Thanko (Page 3)
A few days ago we brought word of a revolutionary hay fever remedy from the folks at Thanko. Harnessing the mighty power of nylon and universal serial bus ports, the USB Pollen Blocker may be our savior for this impending allergy season in Japan.
To be sure, we picked one up in Akihabara and gave it to our resident ace-reporting guinea-pig Mr. Sato for a road test. Did it cure him of his seasonal sniffles or did it simply make him look like an demented bee-keeper on the streets of Tokyo? The following is his report.
We’ve covered many products developed by Thanko – that company always seems to have clever ideas and is never afraid to flirt with madness – in the past. Their upside-down desk, and upside-down cushion both look very tempting, whereas their more ambitious products such as camera glasses and the Fanbrella seem inherently flawed with poor battery performance.
Whether Thanko’s newest release, the USB Pollen Blocker crosses the crazy train tracks remains to be seen.



Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japanese manhole lid raises eyebrows with fertility god symbol that looks like… well, you know
Peanuts and Coke becomes a viral hit in Japan, but is it a trend worth joining?
Foreign man arrested for walking on Shinkansen tracks, claims he was on the run from yakuza
Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
Schoolkids learn life skills through shopping field trips at street markets in Kochi Prefecture
Famous koi ponds overwhelmed with tourists throwing thousands of coins in them
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Häagen-Dazs releases new Green Tea sandwich in Japan for a limited time
How far away from Tokyo can you get with 5,000 yen? Let’s find out!
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
Two food hacks take Japan’s convenience store fried chicken to amazing new sandwich heights
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]
Pokémon lacquerware series expands for Year of the Horse with new handcrafted design[Video]
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
Tokyo teahouse serves up a sakura matcha dessert you won’t find anywhere else
Totoro Fund line of beautiful artwork and apparel lets you help the real-world Totoro Forest
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Schoolkids learn life skills through shopping field trips at street markets in Kochi Prefecture
Famous koi ponds overwhelmed with tourists throwing thousands of coins in them
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Häagen-Dazs releases new Green Tea sandwich in Japan for a limited time
How far away from Tokyo can you get with 5,000 yen? Let’s find out!
Japan’s handsome anime ramen idols are back again to give you their hot, flavorful noodles【Vid】
Public restrooms in Osaka to get in-stall video screens with ads
McDonald’s Japan adds new Hello Kitty and Pompompurin drinks to the menu for a limited time
Our foodie Meg takes on Subway Japan’s ridiculously big, surprisingly cheap Giant Sub sandwich
What is Teru Teru Bozu? The tragic history behind the Japanese fine weather doll
Crazy Tokyo restaurant offers a 7.3-pound tempura rice bowl, so of course we had to eat it!
New Japanese KitKats come in sakura flavour, with poetic symbolism for success