Mother's Day

May 11th is Mother's Day in Japan and boy, are we spoilt for choice when it comes to gift ideas.

For instance, how can mum fail to be thrilled by the prospect of packing off the little poppets to school with a Happy Meal? We're talking about brightening up that bento box by literally putting a grin on their onigiri. Taking twee to a new culinary dimension, those nice people at Nico make all this possible, and more.

Or how about this? An alarm clock that proves that time stands still for no-one. Hit the snooze button and get back to catching those zzzzs. But 10 minutes later the little sod does a runner and you have to chase it around the room to turn it off. By which time you're wide awake of course, or extremely irritated...

I kid you not: http://www.arktrading.jp/nanda/animation.htm.

Or maybe a range of animal cookware?


Zany Guccho Yuzo - singer, dancer, impersonator and variety artiste - has turned his hand to cookery for national TV station NHK and devised a range of wacky kitchen utensils.

And how cool is this! A Vacuum Tube iPod Amplifier Kit! Ah... er, ahem... that would maybe be more of a Father's Day item...