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 worryingContinueContinue reading “Nose Mint”
Category Archives: Made In Japan
Goldilocks & The Three Beers
Now even lightweights can put away a sixpack, thanks to these mini-size brewskis! In Japan, there’s a beer for every size thirst: papa, mama, and baby. •
Squid Ink Popcorn
Watching celebs dressed in puffy animal costumes battle it out on TV can give you a powerful craving for just the right snack, but it’s near-impossible to whip up a plate of squid ink pasta before the commercials are over. With this handy kit, you can satisfy all your snack cravings (including some you didn’tContinueContinue reading “Squid Ink Popcorn”
Christmas Hats from Hell
In the true spirit of the season, here are a couple of jolly Christmas hats that say, “Ho, ho, ho, fork over your wallet, buddy!” and “I’m having such a bad hair day that even a pile of chartreuse fake fur with fuzzy pompoms looked better!” • “I don’t know when I’ve been more caught upContinueContinue reading “Christmas Hats from Hell”
Yakitori in a Can
If you can’t be bothered to boil water and make your own Cup Noodles, this vending machine’s for you. On offer are curry udon (thick white noodles smothered in curry gravy), all manner of ramen (thin crinkly noodles in pork soup flavored with soy sauce or miso), zōsui (rice gruel with vegetables), chicken yakitori (grilledContinueContinue reading “Yakitori in a Can”
The Battle Against Unsightly Tans
Those cute little skirts on the handlebars of this lady’s bike aren’t the equivalent of doilies on armchairs – they’re to keep the sun off the rider’s hands while she bombs down the sidewalks of Tokyo. Even as fall slides into winter here, and long sleeves replace short ones, women are ever-vigilant against becoming <shudder>ContinueContinue reading “The Battle Against Unsightly Tans”
Doggy Dinner
While many dog owners here do cook meals for their pooches – dogs here enjoy lives that would be envied by many children – this nabe pot just looks like a cheerful shiba-ken. It’s really for making hotpot stews and cook-at-the-table meals like sukiyaki and shabu-shabu. Nabe pots are made of special hardened clay so they can beContinueContinue reading “Doggy Dinner”
Rockabilly Daruma
If you had a burning desire for Elvis to be alive and running a ramen shop near Yoyogi Park – conveniently located, of course, for the leather-jacketed, ducktailed rockabilly dancers’ Sunday evening afterparty – this is exactly the sort of Daruma figure you might need. If your hearts’ desire is more pedestrian, you can stillContinueContinue reading “Rockabilly Daruma”
Need. Wooden. Keyboard.
Saw this in the window of a shop at the Aki-Oka artists’ colony under the train tracks in Akihabara. Hacoa specializes in beautiful modern things made of wood: computer stuff (keyboards, mice), iPhone covers, pens and more. If you’d like to visit Aki-Oka Artisan the next time you’re in Tokyo, visit my website, The Tokyo GuideContinueContinue reading “Need. Wooden. Keyboard.”
Personal Size Incinerator
Last night this was: four slices of fish past their eat-by date, a banana peel, three used teabags, two handfuls of soybean pods, an eggshell, and various don’t-look-too-close flotsam caught by the kitchen sink strainer. This morning: dry, crumbly compost, suitable for feeding to your plants or storing until next week when the day rollsContinueContinue reading “Personal Size Incinerator”
Winter In A Can
Used to be that Japanese people kept cool in the summer by hanging little bells that rang in the barest breeze, gazing at goldfish in clear globes, and listening to ghost stories that sent shivers up their spines, but now technology has had its evil way with tradition. Behold…Ice Wear! It’s only one of manyContinueContinue reading “Winter In A Can”
Only In Japan 