led the pack. See: Ocean Fantasy, Room Palette, Stone Palette, Bath Palette, Aurora Palette, and much more.
Real, everyday life in Japan means massively bright (like you wouldn’t believe) uncovered fluorescent light tubes that leave no room for creativity or mood creation (or shadows whatsoever). American supermarkets and offices feel like dark caves compared to their Japanese counterparts. Among young people there is definitely a move toward better lighting at home. This is a move welcomed by us since we can’t stand those humming fluorescents all the time, and Japanese always seem to think that our house is really really dark.
Click to Dancing Balloons online
Michael is the Editor of JapanTrends.com and Director of the 
