Japan has been a country that has been seen as unique and a different world compared to the rest of the world. Check out our article on some things you may find to be weird in Japan.

Japan has been sought after travel destination for many years. Some people want to experience the culture and natural beauty of the countryside. The cities have garnered attention for their cramped spaces and fun nightlife. There is so much to do there you would run out of time before being able to experience most of what the country has to offer. One big attraction for some people is all of the different, and weird things you can find during your time there. There have been large amounts of videos, articles, and essays that talk about this side of the country. In this article, we will look at some of the most interesting things that you may find in the country.

Japanese Game Shows

Japan is known for many things. Natural beauty, beautiful architecture, and thousands of years of culture. One thing that most people have encountered at some point is Japanese TV. Japanese TV has gained notoriety as being outlandish and outright crazy. Some shows throughout its history have lived up to being over the top spectacles that only happen in Japan. Some shows have contestants trying to guess whether something is real or made of chocolate. They must bite what they feel is chocolate, and the usual amusement comes from the mistakes. There have been quite a few shows that will instantly make you think of Japan when you sit down to watch them.

Vending Machines

Many travelers have learned of the great convenience of vending machines in Japan. You can find these machines on every corner or side street and they are extremely useful when you need an emergency drink. The vending machines do not stop at snacks and drink, though, and they can dispense some truly strange products. Some machines have you spending 1,000 yen and getting a random product from a list, while others will hand out more adult items. They run the gamut of everyday use to the fetishes of very specific groups of people.

Special Cafes

Cafes will be on many corners of Japanese city streets and they are useful for having meet-ups and other group activities. There has been a culture of specialty cafes that appeal to people looking for an experience that can’t be found anywhere else. These cafes can be animal-specific, hobby specific, or they can be dedicated to music groups and games. Many pop-up cafes are in business for a short period. If you have an interest group in Japan there is a high probability that you can find a café that will cater to your interests.

Special Fruits

There are foods from across Japan that will fetch a high price. Special fruits like watermelon are especially high. You will find some watermelons being sold as high as 10,000 yen. You can find many fruits and vegetables that would be cheap in your home country, but because of import or difficulty of growth, they will be extremely high.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms in Japan will generally be extremely clean. Even the public bathrooms in parks and stations will be kept in good order. The toilets will also be different as some come with features people would not associate with toilets. Some are fully automated and will raise and lower the seat on their own, while others can be so advanced that they can check your blood pressure while you sit on it.

Special Kit Kats

Kit Kat candy wafers are well-known candy bars around the world. They generally come in one flavor and style. In Japan, they have decided to create an entire line of Kit Kat bars that you can only find in the country. They have special macha, sake, Tokyo banana, pepper, and many other flavors. You can’t get them anywhere else and they are surprisingly good and bad. There are seasonal kinds of Kit Kats as well and can only be purchased during certain months.

KFC Christmas

KFC Christmas has become a staple of Japan. Every year on Christmas families will line up around the corner and wait for hours to get their Christmas bucket of chicken. It was made popular in the ’80s and become synonymous with the Christmas season. They have created a small menu that can help families find the deal that fits them best. Make sure to try the colonel’s chicken on Christmas day.

Napping at Work

In most areas of the world, it would be extremely bad to be caught sleeping on the job. In Japan, however, it can be seen as the employee working as hard as they can. The way they view it is that the employee has worked so hard that they need a power nap to re-energize. You can often see workers sleeping at their desks, on their computers, or the benches in the break room. Some companies have nap areas for their employees to use at any time of the workday. You can’t sleep the entire shift, but a power nap is seen as a good way to keep workers productive.

Tooth Beauty

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and each country will have their standards of beauty. Japan is no different from how they feel men and women should maintain their bodies or physical features. A popular aesthetic is the fanged tooth or crooked teeth. It is seen as youthful and cute to many who live there. Braces have been becoming more popular with people there, but it is still a popular fad to have crooked teethe for women.

Student Duties

School students have to take on certain responsibilities that most students in other countries don’t. They have address teachers and staff in a specific manner, wear special uniforms, and most importantly they must clean their school every day. The students receive orders for who is set to do a chore for the day, and they all work together to clean the school. It builds a community and teaches students to take care of their surroundings and take pride in the environment.

Kawaii Culture

The word kawaii in Japanese translates to cute. So, kawaii culture is about all things cute, from music to clothing. It is about being able to express yourself in a country that generally applauds conformity. They have entire conventions that are dedicated to this culture and it has been seen around the world. Harajuku is one of the most popular places for people to experience and enjoy the kawaii culture.

Japanese Shut-ins

Japanese shut-ins, or hikikomori, are becoming more prevalent in the country. These are people who have decided to retract from society and only do the bare minimum to survive. Sometimes they don’t support themselves and are supported completely by their families. They don’t add anything to society and simply want to exist. There has been a steady rise in these kinds of people and it seems to show no signs of slowing down.

These are only a few things that are big in Japan. There can be some things that may be normal to some while completely weird to others. You will find it fun to look for some of the things you have only seen on the internet. You can make your adventure when you go there.