Japan, world leader in technology, has created audio speakers out of a plant used in sushi rolls

A speaker made from a pumpkin-like plant has been attracting the interest of audiophiles with its good acoustics and a cute appearance that makes it look like an animation character.

Japanese car audio system maker in Tochigi, which is the biggest producer of dried gourd strips used in sushi rolls, began developing the speaker named “fucucchi” in 2013 in collaboration with local farmers, using the plant know as “fukube” in Japanese.]

“Gourds have been used to make musical instruments around the world,” said Akira Takahashi, 67, president of Sound Tec Takahashi Denki that makes the unique speaker in the city of Oyama.

“We want even those who are not interested in audio systems to experience the quality of the sound” produced by this speaker, he added.

Takahashi came up with the idea of using bottle gourd as he realised the potential of natural products in creating sounds.

Grown and harvested by farmers partnering with Takahashi, the gourds are dried for around two years before their flesh is scooped out.

Then two speaker units are installed in the gourd in such a way as to make them look like the round eyes of a character.