When talking about Japan's advanced technology, many may imagine that it's mostly developed by huge household-name firms such as NTT, Sony and Toyota. However, much of Japan's "unique" or quirky technology is developed by individuals and small groups of geeky inventors — hundreds of whom were at Maker Faire Tokyo 2012 held over the weekend.

Described as "a family-friendly festival of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker movement," the first Maker Faire was held in 2006 in the United States by Make, a DIY magazine, and it is now held around the world. Japan's Make magazine launched its version of the event in 2008 as Make Meeting Tokyo. This year was its first year under the name Maker Faire Tokyo.

Organizers said 250 exhibitors participated in the two-day DIY event held at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo's Koto Ward, and it attracted around 9,000 visitors made up of families with small children to geeks of all ages, drawn to the wide variety of original inventions, many of which have not been shown elsewhere.