Move Over, Energizer Bunny!

One of my favorite pastimes is dancing in my bedroom. But I’m really embarrassed because I have two left feet that are always tripping over things. So I close the door, turn on my radio and shake my hips when no one is around.

But it’s a lonely existence. Sometimes I wish I had a partner to dance with… LIKE THIS RABBIT!:

Hook him up to your iPod (he’s USB port-embedded) and he’ll blast music from his built-in speakers and rock to the beat. With his long body and perpetual smile, he almost looks human. He comes in different colors and has friends — a monkey and bear — who’ll join the fun.

Imagine gathering a bunch of dancing animals and mushrooms in the same room. So as long as the music is on, it’d be a non-stop party!

Himawari

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Noodling Around

Maybe it’s because I’m always hungry but I’ve noticed a flourish of instant noodle products, not only strange new flavors but fan-boy products, too. Check it out:

Imagine you’re in a heated battle in WoW and can’t peel yourself away from the computer, not even to unload yourself. But then your stomach starts growling and you begin feeling faint. What do you do?! With this handy-dandy machine, you won’t even need to run to the kitchen to boil water. Just pop in a coin and out comes a Styrofoam cup. Place in under the hot-water spout and in 3 minutes lunch is served!

This Tokyo Toy Show favorite challenged visitors to put together all the pieces of the ramen before the clock runs out. In the same amount of time it takes to cook, you’re given 3 minutes to neatly stack the pieces of egg, noodles, and tiny slices of fishcake into the cup. When time runs out, the pieces pop out like New Years confetti. Oh boy. Can you say nerve-wracking?

And then there’s this game….

If you’re lucky, you’ll find this at your local Japanese game center. As soon as you drop in a coin, the giant lid opens and you have to toss in as many balls as possible. Sorry, a winning score won’t reap a lifetime supply of ramen. You’ll have to win the lottery for that.

Personally, I don’t like playing with my noodles. They’ve been dehydrated for one purpose and one purpose only – to jump in my belly! \(^o^)/

Himawari

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This Cucumber is Pickled with Love

Some people make hearts out of chocolates and whipped cream. But if you want to go the extra mile to impress your valentine in February, how about making them a bento box filled with heart-shaped cucumbers?!

It’s not exactly an aphrodisiac, but when prepared the right way, cucumbers will make anyone fall in love with you!

Start off with this product by Yamagata-based CMR to sculpt your baby cucumbers. It’s a heart-shaped encasing (stars, too!) that you wrap around a baby cucumber; as it grows it conforms to the mold. When it’s done, you simply pop off the encasing and get cooking.

My favorite cucumber recipe is called sunomono, sweet pickled cucumbers. First, mix two parts vinegar with one part sugar. Then slice your prized cucumbers thinly and salt them generously to help extract some moisture. After about 10-15 minutes, they should be crunchy. Put the cucumbers in the vinegar mixture and after about an hour they’re ready for eating.

I like eating sunomono with a hot bowl of rice and miso soup. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside because it reminds me of home. Okay, pickled hearts may not make someone fall in love with you, but it’s a tasty attempt! \(^o^)/

Himawari

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Iced to Perfection

Next time you ask for scotch ‘on the rocks,’ check it for a soccer ball. It might be chilling in the cup with a snowman.

No joke. Chiba-based manufacturer Taisin Production came up with a sleek tool that’ll give party-goers a real reason to stare down at their glass. Introducing the ICE MOLD, an easy way to chisel boring chunks of ice into an assortment of shapes: hearts, diamonds, Christmas characters, basketballs, even your own beer mug!

What you do is place a piece of ice into the machine and press down. The machine is filled with warm water which quickly goes to work, melting the ice into shape. Taisin Production has been in the metal mold business since 1965, so they even do custom orders. They can create molds of names and unusual shapes to your liking. The beer mug is my favorite. It melts in your mouth and in your hands! =P

Himawari

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Thinking of doing business in Japan? We can make it easy for you!
japanizmo, a Los Angeles based company, provides practical solutions for U.S. ? Japan business projects. Our experienced Japanese staff will support all phases of your business project to seize business opportunities and turn your vision into a reality. >> Learn more