Category Archives: Tokyo Daytrips

Tokyo Maker Faire 2012

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Sunday was the last day of Tokyo’s first ever Maker Faire.

It’s safe to say I was pretty blown away by the whole event. Imagine squeezing shoulder to shoulder step by step through a space as big as a football field, chock a bloc with little tables, thousands of people, and tons of blinking, flashing, gyrating electronic gizmos.

I came knowing nothing about Arduinos, Rasberry piis, and flying drones, and left knowing nothing more … sadly, I was way too intimidated to ask a programmer to explain basic coding and circuitry to me in Japanese.

I did however, do a lot of googling when I got home, and learned enough to have a semi intelligent conversation (in English) with someone next time I need to, which could be quite soon considering I’m now planning on building one these to do my grocery shopping for me…

This is a giant cardboard giraffe robot that was designed and built by kids using a program developed by MIT called Scratch.

The folks at a design group here in Tokyo called Otomo held a series of workshops for kids earlier this year where this noble beast was conceived and built.

The giraffe has a camera in it’s head and a controller in it’s tail. As the giraffe’s head “looks” around, video streams to an old school, Wizard of Oz-style monitor nearby.

I don’t think I could have dreamed of something that would have captured my imagination more than this amazing cardboard safari creature.

I basically had to pick my jaw up off the floor, and embarrassingly said “This is so cool” way too many times while talking to the couple from Otomo. I had one of those moments when a tiny little seed gets planted…..

Meeting a few of My Eco Heroes

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Clockwise from top left: Lecture by Capt. Charles Moore, Plastic entangled knitted sea creatures by fujieda@fish.kagoshima-u.ac.jp, Capt. Charles Moore with his new book, “Plastic Ocean”, plastic debris display by organizations 5 Gyres and Surf Rider Foundation

Last weekend I had the honor of attending the International Symposium on Marine Plastic Pollution: Toxic Chemicals and Biological Effects hosted by Dr. Hideshige Takada and the International Pellet Watch here in Tokyo. (Wow, I know) I found out about Dr. Takada’s work while researching citizen science projects last year to participate in with Electra and Isis. My husband was also interested, so this spring we contacted Dr. Takada to participate in his IPW project. Dr. Takada kindly invited us to attend his symposium on Sunday and it was a really fantastic experience.

For the last three years I have been reading and watching documentaries about plastics in our environment (Plastic: a Toxic Love Affair, Moby Duck, Bag it, Cheap, The Story of Bottled Water, My Plastic Free Life), and now I’m reading my newly signed copy of Plastic Ocean, by Captain Charles Moore.

Meeting and hearing from this round-up of plastic pollution All-Stars was a kind of  dream come true for me. One of the whole reasons I started The Cardboard Collective is that I wanted to provide families with alternatives to all of the plastic furniture, toys, and products that have become so ubiquitous in our day-to-day lives.

I cannot cover all of the things that I think you need to know about plastic here in the post so if you’re interested and want to learn more, go ahead and click on some of the links I’ve attached above.

I’m so grateful to the dedicated group of scientists, researchers and activists that I heard from at the symposium for providing the data and passion behind a movement that I hope will someday change our planet and our health for the better and three cheers from all of us here at The Cardboard Collective.

Cardboard Playdate

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(Cardboard Pull Toy at 0123 Harappa)

After a week of sewing my heart out for the Elsie Marley blog KCWC (Kids Clothing Week Challenge) I’m ready for a break and the opportunity to get back to my cardboard projects.  I had a great time sewing and even had a blouse that I made for Electra featured on Elsie Marley’s Blog. It was a great opportunity to engage in a Sew Along, and I’m hoping we can do something similar  here on The Cardboard Collective someday (of course with cardboard).

Today I took the girls to a favorite public indoor play place in Tokyo called 0123 Harappa. Harappa is a place for kids aged 0-3 and their parents to play with developmentally appropriate toys, socialize with other children and parents, and basically have fun.

Harappa has lots of activities for kids including a library area, an art area with clay, paper, crayons and glue, an are just for small babies who are not crawling yet, a house and dress up area, an open area for ride on toys, blocks, slides, small climbing gyms and so much more.

I wanted you to see some of the great ways that the staff at Harappa uses cardboard. They have made some incredible creations, and they’re always changing! Here are a few of the things that they’ve made that I hope will inspire those with young children.

I’ve got to find out how they are cutting Japanese cardboard letters with such precision!

Peek-a-boo Wall murals. Hand painted cardboard.

Animal ball toss. They’ve put a rounded piece of cardboard inside so the ball rolls back to you quickly and easily.

My favorite. An amazing “Where Do These Animals Live?” wall puzzle (The pieces are magnetized and everything is hand painted.)

Cardboard Cylinder Walls for hiding small objects in. I didn’t see too many kids playing with this, but I know if we had one of these in our home the girls would absolutely love it.

Even this adorable cardboard lion memo pad and pencil holder!

You can see why we love this place.

Tokyo Toy Museum

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{If you are reading this in google reader, make sure to click back to the blog to view the slideshow}

On Saturday we went down to one of my favorite places for children in Tokyo; The Tokyo Toy Museum. Housed in a renovated elementary school building in central Tokyo, TTM is home to a superb collection of toys, both traditional and modern, from around the world. The museum has several floors with rooms and play spaces devoted to different age groups. This past weekend the museum hosted a matsuri (festival) showcasing retail toys from a variety of special toy makers, toy making workshops, activities, games and performances.

One of the highlights for us was visiting the new, or at least new since our last visit, 0-3 years room, filled with beautiful wood and cloth toys. The space felt both serene and joyful at the same time. How do they do that?

Electra loved the sculptural pieces of cedar that had been carved and sanded until soft, into earthy slides and tunnels. Isis was fascinated by the fabric balls and otedama (Japanese bean bags) that had wandered into the white concave space she spent most of her time exploring.

I am again overwhelmed with inspiration after our visit to Tokyo Toy Museum, and am hoping to post about many, many TTM inspired cardboard playthings soon!

My favorite picture from the day.


This is the toy hospital. Where your favorite toys find new life. Staffed by retired electricians, hobbyists, and other kindrid spirits.