Japanese wearable beanbag lets you chill out anywhere, anytime

"It makes you a little heavy around the middle, but it's good fun," Japanese tea house designer, Ryuji Baba, says, patting the wearable beanbag he's trying on at a pop-up booth inside the department store.

While the beanbag's onion-shaped goofy style made it a hit on Japanese social media earlier this month, the main goal was relaxation, according to Shogo Takikawa, a representative of the beanbag's manufacturer, Takikou Sewing.

"This concept was born out of the idea of a cushion that would allow you to totally let go, any time, anywhere. You can put this on and chill out in your living room, or loads of other places, that's why we created it," Takikawa said.

The wearable beanbag comes in three sizes - one for children, a medium and a large, which sells for about 15,800 yen (120 USD).

While the Covid-19 pandemic drove many in Japan to spend more time at home, the company says the pandemic was not the spark behind the concept of a wearable beanbag. Instead, the idea came about almost by accident, after a prototype version became popular among staff at a company event.

"It wasn't made specifically for this purpose, but of course, during the Covid pandemic there was this kind of nesting (behaviour), people spending a lot more time at home, and so we had the idea to make this time spent at home a little more fun and relaxing," Takikawa said.

Yuu Matsuzaki, a product buyer for the Marui department store, said the wearable beanbag could prove a seasonal hit in Japan, where many homes typically lack central heating.

"It was lighter than I thought, but it's warm," she said while sitting on top of the beanbag. "I think in winter you'd feel pretty toasty after putting this on."

Reuters