LOL...OMG! "As Seen On TV" products have nothing on these guys. I love the hand in number 10. Instead of being embarrassed because you're using a toothpick, have a severed hand in front of your face to distract people.

I need this book!

i want that umbrella.

Funny to see Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstail as editor, it's a long way from River Cottage.

i guess these inventors have a lot of time on their hands. most of them truely seem to be more trouble than they r worth but they gave me a chuckle none the less. and let's not forget that there seems to be a market for everything...remember the "pet rock"?

longer range and greater accuracy.... important every day!

I think some of these are good ideas but then again I am not sure I saw what I think I saw......

It's not fair of you to post these inventions when we can only see the intriguing photos but can't read the text.

What in Sam Hill is that artificial hand FOR?

My Grandfather, when he was still alive, walked with a cane. He asked me to invent a handle for the cane that could be unfolded to act as a chin rest- just like the invention in #7, because he was habitually resting his chin on his hand as it held the handle when he sat and it was not particularly comfortable. I don't think it occurred to him that you could hide a tripod in the body of the cane, increasing it's stability, but I imagine he would have liked that idea very, very much.

i want me that stick of butter. i need it. i love it. i crave it.

I have this book at work. Whenever my kids are bored I hand them this book to flip through. They about pee their pants at every page.

Watashi wa Nihon ga dai suki desu.

shirley-temple-of-doom, the caption for the hand reads "makes discretion the better part of oral hygiene" -- I guess it's to provide a little coverage while you pick spinach out of your teeth.

The stick of butter made me laugh. Also the portable crosswalk.

I LOVE the Swiss Army gardening tools. Those ... those totally made my day. The noodle fan also amused me. I HATE eating noodles in Japan, they're too hot for me to eat them "properly", but they're sooooo good. I always end up burnt. I don't get the sun face shield thing in no. 2 up there, though.

jessbink...i couldn't have said it better myself....seriously, since i have no idea what u said, i definately couldn't have said it better....can u translate please?

delirium - I'm thinking the sun shield is to minimize noodle-splashing?

It's improper to twirl the noodles on the chopstick like Italians tackle spaghetti.

The helmet on the subway is both for secure sleeping and to alert other passengers that they may need to wake you up- the card gives your stop.

Love the glasses - as a be speckled sideways TV watcher they would stop distortion :)

MKW: Jess said she loves Japan. Kinda overly proper and written in Romaji, my guess is first year Japanese if that.

Monthy Pythons must be jealous :)

This is the most hilarious thing ever! Excellent post!

The more I saw the more I laughed. Where can I get that umbrella; I love to walk in the rain?

I want the back-scratcher grid shirt! Perfect!

I'd suspected that the artificial hand was used by Japanese girls to cover their mouths when they do that shy little giggle-- three hand are better than two, after all.

LOL!!! I have been living in Japan for over 30 years but I have never seen any of those things in real life.

Actually, I think I have seen No.12 in the train....

ok I can attest that some of these things actually exist b/c my mom used one of those lion-mane/sunshield thing to keep the shampoo out of my eyes while washing my hair when I was little....
I really need that suction-cup subway holder thing b/c public transport in the sf bay area are all designed for people around 5'8", i think!

I love that book (and its sequel) so so so much.

Where can I buy this?!?