Log in  •  Sign up   •  Subscribe 

J A P A N O R A M A

Ahh, Japan... land of the rising sun, rising sin, and rice with nearly every meal. In Japan everything is possible and possibly everything is available - often with a unique and unexpected twist. Vending machines dispensing whisky, frozen meat, live rhinoceros beetles or schoolgirl panties? Where else but in Japan, where urban legends live and die on streets that have no names.

As the Japanese Innovations Writer for InventorSpot.com and an unabashed Japanophile, I take great joy in channeling the relentless tsunami of on-the-edge Japanese ideas and products, each wondrous one revisiting and reinventing 1950s Japanese Transistor Radio Syndrome for the post-atomic age!

RSS 

Carbon Fiber Chopsticks Make Eating Tougher

That cheap steak you just overcooked might be tough but these 100% non-toxic carbon fiber chopsticks are tougher.

Yakuza Curry Plays Games With Your Tastebuds

A 'tasteful' collaboration between Sega Corporation and Matsuya restaurants has resulted in Original Yakuza Curry. It's the perfect meal to eat while playing the new PlayStation 3 game, Yakuza 4.

Japanese 'Maid Trains' Hope Miniskirts Will Maximize Ridership

Two train lines in Japan's Ibaraki prefecture aim to sweep passengers off their feet this weekend. Six young ladies in full-out Akihabara maid costumes have been hired to serve refreshments, cosplay style.

Golf Course + Safari Park = 'Lion Woods'

Forget Tiger Woods, here's 'Lion Woods'. A Japanese golf course happens to be located immediately adjacent to a popular safari park. Golfers are advised to stay out of the rough... and I ain't lion.

This Colorful Pocket Ashtray Will Save Your Butt

Smokers will love this stylish, functional, portable pocket ashtray that keeps cigarette butts out of sight and scent. Non-smokers will love it for the same reason.

Pet Umbrella Keeps Your Canine Companion Covered

Raindrops keep falling on my pet... no more! The rather blandly named Pet Umbrella is just what you and your raincoat-hating dog have always wanted.

Music Note Tea Filter Sounds Great For Single Sippers

This cute Music Note Tea Filter adds a 'note' of whimsy to solo sipping. It's ideal for those who prefer loose leaf tea but don't want to brew a whole pot.

Desktop 'Magic Sakura' Cherry Tree Springs Into Bloom

Spring is almost here, and for those in Japan (and Washington D.C.) that means the cherry blossoms are about to bloom! Now the rest of us can get in on the fun, thanks to the Magic Sakura fake flowering tree!

Japan's Train Buffs Yell For Dr. Yellow

Riding the pain train? The doctor is in... Dr. Yellow, that is. Folk wisdom among Japanese train buffs states that a glimpse of the bright yellow diagnostic bullet train is all that's needed to cure the blues.

The 'Wipe Shirt' Keeps Eyeglasses And Shirts Clean

The "Wipe Shirt" - say that carefully - combines a stylish white dress shirt with a microfiber pad. Both your eyeglasses and your shirts will stay cleaner though wearing it may cause you to look geekier.

continue to page 2 of teasers >>
or view all remaining article titles below:

November 2009

June 2009

April 2009

November 2008