You know how when it’s really hot at night, your pillow gets all roasty and makes your head feel even hotter? Well, the day I saw these old-fashioned pillows at a little store near the Nezu Shrine, it was already hitting a toasty 26 degrees C, and I suddenly appreciated the genius of this traditionalContinueContinue reading “Air Conditioned Pillow”
Monthly Archives: May 2012
Costumes I Would Regret
I must be doing something right, since I don’t have any Japanese friends who throw parties attended by anyone wearing THIS. Although not quite as permanent as a tattoo, pictures of oneself wearing this attractive item would certainly circulate endlessly on the interwebs, thwarting one’s job advancement for millennia to come. •
Weapons For The Lunchbox Arms Race
Aieeee! Is the mom who made this Anpan Man lunch a graduate of the Harvard School Of Lunchmaking? No, but she knows that in the bentō box cuteness wars, you have to stay on top of the latest technology! Today at the Shibuya Loft store I discovered a few of the secret weapons Japanese moms use to turnContinueContinue reading “Weapons For The Lunchbox Arms Race”
Blood Type Wine
If I’d seen this anywhere but Japan, I’d think I’d stumbled into Transylvania, but here, nearly everybody posts their blood type on their Facebook profiles alongside their closest train station, and when asked “What’s your type?” by someone they just met at a drinking party, they know the answer isn’t, “Tall, dark and handsome.” The questionContinueContinue reading “Blood Type Wine”
Snacks With Eyes
Forget the pretzels and potato chips next time you slouch onto your sofa to watch the big game – why not pound down a snack that stares right back at you? This bag of Almond Fishes promises all the crunchy goodness of sight-challenged munchies, plus a righteous dose of calcium. And it’s all-natural! The calciumContinueContinue reading “Snacks With Eyes”
Stairway to Svelteness Heaven
Forget that zumba class – I’m going shopping instead! Every step on the way to the floor where they sell the Infrared Pants Of Titanium at Tokyu Hands now informs me just how many calories I burned by virtuously bypassing the elevator. You won’t need this space age product anymore once you hike up toContinueContinue reading “Stairway to Svelteness Heaven”
So How Come Azaleas Are Chopped Liver?
Cherry blossoms are definitely the favorite child. Back in March, as The Season approached, the newspapers all breathlessly reported the movement of the pink tide from south to north, weather forecasts were read as anxiously as tea leaves in order to plan trips to cherry infested locations at the exact moment of full bloom, andContinueContinue reading “So How Come Azaleas Are Chopped Liver?”
Get Out Of Work Free Card
This unassuming little piece of paper is pure gold. If your morning commute train is delayed for any reason at all – a carton of instant ramen noodles smashed on the tracks, torrential rain, an umbrella hopelessly fankling up one of the doors – rail company officials stand inside the ticket gates and hand theseContinueContinue reading “Get Out Of Work Free Card”
Colonel Samurai
Valiantly planting his Extra-Crispy banner among the fierce townsfolk of Fuchu, Colonel Samurai conquers new territory for his finger-lickin’ fiefdom! Special thanks to my intrepid classmate Kiratipong Ongkasae for snagging this excellent shot at the Kuriyami Matsuri! •
Magic Umbrella
Yesterday when my phone’s weather app completely failed to warn me that as soon as I stepped off the train I would be assailed with buckets of rain and Dorothy-Goes-To-Oz wind, I could have used this fine product. It’s plain pink until it gets wet, then the cherry blossom pattern appears! (Brilliant display outside thisContinueContinue reading “Magic Umbrella”
New Weapon In The Battle Against Napping
Napping: destroyer of productivity, enemy of extreme road trips, scourge of procrastinators who left that six-month project until the night before! Fortunately, those tempted to catch a few winks when they ought to be contributing to global productivity now have the Nap Vieeb, a revolutionary product that will keep them alert long enough to dieContinueContinue reading “New Weapon In The Battle Against Napping”
The Idol and Monster Shop
Suddenly, you discover you have just too many monsters in your room! That collection you started when you were six has colonized every shelf and surface, leaving you nowhere to put the empty instant ramen cups that stack up during online gaming marathons. But what can you do? Chucking them in the recycle bin isContinueContinue reading “The Idol and Monster Shop”
Fish Egg Mayo Pizza Chips
Can’t decide whether to go for pizza or sushi? Now you don’t have to, thanks to this revolutionary new potato chip flavor from Calbee. It’s bursting with the goodness of cod roe, mayonnaise, seaweed, cheddar and swiss cheese! But there’s more! On the back, there’s a special offer! I was extremely disappointed to discover IContinueContinue reading “Fish Egg Mayo Pizza Chips”
If You’re Going To Nuke Your Donut, Do It In Style
Recently there’s been a craze for hot donuts here in Tokyo, but people can only cram so many into their pieholes while sitting in the store. What about the dozen they’re taking home to fatten up their friends and family? Enter the dedicated donut zapping case! In the land where perfection is prized, Krispy KremeContinueContinue reading “If You’re Going To Nuke Your Donut, Do It In Style”
Only In Japan 