I was having second thoughts about doing posts about our trip to Japan given the current situation but I realized after yesterday’s post that posting about this great country and its people will be my very own way of paying tribute to how amazing the Japanese are and what their O.C. minds come up with. This is my own way of “donating” (aside from not forwarding unverified rumors on text) as I still haven’t figured out how best to help.
(If you are thinking of donating to relief efforts, please choose wisely and avoid disaster donation scams.)
♦
On our last day in Tokyo, it snowed. Everyone was gearing up for Spring already and the previous days were just lovely. (… well, for them. For us, 8 degrees Celsius was still freezing.) With all our panic from packing, I forgot to bring our travel umbrellas (nice one OC Mom) but our ryokan lent us a nice clear umbrella.
Can I just say that I never thought a clear umbrella was made clear to be functional? (Clueless, much?) I thought it was all aesthetic. It was only in Japan that I realized that you see all around you with a clear umbrella! It keeps you from bumping people on the street. (Yes, we don’t walk around much in Manila, especially in the rain.) It also goes with any outfit! Such a eureka moment from a person who is used to seeing big black golf umbrellas.
Here I am in the snow, bundled up in 2 thick coats (one with a hood), a scarf, 2 layers of tops, tights and jeans.
Anyway, the clear umbrella isn’t THE amazing find of the day (although it’s pretty cool). The discovery is a pretty simple gadget which we found in almost every building — a contraption that would wrap your umbrella in plastic. In some malls in Manila and Vancouver, they would just give plastic covers for your umbrella by the entrance of the mall but this one takes it a step further and wraps your umbrella for you!
The Umbrella Wrapping Machine
Basically, you close your umbrella, push it downward in the hole, pull it out towards you and voila, it is wrapped in plastic. You get to bring your drip-free umbrella with you and the store will not worry about puddles. (Plus they don’t need to hire a security guard to tag umbrellas with numbers so you can claim it after.)
Am I the last person to see this sort of thing? Am I so weird to think this is really cool? So simple yet so ingenious. (Well, the most interesting inventions are the simplest ones.)
With the way the Japanese minds work, I’m pretty sure they will rebuild their cities in no time.
©OCMominManila
Love the clear umbrellas in Japan! Although pang winter and overcast skies lang. Walang silbi sa tag-init, hehe. The umbrella wrapping machine is just genius. I agree, with the way the Japanese mind works–and actually gets things they think of done–they’ll be able to rebuild the affected cities.
I just went through your husband’s 18 Japan albums on FB. Most of the places I still did not recognize. Did we go to the same city? Hahaha. Let’s plan a Game Plan gimmick to Osaka! When all of the chaos settles down, of course.
Ayun. That’s why our umbrellas are dark. Oo nga there’s a parasol — for the sun — and a parapui (if i remember the word right, for the the rain)
I’m glad you posted this. Great ideas from a country that will surely get back on its feet soon.
There were a few locals looking at J oddly because he was taking a photo of the umbrella thingie. Tourists!
Haha! Felt like the tourists that we were when Peejo and I would take pictures of stuff in the convenience stores or of shop windows or signs. Hee. The Osaka trip sounds like a plan. We’re game for that!
Wow what a cool gadget! Ah-mazing! And yes I’ve always loved clear umbrellas ever since I saw it in gossip girl LOL! I haven’t seen one though or I would have bought it! =P
Yes, trust us weirdos to like this thing. Haha. And I remember that umbrella scene on Gossip Girl – which proves my point exactly — i just thought it was aesthetic!
Clear umbrellas were being sold everywhere in Japan! Maybe HK has a lot too.
I never thought of umbrellas as fashionable. Christmas gift idea?
Well, as slouching somewhere pointed out above, it’s not very useful with the sun — oo nga naman.
I think that would be better here than those little dispensing stands they have in HK and Sing with the little plastic do it yourself wrappers for umbrellas. Here kasi people will steal the plastic things and use them for something else. Hahaha!
Remind me to tell you the story of the missing umbrellas when we sent a team of Pinoys to India for training when we bought a new core banking system.
I know what you mean! When I saw those plastic things in Rockwell, I wanted to get one even if I came in through the basement parking anyway!! Freeloaders!
Let us meet up soon so I can finally give you your Christmas gift. Hahaha.