Umbrella Vacuum
This time of year, I don’t have to check the weather report to find out if I might need an umbrella, because the answer is always at least 40% yes. The day I go to the Meguro Ward Office is no exception – predictably, the percentage shoots up to 100% just as I step off the train. But for once, I’m ready! And a good thing too, because by the time I complete my pilgrimage to the hallowed halls of health insurance and foreigner registration cards, I’m soaked from the knees down.
But what’s this? Next to the umbrella lock-up, a curious silver machine. I stick my wet umbrella in, and with a powerful vrooming sound, the ribs and fabric suddenly snap to attention, plastered to the sides of the Cone Of Dryness as all the water is instantly hoovered away! After a few seconds it releases its death grip, leaving my umbrella completely dry. Wow! I badly want to run outside and get my umbrella wet again so I can play with this thing a few more times, but damn, there’s a lady watching.
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Jonelle Patrick View All
Writing mystery books set in Tokyo is mostly what I do, but I also blog about the odd stuff I see every day in Japan. I'm a graduate of Stanford University and the Sendagaya Japanese Institute in Tokyo, and a member of the International Thriller Writers, the Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters In Crime. When I'm not in Tokyo, I live in San Francisco. I also host a travel site called The Tokyo Guide I Wish I'd Had, so if you're headed to Japan and want to check out the places I take my friends when they're in town, take a look!
Jonelle Patrick's Only In Japan 
That is genius!!
And entertaining! Much better than those skinny umbrella baggies things that slide off as soon as the water that drips to the bottom gets heavy enough… >_<