TOKYOMANGO

Maywa Denki's "nonsense toy" workshop this weekend in Tokyo

Last month in Tokyo, I hung out with Novmichi Tosa, the quirky, highly talented man behind Maywa Denki. We did a quick interview for an upcoming issue of Make, and he even gave me a private demo of his many awesome musical gadgets. He has things like an accordion that simulates a human tongue, and flower-shaped xylophones that open and close and play awesome beats on their own.

Anyhow, Novmichi is having a "nonsense toy" workshop this weekend at his studio in Tokyo. It's free, and open to the public, and promises to be highly entertaining. I would totally go, but I just left Tokyo to come back to SF on Sunday.

For those of you who are in Tokyo this weekend and are interested in making quirky, creative Japanese toys under the tutelage of one of the most talented product makers in the country, it's Nov 21 and 22 from 10am-5pm at the Maywa Denki studio in Shinagawa ward. There's more info here (in Japanese),or for a quick English briefing you can email them.

Hand lotion so cute it makes you want to become friends

Japanese drug stores have more beauty products than any Walgreens, Longs, or CVS, but one thing that always baffles me is the complete absence of locally made body lotion. Yes, there are a gazillion types of face cream and hand cream. But body lotion is always imported—it's so strange! I had to special order my favorite Japanese one, which is made out of rice. Speaking of lotion, I found these super cute "We are friends" Hand Cream. The idea behind it is that the containers are so frigging cute that you can't help but become friends with the creepy guy in the cube next to yours if he has one too.

Masks that make your face smaller

These bank robber masks are actually made to have special sauna-like effects that tighten pores and make your face appear smaller. The pink one is made especially for women, the gray one for men. I might try this on super blizzard-y days during ski season this year to see if it makes a difference.

Piggy bank plays Yamanote train platform music

Taking the train everywhere in Tokyo can be pretty tasking if you're not used to being in a commuter mosh pit, but the Yamanote Line's soothing platform music definitely takes the edge off. Each stop has its own signature tune so you know what station you're at even if you're blind, lost, or just confused. This Yamanote Line piggy bank that I found at Tokyu Hands plays a medley of platform music—each time you drop in a coin, the headlights go on, the music starts playing and all of a sudden you feel like you're on your way somewhere in Tokyo. And once the piggy bank is full, maybe you'll have enough cash saved up to take a real vacation.

Now, whenever I get nostalgic for the Yamanote Line, I can just play this YouTube video.

Found in Shibuya: USB Whac-a-Mole

Need a little more desktop entertainment than stupid solitaire? For less than $20, you can get USB Whack It, a miniature version of Whac-a-Mole powered by USB. I'd get it, except I have this highly addictive bubble wrap-popping game on my iPod Touch that satisfies all my arbitrary poking urges.

Plier store display in Akihabara

I took this picture at a covered tool market in Akihabara. This store specializes in pliers.

Novelty condoms look like food and have three different scents

I found some funny condoms at the checkout counter at Donki. One looks just like a bag of Ochazuke (rice with hot tea and toppings), and the other features a guy with dreads with a joint and a shaking butt and a condom hat in a bathtub with a blond. The latter is called One Love Condoms and has three different scents.

Keychain looks like roach killer home

Gokiburi Hoi Hoi is Japan's most popular roach killer. It's a cute little red-roofed house made of cardboard and lures roachies inside with tantalizing odors. I think it's like catnip for cockroaches. Once inside, though, the roaches can never get out because the floor of the house is super sticky and they just die there, with their feet stuck on the ground forever. It's hugely popular in part because it uses no airborne chemicals.

Anyway, I found this funny keychain that looks just like a Gokiburi Hoi Hoi. So random.

Product page

Flowers transform drink bottles into watering cans

These pretty plastic flowers are actually attachments that snap onto the top of a pet bottle to turn it into a watering can. Smart. I found them at the Tokyo Int'l Gift Show earlier this year.

Toy sushi maker for creative sushi parties

Planning a sushi party? This awesome little boy from Bandai makes sushi rolls shaped like hearts, teddy bears, flowers, and rabbits.

Product page (Japanese, via Impress Watch)

Tetris-tiled bathrooms

If I ever make enough money to buy my own house and redecorate my own bathroom, I will get Tetris-tiled walls next to my bathtub. Can you imagine how fun that would be? Tetris Tiles were created by a London company that believed tiled walls should be more interesting than just stupid little cubes. I couldn't agree more. 

Product page (Thanks, Adora!)

Related story:
I was programmed by Tetris to be a better person

Eraser with 28 Corners

 

The guy who designed this eraser is a genius! We all know that it's more fun and effective to use the corners, but most simple rectangular erasers only have four EIGHT at best, and even less once they're used. Well, this plastic eraser, aptly named kadokeshi (corner eraser), has 28 edges! It's distributed by classic stationary maker Kokuyo, and won a Good Design Award in 2003.

Product page (Japanese)

Make Your Kid Into a Stuffed Animal

Your kid's so cute, you want to cuddle him all the time—even when you're at work, or even when he's way too old to be smothered with affection. Japanese company Sha@lark now offers custom-made stuffed animals with a person's face. Here's how you do it:

- Pick a size: small, medium, large, or cell-phone-strap.
- Pick an animal: rabbit, frog, tiger, lion, bear, bumblebee, Mt. Fuji etc. List goes on.
- Send the company a profile shot of your baby.
- Once it arrives, cuddle away!

Weird, I know.

Product page via Tokyo Times

Pressure Point-Pushing Family of Pens

Meet the Tsuboi family. they're tall, they're skinny, they're healthy. Actually, these are a series of pens that double as pressure point pushers. The package includes one pen and a pressure point map so you can find the right spot for your ailment. From L-R: dad, mom, brother, sister, grandpa, grandma.

Product page (Japanese)

Bath Salts that Look and Smell like Gum

Most of the classic gum flavors I think of when I look back at my childhood were made by snack company Lotte. Green Gum, Black Black, Ume gum, Blueberry gum... now, the Korean/Japanese company has teamed up with Bandai Namco to release a series of bath salts packaged like a piece of gum. Of course, each strip of bath salt smells and looks just like the original gum flavor, so people who think chewing is bad for your teeth can relive the deliciousness while soaking in a muscle-relaxing aromatic tub.

Press release (Japanese)

 

Grocery Bag Transforms into a Shiny Doe-Eyed Cat

I don't post that much cute girlie fashion-y stuff here, but this one was way too neat to pass up. It's a grocery bag that folds up into a cute little cat. The cat comes with a strap so you can hang it on your purse as an accessory when you're not using it; when you need it, it expands into a big black plastic grocery bag. I think the doe-eyed shiny-or-polka-dotted kitties are super cute, and I want one.

A Cheese-Style Grater for your Foot Calluses

Can't stop picking at calluses on your feet? Here's a great tool for you—a foot callus grater. Much like the one you use in your kitchen for cheese, it has little sharp grates across it's surface. Just sit in front of the TV and rub your foot against it and it does its job. When you're done, take the cap off the bottom and empty the reservoir. The patented micro 3D edges ensure that there's no pain, just clean shaven foot skin.

Oh my god, gross. But kinda neat. Get yours here. 

Waterproof Vibrating Love Pillow

I found this bright red, slippery shiny Love Pillow while walking around a Roppongi superstore one night with Kayoko and Lara. From the picture, it looks like you can use it as a pillow or as a more standard stick-shaped vibrator. It's waterproof, too, so you can use it in the shower or hot tub.

A Lighter that Looks like a Match

This is a cute little lighter. It looks like a match, and you just click on this little button on the side to turn it on.

Link

Candle "Eats" Smoke, Gets Rid of Cigarette Stench

The idea behind this ashtray candle is that, by having a scented candle right next to the ashtray, the flame from the candle will absorb the cigarette smoke and mask the stench with its aroma. There are three smells to choose from—ocean mist, green apple, and coffee. The manufacturers claim that it's a special odor-eating candle, but I don't have any specific details on how it does that. It is named the Smoke Eater.

Oil-Blotting Paper looks like a 10,000 Yen Bill

Who doesn't want to wipe their sweat with a 10,000 yen bill? Now, thanks to a new beauty product by toymaker Bandai, you can. Their new oil-blotting papers are named Fukuzawa Yukichi after the famous founder of Keio University whom you'll find on the 10,000 yen bill—the biggest bill in Japan, roughly equivalent to $100. Except the characters are a little different: the oil-blotter uses the character for "wipe" to spell out Fuku and the character for "oil" to spell Yu.

It comes in a wallet-shaped case and is sold in convenience stores nationwide—20 big ones for 315 yen. I love how Yukichi is depicting wiping sweat off his forehead.

Train-Shaped, Yamanote Line-Themed Tape Measure

 

The Yamanote Line is the awesomest train line in the web of super-efficient high-speed rails that run through Tokyo. It green and silver cars are recognizable almost anywhere—it's famous for running in a giant circle in the middle of the city and, like most Japanese trains, for almost never being late. It's owned by Japan Railways, the same company that runs bullet trains across the country. When I'm in Tokyo, I live on the Yamanote Line, and I'm no train geek but I know exactly how long it takes from station to station for the entire southern half of it.

So you can understand why I think this Yamanote Line-themed tape measure is the coolest thing ever. The tape pulls out of an actual replica, and as you continue to pull it out, you see each station name come out in sequence along the top of the centimeter readings. They're written in authentic train station style format, too.

Link (Amazon Japan)

Piggy Bank turns Saving Money into an Interactive RPG

 

In August, toymaker Takara Tomy is releasing this ultimate piggy bank for gamer geeks. It's called BankQuest: A Tale of Savings, and it's a dungeon-shaped vault with a LCD screen that turns your penny-saving experience into the ultimate role-playing game. Every time you feed it a coin, the screen will update you on how much you've saved and tell you what weapons you can buy with that money. The more you save, the bigger weapons you can buy, and the closer you get to successfully beating the Money Monster.

The RPG piggy bank will retail at about $40.

Spotted in Odaiba: Basketballs as Wedding Memorabilia

There's a company in Japan that'll customize athletic gear for you. Because who doesn't want to remember their wedding by the panels on a basketball?

Cherinacherine is the New Hello Kitty

Sick of Hello Kitty yet? Sanrio's coming out with a new character series that looks just like the famous 2D kitty. They're called Cherinacherine, and they're furry fairy friends who live in a cherry forest. Sanrio's launching the brand with plush toys, bags, and stationary kits. Stay tuned for Cherinacherine cell phone straps and other cute, pink gadgetary goods.

Link

Handheld Nanotech Water Drop Game

Pachinko-meets-drops of water in this silly little handheld "nano-tech" game called Aqua Drop. Not only do you get to test your maneuvering skills, but you also get to see nanotechnology at work. The surface of the game board is coated with a super water-repellent nano-tech agent called Adesso WR. Adesso WR keeps the water from ever changing shape—it just stays as little round balls. The object of the game is to complete the art work commanded by the cleavages in the board.

This product comes out in July and is available for pre-order at Strap-ya.

Super-Realistic Machine Guns for Kids

These two bad ass little boys are part of Japan's new SWAT team. A company called Tokyo Marui sells a vast collection of illegal guns and weapons. They're not real, of course—but they're super realistic "air soft" guns that run on batteries and shoot BBs. This particular series is called "Automatic Electric Gun Boys," and features a line of submachine guns made just for kids. Nice!

Link (Thanks, Baker!)

My Mini-Collection of Old School Japanese Toys and Candy

Last time I was in Japan, I found this old school candy and toy store in Odaiba. It was in one of those new mega complexes, but their shelves were stocked with traditional toys and masks and dagashi—dirt cheap candy ranging from little Cola-flavored drops to pork cutlet-flavored strips of mystery meat. Here are some of the things I picked up, all for under $1:

A plastic-and-styrofoam airplane. Is it just me or does it look like a kamikaze pilot plane? These were probably made in the immediate post-war and I remember seeing them when I was a kid.

Egg Holder Protected By Armed Ceramic Soldiers

Reiko Kaneko is a cool artist who makes these awesome little boiled egg holders. The little knife-wielding soldiers will protect your precious egg no matter what! It's great for kids with lots of siblings who tend to steal their breakfast. Or, for artsy people who appreciate a little humor while they're satiating their boiled egg craving in the middle of the night.

And for those of you who can't make a perfect boiled egg to save your life, there's the microwave egg boiler and the multitasking electric egg boiler.

Link

USB Brain Massager

Every time I walk past one of those weird infomercial stores in suburban shopping malls, my hand automatically goes to those brain massager things that you can stroke your head with. I don't really believe it improves circulation and makes you smarter (or whatever they claim it does), but it feels great. Well, in Japan, we have the same thing, except it vibrates and is powered by USB.

Also runs with two AA batteries.

 

Product page (Japanese)

Cuddly Pillow Looks and Smells Like Diarrhea Meds

You know you always wanted to cuddle up with your diarrhea medicine. This is a big cuddly pillow modeled after Seirogan, a classic gastrointestinal drug with a really pungent smell. Not only does the pillow look like seirogan, but it also smells like it. Gross, and slightly nostalgic.

Product page (Japanese)

iPod Case Looks Like Kalbi

This new iPod cover from Solid Alliance not only looks like a slice of high-grade kalbi meat, but it is even packaged like one. If I had this, it would constantly make me crave Korean BBQ.

Rakuten via The Raw Feed

Butt Pillow Promises to Make You Ass Tighter

This is the Easy Beautiful Butt Cushion made by a Japanese company called Cogit. It promises to turn your butt from flabby to tight—all you have to do is sit on it. I don't know why there is a hole in the middle, but apparently the cushioning is engineered to maximize butt beauty. Apparently it also helps posture and is pretty comfortable to sit on.

Cogit main page via Impress Watch (Japanese)

Japanese Gravestones to Store Dead People Data in Bar Codes

 

A Japanese gravestone manufacturer is going to sell stones with QR codes on them. QR codes are able to store all kinds of info about the deceased—this is a great way to memorialize them at length without taking up too much space on the stone or making it look too wordy. The Underwire reports:

In the future, Ishi no Koe hopes to use this technology to develop a new way to pay respect to the dead that wouldn't require you to actually be at the cemetery in person. The company sees this as an alternative especially fitting for today’s younger generation.

Link

Pen-Twirling Champ Creates Ultimate Twirlable Pen

This unique pen with LED lights in it is custom-designed by Hideki, the God of pen-twirling, for optimal finger-spinning performance. There are six different colors and styles—cyber, sonic, metal, science, beat, and sport, depending on what kind of pen-twirler you are.

Product page with video (Japanese)

Toilet Paper Used for Advertising

Public bathrooms are disgusting, especially when people sprinkle on the seat or smear on the bowl. That's why hot spring resorts in Ikaho, Gunma Prefecture are advertising the benefits of clean toilets on toilet paper. Here's what the Japan Toilet Association has to say about it:

We want people to keep toilets clean, as well as their bottoms.

The revenues from the toilet paper ads will help pay for the upkeep of public bathrooms.

Printed toilet paper has been around in Japan for at least 20 years. We used to have educational ones as a kid. My friend Kayoko had one that would change color and tell you how healthy your urine was. I used to get a kick out of one that had pictures and kanji on it to teach you new words—one of the words was "yushi"—warrior—which also happens to be my brother's first name. It was funny to see his name on toilet paper.

Click here for more examples of printed toilet paper.

Link (Thanks, Rog!)

DIY Kit Teaches You How to Become a Speed Cuber

Did you know that the fastest time anyone has ever solved a Rubik's cube in is 9.18 seconds? Speed cubing is a serious serious sport, and there are certain tricks of the trade that help you with it--you can loosen the screws holding the cubes together, or dissect and lubricate the moving parts. This  Speed Cubing Kit by MegaHouse comes with screwdrivers, lube, and a little manual (in Japanese) on how to become a professional cuber.

Product page (Japanese)

Real Tetris L-Block-Shaped Chairs

The TT Chair is the ultimate accessory for the Tetris geek: it's a comfy lounge chair that looks like the L block. These lightweight, durable, multi-colored chaises can be used indoors and outdoors, and you can put them down at different angles or shift them around the room or stack them depending on your mood. Seriously awesome. They're about $220 and you can get them on Rakuten.

Cushions Made Out of Subway Seats

Do you love your morning commute so much that you miss sitting on the dirty furry subway seats when you get home? The city of Sendai is now selling these orange cushions made out of old subway seats after they recently changed the seat colors on all its trains. The city teamed up with a local handicapped center to have 150 of these made by hand--they're on sale for 2000 yen each at Sendai Station, on the Nanboku Line.

Personally, I don't want something that millions of people have sat on in my house.

Link

Oral Grip Machine Will Make You Smile Better

I know this looks like grandma's dentures, but it's actually a grip machine for your mouth. The makers of this product claim that, by exercising your mouth muscles with this thing 4 times a day for 3 minutes at a time, you can work your way towards a more beautiful smile. It comes in three colors and resistances: normal (for men), soft (for women), and rehabilitation (for seniors and children). It's called Yumi, and it costs $50. Can also be used in conjunction with the rubber smile gadget.

Product page via Impress Watch (Japanese)

Traditional Japanese Wash Cloths with Star Wars Designs

Tenugui are thin Japanese cotton towels used most often for bathing, cleaning, or as a headwrap if you're a construction worker. Strap-ya is selling these new Star Wars branded tenugui in 10 different patterns—pretty cool! I love the one on the top left that looks like a woodblock print with R2D2 flying over Mt. Fuji. Classic.

I Heart Ramen & Liver T-Shirts

So much more interesting than I (heart) NY or I (heart) SF t-shirts. There were a whole bunch at the Tokyo Gift Show but I had to put my camera away before I got in trouble.

My Friends Like Cat Paws

On Friday night, I hung out with three high school friends in Roppongi. We spent an hour in Donki buying random shit like head massagers and toothbrushes and cat paws. Then we went to Sei's house and played Wii.

I Went to the Tokyo International Gift Show

The Tokyo International Gift Show is on this week at Tokyo Big Sight, and my brother and I decided to go check out the newest and best random-shit-from-Japan at the invitation of Tomo from Strap-Ya. Here he is, talking on his cell phone in front of the shop that makes the solar charger cell phone strap I posted about earlier this week.

Stay tuned for more awesome, innovative products from the show. I have tons of pics, which I will be posting this and next week.

This Bottle of Water Costs $100

Fillico Beverly Hills is a super glamorous bottled water brand from Osaka that costs $100/bottle. It's double that if you get the silver or gold crown, or the golden wings. The frosted glass bottles are decorated with Swarovski crystals and etched with gold paint. Amazing! It's being distributed at schmancy places like the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo, and is a huge hit among the indulgent I-wanna-feel-rich crowd. I got a tiny sample cup today. It's good, but nothing special. Despite the misleading brand name, the water is from a spring in Kobe, not LA. That's probably a good thing.

Bubble Bath Filled With Cash

Ever fantasize about swimming in ten thousand yen bills? This month, Bandai's releasing Bubbly Bubble Bath, a bath product that looks like money. These are actually 100,000 yen bills (they don't really exist) and they smell like fresh wood—very relaxing.

Link (Japanese)

Rape Whistle for Kids

You want your kid to be safe when she's walking home from school. This teddy-bear-shaped rape whistle doubles as a flashlight and is cute enough to be mistaken for a function-less charm that hangs from her backpack.

Get yours here.

Super-Cute Hand-Crafted Mario Softie & Brooch on Etsy

Some crafty person with extreme talent and a love for Mario made this beautiful Mario softie and four accompanying brooches (a turtle shell, a heart, a bomb, and a star). It's on sale for $100 on Etsy.

(Thanks, Adora!)

Make Your Own Japanese-Speaking Paper Bird

Wanna learn some paper crafts and have a cute little Japanese bird saying "nani?" (what?) for your desktop? You can go to this web site and get one for free.

All you have to do is print it.

Neon Electric/USB Sneakers Made With Rapid Prototyping

A Dutch design firm has created this beautiful neon shoe featuring urban Japanese icons and city names in honor of the Asics subbrand Onitsuka Tiger. Pretty freaking cool. The signs and buildings in the shoe are representative of urban cultures and major cities throughout the country (is that Godzilla sitting behind the tongue?). It was made with a 3D printer.

They also made a matching USB drive that lights up when plugged in. Pics after the jump.

Creepy Robotic Cat Speaks Porn Star Japanese

Sega Toys' Yume Neko (Dream Cat), introduced at the Tokyo Toy Forum this week, is more like Creepy Porn Cat. When you pet it or scratch its neck, it says things in Japanese like, "Pet me softly" and "Give me more, give me more." It even has a couple of different variations of sultry giggles. WTF??

Subway Hand Rings for Non-Gropers

I'm one of the few girls I know who grew up in Japan and was never groped by some shameless pervert on the subway (I have a mean glare). You hear about it, you read about it, and it really is that common. Well, now, a mail order catalog is selling these subway rings to men who don't to be mistaken for a pervert. On super crowded trains, standing commuters quickly run out of stationary rings to hold on to, and have nowhere to put their hands. That's probably what inspired gropers to fondle in the first place, but it's also a looming dilemma for non-perverts as to where they can put their hands in order not to be mistaken for one.

This unique product, which sold out immediately, promises to solve that dilemma. I think. I mean, I guess if you were a conniving fondler you could always use the ring to do something totally inappropriate.

via Pink Tentacle

New Years Cell Phone Strap Giveaway

So, Strap-Ya sent me a 2008 lucky bag full of cell phone straps. Since I only have one cell phone (which, by the way, is totally strapless ever since my smelly peach fell off), I'm gonna have a huge giveaway. Huge!

If you want one, email me your name, address, and what you'd like to see more of on this blog. US only (sorry, I just hate filling out customs forms at the post office) and while supplies last.

Yay!

Toy Lets You Run Your Own Fast Food Joint

Sega Toys has this new item for kids who dream of working behind the counter at McDonald's. The "Deru deru hamburger" has a talking Anpanman as your host, a pushable menu with six different meal choices, and a little hamburger machine that spits out your order once it's ready. Then you can pay the cash register on the left and pretend to eat your plastic burger. (Or, maybe you can buy some White Castle mini-burgers and put them in the machine and really eat it.)

via Nikkei

The Figurine That Poses Like A Woman

Figurine-lovers had something to be extra excited about in 2007—this year marked the debut of the Revoltech line of female toys that can bend and pose like a girly girl. By modifying the limb structures of standard, ordinarily-robotic figurines, the company is quickly developing low-cost, high-output girly figurine collectibles so that anime-obsessed otaku have yet another inanimate object genre to ogle over.

The one pictured above if Rei Ayanami of Neon Genesis Evangelion. You can buy it here (Japan only).

Hello Kitty Gear for Dudes!

I'm serious. Sanrio Co. is coming out with a brand new men's line this winter, featuring manly products like the ones above. Sure, a cuddly kitty with a ribbon is manly....as long as it's printed on a black shirt or its mouthless face is obscured with bubble letters. I'm sure Sanrio, being the marketing geniuses they are, did their research and there's a huge demand for this stuff. Just not among any of the dudes I know.

Link

Business Suit for Slackers can be Washed in the Shower

Are you a lazy businessman who hates to the dry cleaner? Do people edge away from you on the subway because you smell so bad? Or maybe you're just too darn busy to even change your clothes at night. In either case, clothing company Konaka is coming out with a new kind of business suit that can be washed with a simple spray with a shower head. Seriously. All you have to do is bring it with you in the shower  (yes, you have to shower) and rinse both the inside and the outside. It comes out in February.

IHT via Gizmodo

Slipper Ping Pong Official Racket

It hasn't been approved for the Olympics yet, but Slipper Ping Pong is an international sport with growing popularity. The game was started in Kahokucho, a small city known for being the #1 slipper manufacturer in the country. As a way to promote tourism—and to get rid of excess slipper materials—they invented this modded sport not so long ago. The most recent championship game attracted competitors from Malaysia and Finland (video here).

Anyway, you can buy the official World Ping Pong Championship slippers on Cataloger's web site.

Kaomoji-kun: ASCII Character Depicts Ultimate Otaku

Kaomoji-kun is a new Japanese mascot/toy that represents the ultimate otaku. His face is made of Shift-JIS art (kinda like ASCII art) and there's a whole back story about his nerdy lifestyle. He wakes up and goes to Akihabara every day. He hangs out in maid cafes, waits in line for silly collectibles, and eats junk food bought from convenience stores.

This funny little video explains.

Notcot via PingMag

Fake Boob Balloons Grow When You Squeeze

You could use balloons or lots of cotton balls, but this "Sexy Bomber" rubber ball duo is probably a lot better. Someone found this in a 100 yen store in SF. It's compressed in such a way that when you squeeze them, they actually get bigger. Now they just need to figure out how to make real breasts do that, and we don't need silicone anymore...

via Boing Boing

Colorful Bomb-Shaped Tissue Cases

Sick of ugly branded tissue boxes? Here's a selection of multi-colored spherical tissue boxes that can double as room accessories. Great Christmas gift if you live near Tokyu Hands—that's where they sell them.

Bunny and Cube for Stray Office Cords

Here are two creative ways to reduce jumbled cord messes in your office. The lime green gridded cube can house several cords at once, while the bunny is intended for just one—though his long ears can be useful for looping rubber bands or your keys on.

Product page (Japanese)

Leather Briefcase for your Cell Phone

Cell phone worship has gone so over the top in Japan that we now have leather briefcases just for carrying our handsets around! Comes in black, tan, brown, and white. It can be hung from your belt buckle or handbag, and is also useful as a cigarette case or coin purse.

Link

Prank: Hang Your Bratty Baby On Your Car Window

Here's a perfect holiday gift for your baby-hating friends. It's a rubber doll with flimsy fingers that you can shut your car window on.

Continue reading to see a picture of how it can be used...

Beer Mug Tells You How Many Calories You're Consuming

This beer mug tells you how many calories you're consuming. According to these metrics, 300ml of beer equals 150kcal. Anyone know if this is true? (Give or take a few, depending on what kind of brew you're drinking.)

Link

Flying Alarm Clock

The latest in the series of annoying alarm clocks that make you do things first thing in the morning is this flying alarm clock. The propeller literally starts flying away as soon as your alarm rings, beeping from all angles. It doesn't shut up until you catch it and return it to its original position.

Product page (Japanese)

Other cool, annoying alarm clocks featured on Mango:

Bomb Alarm Clock 1
Space Invaders Alarm Clock
The Alarm Clock That Runs Away

Submarine-Shaped Bass Radio