In the unlikliest of places, lies one of Toronto’s soon to be not-so-hidden gems — a design shop-cum-art gallery featuring some of the most whimsical items Japan has to offer. Curated by the enthusiastic Sid, KC and Robert, Cubeshops is nestled in the heart of Baldwin’s quiet restaurant lane, far from Toronto’s unofficial art and design district, West Queen West. The array of colourful items from a variety of Japanese designers leap from the shelves of the minimalist, whitewashed store. If their function isn’t obvious at first, the friendly staff is eager to explain, as most of the products at Cubeshops are making their Canadian debut. So for those who don’t have the budget to make it all the way to the land of the rising sun, the best of Japan is only a streetcar ride away. Some of our favorite of these functional items disguised as art include:

The Picnica Tote Bag ($50) looks like a stuffed bunny but actually unzips into a fully functioning tote bag as designers Tomohiro Kato and Satoshi Hasegawa aim to draw a parallel between inanimate objects and living things.

Made of extra durable silicone, these playfully designed Paint Tube Doorstops ($8) are available in eight different colours, sure to match any colour scheme your room may have.

Pop-up slippers ($8) are essentially your average flip-flops but in a transformer’s body. Keep these in mind when summer rolls around.

- Daniel Barna