29 Things That Exist Only in Japan

Japan is known as the country of the rising sun, but it could also be called the country of singing toilets or the country of the blue traffic light. There are so many

things

that make it a completely different world. Get ready to explore! 1. Square watermelons. They were invented in the 70s by a graphic designer so that they fit compactly on the refrigerator and can be cut more easily. Japanese farmers grow them in special containers to shape them. As they are quite expensive, people do not buy them as food, but as a decorative element. 2. Ramen noodle bath.

The Yunessun Spa Resort in Hakone offers guests the unique experience of splashing around in a vat of pork soup and ramen noodles. While this may seem crazy to many people, the Japanese believe that soaking in such a bath is good for the skin because a broth made from pork is rich in collagen. 3. Strange flavors of Kit-kat. Chili pepper, wasabi, sweet potato, roasted corn, soy, salted watermelon, mango, green tea – this is just a short list of Kit-Kat flavors you can try in Japan. Which one would you try? Let me know in the comments! 4. Fake food. Specialists make this type of food with plastic or wax and it looks as delicious as the real thing.

Many restaurants use fake food to display their popular dishes in their windows and attract hungry customers. Normally these replicas cost much more than the dishes they imitate. 5. Rabbit Island. In the 1940s, scientists brought several rabbits to Okunoshima Island for some tests. However, later the animals were released and began to multiply. Now the island is full of them and attracts many tourists. 6. Purikura machines. Taking photos in a booth is nothing new, but Japan added its own exciting touch to this experience. Their photo booths, called purikura, allow you to edit photos on the spot, adding different backgrounds, fun stickers or writing.

Additionally, you can send the photos to your cell phone. 7. Human traffickers. The subway and train stations get very crowded during rush hours. That's why station staff and part-time workers have to carry out the routine procedure of pushing people into trains to fit as many passengers as possible before the doors close. 8. Umbrella parking. Before entering a building, you can “park and lock” your umbrella just like you do with your bicycle. Now you can be sure that no one will catch it and you will not form a puddle on the ground if your umbrella is wet. Many government buildings, offices and hotels have this type of umbrella stand. 9.

Millions of vending machines. Japan has more than 5 million of them! Mainly because they save time for people who work late, which is quite common there. Furthermore, Japanese vending machines are not just for snacks and soft drinks. You can buy almost anything from these machines, from live lobsters to underwear. 10. The largest resident of Tokyo. In 2015, Godzilla was granted citizenship in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo. The authorities presented him with a special certificate indicating his new residence and also made him a job offer: Godzilla became a tourism ambassador. Later, they even installed a Godzilla head 171 feet high at Toho, the movie studio that made the original film in 1954. 11.

Train delays make headlines. Punctuality is very important there and train stations do everything they can to avoid delays. If a train arrives 5 minutes late, the railway company may have to issue a delay certificate to railway workers and passengers who missed an important appointment. And if the delay is more than an hour, the railway company could make an official apology in the newspapers. 12. “Silent” Karaoke. This is a special microphone with a cone that fits over your mouth. Muffles most sounds when you sing. It was designed for people who don't want to wake up their neighbors and those who feel shy about singing their favorite songs in public. 13.

Polite slurping. While in many other countries slurping is considered rude, in Japan it is a way to show your appreciation for the dish. If you don't slurp when you eat noodles, the chef will think that you don't like the food or that it is cold. 14. Facial napkins. When you eat a hamburger, it's never pretty because your mouth gets covered in ketchup or mustard. The owners of a fast food restaurant found a solution by serving hamburgers along with special napkins. They cover the faces of guests who feel a little embarrassed about looking messy while eating. 15. Water-saving sinks.

They are located just above the toilet tanks. The idea is simple: first you wash your hands in the sink, then it goes straight to the tank and, finally, you flush the toilet when you've done your business. So, you save water by using it twice. 16. Strange mayonnaise No, Japanese mayonnaise does not have any special recipe or ingredient. But they don't eat it with salads, meats and sandwiches; In Japan, people often use it as a topping for ice cream or pancakes. 17. Naps at work. In Japanese culture, falling asleep at the workplace (or inemuri) is considered a sign of being a hard-working person who is very committed to their work.

That's why inemuri is so common and no one thinks it's a bad thing. Some people even fake it! 18. The shortest escalator in the world. You can find it in the basement of the More department store, which is located in the city of Kawasaki. The escalator has

only

5 steps and is

only

33 inches high. 19. Canned food restaurant. Eating canned food may not seem like a delicious treat to you. But there is a whole chain of restaurants across the country that only serve canned food. They are quite popular as customers can choose from 300 varieties of food from all over the world. 20.

Village of dolls. The town of Nagoro used to have a population of 300 people, but now fewer than 40 residents live there. A local artist, Tsukimi Ayano, made more than 300 life-size dolls, most of which look like former residents; and are located in various states of action. For example, there is an entire classroom with them in the town school that was closed a while ago. 21. Number 4. It is common in Japanese culture to avoid the number 4 because it is considered to bring a lot of bad luck. That is why some buildings do not have a 4th floor, stores do not sell a set of cutlery for 4 and the number of guests at an event cannot be 4. 22.

Blue traffic light. They use blue instead of green for traffic lights. The reason lies in their language: historically there was only one word for both colors. When traffic lights first appeared in the country, they were as green as anywhere else. But that green color was still called blue. To get

things

right, the government decided to use the bluest possible shade of green. 23. Cleaning classes. Japanese children learn to clean in many schools because it is part of their education. They clean their classrooms and hallways, dust, and even clean the bathrooms. Teachers believe it is an excellent way to raise responsible citizens. 24.

Footbath train. Take the Tsudoi sightseeing train for the most comfortable sightseeing experience. This train features footbaths built from aromatic cypress wood and filled with warm spring water that can relieve joint pain. So you can soak your feet and enjoy beautiful views at the same time while traveling from Nagoya to Yunoyama Onsen. 25. Futuristic bathrooms. Bathrooms in Japan are very high-tech. To use one, a person must know what all those buttons are for. There are a variety of functions, including heating the seat, spraying warm water to clean the user, and even playing music. 26. Crazy ice cream flavors. The Japanese love strange food combinations.

Therefore, finding an ice cream flavored with horse meat, cactus, charcoal, squid ink, garlic or chicken wings will not be a problem. 27. Space-saving parking lots. As Japan is a densely populated country, they don't like to waste space. That's why their parking lots have an intelligent system. They are designed as multi-level garages. 28. Hotel run by robots. At a hotel in Nagasaki, robots make up a large part of the staff. It is called Henn-na which translates as "strange". The human-like androids greet guests, clean rooms, carry luggage, make coffee and even smile. However, real people also work there to recharge the robots and monitor how they perform their tasks. 29.

Coffee buddy. Sitting alone in a cafe and enjoying coffee and food is common for most people around the world. But in the Land of the Rising Sun, you will have a huge stuffed Moomin who will sit next to you in one of the cafes, so you don't have to eat alone. Hey, if you learned something new today, like the video and share it with a friend! And here are some other videos that I think you'll enjoy. Just click left or right and stay on the good side of life!