Stand aside, selfie stick—Japan is setting up specially-designed selfie stands to better serve your selfie-taking needs, reports the Huffington Post.
Forget that heavy tripod, and no need to to rest your hopes on the off chance that there will a strategically placed (and questionably stable) wall on which to rest your camera, or a friendly stranger (or selfless friend) you can enlist to act as a photographer. When the selfie stand is in play, you can capture those vacation moments without that awkwardly outstretched arm or outside assistance.
The brainchild of Sunpole Corporation, the stands were first introduced early last year and have since been installed at a number of tourist destinations that serve as popular photo ops (kinen-shashin, or commemoration photos to the Japanese). Early adopters include Enoshima island, near the city of Fujisawa; Expo Commemoration Park in Suita; and the Osaka Aquarium.
The stands swivel a full 360 degrees and are placed at the optimal height and distance for a group picture. In addition to providing a level surface on which to rest your camera, the stands come equipped with a special slots that will hold your smartphone upright.
Unfortunately, these convenient stands have yet to make their way States-side, but perhaps that will change, fulfilling artnet News’s dream of a future where no beautiful vista goes un-selfie-standed.