Taking personalization in a new direction, Japanese Yosimiya is selling bags of rice printed with a newborn's photo, name and date of birth. The bags are shaped to resemble a swaddled baby. But the key feature is that the bags contain the baby's exact weight in rice. Holding the bag will therefore feel like holding the baby. Bags of rice with baby's photos printed on them aren't new in Japan, by Yosimiya is the first to make them to order, creating bags that match the baby's size and weight. The personalized, made-to-order 'dakigokochi' are priced from JPY 3500 (USD 32 / EUR 22) and available in a wide range of colours and designs.
Yosimaya's dakigokochi are selling like hotcakes and mainly given to friends and family by the baby's parents. Could this be one of those Japanese crazes that catches on in other parts of the world? Ongoing interest in personalization (see the books and DVDs for children that we recently covered) definitely won't hurt, and both parents and other gift-givers are always on the lookout for fun new baby gifts. It's also the kind of business that can easily be started by solopreneurs with a crafty bent. Build a cute website to sell the product online (or use Etsy) and start printing, sewing and selling. We hear they make good doorstops, too ;-)
Website: www.yosimiya.com
Contact: shop@yosimiya.com
Spotted by: Mio Yamada
I don't think this will catch on in the west. Rice is a cultural institution in Japan -- from policy to politics to how and what kind they eat (ie don't want rice from outside of japan, etc..)
cute idea for the japanase, but not likely to make it off the islands.
http://www.campusentrepreneurship.com
I thought it was a cute idea -- but the site is only in Japanese w/o any English translation making it a bit tough for me to purchase
I know the significance of rice to the Japanese but I can't quite seeing it catching on in the west. The whole idea is just a little bit creepy.
In high school i did something like this but instead we sewed a baby and had to carry it around and record our everyday life with the "rice baby" it was a great way to kind of understand what it is like to have a baby around we also had these crying babies we took home on the weekends that was like a real baby it was so hard to take care of the baby and i know know what it takes to care for a baby but these rice sack thing is a good idea it will teach somewhat of a lesson to teenagers
The rice bags with a baby's face printed on it give the creeps... Sorry...
Is there a miniature of the rice bags sold with out the picture of the baby? I'm thinking maybe it can be used as a baby gifts wrap, all with the prints just without the baby's face.