Japan Is Way Too Extra— Take Me There Immediately
Japan is a magical place full of sushi and Hello Kitty and the best toilets money can buy. It is the land of everything both crazy and kawaii, and we are oh so grateful for all of its wonderful weirdness.
Some of Japanese culture has made its way to America. Japan gave us Mario— an Italian plumber who lives in a mushroom kingdom and throws turtle shells at people. There is still a lot of Japanese culture that hasn't crossed the Pacific, including poop restaurants, ear cleaning salons, and extreme vending machines. Read on for all that and more.
Drink Out Of A Toilet At The Poop Café
There's a restaurant in Japan called Modern Toilet. Instead of chairs, customers sit on non-working toilets. They eat off of toilet-shaped bowls and bedpan plates.
You can eat swirly chocolate ice cream out of a cup that looks like a urinal. It's a dream come true for somebody, I guess.
Zentai Is A Thing Now
A zentai suit is a skin-tight spandex or nylon bodysuit. There are a bunch of companies that make these suits— the Morphsuit brand has actively tried to distance themselves from the zentai movement.
People who participate in zentai culture walk around in public wearing these suits to experience attention and anonymity at the same time.
Mario Kart IRL
Do you love Mario Kart? Would you like to take to the roads in your very own go-kart dressed up as your favorite Nintendo character? Then you definitely need to go to Japan.
Regular motorists aren't so thrilled about Yoshis in go-karts speeding through actual traffic, but sometimes you have to suffer for your art.
Try A Capsule Hotel If You're Not Claustrophobic
How much space do you really need? If you're willing to squeeze yourself into a tight, sci-fi experience, you might be interested in capsule hotels.
Also known as pod hotels, these basic accommodations are perfect for people who are looking for an inexpensive place to spend the night.
The Most Expensive Fruit In The World
Gift-giving culture is huge in Japan. Instead of bringing a cake or a fancy dessert toa dinner party, Japanese people will bring exquisite fruit. These fruits are expertly grown for maximum sweetness and juiciness.
Melons go for around $150 a piece, and grapes can cost more than $6,000.
Check Out These Funky Watermelons
People are paying up to $800 for these square, pyramid, and heart-shaped watermelon. These melons grow in special molds, and it can take years of practice to get the perfect shape. They grow in very small batches, and they taste absolutely delicious.
No country does fruit like Japan.
Professional Ear Cleaning
You know how they say you're not supposed to use Q-tips to clean out your ears, but you do it anyway because if scratching your ear canal with a cotton swab is wrong you don't want to be right?
Well, these ear cleaning salons in Japan take that sensation to the next level. These professional ear cleaners use a whole bunch of tools that are safer than Q-tips. If you're not squeamish about ear wax, check this out on YouTube.
A Whole Island Of Rabbits
There is a small island called Ōkunoshima two miles off the coast of Takehara. How this island became overrun with feral rabbits is a bit of a mystery.
Some people believe that the Japanese army tested chemical weapons on rabbits here during World War II, and when the war was over, they just released all the leftover rabbits. The rabbits did what rabbits do best, and now Rabbit Island is a popular tourist attraction.
Vending Machines For Everything
In Tokyo, there is a vending machine around every corner. You can buy almost anything out of a vending machine— ramen, coffee, beer, and even umbrellas.
These machines fully automate the shopping experience. There's no need to interact with (or pay) a shop clerk. This is just another way Japan is truly ahead of the curve.
A Fish That Could Kill You
Fugu, or blowfish, is a delicacy in Japan. Only the most experienced sushi masters can be trusted to prepare it because it can be lethally poisonous.
Chefs must carefully remove the toxic parts of the fish without contaminating the edible meat. Some people consider the liver to be the tastiest part of the fish, but serving this most poisonous organ became illegal in Japan in 1984.
Take A Trip To The Owl Café
Cat cafés started in Japan, but have since spread to cities all over the world. Japan stepped up their game with this owl café in Harajuku.
Get up close and personal with some adorable owls while you enjoy a coffee or a green tea. Keep reading to see some weird mascots just going about their day on public transportation.
Visit The Parasite Museum
The Meguro Parasitological Museum in central Tokyo has 300 preserved specimens on display, including a 29-foot long tapeworm. Learn about the diversity of parasites— just make sure you aren't planning on eating ramen or anything noodley immediately before or after your visit.
Admission to this museum is completely free, so go forth and enjoy (if you're into that sort of thing).
These Toilets Have Leveled Up
Japan has the most elaborate and technologically advanced toilets in the world. Who knew you needed so many buttons? There are buttons for butt washing, bidet washing, seat warming, and deodorization.
When are these things coming to America? I think we could use a few (or a few thousand).
Japan Is Never Not Extra
Mascots just casually taking the train to work? Yeah, seems about right for Japan.
According to Reddit user /u/coherentplanet, "These characters are mascots for one of the wireless telcos selling 4LTE highspeed internet. Their ads are plastered all over the train stations and show up on mainstream TV."
The One Product That Does It All
This Japanese beauty product is marketed as a face slimmer, a wrinkle reducer, and an anti-aging device.
A reporter for the Daily Mail gave this product a try. She said that it did make her face feel "plumper and more toned." I'm not sure how that's possible because "plump" and "more toned" are pretty much opposites.
Have A Milkshake At A Maid Café
A maid café is a kind of cosplay restaurant in Japan. In these cafés, waitresses dress up as maids and treat customers as masters and mistresses in a setting that mimics a private home, rather than a public space.
Maids typically wear petticoats, pinafores, and knee-high stockings. Read on for another themed restaurant that is a bit less cheery and a bit more terrifying.
A Hello Kitty Bullet Train Is Pulling Into The Station
West Japan Railway Co. will introduce a Hello Kitty bullet train on June 30th, 2018.
The Lock-Up: Japan's Prison Themed Restaurant
The Lock-Up has thirteen locations across Japan— and it isn't the only prison-themed restaurant chain. Apparently, Japan has a thing for jail.
These restaurants are a complete horror experience. The food definitely isn't the star of the show. The whole restaurant is dark and full of elaborate decorations, including a small guillotine that you're instructed to put your hand into, handcuffs, and waiters dressed like police officers.
I Think This Guy Is Supposed To Be Sushi
American mascots have nothing on Japan. Japan has a mascot for everything, including this— whatever this is. I think we're looking at the rice underside of a piece of sushi.
I especially appreciate the 3D rice grains stuck on for a more realistic effect. Well played Japan. Well played.
If These Weird Sheep People Like These Snacks, Then I Will Too
This is an actual TV commercial that airs in Japan. I think they are trying to sell some kind of salty snack. I don't know why they are sheep. That could be because I don't understand Japanese, or it could be because there is no rhyme or reason to this at all.
Is it weird that I really want to try those snacks now?
