Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on October 2013

Since the Great Tohoku Earthquake, parents have been faced with the increased need to teach their kids disaster protocol. The potentially gloomy task is made a bit easier by Brain Trust Ltd.’s Pandamon (¥1,890 for a set of 3 in plain, maple and chocolate flavors). The name is a play on “pan” the Japanese word for bread, and the designs bear the face Kumamon, the bear mascot of Kumamoto city in Kyushu who is winning hearts across Japan. While nonperishable bread in a can is not exactly the food of the gods, having kids try it now can help prepare them for an emergency situation when they will need it. And after eating the cans make cute pencil holders.

Available online at www.baby0101.com