Friction Models and Cellphone Charms Evoke Retro Tokyo

Charming mementos of a simpler time...
As Japan's society and economy struggles through yet another sluggish, post-boom decade, the nation looks back wistfully to a time when the future was bright, anything was possible and there was nowhere to go but up. The mood of those times was perfectly captured in the popular 2006 film "Always: Sunset on Third Street" and the sequel ("Always 2") released several months ago.

Though the films depict poverty, sacrifice and heartbreak as constant threads running through the characters' daily lives in a gritty Tokyo stll rebuilding from the devastation of war, underlying it all was hope - the belief that things would get better.

In the background, Tokyo Tower slowly rose over cramped neighborhoods and city streets swarmed with clattering electric trolley cars and curious three-wheeled trucks. Today, nostalgic Japanese can relive their youth with friction miniatures and cellphone lanyards & charms of the nearly-forgotten vehicles featured in the "Always" films.

The friction models are precisely detailed down to the lettering, license plates and even rust! Ditto for the industrial green Daihatsu Midget cellphone charm which comes with an attachment chain, metal retro nameplate and a tan leather cellphone lanyard (strap) marked with the "Always" title logo in English and Japanese.

Strapya World is offering the three-wheeled truck cellphone charm and three different friction models (minitruck, old trolley and new trolley) at their website so if you've got the yen for some retro Tokyo fun, let the good times roll!