Inside U.K. Yo-Yos Swing Back Into Popularity for Christmas By STEVE HILL	フレームで見る  英文をプリントする  脚注をプリントする
英でヨーヨーが大人気 古代ギリシャ人が発明したともいわれるヨーヨーが、英国で大人気です。ブームのきっかけは今ひとつはっきりしませんが、子供たちはヨーヨーの新技習得に夢中。値段が手ごろなこともあって、今年のクリスマスは、ヨーヨーグッズがもてはやされそうです。

Children all over the country are splitting the atom, rocking the baby and milking the cow — and their parents are hardly taking notice!

The youngsters are not misbehaving, of course. They are simply playing with their yo-yos and perfecting bizarrely named tricks as the toy thought to have been invented by the Ancient Greeks makes a spectacular comeback as the fashion accessory of the moment.

Sophisticated toys such as computers are suddenly coming second best to the yo-yo, which, despite recent developments and the additions of extras like ball-bearing axles, gears and lights, remains remarkably similar to the versions used down the centuries.

Over the years, sales have gone up and down, just like the toy itself. It's hard to work out why the yo-yo should be enjoying such a comeback, but parents are not complaining in these difficult economic times.

Prices start at around £2 (¥440) for a basic model, with £12 (¥2,640) covering the cost of a yo-yo of high enough quality to keep an expert busy for hours. Top-of-the-range versions retail here for £100 (¥22,000), but you don't need to spend anywhere near that amount to have fun.

There are plenty of shops around cashing in on the boom. Indeed, many have opened purely on the strength of interest in yo-yos and are reporting brisk business in the run-up to Christmas.

It is reckoned that more than 2 million of the toys will have been sold in the United Kingdom this year by the time Santa Claus has finished delivering his goodies on Dec. 24.

Britain now even has its very own yo-yo magazine, yet another example of the phenomenal surge in interest in this tiny toy.

The first issue of "Free Spin" was recently published, and editor Jeremy Evans says its success mirrors the current popularity of yo-yos.

He said: "It's a craze and we'll have to wait and see how long it lasts. The great thing about yo-yoing is that it's very satisfying to perfect a new trick. There's an awful lot to learn — and it's not just something for kids. The parents often join in, too."

As well as passing on tips on how to perfect the latest tricks, the magazine stresses the need for safety by yo-yo players if they are to avoid accidents, which have included breaking windows!

A whole supporting industry is growing up alongside the yo-yo craze, just in time for Christmas. Videos, giving step by step demonstrations of inventive tricks, T-shirts, string packs and holders of all kinds of materials are just some of the accessories sure to turn up in Christmas stockings this year.

The most hyped toy of the year in Britain is the Furby. It's a 5-inch (12.5-centimeter) high "pet" that responds to light, touch, sound and movement by moving its ears, mouth and eyes.

A Furby can learn games and also speaks hundreds of phrases in its own language — Furbish (a dictionary is also provided) — as well as in English. It is already in great demand — and there are also sure to be hundreds of disappointed children come Dec. 26.

Just 350,000 of the toy will be put on sale throughout the country, clearly not enough to satisfy demand. Rumors that a new consignment of Furbies is set to go on sale have already sparked queues of parents outside stores, leading to fears that there could soon be a roaring black market in operation.

Shukan ST: Nov. 20, 1998

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