Search Results for: tokyu hands

September 22

Intellectual Animal Beauty Masks

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By now you probably thought you’d seen it all when it comes to Japanese facial sheet masks – from the squicky & scary to skin treatments that turn you into a kabuki actor while they work their magic – but now you can look like the world’s smartest animal while battling those crows’ feet! Saw […]

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January 03

And This Year’s Winners In The Tournament Of Weird Japanese Appliances Are…

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In for the gold by a mile: the Electric Sweet Potato Roaster In the steamy competition for Most Japanese Appliance Ever, I think you’ll have to agree that the electric sweet potato roaster owns the podium. Not only is it good for making one thing (and one thing only), that thing is the most Japanese winter […]

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December 23

Top Ten Crazy Holiday Gifts From Japan 2018

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These days, everyone wants “experiences,” not “stuff,” so how about digging into your Santa sack for presents that deliver #youllneverguesswhatwedids that could only come from (where else?)…Japan! This year, give the gift of… 1 …making your own Panda Face sushi and finding out who’s the fastest panda-grabber in the land Level up by slipping in a […]

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November 19

The Wagging Cat Tail Pillow

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Aww, a pillow that looks like a cat, just sitting there all furry and begging to be petted. What the…! Yes, the entire purpose of this robot pillow is to switch its kitteh-like tail back and forth when you pet it. For, uh, $120. To be fair, it can twitch in three different ways, depending […]

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December 13

Top Ten Crazy Holiday Gifts from Japan 2017!

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It’s that time of year, when everyone who’s easy to buy presents for already has a big satisfying check mark next to their name, but the ones who don’t are driving me crazy, because I just can’t think of anything that will surprise and/or delight them. Or at least make them scream when they open […]

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March 28

Shiba Inu Rice Balls

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I don’t usually crave a quarter pounder of rice and seaweed in the middle of my day, but if I knew one of these was in my brown bag, I’d be counting the minutes ’til lunch. • Read a novel set in Tokyo

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December 29

Thanks For Destroying My Fantasies, Little Host Stickers

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Okay, when I spotted this page of stickers at Tokyu Hands featuring smokin’ hot hostboys, I thought they were kinda fun. Even considered buying a bunch of them to give to my favorite hostboy fangirls. And then I looked a little…closer. Sheesh, leave me some illusions, will ya? • Read a novel set in Tokyo…

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December 09

Top Ten Crazy Holiday Gifts From Japan 2016

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Yes, it’s that time of year again, when you comb your list of friends & family for those who truly deserve that rare and awe-inspiring gift from Japan… 10. If there’s nobody on your list who needs a MANEATING VAMPIRE PURSE, you need to make new friends.   9. CUTEST WASHCLOTHS OF ALL TIME! Who could fail to smile after ripping the […]

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September 17

Essential Gear For The Corporate Warrior

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Saw the red camo shoes at a shoe store in Skytree, and the samurai b-ball hats at Tokyu Hands in Ikebukuro • Read a novel set in Tokyo…

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December 12

2015 Top Ten Crazy Gifts From Japan!

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It’s time for Only In Japan’s yearly holiday gift round-up, and it looks like 2015 is holding its own! I can pretty much guarantee you’ll be the only one to bestow one of these awesome gifts from Japan on your nearest and dearest… 10. Warm in winter, cool in summer, give this CREEPY CONSTRUCTION WORKER HEAD TOWEL, so they can enjoy displaying their brains as […]

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January 18

The Octopus Treatment…For Your Face

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If you’re a little short on live octopus tentacles the next time you need a beauty treatment, Tokyu Hands will happily sell you this pink plastic Vacu & Lift Roller. I’m not sure what lasting beautification this device is supposed to deliver, but if I ever see someone walking down the streets of Shibuya looking like they just face-wrestled a […]

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December 11

Ten Best Stocking Stuffers From Japan!

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10. SUSHI SOCKS 9. DIY CROSS STITCH PHONE CASE 8. ANIMAL SKELETONS 7. DEVIL WAX 6. EYELID EXERCISER 5. EMOJI EYE MASK 4. DEODORANT CANDY 3. NINJA SNACK PICKS 2. THE STATUE OF TOO MUCH LIBERTY 1. PIGGY ZAPPER And of course, if there are any book lovers on your list, you can get your shopping done in a flash, because the Only In […]

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December 03

More Christmas Hats From Hell

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  From the Tokyu Hands buyers who brought you the original Christmas Hats From Hell, behold the latest ways to say “Ho ho ho, suckers!” Available at Tokyu Hands in Shibuya, of course! If you’d like to visit a Tokyu Hands store the next time you’re in Tokyo, maps are on my website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had. • Read a novel […]

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December 02

Top Ten Only In Japan Holiday Gifts 2014!

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10. What do you give the person who has everything? They’ve already got a one-shot coffee maker. And a one-shot tea machine. But I bet they don’t have a ONE-SHOT MISO SOUP MAKER! 9. Landing a blow for equal opportunity character pillows, the otaku girls on your list will love sleeping with the SINGING PRINCE DREAM CUSHION! 8. […]

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November 19

Wonder If They’ll All Be Named ‘Sonic’?

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The newest pet craze to hit Tokyo: hedgehogs. For full enjoyment of your new pet, it would be best to adopt a schedule that includes all-night video gaming, as they are primarily nocturnal and will Assume The Position (shown above) for most of the day. Also, although they look cuddly, that fluffy-looking fur is actually spines. Just sayin’. The […]

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July 31

Mother’s Little Eyedrop Helper

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Ewww! Eyedrops! Get those things away from me no no no no no no you’re not putting something in my eye blink blink blink blink! Okay, I admit it, I’m a princessey fairy wussy when it comes to eyedrops. Which is why I thought SQUICK SQUICK SQUICK when I first saw this product at Tokyu […]

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July 06

Ear Floss

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In the Solution Looking For A Problem sweepstakes, this has gotta be a contender. If your piercings are in desperate need of a roto-rootering, you can stock on up ear floss at (where else?) the Tokyu Hands in Ikebukuro. Directions & a map are on my website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had. • Read a novel set in Tokyo

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June 29

Scary Kabuki Facial Mask

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Somehow, Kabuki Villain Face never really whispered “adorable” in my ear, but it could be pretty entertaining to scare the bejeezus out of unsuspecting visitors while also attaining new levels of softer, smoother skin. And if the miracle-potion-soaked cutout inside doesn’t manage to make me drop-dead gorgeous, I suppose I can always snatch up my trusty katana to finish the job. […]

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June 11

Monsoon Season, Lock ‘n Load

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It’s tsuyu season in Japan right now, which pretty much means all rain, all the time. (Not to be confused with typhoon season, which is all rain, RIGHT NOW.) Both seasons require industrial strength anti-wetness gear, and what could be more dedicated to staying dry through relentless rain (and the diabolical wind it rode in on) than […]

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May 23

But Will They Come When You Call?

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Behold the latest pet craze to sweep Tokyo! Now you can have your very own jellyfish aquarium, complete with disco lights! You can pick up everything you need at (where else?) Tokyu Hands, including jars with little brown jelly babies. I’m naming mine Spot. • Read a novel set in Tokyo…

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April 06

Salty Dragonblood Toothpaste

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But what I want to know is, how do they KNOW the dragons only ate pesticide-free virgins? Is the blood harvested from organically-certified, knight-armor-free, farm-grown dragons? You can get your very own Toothpaste Of Targaryens at the Tokyu Hands store in Ikebukuro. A map is on my website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had. • Read a novel set in Tokyo…  

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February 08

Your Very Own Tiny Glowing Pile Of Plastic Firewood

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When it comes to selling miniature replicas of burning logs, nobody can beat Tokyu Hands. Yes, this patented FireWood(TM) product will have you on the edge of your seat as you pretend you’re drinking that whisky & soda out in the wild woods (although the illusion works a bit better if you’re the size of […]

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February 04

You May Call Me ‘Your Solar-Powered Highness’

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For this week’s Wat-I-Don’t-Even Award, nothing beats this spectacularly useless figure of Her Royal Elizabeth-ness, which harnesses the mighty sun to power her royal wave. You may stock up on one in every color (that would be pink or royal blue) at Tokyu Hands in Ikebukuro. (Okay, I know this product is not Japanese, but […]

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January 30

For Charcoal-Fresh Breath…

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…get thee to the closest Tokyu Hands and get your paws on some Natamame toothpaste! It claims to smite your bad breath in four different flavors: Rose, Aloe (does aloe have a flavor?), Persimmon and Bamboo Charcoal. Yes, the black kind. Even stranger, guess what this toothpaste is made from? Sword beans! Believe it or […]

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January 13

Wooden Origami

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Craving a cherry crane or a pine penguin? Or maybe you’ve always wanted to fold a walnut helmet! Yep, this origami is actually made from paper-thin slices of wood! You can get your very own pack of super sheer veneer from (where else?) Tokyu Hands, on the lumber floor. (It has always amazed me that […]

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January 11

Rice Of Unbearable Cuteness

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Although digging into this adorable bunny-shaped rice might be a bit like steeling yourself to whack the head off a Bambi piñata, who can resist making boring old curry into a dish of overwhelming cuteness? This handy rice mold set also includes a fork-a-baby-dolphin-to-death design and the rather more humane sunflower model. If you’d like to […]

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January 08

Street Fightin’ Yakuza Action Figures

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More than meets the eye! For hours of happy crime spree play, nothing can beat the thug rangers! Your platinum-haired chinpira will pinch Barbie’s car before she can squeal “math is hard,” the mirror-shaded loan shark can hit Ken up anytime, anywhere, for that gambling debt plus interest, and even GI Joe had better watch out […]

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December 19

Top Ten Only In Japan Holiday Gifts 2013

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10. I bet the person on your list who has everything doesn’t have a THOUSAND DOLLAR RICE COOKER! 9. Surely you know someone whose garden wouldn’t be complete without a few GNOMES OF VICTORY 8. Give the gift of facial warmth and animal shenanigans with the BEARFACE MUFFLER 7. For that perfect head, the SONIC […]

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December 15

More Acts Of Santa Blasphemy

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Yes, when it comes to taking license with the jolly old elf, nobody can beat Tokyu Hands! If you’d like to visit Tokyu Hands the next time you’re in Tokyo, directions & maps are on my website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had. • Read a novel set in Tokyo…    

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November 26

Hot Snood

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Get yer red hot snoods right here at Tokyu Hands! I always thought a snood was a sort of hairnet thingie, but apparently here in Japan, it’s an electric fake fur stole. And handily, it comes in fake brown or fake white, for all your outfit-matching needs. If you’d like to visit Tokyu Hands the […]

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October 17

“What May I Pick Up For You, Master Of The House?”

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Now anyone can be All-Master-All-The-Time with these maid-themed chopsticks from Tokyu Hands! While they may not be too ace at drawing cat whiskers on your ome-rice, you can probably beat them with great regularity at Jenga… If you’d like to visit Tokyu Hands the next time you’re in Tokyo, maps are on my website, The Tokyo Guide I […]

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April 16

Mankiller Bubble Bath

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Forget having a Miracle Body. All I gotta do to snag me a man is hop into one of these kickass bubble baths from Tokyu Hands. I saw these at the Shinjuku store. If you’d like to visit Tokyu Hands the next time you’re in Tokyo, maps are on my website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had. […]

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April 11

Lunchboxing Power Tools

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Are the kids at school making fun of your progeny because the Pikachu rice ball you tried to make looked more like Godzilla? Did the teacher send home a note about not making lunch characters that scare the other children, when all you were tying to do was make that hot dog look like a […]

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April 03

The Miso Muddler And Other Obscure Kitchen Tools

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I laughed when I saw that there was a special tool you could plunge into a tub of miso, twirl it around to get exactly one bowl’s worth of fermented soybean paste into the little ball, then use the muddler to whisk it into your soup. And then, of course, I bought one. Because actually, if […]

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January 10

For All Your Crossdressing Costume Needs

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Now a guy no longer has to waste hours in front of the mirror, practicing lying to the cashier at Tokyu Hands that he’s buying that sparkly pink Power Ranger dress for his girlfriend! This product is clearly labeled BOY RANGER (with the helpful subtitle “BOYS” beneath, written in phonetic katakana for the kanji-challenged customer). […]

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December 16

Top Ten Only In Japan Holiday Gifts 2012!

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10. For the film maven on your list who camped overnight in line at the movie theatre to see the new Evangelion…ANIME EYES SLEEP MASKS (seen at Village Vanguard) 9. For the octopus ball lover who just can’t get enough of a good thing…JUMBO DIY TAKOYAKI MAKER (seen at Tokyu Hands) 8. For the vampire gourmet…BLOOD […]

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November 14

Nightmare Or Skin Treatment? You Decide!

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Wow, which one do I dread trying the most? It’s so hard to choose! As much as having my face covered in the kind of pond scum I remember eww-ing over in 10th grade Biology, lying there with snail slime perilously close to my nose and mouth might be worse. Both, however, are certainly trumped […]

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September 04

Costumes I Would Regret, Part Deux

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Nothing says Career Killer like a shot of your grinning face leering at the camera from inside a beer mask, two-fisting some brewskies! Tokyu Hands once again comes through with a costume that makes you think, “Snap! I don’t even have to dress up!” but ends up producing dozens of eminently uploadable candids for everyone’s internet-viewing […]

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August 11

Your Very Own Electronic Monk!

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Tired of petitioning the Powers That Be every day for world peace, a winning lottery ticket, and for them to still have your size when those purple Fluevog boots you desperately want go on sale? Rest easy! Now you can let the Electronic Monk do your chanting for you! You’re just a couple of AA […]

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July 07

Because It Feels So Good When You Stop?

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At first glance, it’s hard to imagine that bonking yourself on the head would make you feel better. I found “Mr. Energetic,” the quaint wooden hammer, in the self-massage section at Tokyu Hands, looking rather low-tech compared to the other dedicated work-the-kinks-out tools. It claims to be useful “whenever and wherever you want” – perhaps […]

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June 24

Eyeball Massage

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The do-it-yourself massage section at Tokyu Hands is just bursting with frightening inventions dedicated to helping you reach the kinks in every part of your body, but I had to look twice at this one to find out just how one was supposed to massage one’s eyeballs. Apparently it works by stimulating the acupressure points […]

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June 14

Nothing Says It Quite Like a Pie in the Face

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You know that guy who always leaves a quarter cup of coffee in the pot so someone else has to scrub out the burned-on sludge and start a new one? Well, the next time you’re at an after-hours drinking party, surprise him with this classic party prank from Tokyu Hands! Specially designed with revenge-that-can-be-passed-off-as-fun in […]

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June 01

Piggy Muffins

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You’ll burn off at least 8 calories hiking up the Svelteness Stairs at Tokyu Hands to get your paws on this pan that turns out muffins that look like little pig faces! I’m especially fond of the rather intellectual-looking piglet in the bottom left corner, but all of them would make me think twice about eating […]

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May 30

Starry Starry Lips

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Plain pink gloss? So last millennium! Now you can sport lips with stars and more – I’ve seen this on more than one model in Japanese magazines! I thought I’d discovered the source at Tokyu Hands… … but on closer inspection, I think the lips on these packages are the work of a master hair-make […]

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May 12

Stairway to Svelteness Heaven

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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. I saw both of these at the Shibuya store. If you’d like to […]

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March 22

Bank Robbers Need Allergy Relief Too

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What are you going to do when those pesky cherry trees insist on blooming and you’ve got serious larceny to commit? This hay-fever-be-gone solution from (did you even have to ask?) Tokyu Hands neatly solves all your sneezing and identity-concealment problems with one stylish solution. If you’d like to visit a Tokyu Hands store the […]

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March 12

Nose Mint

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Q: What do foreign countries smell like? A: They all smell like…MINT! You never know what unpleasant odors you’ll encounter when traveling abroad, so it’s best to be prepared with this handy travel aid from Tokyu Hands. Stick a little Nose Mint in your nostrils and you won’t have to spend precious vacation time worrying […]

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November 26

Microwave American Dog

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Got a hankering for a corn dog, but walking further than the microwave seems like just too much trouble? Make your own with this handy “American Dog” kit from, yes, Tokyu Hands, purveyor of mysterious home improvement goods! Skewer up your weenie, mix up the batter, and pour it into the rocket-shaped mold. Minutes later […]

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November 03

Head Shrinking, Japanese Style

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I saw this poster in the window of a esthé salon in Shin Okubo, advertising a facial treatment that supposedly delivers that holy grail of Japanese pulchritude, the “small face.” (How a massive foam cocoon is supposed to change the fundamental structure of your head is a mystery to me, but I guess hope springs […]

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October 28

Nuke Your Own Potato Chips!

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If you’re anything like me, you weren’t aware of a burning desire on the part of the Japanese populace to buy a device that makes potato chips in a microwave. Fortunately, the Tokyu Hands store exists to show us just how clueless we are. This charming plastic rack allows you to make 40 potato (or […]

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