The Littlest Ice Skating Rink in Tokyo Is Very Small Indeed

Novice ice skaters – the kind who flail around like they're fending off dive-bombing bats – might have mixed feelings about the newest rink in Tokyo. On the one hand, it's so tiny that their terrible skills are on full public display. On the other, it's so tiny that when they topple over, they'll likely avoid the hard ground and instead bump into a nice, protective guardrail.

That's because the rink measures just under 10 feet in diameter. Sponsored by luxury-goods maker Hermès, the wintry pit invites people to sign up on Facebook for time on the ice. When they show up, Hermès operators offer free skate rentals for feet up to almost a foot long. There are even free skating classes given by qualified instructors, presumably covering all the maneuvers you can execute on this nickel's worth of ice – gliding to the opposite side and immediately turning back, for instance, or furiously spiraling in one place until they're forced to remove you or you vomit, whichever comes first.