Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2013

As spring waggles her blond tresses over Tokyo, dust particles rain down on the city’s houses. But with hanami parties sapping your strength, you may find your arm wilting as your reach for your mop. If only you had a slave to do the cleaning for you! Well, you do now. The Microfiber Mop Ball Mocoro is a new take on those UFO-shaped vacuum cleaners that have been trundling around for a while now. Enterprising manufacturers CCP have converted the shape into a ball and covered it with a fluffy microfiber jacket that picks up hairballs, dust bunnies, powder trails, and miniature tumbleweeds as it rolls around your dwelling. A new cover can be bought when the first one wears out or you get bored of the color. Cat owners beware.

¥4,980 (replacement cover ¥580), from Amazon or www.ccp-jp.com