Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on November 2009

“It’s not rental, it’s not recycling, it’s not an auction,” reads the explanatory text on Japanese website ShareMo (www.shmo.jp), an online community that introduces users to the magical world of sharing stuff with complete strangers. Pretty much every need is catered for here, from books, DVDs and video games to clothing, consumer electronics and, er, perfume. Money changes hands only to cover shipping charges (paid on receipt), although users accrue credits the more they share or give away. Other smaller-scale sharing initiatives include Mottainai’s Book Around Daikanyama project, which keeps well-thumbed tomes circulating in Tokyo’s hipster neighborhood of choice (http://mottainai.info/cp/bookaround).