The Offbeat

The offbeat

Many parts of the culture of Japan are often viewed as a bit odd by western visitors. It is not only the language and customs you may find a bit different from back home, there are a few other odd parts to Japanese society that can make any trip to Japan fun, with a new experience around every corner.

The Offbeat

Cute Culture

Cute Culture

The Japanese are enthralled with cute characters on just about everything. Known as cute or “Kawaii” culture, many businesses have a cute mascot and soft…


cosplay

Cosplay

If you are visiting the youth areas like Tokyo’s Akihabara and Harajuku or Osaka’s Amerika-Mura, it won’t be long before you come across Cosplay. Cosplay…


Line friends

Japanese Cartoon Characters

Any first time visitor to Japan may experience a bit of cuteness overload as it is quite common for Japanese companies, the government and even…


tissues

Advertising Tissues

On many of the high traffic areas, especially around Shibuya and Shinjuku, tissue packs are an fascinating form of advertising. These small plastic packages covered…


Karoke Bar

Karaoke

Karaoke is one of Japan’s most popular entertainment pastimes, with over 50 million people enjoying the fun at over 15,000 karaoke box buildings throughout Japan….


sumo

Sumo Wrestling

Sumo wrestling is a competition contact sport where two usually giant wrestlers or rikishi, battle in a circular area. The sport is more than just…


Dog cafe

Dog Cafe

Seeing a sign that reads Dog Cafe, you might be alarmed and think, Oh No they are eating Fido, well that couldn’t be any further…


Japanese Toilet

Japanese Toilets

Some Japanese toilets are an attraction all in their own, with a range of technological features that are sure to alarm the first time user.


Anime

Anime

The Japanese animated art form known as Anime dates back to 1917, when Oten Shimokawa created the first Anime film. The film was a 5…


J Pop

J-Pop

You don’t have to be in Japan long before you get exposure to J-Pop, it is blaring at full blast from just about everywhere. J-Pop has…


Plastic food models

Plastic Food

Most of the restaurants in Japan have plastic food models of many of their dishes outside the restaurant or in their windows. There are some…


Weird Japanese icecream

Weird Ice-cream

The Japanese have a fascination with different flavours of ice cream, and we are not talking chocolate or strawberry, there are some weird and awful…


Love Hotel fees

Love Hotels

Love hotels are so called as they are typically used by young couples who can’t get privacy at home or by Japanese sex workers. Love…


Pachinko

Pachinko

Pachinko is a device used for gambling and is a mixture between a pinball machine and a video poker machine. Pachinko parlours are widespread throughout…


Capsule Hotel

Capsule Hotels

Capsule hotels are one of the more unique lodgings to be found anywhere. They are essentially a small cubicle less than a metre square and…