As one might expect, we see a lot of product online and offline that are not readily available in the United States. This is especially true when it comes to the home wares and furnishings market in Japan; despite its diminutive geographical stature, home decor is big in Japan. So we've put together our subjective "best" list of home items we wish we were (readily) available here, running the gamut from lighting to seating to home organization...because it's not just you who becomes frustrated when seeing the words "unavailable for USA".
Note: we realize some of these items do occasionally become available through importers and specialty shops, but here are 10 of our favourite home items we have yet to see in-stores here in the US:
269 Clock: Like many of the items we admire from Japan, this wall clock is pared down to its most simple elements, yet retaining a memorable elegance.
Table=Chest: A design from 1995, we still love this storage solution that can go from vertical to horizontal in one fluid movement. Nobody optimizes space like the Japanese, and this illustrates it perfectly.
Korova cabinet: Perhaps named after the Korova Milk Bar from A Clockwork Orange, we've seen this storage cabinet a few times in Japanese decor magazines and wanted one each time. Record lovers will agree, it's a beauty.
Conof Shredder: Do you have a document shredder? We do, and although it works well, it seems to have been the offspring of a Dell computer and a wire wastebasket in the looks department. There's nothing fancy about this design...but it's worlds apart in aesthetic impression.
Plus Minus Zero Heater: Another example of a common household appliance we normally dread keeping visible; the Plus Minus Zero version is such a looker, we'd keep it out during the summertime.
Banzai Floor Chairs: even though we grew up in an asian household, we never did get used to sitting on the floor for extended periods of time, possibly because we missed having back support. These might be the crossover solution for traditional eastern seating with western comfort.
Hollow: we love the idea of having a storage space for everything, down to the smallest item. The Hollow is beautiful with or without anything placed ontop of it.
YOnoBI/Dancing on the water Clock: Highly glossed, this clock reflects a mirror image onto its top panel to report the time. If Daft Punk ever endorsed a product, it should be this one.
Rat Rat: Horrible name, very cute light.
Cube Style: Of all the items listed, this is the one we want the most. We don't have a dining room, and have to eat on our living room coffee table. This might be small enough to afford us a dedicated dining space with the option to minimize its footprint when not in use. Love it.
Ahhh. These are things that make me really proud of my heritage!
view siongchinchan's profile
Dear God, I must have that table. I don't even need it, but must have it. Make awesome patio furniture (assuming you can keep spiders from making a home of the insides). *shudder*
view protogarrett's profile
i agree with protogarrett- i MUST have that table! so clever! great for small spaces.
view Oneformybaby's profile
kids always have more fun than adults:
http://www.pkolino.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=50
view selena's profile
OMG... i love this kind of stuff! Must pencil in "move to Japan" on my to-do list
Anyone who is into this stuff must see the National Geographic tv special Tokyo:Small living in the big city
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/ET/popup/200803221400.html
.... talk about Small Cool Apartment contest!
view BrookeinBoston's profile
I love the Table=Chest! A wider version would be great coffee table in a small living room. When you need the space for a party, just fold it up and move it against a wall.
view ami's profile
This is a cool list, but this sort of stuff isn't all that "available" in Japan either. While you can get it somewhere, you can't get it just anywhere and it's pretty expensive.
I've lived in Japan for 19 years now and am a big fan of all things furniture and this is all pretty unusual stuff that you'd have to seek out and few people actually have in their homes. The reality is far more mundane and less sophisticated than these well-designed and clever pieces.
view Orchid64's profile
I absolutely must track down that record cabinet. Or, failing that, something similar. The ledges for displaying albums on the outside are simply killer.
view DCE's profile
I have seen a cube shaped magazine/record displayer at Ikea. It's called NORREBO. The cube shaped cabinet can be used separately or part of a larger shelving or display unit. It's not near the elegant design of the one above but it's inexpensive and available in our country.
view Doris loves art!'s profile
There actually was a coffee table designed by Daft Punk for sale a few years ago by Habitat.co.uk as part of their VIP Collection.
view RKN's profile
I think the table=chest would drive me crazy! For a good minute I was convinced it was symmetrical and trying to figure out how it worked and then I realized it's not symmetrical. I don't mind asymmetry, but when something looks like it should be symmetric and then isn't, it gives me a headache. I think maybe it would be cute if you played up the asymmetry, made it look purposeful by painting the two halves different colors or something.
view lurker2209's profile
table=chest has little Japanese animation smiles
view southender's profile
Have the conof shredder. LOVE IT. It's sturdy and blends in so nicely in any room. Mine's brown but they just released it in Sakura Pink!
view OliviaTokyo's profile
And Japanese electronics will (or should anyways) work well here w/o modification, unlike those pesky european wares.
view dn's profile
wow. that record cabinet is only 1681 dollars (when converted from the 152,250 yen). that is a great price for a piece like that. if it was available here i would excitedly have one.
however, if it was made by someone here it would probably be priced at 3 or 4 grand.
view eightdouble's profile