We’re coming into high matsuri season, when the local Shinto gods are paraded through the neighborhood to remind them of all the people and businesses they’re supposed to be keeping … Continue Reading An Only-In-Japan Problem If There Ever Was One
The must be the tool you’d need when pulling into the glamping spot in your pristine 4-wheel drive, to, I dunno…shovel a few more steaks onto the barbie? Return your … Continue Reading The Tool For All Your Chrome-plated Outdoor Needs
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 … Continue Reading And This Year’s Winners In The Tournament Of Weird Japanese Appliances Are…
I know that you’ll be super envious to hear that my kitchen chairs are now prancing around on little cat feet! Gone are the days when the awful screeching sound … Continue Reading Cat Feet Chair Socks!
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 … Continue Reading Top Ten Crazy Holiday Gifts from Japan 2017!
Still looking for that perfect souvenir to surprise your friends back home? Well, they certainly won’t be expecting this. Saw these at Don Kihote store in Shibuya. If you’d like … Continue Reading The Meat Washcloth
I’ve seen fruit for your patootie and warriors for your derriere, but this is the first time I’ve encountered top-of-the-food-chain predators for your butt. Am trying hard not to imagine the Japanese bathroom … Continue Reading A Leopard For Your Butt
• Read a novel set in Tokyo…
GLAMPING. Camping + Glamour = Glamping? No. In fact, all flavors of charcoal-toasted NO. On a stick. Those two words don’t belong together EVER. Except, maybe, in Japan. Where you can purchase rugged tents like these: … Continue Reading Please Tell Me This Isn’t Really A Thing
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 … Continue Reading Top Ten Crazy Holiday Gifts From Japan 2016
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 … Continue Reading 2015 Top Ten Crazy Gifts From Japan!
Aieee, what is this, AUSTRALIA? I mean, what if you got up in the morning and snagged your bread from the toaster before you’d had your coffee and when you went to take … Continue Reading Eat ALL The Bugs
Want to perk up those pearly whites a bit, but don’t want to choose between paying for cosmetic dentistry and getting a new car? This Japanese tooth makeup is for you! For less … Continue Reading Give Yourself A Tooth Manicure
So, there’s this street in Tokyo I’ve written about before that’s known as the “Grandma & Grandpa’s Harajuku” because it’s where all the oldsters go to stock up on the … Continue Reading Sexy Red Undies Opposite Day
Used to be – if you were a Japanese man – you had it made. Food magically appeared on the table every mealtime and you never even had to learn how to push … Continue Reading Forever Alone Appliances
#1 INSIDE JAPAN’S WILDEST HOST CLUBS Turn down the lights, hire a bunch of cute hosts, and keep the drinks coming, and it shouldn’t matter what your club looks like, right? Actually, no. … Continue Reading Top Ten Posts Of 2014
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 … Continue Reading Ten Best Stocking Stuffers From Japan!
If you’re in Tokyo, get thee to Design Festa RIGHT NOW! It’s on through Sunday the 9th, out in Odaiba at Big Sight. You definitely don’t want to miss seeing … Continue Reading Tokyo Design Festa: Zombie Matryoshika & More
Getting yourself a righteously small face has always been prized in Japan, but having a face that just oozes buffness is apparently the new Holy Grail Of Pulchritude. Behold the dizzying array of exercise … Continue Reading Hardcore Workout Equipment…For Your Face
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 … Continue Reading Mother’s Little Eyedrop Helper
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 … Continue Reading Ear Floss
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 … Continue Reading Monsoon Season, Lock ‘n Load
You know that depressing feeling when you spot your brand new suitcase bumping onto the baggage carousel, and after one measly trip through baggage handling hell, it looks like it’s been … Continue Reading Pre-Trashed Suitcases
Premium. Tomato. Whitening. Essence. Because if I wanted whiter skin, tomatoes are the first thing I’d think of. • Read a novel set in Tokyo…
We are assured on the package that this super-economy-size bag o’ face masks is chock full of placentas. Face rescuing placentas. Premium placentas. Okay, sorry, I really can’t hold it in anymore. EEWWWW! … Continue Reading Placentas. For Your Face.
The next time you need to sneak your dog out for a stroll without the enemy suspecting, bundle it into this craftily camouflaged dog buggy and infiltrate the local park. … Continue Reading Urban Assault Stroller…For Dogs
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 … Continue Reading Salty Dragonblood Toothpaste
Surfing and golfing, yep, those go together like coffee and bananas. • Read a novel set in Tokyo…
“This light up cushion will warm your heart extremely. Please enjoy this magic mood for your precious life. We hope it will be your favorite one!” Not sure what magic … Continue Reading Magic Mood Cushion
Whipped cream and chocolate were never things I looked for in a contact case, but once I saw these little bites of 20-20 goodness, I wondered why I ever settled … Continue Reading Cupcake Contact Case
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 … Continue Reading Your Very Own Tiny Glowing Pile Of Plastic Firewood
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 … Continue Reading You May Call Me ‘Your Solar-Powered Highness’
…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 … Continue Reading For Charcoal-Fresh Breath…
I don’t know which is weirder, the idea that you’d want your nose to be bigger, or that you think you can “train” it into pulchritude by using one of … Continue Reading Nose Training
Get inspired to whip up a Goth-Vampire costume of killer drop-deadness by kitting out your Bernina with these wildass skins! Your plain vanilla sewing steed no longer has to pine … Continue Reading Hot Babe Leopard Rarrrr Of Sewing Machines
If you should happen to find yourself out behind the barn sneaking a smoke with someone who is suddenly so repugnant that you want to taser them, Don Kihote has … Continue Reading Piggy Zapper
Before we move on to 2014 madness, check out this insanity! Here are the top viewed posts from the past year… #10 Extreme Pancakes In a “foreign food” breakthrough worthy … Continue Reading Top Ten “Only In Japan” Posts of 2013
Now you can fight cavities and have curry-fresh breath too, with this new line of Breath Palette flavored toothpaste! With thirty-one strange flavors to choose from, your teeth can sparkle … Continue Reading 31 Flavors Of…Toothpaste?
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 … Continue Reading Top Ten Only In Japan Holiday Gifts 2013
Yikes, what is that creepy green Play Doh on that model’s face? Apparently, it’s FRUIT. If you’re all out of cobra venom, snail slime, or bee larvae facial treatments, the … Continue Reading Make Your Own Scary Facial Mask!
Who knew that aluminum could be the key to that holy grail of pulchritude, the small face? Apparently, it has become the flavor of the month when it comes to head … Continue Reading The Newest Ways To Get A Small Face
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 … Continue Reading Hot Snood
These Rilakkuma bottle sweaters of overwhelming cuteness were given away FREE as a promo for cold green tea! But…how did I manage to get my hot little hands on one? … Continue Reading Water Bottle Mufflers!
Penetrate even the most robo-toilet deficient corners of the globe with confidence, now that you can travel with your magic bottom-washing wand! Just crank it onto a pet bottle full of water … Continue Reading Porta-Bidet To The Rescue!
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 … Continue Reading “What May I Pick Up For You, Master Of The House?”
Is it just me, or is toilet paper that smells like something you’d eat a little…um, no thanks? • Read a novel set in Tokyo
Here in Japan, even if your apartment is as small as a postage stamp, you can still invite your friends over for a rousing game of Twister. • Read a novel … Continue Reading Japanese Apartment-Sized Party Games
Nork, Nork, come here! I found a box of earthling foodstuff! See? Universal Translator says it’s a “banana fruit.” No, Derp, you dope. A Diamond Banana is made of pure … Continue Reading Aliens Analyze Japanese Condom Packaging
Saw these the last time I was in Asakusa. Had to laugh! If you’d like to visit the Asakusa area the next time you’re in Tokyo, directions & maps are on my website, The … Continue Reading Shocked Socks
Solve the perennial problem of having to listen to the life story of the ex-schoolteacher from Peoria on your next flight out of Tokyo by donning one of these luridly … Continue Reading Slightly Creepy, And Yet…