Japan has earned itself a reputation for being ahead of the curve when it comes to fashion and technology. In November 2000, Sharp Corporation released the first camera phone, which came with a built-in mirror next to the lens, thus marking the birth of the modern day selfie.

However, some inventions coming out of Japan are a bit more eccentric than others. Check out Just Something’s “23 Craziest Japanese Inventions You Never Knew Existed” as a primer before we talk about the new Smabow Smartphone Camera Hat, available on the Japan Trend Shop website for $56.

As per its creators at Thanko, the Smabow is “designed to fit almost all smartphones (all the iPhones, all the Galaxy S’s, all the Sony Xperias, and so on) as well as GoPro cameras. The Smabow Camera Hat allows you to shoot all those cool and dramatic first-person videos you see everywhere these days leaving your hands free.”

Giving consumers a new POV for documenting their day-to-day activities, this GoPro-meets-brim creation will take your vlog to a whole new level.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK9Hs3gT0sM

While some may be shaking their head, Smabow could be the saving grace for visitors to several international landmarks that have instituted bans on selfies, more specifically, selfie sticks. These destinations include all Disney parks, Lollapalooza, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the entire country of South Korea. Stating the dangers of camera sticks on rollercoaster rides, around fine art and near other human beings (along with turning your back to a bear to take a selfie) as reasons for restrictions, the Smabow Smartphone Camera Hat presents a creative solution to capturing those precious moments while still looking stylish.

What do you think of this new contraption? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and be sure to follow us on social media for all the latest photography news.

*Duggal Visual Solutions is not a distributor or seller of photography gadgets such as the Smabow Smartphone Camera Hat. This article is meant only as curated industry news.