Seriously Weird Things That Only Exist In Japan

Above, Godzilla peers over a building in Shinjuku. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan is one interesting country to visit. There are many things that are different and cannot be found anywhere else.

The Travel has listed 22 items of "seriously weird things" about the country.

Godzilla fans will want to make note of item number 12.

They begin with:

Japan has always had a reputation for its distinctive culture and unique traditions, and for visitors spending time in the Land of the Rising Sun, it can feel like an intimidating submersion into a cultural ice bucket. 

As an island nation with a long history of isolation, many aspects of the culture developed completely unaffected by outside influences. Feudal samurai ideals clash with cutting-edge technology; elderly survivors who have endured the full wrath of the atomic bomb mix with teenagers in Pokemon outfits. It’s little wonder that to Western eyes, Japan does appear to have a pretty high tolerance for strangeness. 

Without a doubt, Japan is one of the most innovative and creative societies in the world. After all, where else can you find trains that travel at speeds upwards of 300 mph, or toilets that play music as you go about your business? But this is barely scratching the surface of wonder that is Japan. From fetishes catered to by vending machines, to cartoons, food and more, Japan is just… fascinating. 

“Weird” is not a bad thing, we’d like to add, and from another perspective, it would be perfectly reasonable to question why is the West so weird compared to Japan? But for visitors to the country, it’s the unique aspects of Japanese culture that make it one of the most interesting places on earth. 

Prepare to raise an eyebrow, or two, as we list 22 reasons why no country will ever be as weird and wonderful as Japan.

To see what they are, go here.