chair umbrella top

Japanese inventions have a reputation for being incredibly awesome, incredibly bizarre, and, um, even more incredibly bizarre. And this latest creation is no exception: say hello to the chair-umbrella.

Ever needed a seat but all you had was a stupid, useless umbrella? Well never again! Just turn this amazing invention upside-down, open it up, sit on down, and prepare to be stared at and asked if you need to be taken to a hospital.

The chair-umbrella is being sold by the Japanese website Thanko, a supplier of numerous other novelty goods such as a vacuum gun for safely capturing bugs and a haz-mat style ‘pollen blocker’ helmet.

The website advertises the chair-umbrella thusly:

“Have you ever thought, ‘Geez, I’d really like to rest, but there’s nowhere to sit!’
Well now you can… with your chair-umbrella! Just fold open the handle and you can change it into a chair.
Sit down, take a load off, and relax anytime you want with your very own transforming chair-umbrella.”

Just in case that didn’t quite make it clear what this thing does, here are some photos of the miraculous invention:

▼ Woah, uh, I think we interrupted something here….

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▼ Oh, never mind! It’s just a man using his chair-umbrella. Complete with a flat, flexible tip to give you a sturdy sit!

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▼ Step 1: Insert behind into umbrella.
Step 2: Keep watch for kids who might kick it out from under you.

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▼ And if you thought it was just a chair, do we have a surprise for you!
It’s also an umbrella! Simply amazing.

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▼ Just think: this could be you, all for the low, low price of 4,980 yen (US$41.50).

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As if that wasn’t enough, you can check out the chair-umbrella here, in action. Watch and just try not to be jealous.

Now, while you’re probably absolutely in love with the chair-umbrella, you may also have some questions. Specifically, you may have one question in particular: don’t you need your umbrella to protect yourself from rain? You can’t use it as a chair and an umbrella at the same time, so what’s the point?

Indeed it is a little odd that a product being advertised as an umbrella is shown being used on nothing but beautiful sunny days. However, it makes a little more sense due to the fact that Japanese people often use umbrellas or parasols on hot, sunny days to stay cool and to keep from getting tanned.

But nevertheless, the point still stands that if you want to sit and not get rained on at the same time, you’re going to need another umbrella.

Here’s what Japanese netizens had to say about this incredible invention from their native country:

“Looks like you’d be in a lot of pain if it slipped.”
“That’s got to be pretty heavy for an umbrella.”
“Ugh, stop inventing this crap and make an umbrella I can fold into my pocket.”
“Pfft, this is nothing. I’ve worn chair-jeans before.”

We’d like to hear more about those chair-jeans, but in the meantime if you have a sudden urge to buy a chair-umbrella of your own, you can get it at Thanko’s homepage. Just be sure to take the proper precautions so that your new prized possession doesn’t accidentally get stolen.

Source: Thanko via Otakomu
Featured/top image: Thanko (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images:Thanko