While Trawling a few years ago in Tokyo, I came across a mysterious black honeycomb cube for sale in the Need'k store near Daikanyama. I hadn't the foggiest what it was for until I noticed them again at 100% Design. The mysterious cube was a Japanese White Charcoal odour remover and it seems that the UK is getting a taste for the enigmatic substance.
The pictured chikutan sticks (£25 for a pack of 3) are created by carefully controlled the burning process of woods such as Japanese bamboo. The result is a porcelain like material that in air removes odour and in liquids absorb impurities. Once again, a suitably mancave solution to water filtration.