Japantastic

At Tokyo International Gift Show Spring 2011, silver studio Arama Roots exhibited accessories made from Platinum Silver. Platinum Silver uses a formula unique to Arama Roots, blending a small amount of platinum into silver. This results in a price less than one-tenth that of platinum. It also prevents the material from tarnishing like silver, which [...]

At Tokyo International Gift Show Spring 2011, Inoue exhibited hair bands, called Heprings, that don’t contain any toxic substances. Heprings have received Oeko-Tex 100 certification, for meeting strict standards regarding toxic substances. Even if infants put these hair bands in their mouth, toxic substances will not leach out of the rubber. Heprings are on sale [...]

At Tokyo International Gift Show Spring 2011, Yumeshokunin exhibited the MISOKA, a toothbrush that keeps the teeth clean all day after brushing in the morning.        

At Tokyo International Gift Show Spring 2011, Petit Loup exhibited teddy bears intended as gifts, called TB365. Each bear has its birthday marked on the sole of one foot. Each bear costs 740 yen, and the clothes cost from 500 to 1,000 yen. TB365 is currently available at department stores and bookshops throughout Japan.  

At Tokyo International Gift Show Spring 2011, Izumo Senko exhibited handmade watches belonging to its three brands: v.c.e, dedegumo, and deee. One of the brands, dedegumo, is based on the concept of traditional Japanese design. A dedegumo store opened in New York’s SoHo last November, and it’s been quickly gaining popularity. The concept behind the [...]

At Tokyo International Gift Show Spring 2011, Taiyo Tomah exhibited Flower Stamps, which make it possible to print directly on leaves and flowers. Flower Stamps cost between 220 yen and 500 yen. The special-purpose stamp pad is available in two sizes: small, for 680 yen and large, for 1,200 yen. These products are available at [...]

At Tokyo International Gift Show Spring 2011, Hokkokako exhibited Printed Wood. This enables a variety of effects, by applying paper processing technology to wood.  

  At Tokyo International Gift Show Spring 2011, Retail Management Planning exhibited handcrafted fabric onigiri rice ball pouches.  

At Tokyo International Gift Show Spring 2011, ARATA exhibited traditional Japanese paper that can be used for inkjet printing. Also on show were accessories and card cases that utilize the featherweight nature of traditional Japanese paper. To date, ARATA has been involved in reproducing historic artworks, including paintings and handwritten scrolls, using technology for printing [...]

At Tokyo International Gift Show Spring 2011, Marugo exhibited Assaboots. These are casual boots based on jikatabi, which are traditional Japanese work-boots. Assaboots are available on the web here.