Held twice a year at Tokyo Big Sight, the Tokyo Gift Show 2011 always features a myriad array of gifts and toys: some practical, some fun, and some useless of course.
This year’s fair was branded with the slogan “Creativity and Discovery: Interchange with the New World” and there were many “Japan Brand” goods that connected new lifestyle with Japanese culture and tradition. Basically this means a lot of contemporary lifestyle or gadget accessories that feature recognizably “Japanese” motifs and patterns. This can manifest in everything from calculators to pouches for your iPod, or even suitcases and letter openers.
Perhaps a more sophisticated take on this theme were the products marrying modern Japanese design with cooking customs. Cue plenty of stylish bento lunch boxes and rice-cooking bamboo charcoal pots, all of which certainly look a million times better than the cheap gear you can pick up at the 100-yen store.
Local health and beauty products are always innovative. We blogged recently about the Beauty Lift High Nose and there were some similar products at the Gift Show, including a special rolling cushion for slimming your lower body, and even a Happy Smile Trainer — a mouthpiece that can help give you a better smile.
Actual big new gadgets were few and far between, though some of the more fun ones are guaranteed to be prove addictive. Particular favorites were the Ningen Gakki — a multi-player musical instrument that generates sounds and notes by touch — and the Beer Hour automatic beer can drink dispenser, both from the masters of amusement, Takara Tomy.
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