25 Crazy Things You Can Only Find In Japan

As a relatively confined country, Japan is home to over 126 million people. Consequently, space-saving is one of the major issues the locals have to deal with and parking is no exception. If you drive to a shopping mall, you’ll probably come across a parking lot similar to this picture.

As far as ingredients go, Japanese mayonnaise is not that different from what we use in the U.S. or Europe, but it’s the prolific use of it that makes the Japanese mayonnaise strange to Western people. While Americans typically use it on sandwiches and hamburgers, the Japanese use their traditional Kewpie mayonnaise to flavor things like ice cream, potato chips, spaghetti sauce, noodles, and even pancakes.

When rain is coupled with strong winds, regular umbrellas are basically useless. The Japanese handled this uncomfortable situation with their typical grace.

In Western countries, lift operators are almost extinct. Department stores and hotels don’t use their services any more to save the expenses, but in Japan, this awesome service is still available.

The super umbrella may protect you from the rain, but what are you going to do when it gets cold? Forget blankets, Japan has this adorable pug to heat you up. Stick in the microwave and Voila! Out comes a toasty hot dog.

While in Western world, falling asleep in the office is considered extreme impedance, earning the person a one way ticket to unemployment, Japanese business culture allows the employees who work hard the so called “inemuri” – napping on the job. Some people even fake inemuri, so that their bosses believe they are working hard.

The Japanese are famous for their strict hygiene habits and sanitary precautions, so it should come as no surprise they have something like toilet slippers. They’re used to minimize contact between the unclean toilet floor and the clean floor of rest of the house.

Have you ever heard of Japanese whiskey? You should try one. Available pretty much everywhere in all possible sizes, Japanese whiskeys are rapidly gaining worldwide recognition for their quality. Suntory’s Hibiki brand has recently won multiple “World’s Best Whiskey” awards.

The Japanese work really hard; no wonder they sometimes tend to snooze in the subway. To have their heads comfortably supported, they may use this special gadget.

Japanese women are going crazy for accentuated teeth known as the “yabea,” which involves spending hundreds of dollars on cosmetic procedures in order to attach mini-fangs to their canines.

The Japanese unusual tastes are generally well-known but still, there are certain things which leave Western people just astounded. Would you like your ice cream flavored with horse meat, cactus, charcoal, or octopus?

Do you have times when you feel an urgent need to see inside your ear? This Japanese invention will make your dream come true! Thanks to this invention, you’ll know exactly where those big lumps of ear wax are hiding. Talk about mining for gold!

At first glance, most Japanese vending machines aren’t much different to those found in Europe or America. What makes them so remarkable, however, are their abundance and their bizarre contents. You can expect to find them everywhere from ancient temples to the top of the Mount Fuji, with a wide selection of goods ranging from fresh eggs and crepes to batteries, umbrellas, and even underwear.

Yes, you read it right. Baby mops. Just let your toddler clean the house while they crawl around. This one-piece outfit with built-in mops on the arms and legs is another invention by creative Japanese inventors.

Most of us love the relaxing feeling of popping bubble wrap, right? The Japanese took this popular enjoyment to another level. They created something similar to never ending bubble wrap, a toy that constantly fills and re-fills bubbles in a sheet of bubble wrap.

The world’s shortest escalator is located in the basement of More’s Department Store in the city of Kawasaki. It has only five steps and is 33 inches high. Who said Americans are lazy?

For most people, a forest is a place where you go to jog, walk, observe the wildlife, or just relax in some other way. Well, not always. Officially called Aokigahara, the “Suicide Forest” is a 4 square mile forest that lies at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan. The forest has such a dense tree distribution that it literally blocks wind, making it an exceptionally quiet and eerie place that – for some reason – has become a popular spot for suicides. Statistically, about 100 suicides occur here every year.

You know Kit Kat, the chocolate bar? Though we know Japanese people eat some weird things, it’s almost impossible to imagine something like baked potato Kit Kat, soy sauce Kit Kat, or wasabi Kit Kat. Not only do these flavors really exist in Japan, they are among the most popular.

For the gentlemen who lack a spouse or a significant other, there is this amazing lap pillow available. At least this fake girlfriend will never argue with you.

There is no discrimination for the sexes when it comes to loneliness, so a woman version of the pillow is also available.

If you buy a can of beer in Japan, you might be surprised by the strange imprinted symbols on it. But don’t worry, it’s just Braille letters for our blind mates who also deserve to enjoy a nice cold beer.

We’ve already mentioned how Japan is a tight country with limited parking and driving space. It makes bicycles the most convenient method of transportation. As a result, the country is full of sights like this outside of train stations, shopping centers, and other places where masses of people gather.

Washlets, or as many people tend to say, “crazy Japanese super toilets,” are electric toilet seats with a water spray feature that cleans your derriere. While the Japanese are totally use to this zesty feeling, foreigners, simply put, struggle with it.

Located southeast of Honshu, Miyake-jima is an island featuring an active volcano, Mount Oyama. Since its most recent eruption in 2005, it has constantly leaked poisonous gas, requiring all residents to carry a gas mask at all times. Raid alarms go off if there is a dramatic increase in the levels of sulfur in the air.

A Capsule hotel is probably the craziest Japanese invention ever. Introduced in 1979, these “hotels” have accommodation for a variety of customers, ranging from traveling businessmen to drunken people who wouldn’t make it home safely.