Crazy Things That Are Only Possible In Japan

#1 Description of job: pushing people in the subway

Japanese subways have so many passengers during rush hours that there are special workers — oshiya — who push people into trains. The first oshiya were students who worked part-time.

#2 Bikini jeans

This provocative hybrid of bikini and ultra low-rise jeans is actually produced in Brazil but finds its market mostly in Japan.

#3 Toilet Slipper

Because the toilet floor is so dirty, guests and members of the family are to wear special slippers for the bathroom in order to prevent the germs from the toilet to be spread to the rest of the house.

#4 Chin suppoerter

Due to the fact they work incredibly hard, the Japanese also sleep in the subway. And because subways are crammed with people, they use chin supporters to rest while standing.

#5 Ice cream with the flavor of noodles, meat, or beer

Forget chocolate and vanilla, in Japan, the preferred ice cream choices are horse meat, cactus, charcoal, and octopus.Tastes differ, but gourmets should definitely try Japanese ice cream in all of its diversity. It’s sold at every corner and is in great demand.

#6 Washlet toilet seat

Right now the washlet toilet seat is very popular with foreign tourists.

While the basic one just spouts out warm water from a nozzle to clean one's region, many versions also include deodorization, dryers, warming functions, even music. It's said that there are many tourists who try it once and become addicted.

#7 Limited edition Kit-Kats

Japan-limited Kit-Kats are another very popular souvenir among foreign tourists. There are many different kinds, so it might be fun to go on a quest to collect them all.

#8 Capsule Hotels

Capsule hotels are a type of lodging unique to Japan. It's said that the architect Kisho Kurokawa designed the first one for the 1970 Osaka World Fair. Many foreign tourists are interested in them because not only are they cheap and safe, but also staying in one feels like living within the world of science fiction.

#9 Kotatsu

If you're talking about winter in Japan, one of the main images is of the kotatsu. A kotatsu is a home heater that consists of a table placed on the floor with a blanket draped between the legs and the surface to hide the heater beneath it. Since it often appears in anime and movies, there are many people around the world who know about it.

In Japanese households, it's standard for families to sit under the kotatsu in the winter to eat mandarins and watch TV together. It's a scene that can be said to be unique to Japan.

#10 Purikura

Purikura is a general term for machines where you can take pictures of yourself or with a group that is immediately printed out as photo stickers. They exploded in popularity in the 90s, and lots of high school girls had "puri Kura books" where they would exchange stickers of each other.

At the time, the machines only took photos, but machines nowadays allow you to add designs and writing to the photos as well as adjust the size of your eyes and other treatments. Some machines will also allow you to receive the photos as data to your smartphones, showing the profession of modern technology. There are many Puri Kura establishments where men are not allowed to go in alone as a crime prevention tactic.

#11 Hentai And Manga

In case you've never actually seen real-life pornography from Japan, let me tell you that the majority of the time, it's all censored. What fun is that, right? Well, whether that issue is caused by or the cause of the production of so much animated smut, I'm not sure. But one thing is certain: the Japanese sure do love them some anime! Whether it's the X-rated kind or otherwise, Japan is famous for both manga and anime, and, on top of the videos, the country annually uses more paper for comics than for toilet paper!

#12 Adult Adoption

Believe it or not, statistics (which I will not provide for you) show that in 2011, more than 90% of adoption in Japan was of adult males between the ages of 20 and 30. Business is the primary reason for this since when an older Japanese man doesn't have a natural born son to take over the family business, they go ahead and get creative! Nobody tells my dad about this though, he's been trying to unload me for a few decades now, and I don't want him to know that it's still a possibility!

#13 Vending Machines

Have you ever invited a few friends over for lovely evening of surf and turf and realized at the last minute, "Well darn, I went and forgot the surf!" I know I have! Well, fear not, my friends. All you've got to do is move to Japan. From there, when this pesky social faux pas occurs again, you'll just have to run down to the corner with some loose change and the day is saved! But seriously, though, Japan has vending machines for everything. Classics like pop and snacks as well as game changers like women's undergarments (both new AND used...)! Handy for when your first date is Mexican food!

#14 Dispenser pack

In between the two packets is an ultra-thin incision, so when you press the two containers together the liquid will squeeze out. The dispense pack containing two types of liquids was first thought of in Japan, so you can have an equal amount of both condiments without mixing them.

Since you can squeeze out the condiments with just one hand, even if you're outdoors or some other location, you can use it without dirtying your hands. If you buy a hot dog or a similar item at a convenience store in japan, you'll often receive a dispenser pack that has ketchup and mustard.

#15 Pillows for lonely men

For the men who miss their wife or simply don’t have a significant other, lap pillows are available for only a few dollars at pretty much all the stores.