Made in Japan

A lot of cool stuff comes out of Japan, as does a fair bit of crap

Sushi Pillows

by edwin on December 19, 2008

I know that waking up in the mornings often result in fish breath for me, but Sushi Pillows? Unless you’re a huge fan of Japanese food who cannot make do without having at least a bite of sushi before retiring for the night, I’ll give this a pass. It definitely is cute and will be a great conversation starter, but the fact that I’m lying down on a form of food (and not its substance) doesn’t feel quite right. You can choose from Shrimp Nigiri, delicious Salmon or even a blown up green Edamame on steroids to cuddle with. Prices range from $44.99 to $59.99, depending on the type of sushi you choose, and it won’t come with a dollop of wasabi.

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Anti-pee pill for the ladies

by edwin on December 17, 2008

I didn’t know something like this exists, but only in Japan, eh? Dubbed the Lady Guard, this is the first over the counter pee reliever from Kowa Company Ltd., where this pill will help women hold their pee in longer so that they won’t need to rush to the toilet often. Perfect for those who frequently take long haul trips across continents and do not get an aisle seat, or for women who want to remain productive the entire day at the office without having to waste precious minutes in the loo. Wonder whether it works on guys, too…

Source: Digital World Tokyo

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Japanese Fast Food Eraser Set

by edwin on December 2, 2008

Wait a minute - don’t some of the erasers you see up there resemble McDonalds items? Well, the Japanese might be relatively small in size, but that doesn’t mean they don’t love greasy fast food for a quick burst of energy during the mid-day break. Folks who love collecting quirky erasers (kids qualify, too) will be able to pick up the Japanese Fast Food Eraser Set for $6.95. Pretty pricey considering how cheap rubber is, but then again none of us really pay what a product is really worth, but actually fork out more for the perceived price. Each purchase comes with its own fast food tray and is eco-friendly. Pity one most probably won’t use them after purchase by virtue of being too cute.

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R2-D2 Tissue Roll holder

by edwin on November 24, 2008

Everyone knows just how versatile R2-D2 is, but have we really exhausted all the ways and means to make full use of this astromech droid? Apparently so, since products such as this R2-D2 tissue roll holder flooding the market. Talk about a downgrade in terms of functionality and dignity - soon, our favorite astromech droid will be covered with snot, and he can’t do a thing about it, save for begging us for a trip to the nearest washer. Would you drop $34 for this cloth R2-D2? A plush R2-D2 to comfort kids I can understand, but to hold toilet paper? That’s pretty unbecoming for a highly decorated, battle hardened droid.

Source: Nerd Approved

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Leaf-shaped leather key ring

by edwin on November 23, 2008

Bird Electron of Japan has released a new leaf-shaped leather key ring, but this one comes with an added feature - a built-in speaker as well as an audio jack, making it compatible with just about any digital audio player as long as they subscribe to the 3.5mm format. I’m not too sure why you would want such a tiny personal speaker in your pocket, since a pair of headphones is able to do a much better job, and it isn’t good enough to share music with others in a noisy room, either.

Source: Akihabaranews

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Mario Kart Wiimote Projector Light

by edwin on November 21, 2008

The Wiimote is one of the more enduring icons for this generation of home consoles, and the Mario Kart has proved itself yet again on the Wii platform, allowing accessories such as the Mario Kart Wiimote Projector Light to get the green light for production. It doesn’t really serve any purpose other than look cute and keep your little one entertained but for a while, although I would think playing Mario Kart Wii would let you get more kick out of the whole situation instead. Pressing the “1″ button on this miniature Wiimote will allow the internal LED to project one of half dozen Mario Kart characters on the wall. Best to use this $5.99 device in the dark.

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My Room II makes you a hermit

by edwin on November 18, 2008

There aren’t too many places where you can run away and hide for your own space and quiet time these days, but Yamaha has come up with the My Room II. This fully enclosed human-sized vault places you in a soundproof area, and it comes with basic creature comforts such as an air conditioner, reduced construction time (yes, you gotta assemble this yourself) and touch panel controls. Of course, it will retail for a whopping $6,500, so you might want to think twice about getting your own personal space when getting a hotel room is so much more convenient (and spacious).

Source: Born Rich

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Crazy Japanese masks to tighten your pores

by ally on November 18, 2008

Women’s beauty habits have always run a bit on the bizarre side.  Whereas some keep things simple, there will always be those women that take things to the extreme to make sure that they look young and gorgeous.  Well now in Japan women can resort to wearing this face mask that looks about like what one would wear just before they rob a bank.  This odd little mask is used to tighten pores and make your skin appear younger.  It will be sold in both pink and gray to make sure both men and women can enjoy the perks of this mask.

Source: Gizmodiva

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If you’re worried that your kids are basically swallowing their food whole, with this gadget you can confirm your suspicions.  Just attach it to their jaw and it will let you know how how much your child chews their food.  It even encourages them by making sounds after every 30 and 1,000 bites.  They offer a version for elementary school kids as well as one for middle school kids.  I’m sure this would go over great with a preteen/teen.  Luckily this product is being sold in Japan, not the US or UK.  In Japan though, both versions of the sensor will cost you $110.

Source: Crunchgear

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Mario cradles your DS lovingly

by edwin on October 28, 2008

This is really a pretty redundant gaming accessory to own - a Super Mario Nintendo DS Holder. You will find a rather large Mario figurine beaming proudly with his arms more than willing and ready to accept your Nintendo DS - be it a Phat, Lite or the upcoming DSi into its loving embrace. While it looks pretty good to have this hanging around the home as an accessory, this means your DS won’t be placed on too stable a surface, so a wayward child or a curious cat might actually knock your DS over and onto the floor unwittingly, leaving you cringing as you have to fork out yet another $129 to bring home a spanking new DS Lite. The $35 asking price also proves to be yet another deterrent. It would be cooler if Mario’s arms can be adjusted whenever he is not cradling your DS in order to make him more versatile as a home decorative item.

Source: Newlaunches

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