Training high heels with built-in stabiliser wheels, a silicone substitute hand to reduce the risks when chopping vegetables at high speed, duster slippers for cats who want to help with the housework – what sort of person finds these items amusing? Well I must admit, I do. However quirky your taste, though, you’re sure to find something to tickle you in 101 Unuseless Japanese Inventions by Kenji Kawakami (HarperCollins, £5.99, ISBN 0 00 638672 5). Hay fever sufferers may appreciate the loo roll dispenser hat – tissues at your fingertips from dawn till dusk. Or what about the daddy nurser? Breast- shaped bottles that can be worn inside or outside a suit to let the modern father experience the joys of nourishing his baby. Although none of these impractical items is for sale, a prototype of each has been made so that the book can be lavishly illustrated. If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for someone who has everything, this book will make them think again.
More from Âé¶¹´«Ã½
Explore the latest news, articles and features

Earth
Huge crater in Australia may be the oldest impact structure on Earth
News

Health
You should turn off fans when it's too hot – but how hot is too hot?
News

Humans
Elite Maya people had teeth placed in a cave far from their tombs
News

Mind
Parenting may permanently improve brain health for mums and dads
Features
Popular articles
Trending Âé¶¹´«Ã½ articles
1
Woman with Alzheimer's starts conversing again after taking psilocybin
2
Unapproved gene therapy for boosting longevity is set to go on sale
3
‘Fusogenic’ neurosurgery let paralysed pigs walk again – are we next?
4
You should turn off fans when it's too hot – but how hot is too hot?
5
SpaceX's secretive plans to deliver cargo to Earth from space
6
How some people's brains make an extraordinary recovery from stroke
7
New-to-science spider builds trap that flings ants into the air
8
Faecal transplant makes the brains of old mice act young again
9
Elite Maya people had teeth placed in a cave far from their tombs
10
How menopause radically changes the brain – and what happens after